In an exclusive interview with iGaming News Today, Christos Zoulianitis, CCO at ENJOY Gaming, discusses the company’s approach to sustainable growth, international expansion and product development. He explains why partnerships need to go beyond commercial agreements, how ENJOY is approaching regulated markets such as Italy, and why hybrid gaming could create new opportunities as the traditional boundaries between slots and live casino continue to evolve.

Christos also examines the growing role of AI in commercial strategy and game production, warning that increased content volumes could make differentiation even more important. Alongside these industry trends, he shares his views on international market entry, leadership and what it takes to build a gaming company capable of growing globally.

Q1. You’ve spent more than a decade building partnerships and driving commercial growth across different markets. Looking back, what has been the biggest lesson from your journey?

Christos Zoulianitis:

The biggest lesson has been that commercial success is ultimately about people. You can have the best strategy, product, and technology, but without strong relationships and clear communication, it’s hard to build something sustainable.

Throughout my career, I have worked across different roles, markets and cultures, from business development and account management to partnerships and market strategy. Every step taught me something different, but the common denominator has always been communication and collaboration.

I don’t see partners simply as customers. They should become part of your community. When you understand their business, market, challenges and ambitions, you can build partnerships that go beyond a commercial agreement. The strongest commercial relationships are those where both sides are trying to build something great together. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career.

Q2. As Chief Commercial Officer at ENJOY Gaming, what are your biggest priorities as you continue to grow the company in an increasingly competitive B2B market?

Christos Zoulianitis:

My biggest priority is disciplined, sustainable growth.

ENJOY is a young, ambitious company, and we have already delivered strong results in our first year of commercial operation. Revenue-wise, we have achieved in a single year what other companies take five or six years to reach. But growth for its own sake is not enough. Every market we enter, partnership we sign, and product we release must serve our long-term direction.

The company’s strong entry into Italy shows our commercial approach in practice: we have built relationships with key operators and partners, including Lottomatica, Goldbet, SKS365, Betflag and Microgame. These partnerships reflect the confidence established operators have in our products and direction.

At the same time, we have to protect what makes ENJOY distinct. Quality comes first. We want products that succeed at launch and stay relevant over time.

Commercially, my ambition is for ENJOY to be synonymous with excellence, combining creativity, innovation and reliability. Over the coming years, we want to set higher standards for ourselves and establish ENJOY as a global force known for exceptional products and strong partnerships.

Q3. The B2B gaming industry has become more competitive than ever. In your opinion, what makes a game provider stand out from the crowd today?

Christos Zoulianitis:

A strong product is the starting point, but it’s no longer enough on its own.

So many providers are entering the market that operators have an enormous amount of content to choose from. To stand out, we need to give players a memorable experience and provide operators with a clear reason to believe the content will perform.

At ENJOY, we think about the entire entertainment experience: games that stay with the player beyond the individual session and generate excitement, engagement, and a genuine desire to come back.

A strong understanding of each market is key. Player insight, technology, reliability, compliance and commercial support all have to work together. A strong game without the right distribution or operator support will struggle to reach its full potential.

And there needs to be a clear identity. In such a crowded market, releasing more games is not enough. Establishing creative direction and company values will deliver consistent experiences that reflect the overall ambition.

Q4. ENJOY Gaming has been expanding its portfolio with both slot games and live game shows. As CCO, what is your vision for positioning the company in today’s highly competitive iGaming market?

Christos Zoulianitis:

My vision is to position ENJOY as a company known for memorable, differentiated gaming experiences, rather than for the number of games we release.

On the slots side, titles such as Diamond Slam, 4 Trains Express and 3 Mariachi combine strong themes and visual identity with gameplay designed to appeal to different player preferences.

What I find particularly interesting is the potential of hybrid gaming. I expect the lines between traditional verticals to keep blurring. Players increasingly expect experiences that combine different types of entertainment, mechanics and levels of interaction.

That’s where products such as Energy Roulette come in, bringing together elements from different gaming worlds to create a more dynamic experience. Hybrid gaming lets us combine the familiarity of established formats with new mechanics and deeper player engagement.

