The online betting industry in Cyprus has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, with Stoiximan leading the way as one of the country’s most prominent online gaming operator. With a background in economics and finance, and over a decade of experience in the online betting sector, Angelos Chontoulidis, who has been managing the company’s development and growth since 2017, has played a crucial role in navigating the competitive landscape and establishing Stoiximan as a top brand in the Cypriot market.

In his interview with FastForward, Angelos shares insights into his leadership style, emphasizing the importance of transmitting core company values to his team and leading by example. He also sheds light on how customer-centric strategies and a focus on local market characteristics have driven Stoiximan’s success. Furthermore, Angelos discusses Stoiximan’s future plans, the evolving trends in online gaming, and the importance of social responsibility in the company’s operations.

First of all, many thanks for your invitation, it is a privilege for me to be here! Given that I manage a relatively small team here in Cyprus for Stoiximan, I personally find it very important at the beginning to transmit the company's values to my team. One needs to learn and embrace the core values based on which the organization is built, in order to thrive - and of course it is my duty to lead by example.

Moreover, as a manager I try to transmit to my team any knowledge I have gained throughout the years so that the team can make an informed decision on their own. The value hides in the reasoning behind the answer, not the answer itself! Last but not least, transparency is the glue that keeps a good team together.

If I had to sum up our approach in one phrase, that would be “Obsession beats talent every day”. One needs to be fully focused on offering our customers the best possible experience, and the only way to do so is by not taking your eye off them at any point. Moreover, one needs to stay humble, arrogance never helped anyone or any company.

I believe that the most important factor to becoming a leading company in the sector is our customer centric approach. Defining what our customers need and finding the best way to offer it also played a key part. Each country has different characteristics, different habits and needs.

One of the most common mistakes that international companies make is to treat every country in the same way. What is also very important is to give back to a country, both in terms of marketing investment in sports and CSR activities. And of course, hard work from everyone involved!

If I could single out 2 things, these would be the social element and AI. Obviously both these trends do not apply to online gaming only, however our sector is a perfect match for them. Technology is the core for every GameTech and one needs to catch up as soon as possible with  any technological developments - and it is evident that we have already entered the AI era. On the other hand, the social aspect is also a key element that is gaining in popularity, especially amongst younger audiences.

Not many people know it but Cyprus is one of the very few countries in the EU where Online Casino is completely banned due to the local legislation. This obviously means that one should focus solely on their Sportsbook and make sure they offer an exciting and pleasant experience for their customers.

In terms of preferences, it appears as if the phrase “The King of sports” that refers to football was …made in Cyprus: Football is by far the most popular sport amongst our users, way above the average compared to other countries where we operate. This is one of the reasons that we decided from the very beginning of our presence in the country to invest heavily in Sponsorships of Cypriot football clubs and recently the Cyprus National Team.

The name of the company that operates Stoiximan in Cyprus and Greece and Betano in another 13 countries is “Kaizen Gaming”. Kaizen in Japanese stands for “Continuous Improvement”, therefore one thing is for sure, things will only get better from now on in terms of User Experience! Earlier this year, we were the first betting company to offer Live Streaming of Cypriot Division 1 football fixtures. We will also continue to add new markets, based on the feedback we receive from our audience, try to make bet placement even faster, and improve the functionality and efficiency of our Cash Out and Bet Builder features.

Social responsibility is in our DNA and is a strategic pillar in every country from Day 1. Every sponsorship, minor or major, is necessarily linked with a social responsibility action. Especially in Cyprus, where the local community embraced Stoiximan from the early days, we felt that it was our duty to give back to the local community, not in terms of simple ad hoc actions, but through a continuous and detailed plan. We believe that our actions had a significant impact on the society but also set the standards for our industry, as until then there were very few (if any) companies from the sector that were actively engaging in CSR activities. Added to that, we also apply all necessary tools to our users in order to ensure that they will be betting responsibly. At Stoiximan, we offer extra Safer Gambling tools, not just the ones that are mandatory by the legislation.

What: Stoiximan Cyprus

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Who: Angelos Chontoulidis is Country Manager in Cyprus for Stoiximan since 2017 and is responsible for the business development and brand growth in the country. After completing his Bachelor in Economic Studies in National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Post graduate studies in Birkbeck University of London (MSc in Finance), he moved to Cyprus in 2008 in order to work in the online betting sector. Angelos has recorded many important successes in his professional career by boosting the companies he has worked for to no1 position in the country, based on financial performance and recognition.