Have you ever wondered why live dealer software developers don’t expand their portfolios as quickly as companies producing slots? The team of ATMOSFERA — a studio known for its unique live games — is here to give you an exclusive tour behind the scenes of creating a live dealer release. It shows the complex and exciting production process and the amount of work and resources it takes a studio to successfully evolve from a startup to an established live casino brand. 

This is truly an unprecedented tour as companies are rarely eager to dive into details of behind the scenes. ATMOSFERA walks us through its methods of hiring and training the presenters, as well as the no-no’s and the ethical rules the company keeps in place whilst competing on the saturated market. 

The Studio Director, Arsen Barsegyan also teases about the upcoming live releases and shares his thoughts on what makes live dealer gaming exciting.

Without any further ado, here is the team of ATMOSFERA speaking.

- Thank you for finding the time to talk with us! As a portal dedicated to all thing’s live casino, we are interested in ATMOSFERA’s unique approach to creating games. Please tell us more about the studios where your games are being streamed from and the team of presenters.

- ATMOSFERA's studio is currently located in Armenia and it specializes in video production. More than 120 employees work “backstage” to ensure the smooth functioning of the company. There are Game Presenters, management team, engineers, back office. We have over 7 years of experience in studio-based production. In addition to classic broadcasting over the Internet, ATMOSFERA has developed a unique solution for broadcasting via satellite inside the studio. We provide full-cycle TV and online broadcasting products starting from video production to presenting the complete product to the client. We are also proud of our Research and Development team which has developed our own lottery drum that works 24/7.

The Studio Director at ATMOSFERA, Arsen Barsegyan

- We are always keen on looking behind the curtain of the game production process — how does it happen at ATMOSFERA? What are some procedures and processes that players don’t usually see, but you think speak volumes about casino game development?

 - Over the entire period of the company's existence, we have implemented many procedures and automated a huge number of processes. You can write a whole paper if I talk about everything regarding this matter. Maybe someday I will take money for such consultations.

Each process is interesting and unique. I’d like to tell you more about the important procedure of game presenters recruiting.

The primary selection is made by an HR specialist. If everything meets the criteria (good knowledge of English and Russian with accent-less speech, experience with cameras, experience of public speaking), the casting and the candidate's questionnaire are forwarded to the product managers and management team. After the final approval, the team directly contacts the candidate, sends a job offer, answers the questions, and sets the departure date.

We meet the candidates at the airport, accompany them to the hotel room and give them time to rest. After that, the presenter, accompanied by a curator, meets the team, provides documents to the HR department, then receives a training and meal schedule. During the week, the team deals with a work permit, contract, insurance, and other documents that are necessary to work in the company. From the next day, the training period begins, lasting no more than 27 working days. Only after certification official work in the company begins.

During the training, game presenters work with a stylist, who shows suitable make-up techniques, color spectrum and hairstyle.

The presenters also study acting and speech techniques. They improve language level with an English teacher using the method of "imitating a chat".

The work of the presenters is monitored by the quality control department, whose duties include noting all deviations from the job description (playing games, table management techniques, behavior). 

Due to the Operations Department ATMOSFERA can boldly consider itself a leader in the competitors' market. We also have the Broadcasting Support Department to achieve the highest standard materials for our partners. The employees of the Quality Control Department observe the process non-stop. They always monitor the uninterrupted flow of broadcasts, indicate the errors of staff and the compliance of broadcasts with the company's standards. The Administrative Department is the basis of our company. Thanks to the well-established and clear mechanism of the department our company is ready to provide all the necessary conditions for work. Ultimately, we make a high-quality and demanded product.You are right saying that behind the curtain there's the hard work done by many people. We are proud of our game presenters’ work.

- What are the quality standards that ATMOSFERA’s team keeps in mind when creating games? What, in your opinion, is a great live dealer game?

- A positive vibe that initially supports our team. We try to keep everything at a professional level. After all, we must deliver a good mood, emotions and maximum positivity on the air.

Answering your second question, the most popular game in the casino market is roulette. After blackjack and baccarat, depending on the region. It is impossible to please everyone, there are beginners, amateurs, professionals, and everyone has their own request and expectations from the product’s interface and studio work. For someone, a really important factor is communication, for someone else a quick rally. Taking these specifics into account we are implementing our work within the studio.

- Please tell us more about your team and the recruiting process. What are the challenges the company faces when finding and hiring professionals, and motivating them to stay with the team?

- Within the studio, we compete with very eminent competitors in the gambling field. But despite the competition, I know that most of the presenters are eager to be with us. We work with each employee individually and some employees have been in the team for 8 years.

There is a rule that we adhere to throughout the work. In ATMOSFERA, there is a taboo on hunting game presenters from other companies. To be honest, it certainly makes life difficult for us, but we stand for ethical business.

- What are the markets and countries you are currently focused on and would you say the players there are a tough crowd to impress?

- Business metrics such as opening new regions and key partners are the responsibility of the Business Development team. We as a studio know where our product is used the most. The main market is Europe. So far, our studio is focused on the classic client. When we go to some specific countries, for example, Scandinavian, we will make changes accordingly.

Player retention is not an easy process, many components have to work together: player involvement thanks to charming game presenters, the right musical aspects, proper background and so on. We have a quality control team that constantly monitors our high standards of work.

- On average, how many live games per year is ATMOSFERA planning to release, and are there upcoming live dealer games that you are willing to tease us about?

- Our product team is responsible for the development of the game line. We as a studio are ready for both classic products such as blackjack and baccarat and the game show which is scheduled for release in the fall. We plan to expand the studio by 6 new products in a year and a half and in the near future we will make an exclusive studio for one of our partners.

Stay tuned with ATMOSFERA!