Elena Shaterova, Chief Commercial Officer at 7777 Gaming, offers an in-depth look into the company’s journey navigating the complex landscape of regulated iGaming markets. In this interview, she discusses how 7777 Gaming balances rapid international expansion with strict compliance, innovative game design tailored to diverse cultures, and seamless technical integrations.
Elena also sheds light on the company’s approach to emerging technologies, responsible gaming, and player engagement strategies that drive long-term success. Her insights reveal how 7777 Gaming transforms challenges into opportunities, pushing boundaries in an ever-evolving industry.
Entering regulated markets like Italy requires navigating complex compliance requirements. What operational or development challenges has 7777 gaming faced during this process, and how have you addressed them?
Elena Shaterova: For us, regulated markets aren’t obstacles, they’re opportunities to level up our creativity, precision, and player-focused design.
Launched just three years ago, we already operate in 14 regulated markets worldwide. That experience has shaped our ability to move fast, stay compliant and still deliver engaging, high-quality content. Our digital lottery vertical plays a key role. We develop over 30 games a year, each tailored to local regulations and player preferences.
It’s a challenge that demands precision, coordination and creativity. In other words, we turn regulation into opportunity and that’s our competitive advantage.
Designing games for a global audience involves understanding diverse player preferences. How does your team research and incorporate cultural differences and player behaviour into your game design?
Elena Shaterova: Designing games for a global audience starts with listening. We work closely with operators and aggregators who know their local players best, helping us align with market-specific preferences and behaviors.
Our portfolio reflects that insight. From slots and lottery-style games to innovative crash titles, we create a wide range of experiences tailored to different audiences. We don’t limit ourselves to one mechanic, we focus on fun, engagement and cultural relevance.
And for players who explore more than one title, there’s an extra layer to discover. Our development team adds subtle easter eggs and character crossovers across games, creating what we proudly call the 7777 multiverse.
Integration with aggregation platforms can be technically demanding. What are some of the main challenges you encounter during these integrations, and how do you ensure quality and consistency across different platforms?
Elena Shaterova: Integration with aggregation platforms typically follows one of two paths. In some cases, aggregators connect to our API. In others, we integrate with theirs. Both models come with technical complexities and require precise coordination. Many aggregators prefer using their own API specifications, which means adapting to diverse standards, workflows and environments.
Given the competitive landscape, where aggregator platforms are limited and highly sought after, speed and flexibility are essential. We’ve built the tech infrastructure to support both integration types and structured our teams accordingly. This setup lets us move fast, stay aligned with partner expectations and maintain consistent quality across the board.
When expanding into new markets such as Latin America, what localization strategies beyond language translation do you implement to meet local player expectations and regulatory standarts?
Elena Shaterova: We won’t give away all our secrets… but local players are easy to spot when you know what to look for.
We work with local experts, rely on insights from operators and aggregators, and pay close attention to how players actually engage, not just what they say they want. That means tailoring themes, user experience, promotional mechanics, and engagement tools to cultural preferences, while carefully aligning volatility, bonus logic and compliance with market standards and operator goals.
We’ve also explored things like event-based mechanics tied to local holidays or football culture, because real localization means building for the market, not just in it.
We also offer branded games for different operators to deliver an even more customized experience tailored specifically to their audience.
The iGaming industry is rapidly evolving with new technologies emerging. How does 7777 gaming approach adopting new tech or innovative gameplay mechanics to stay competitive?
Elena Shaterova: The iGaming industry is full of exciting possibilities right now. There’s a lot of conversation around AI, blockchain, immersive experiences, and smart analytics… and for good reason. These technologies are changing how we think about game design, player engagement, and even compliance.
At 7777 gaming, we’re following these trends closely and experimenting where it makes sense. We’ve started working with AI in some creative areas and we’re curious to see where that takes us. Some of it is promising, some of it still feels like early days.
We’re not trying to jump on every new tech trend just to say we’ve done it. What matters most to us is using innovation in a way that feels meaningful for the player and true to our vision as a company. We’d rather be thoughtful than flashy. But yes, it’s a very exciting time to be in iGaming and we’re paying close attention to what’s emerging, with an open mind and a creative spirit.
Player retention and engagement are key metrics in game success. What techniques or features does your team focus on to maintain player interest over time?
Elena Shaterova: We create games with diverse themes, interactive layers, and progression elements that keep the experience fresh and exciting over time.
A key part of our approach is adding multiple bonus levels that introduce surprises, engagement loops, and replayability. For example, many of our games include two bonus stages, which build anticipation and reward deeper play. We also use Jackpot mechanics not as a short-term hook, but as a long-term motivational goal that players can work toward.
One of our standout mechanics is the Buy Extra Bombs feature in Ships and Bombs. After the initial spins are completed, players can choose to purchase additional bombs to target and reveal hidden rewards – turning a finished spin into a moment of strategic decision-making.
This post-spin interactivity keeps players involved, empowers them to shape outcomes, and adds a layer of fun that goes far beyond traditional spinning.We don’t build mechanics to hook players. We build them to entertain, evolve, and connect, because real engagement is earned, not engineered.
What regulatory trends do you foresee impacting game development and distribution in the near future, and how is 7777 gaming preparing for them?
Elena Shaterova: We expect markets to become increasingly regulated, with a stronger focus on player protection, data transparency, responsible gaming tools, and technical compliance. These trends will impact not just distribution, but the very foundation of how games are designed… from features and volatility to promotional mechanics and session control.
How does your company balance creativity and innovation with responsible gaming consideration in your product development?
Elena Shaterova: Our mantra is “more gaming, less gambling” and that guides the products we develop. We focus on soft iGaming concepts where entertainment is the core, not high-risk mechanics. Slots are only part of our portfolio… many of our titles, like 100 Bracelets and Zoomboy, are built around progression, storytelling, and interaction, rather than pure chance.
We consciously avoid overwhelming, overstimulating elements designed to create compulsive behavior. For us, responsibility starts with the concept itself and we build every product with that in mind.
From your personal experience within 7777 gaming, what motivates your team to keep pushing boundaries in the iGaming space, and how do you see the company evolving in the next 3-5 years?
Elena Shaterova: Our brand lives in a space-themed universe for a reason. Every new game, feature, or mechanic is a launch and every market we enter is a new world to discover. In the next 3 to 5 years, we see 7777 gaming among the top global providers. But not just by numbers. We want to be known for changing the conversation in the industry. After all, space is infinite. So is our ambition.
With a background in digital media and a keen eye for emerging technologies, Ronaldo bridges the gap between players and platforms through clear, insightful reporting to the iGaming industry.
