Vladimir Dokov, CEO of EGT: “EGT creates trends in gaming industry”

“EGT creates trends in gaming industry,” says Mr. Vladimir Dokov, CEO of EGT, in an interview he gave for 300 Business Leaders in Bulgaria.

He talks about the greatest successes and biggest challenges the company has faced so far, reveals why EGT has a 360-degree production cycle and what are the main advantages it offers, shares what’s the secret to be an attractive employer, as well as what’s next for the company in the long-term perspective.

You can find the answers to those and more questions in the full interview on pages 86-87.

Interview with Mr. Vladimir Dokov, CEO of EGT

Mr. Dokov, you are CEO of “Euro Games Technology”: one of the largest manufacturers of gaming equipment globally. What are the company‘s greatest successes and the biggest challenges it has faced so far?

EGT was founded way back in 2002, and during those 21 years, the tough times it had to face were not few. I would say that the global financial crisis of 2009/2010, as well as the COVID pandemic were the biggest challenges till the moment. In order to cope with the consequences of the global financial crisis, we made a decision to continue investing in development of technologies, which ultimately not only helped us overcome the difficult situation, but also ranked us among the top manufacturers of gaming equipment worldwide.
The policy of reinvesting profits in innovation combined with the 360-degree production cycle were the basis of our successful handling of the restrictions related to the COVID crisis.

I see as EGT‘s greatest success that we have been able to establish ourselves as one of the global leaders in the gaming industry with a presence in over 100 markets on 5 continents.

You mentioned that EGT has a 360-degree production cycle, which means that you manufacture almost everything you need within your company. What made you take this decision and what are the advantages that this type of production gives you?

EGT quite naturally reached a stage in its development where we felt we were ready to take the next step and gain greater independence in terms of production processes. That is why in 2020 we founded our subsidiary EGT Steel Production, whose material and technical base together with the new
factory we are opening now, is located on an area of nearly 8,000 square meters. It is equipped with the latest generation machines for production of steel products and components, thanks to which we are able to satisfy our customers’ wishes and needs. Thus, we have almost completely closed our production cycle, and this has helped us to remain almost unaffected by the serious supply problems experienced by many other companies in the sector.
I definitely think it was the right decision that came at the right time. That is why we plan to continue making investments in
this direction.

EGT‘s subsidiary EGT Digital is also developing very well and within a short span of time it established itself as one of the most preferred iGaming providers. Why is it so successful according to you?

I believe that the success of EGT Digital is largely due to the fact that the company came along at the right time. It was founded just before the COVID pandemic, which on the one hand put numerous industries including gaming to a test, but at the same time opened up new prospects for development
and gave a significant boost to online gaming. It was during this period that we created our main product line, signed the contracts with our first customers, and after all EGT Digital is currently among the leaders in the iGaming sector with a presence in over 40 markets worldwide with their number constantly increasing.

How does the development of new technologies affect gaming industry?
New technologies are affecting every aspect of business and life, and the gaming industry is no exception. Digitization and virtual reality are increasingly being used in the products we create, and I am happy that EGT is not only able to respond to trends, but also to create them.

EGT has 28 international offices with more than 3,200 employees and their number is constantly growing. Is it difficult to manage so many people and how do you stay an attractive employer?

It is not difficult to lead a team, no matter how big it is, as long as you follow basic principles such as fairness and respect, which should be shown equally to customers and to your own employees. Giving people the opportunity to be part of the final product and see in practice what they have created is also a must for them to feel satisfied and recognize you as
a good leader.
Оf utmost importance is also the fact that we have numerous social policies focused on building a positive working environment, as well as that we offer to our employees various courses and programs to help them to further develop their knowledge and skills.

What‘s next for EGT in the long term?

Our long-term plans are to maintain our sustainable development by continuing to create innovative and interesting land-based and online gaming products that satisfy the tastes and demands of different types of players. Other main focus is expanding the company‘s presence
in more markets. A number of countries in Asia and Africa are currently a high priority for EGT, and for EGT Digital for the moment we see the greatest potential in Europe and the countries from the Latin American region.