Monika Zlateva, Chief Commercial Officer at CT Interactive, brings more than 19 years of experience in the iGaming industry and oversees the company’s commercial strategy across a growing network of regulated markets. CT Interactive has established itself as a global gaming content provider, delivering a portfolio of casino games to operators in more than 27 regulated jurisdictions while continuing to expand its reach through strategic partnerships, localized offerings, and data-driven product development.
In this CasinoRank interview, Zlateva discusses what sustainable growth means in today’s iGaming market, how suppliers can balance commercial flexibility with long-term value creation, and why distribution, positioning, and product relevance are becoming increasingly important competitive differentiators. She also shares insights on evaluating new market opportunities, structuring performance-focused partnerships, and the factors she believes will separate the industry’s top-performing suppliers from the rest in the years ahead.
With more than 19 years of experience in the iGaming industry, how has your perspective on what drives sustainable growth evolved, and how are you applying that at CT Interactive today?
Monika Zlateva: Sustainable growth means building resilient ecosystem. At CT Interactive we focus on long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with both operators and internal teams.
This requires disciplined execution, continuous investment, and the ability to make strategic trade-offs. Just as important is knowing when to adapt—and when to step away from initiatives that no longer deliver long-term value.
Our approach is simple: we grow with our partners by aligning product development and commercial strategies with real player demand. That’s how sustainable growth becomes scalable growth.
Are suppliers under increasing pressure to be more flexible commercially, and how do you protect long-term value while staying competitive?
Monika Zlateva: Commercial flexibility is no longer optional—it’s the baseline. The real challenge is protecting long-term value while operating in an increasingly aggressive pricing environment.
We address this through a combination of data-driven decision-making and calculated risk-taking. But data alone is not enough—creativity and smart distribution strategies are equally critical.
At CT Interactive, we focus on product relevance, exclusive and branded content, and targeted audience strategies. When pricing pressure intensifies, we don’t race to the bottom—we scale through strategic partnerships that strengthen long-term stability. We focus on exclusive offerings and micro-targeting specific audiences to maximize impact.
With such a strong presence in regulated markets, how do player expectations vary across regions, and how does that shape your commercial strategy?
Monika Zlateva: At CT Interactive, we compete for player attention in an increasingly saturated market. That’s why product relevance, smart distribution, and data-driven execution are at the core of everything we do. Sustainable growth is a result of making the right decisions at scale.
Player preferences and expectations do vary across different markets, but we believe that a truly strong product is often strong on a global level. We focus on understanding local client preferences and analyzing competitors’ commercial offerings in order to ensure we remain aligned with market trends and do not miss key opportunities.
Having integrated market knowledge across more than 27 regulated jurisdictions gives us a significant advantage. It allows us to experiment more effectively and, importantly, to transfer proven commercial strategies from one territory to another. We apply insights that have delivered results in one jurisdiction and adapt them thoughtfully to other markets, based on specific market matrix transfer models that we continuously develop and refine. By applying validated commercial models from one jurisdiction to another, we accelerate performance and reduce risk.
From your experience, have you seen strong products underperform due to positioning or distribution rather than quality, and what typically drives that disconnect?
Monika Zlateva: Players engage with what they see. Visibility drives adoption, and adoption builds loyalty. Positioning is a powerful tool in helping products gain visibility, popularity, and a loyal, engaged fan base. At the same time, this core audience is always inherently limited, which means we need to continuously expand it through a mix of marketing tools and strategies.
The challenge is managing the portfolio intelligently – scaling top performers without overexposure, while giving new titles the space to grow. This requires constant optimization and a clear balance between short-term results and long-term portfolio health.
CT Interactive has been expanding its portfolio and exploring new verticals, how do you evaluate whether a new segment is commercially viable?
Monika Zlateva: Expanding a portfolio is not an overnight decision. It requires significant strategic thinking, rigorous data analysis, and in-depth market evaluation, as well as the identification of truly unique selling points. Equally important is assessing scalability through the existing client base and understanding readiness for growth.
The offering in the market is extensive, and competition is relentless. In this environment, finding the right balance—almost a mathematical model—between investment and expected ROI is critical to making sound decisions.
From our perspective, investing in partnerships with companies that have proven products, as well as a strong and stable industry reputation, consistently delivers stronger and more immediate positive outcomes.
Operators today are demanding more performance data and faster iteration, how is that changing the way you structure partnerships?
Monika Zlateva: Partnerships today are built on transparency, speed, and performance.
We structure our partnerships around shared dashboards and clearly aligned KPIs, such as GGR, ARPU, retention cohorts, and conversion rates. In many cases, this involves direct API integrations or providing operators with access to real-time performance tools rather than relying on filtered or static reporting. We also operate with faster iteration cycles, enabling rapid A/B testing of games, features, and promotional activities. Our roadmaps are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing us to respond quickly to performance signals and market feedback.
From a commercial perspective, we focus on performance-based models, including revenue share structures tied directly to player value. Ultimately, both sides are aligned around the same objective: maximizing player lifetime value, rather than simply launching content.
Looking ahead, what will ultimately separate the top-performing suppliers from the rest as the industry continues to evolve?
Monika Zlateva: Top-performing suppliers are defined by a combination of consistent product performance, data-driven iteration, and strong distribution capabilities. They consistently deliver titles that perform across multiple markets, supported by strong retention metrics, proven mathematical models, and the ability to localize content effectively for different player segments. Data and speed of iteration are critical. We rely on real-time performance tracking and continuous post-launch optimization to ensure products remain competitive and relevant.
Distribution and operator relationships are equally important. We focus on securing premium positioning with key operators and supporting them through promotions, tools, and actionable insights that enhance overall performance. Regulation and scalability also play a key role. We are able to enter new jurisdictions efficiently, maintain full compliance, and adapt to local regulatory requirements without compromising speed or quality.
The future belongs to suppliers who can align risk, reward, and execution—and turn that into measurable results.
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.
