During Ice Barcelona 2026, Tsachi Maimon, ceo of RubyPlay, discussed about RubyPlay’s approach to game localisation, the company’s growing presence and partnerships in Italy, and the new studio content ecosystem model, which underpins RubyPlay’s content strategy and future growth.
RubyPlay has grown significantly in recent years. How would you describe the company’s evolution?
“Our journey leaves very little to chance. The evolution has been deliberate. RubyPlay has always been a focused slot studio, driven by a clear product vision with the intention to grow in regulated markets, such as Italy which is one of the most important regions for the company. This requires much more than scale alone.
We have evolved into a content-based ecosystem built around strong creative autonomy, shared technology, and close collaboration with our operator partners. Growth for us is not simply about delivering more games or entering new markets. Our mindset is on becoming better at creating content that genuinely fits each market we operate in and every partner we work with”.
What are the core principles guiding RubyPlay’s product and partnership strategy?
“Our product and partnership strategy is shaped by the belief that our clients’ brands should sit at the centre of everything we do, supported by a deep understanding of regulated markets.
From a product perspective, we prioritise designing games with specific market requirements in mind and focus on dedicated IP rather than adapting the same content everywhere. With regards to Italy, that means developing content that will resonate with local players through popular themes and engaging mechanics, in particular Hold and Win games that we know capture the imagination of a wide audience. On the partnership side, we work closely with operators throughout the process, enabling them to distinguish themselves in an increasingly competitive environment.
We place strong value on continuously seeking partner feedback to ensure our content aligns with player expectations and regulatory realities in each market”.
Localisation is often mentioned as a priority but what does ‘true localisation’ mean to RubyPlay in practice?
“For us, true localisation means building content specifically for Italy, a key market for RubyPlay.
It goes beyond translation or visual changes. Game concepts, maths, pacing, and features are designed with Italian player behaviour and regulation in mind from the earliest stages. Our studio-based ecosystem supports this approach, with studios such as Koala Games focused on Italy while using shared technology and distribution infrastructure.
Localisation is driven by data. We closely track performance, trends, and operator feedback in Italy and use that insight to continuously refine our content”.
Why is Italy such an important market for RubyPlay?
“Italy is incredibly important for the company’s existing and future strategy. It represents a key growth market for RubyPlay due to its size, maturity, and cultural distinctiveness within the iGaming sector.
The market delivers strong results for RubyPlay, with multiple live clients and a favourable environment for continued expansion as part of our broader European strategy. Italy’s dedicated player base and regulatory framework make it an important milestone in our global ambitions and a contributor to the success of our multi-studio ecosystem in delivering localised content”.
How do Italian player preferences differ from other European or international markets?
“Understanding these critical differences is crucial for RubyPlay and is driven by our insatiable desire to deliver the right content for this market. Through extensive research and rigorous analysis of our games already live in the country, Italian players show distinct preferences shaped by cultural habits. Titles such as Diamond Explosion and Voltage Blitz have gained meaningful traction in Italy. Additionally, Go High Gallina is inspired by local heritage and culture, with a lucky chicken central to the gameplay.
Players tend to value experiences that feel familiar, well-balanced, and clearly designed rather than generic. The market places strong emphasis on regulated, culturally relevant content, which makes tailoring gameplay and presentation to local expectations a central part of our approach”.
Can you tell us more about the specific partnerships you have in Italy, and how these collaborations help shape your approach to the market?
“RubyPlay has built a growing network of partnerships in Italy with established, regulated operators, supporting our expansion in the market over recent years.
Key partners include Microgame and Snaitech in 2024, followed by GBO Italy, Eurobet, StarCasinò, Betsson Italy, Sisal, AdmiralBet, StarVegas, and BetFlag in 2025.
These collaborations are based on close cooperation and ongoing dialogue with every customer. Working directly with Italian partners helps us better understand local player expectations and market dynamics, shaping how we tailor content, prioritise gameplay elements, and apply our studio-based ecosystem to deliver locally relevant experiences”.
What role do Italian operator partnerships play in shaping your content roadmap?
“All of our Italian operator partners play an important role in shaping our content roadmap, as they provide direct insight into local player preferences and market expectations.
This ongoing collaboration informs how our ecosystem of studios approach game design and release planning, ensuring content is developed with specific market needs in mind rather than applied generically. These partnerships also support our broader European strategy by allowing us to scale in a consistent and sustainable way across regulated markets”.
RubyPlay has recently announced its studio content ecosystem model. What was the thinking behind this approach?
“The studio ecosystem model was developed to allow creative scale without losing identity across major regulated markets worldwide, including Italy.
As RubyPlay grew, it became clear that maintaining a single creative voice would limit our ability to serve diverse markets effectively. By building an ecosystem of independent studios supported by shared technology and infrastructure, we enable creativity while maintaining consistency, quality, and operational efficiency. Ultimately, operators in Italy will truly benefit from this new approach as it directly responds to their ongoing requirements for relevant and unique content”.
How does this model help RubyPlay scale while remaining locally relevant?
“The ecosystem allows each studio to focus on its own creative strengths, market focus, or gameplay philosophy while benefiting from RubyPlay’s central technology, regulatory expertise, and distribution capabilities.
This structure provides the flexibility to respond to local market needs without compromising scale or operational stability. Specifically to Italy, we have the superior knowledge and capability now to design releases that will deliver a major impact”.
What excites you most about RubyPlay’s roadmap for regulated European markets?
“What excites me the most is that the games are designed for a specific market from the start, not created as generic content and then modified later to fit local rules, culture, or player habits. So when we state we can develop fresh content specifically for Italy, we can truly deliver on this promise from the very beginning of the design process.
Our roadmap is built around speed, focus, and precision. The studio ecosystem allows us to move quickly while designing content that reflects local culture, regulation, and player behaviour from day one. In regulated European markets, this combination of fast execution and deep localisation is what creates real value for our partners and drives sustainable growth.
Europe remains central to our strategy, and Italy will continue to play a key role in shaping our future”.
