Three industry perspectives on how creative investment can influence player trust, game performance, client relationships, and long-term value
As the iGaming market becomes more competitive, studios and brands are investing more in creativity and innovation to make games stand out, build recognition, and stay relevant.
But what does that investment actually return?
To explore the ROI of creativity in iGaming, we spoke with three industry professionals:
- Ivan Shlapunov, Key Business Development Manager at Belatra Games
- Dmitry Darmenko, CEO at High Palma Studios
- Adam Kenny, Founder of AK Audio Services Ltd
We asked:
What is the real ROI of investing in creativity and innovation in iGaming? From your experience, where do you see the biggest impact, and how do you measure it?
Here is what they shared.
Belatra Games: Measuring ROI Beyond the Launch
Ivan Shlapunov, Key Business Development Manager at Belatra Games
“In my view, there is no single universal metric. It all depends on what exactly you are investing in and over what period you are evaluating the results.”
For an individual game, Shlapunov points to metrics such as bets and spins, active users, retention, conversion, game lifecycle, casino lobby position, and post-launch performance.
However, he sees ROI at two different levels.
“That is why I would divide ROI into two levels. The first is immediate: what the investment brings to a specific release or campaign. The second is cumulative: what additional value it creates for future products.”
For Belatra Games, this means looking beyond the initial launch to see whether a game can continue generating interest and create opportunities for future releases.
Shlapunov gives Mummyland Treasures as an example, explaining how its character and mechanics generated interest among streamers and helped create further opportunities for games within the same universe.
He also points to Belatra's recurring character The Guy, featured in Blast the Bass, Ice Bass, and Hunt the Bucks.
“After all, for a brand, it is no longer enough simply to buy attention. What matters is creating a story or an idea that earns that attention organically.”
High Palma Studios: When Players and Clients Return
Dmitry Darmenko, CEO, High Palma Studios
“When AI makes it easier and cheaper to create content, and many slots start to look the same, I think the ROI of creativity is becoming even more important.”
For Darmenko, the value comes from high quality, fresh ideas, and consistently creating games that players enjoy.
One of the clearest indicators of ROI for High Palma Studios is client retention.
“For our studio, one of the strongest signs of ROI is when a client comes back for the next project because they see real value in the result.”
For a studio working with multiple clients, repeat business can provide a practical way to understand whether its ideas and production approach are delivering value.
Darmenko connects this directly to the player experience:
“In the end, players come back to games that are fun, and clients come back to partners who help them create that fun.”
AK Audio Services: Building Player Trust
Adam Kenny, Founder of AK Audio Services Ltd
For Kenny, one of the clearest returns on creative investment is player trust.
“A player decides whether a game feels finished within seconds, and every creative discipline is feeding that judgement at once, the art, the animation, the sound, the way the maths is presented back to them.”
In audio, Kenny highlights details such as reels landing with weight, anticipation building in line with what is happening underneath the game, and win sequences feeling proportional to the outcome.
“When those details are properly considered the game reads as something built with care, and players give more trust to a product that feels cared for.”
He also points to longer-lasting titles and studios returning to build on what worked as indicators that this investment can create value beyond the initial release.
What Does ROI Look Like in iGaming?
The three perspectives show that the ROI of creativity and innovation in iGaming can take several forms.
For Belatra Games, ROI can be measured through immediate game performance while also considering the cumulative value created for future products and brand recognition.
For High Palma Studios, the return can be seen when players enjoy the end product and clients choose to return for another project.
For AK Audio Services, attention to detail can contribute to player trust and the perception that a game has been carefully developed.
Together, these perspectives point to several areas that studios can consider when evaluating creative investment:
- Game performance: Bets, spins, active users, retention, conversion, and post-launch results
- Player engagement: Whether players continue interacting with and returning to a game
- Client retention: Whether partners return for additional projects
- Product longevity: Whether a game continues generating interest after launch
- Brand recognition: Whether characters, ideas, or game concepts create recognition beyond a single release
- Organic attention: Whether a game generates interest without relying entirely on paid promotion
This means there is no single formula for measuring creative ROI. The right metrics depend on what the investment is intended to achieve and how long its impact is being evaluated.
Why Creative Investment Matters Beyond Launch
A new iGaming release competes for attention alongside a constant flow of other games. Investment in creativity and innovation can therefore influence more than the initial presentation of a title.
It can shape how a game is experienced, how players respond to it, how clients evaluate the work, and whether elements of the product can create value beyond the first release.
The perspectives from Belatra Games, High Palma Studios, and AK Audio Services also show that ROI can extend across different stages of a game's lifecycle, from launch performance and player response to repeat business, trust, and future opportunities.
Final Thoughts
The ROI of creativity in iGaming is not always captured by a single number.
It can appear in game performance, player behaviour, client relationships, product longevity, brand recognition, and organic attention.
As the industry continues to evolve, the question is not only how much creative and innovative investment costs, but also what value that investment continues to create after a game launches.
About iGamity
At iGamity, we explore the innovation, technology, product strategies, and market trends shaping the future of iGaming.
Through Game Reviews, Studio Spotlights, iGamity Talks, Written Talks, and educational articles, we explore the ideas and strategies shaping today's gaming experiences.
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