This reflects how player expectations are evolving, and how we create products that feel fresh while remaining intuitive and enjoyable. Commercially, I want ENJOY to be seen as a provider that is creative and dependable, one that understands operators and players and delivers consistently across regulated markets.

We are building for the long term, not for a single season.

Q5. AI is changing every part of the gaming industry. How do you see AI influencing commercial strategy, customer engagement, and business development over the next few years?

Christos Zoulianitis:

AI will become increasingly important across the iGaming ecosystem, but it won’t replace the human element of our industry.

From a commercial perspective, AI can help us analyse markets faster, identify trends, understand player behaviour and make more informed decisions. It can also make commercial teams more efficient by automating repetitive processes, freeing people to spend more time on strategic work and relationships.

At the same time, many companies are already using AI to develop and release content much faster, with a significant part of the creative and production process generated by AI. This raises a real question about where the industry is heading. The market is already extremely crowded, and operators already have more content on their platforms than they can realistically promote.

As AI makes content creation faster and easier, that volume could increase sharply. Operators may start treating AI-generated content differently commercially, expecting different rates or deal structures. They may also become far more selective, switching off content that doesn’t perform, because the volume will become impossible to manage.

AI could make the industry more efficient, but it could also make quality and differentiation even more important. If everyone can produce more content, the real question becomes: how do you create something that genuinely stands out?

The companies that benefit most from AI will be the ones that use it to enhance creativity, decision-making and efficiency without losing the human understanding of entertainment, players and relationships.

Q6. You’ve worked across Europe, Latin America, the CIS, and the Balkans. What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned about expanding into new markets?

Christos Zoulianitis:

There is no universal market-entry strategy. Every market has its own regulatory requirements, player preferences, competitive landscape and business culture. What works in one country may not work in another.

Preparation matters. Before entering a market, it’s important to understand the regulations, operators, local preferences, and the commercial ecosystem, and identify the right partners.

Local partnerships provide insights you cannot receive from market data at a distance. Our expansion in Italy reflects this. Building direct relationships with local operators gave us a much clearer read on player preferences than any external market report could have.

Speed and quality also have to be balanced. Whilst there’s an eagerness to move quickly on an attractive opportunity, it should never result in cutting corners. At ENJOY, we move with ambition while maintaining compliance and a genuine understanding of each market’s nuances.

Q7. You’ve led international commercial teams throughout your career. What qualities do you believe define a successful commercial leader in today’s iGaming industry?

Christos Zoulianitis:

Motivation, curiosity, adaptability, communication and the ability to build trust.

A commercial leader needs to understand the numbers and the strategy, but also the people. We work with different cultures, personalities, markets and business models every day.

Successful leadership is collaborative. My style is fast-moving and focused on shared goals, but I want people to feel part of the journey and understand what we’re trying to achieve and why.

Resilience matters too. International commercial growth is rarely straightforward. Markets change, regulations change, partnerships evolve, and opportunities don’t always develop as expected. We have to adapt without losing sight of the bigger objective.

A good commercial leader also creates an environment where people can take ownership. They set the direction, but the strongest teams are the ones where talented people are empowered to contribute and shape the journey.

At ENJOY, that direction is clear: build products that stand out, build partnerships that last, and grow into a company that shapes the global iGaming industry.

About ENJOY Gaming

ENJOY Gaming is an iGaming content developer focused on slot games and hybrid live game shows. The company says its approach centres on combining classic game design principles with high production quality and developing memorable player experiences. Its portfolio currently includes titles such as Diamond Slam, 4 Express Trains, 3 Mariachi, Energy Roulette and other slot and live products.

The company has also been expanding its presence across regulated markets. In Italy, ENJOY has built partnerships with operators and platforms including Microgame, BetFlag and Stanleybet.it, while its latest company updates show continued expansion with additional Italian operators.

ENJOY Gaming is registered in the Isle of Man and is licensed and regulated by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission under an OGRA licence granted in June 2024.