In this edition of the Industry Insider, we spoke with Anika Howard, President and CEO at WONDR NATION, about how she’s seen the industry change in her 20-plus year career, what some of the biggest wins for the industry were in 2022, where the industry stands on diversity and inclusion, and more.

You have an impressive career in gaming that spans more than two decades. Can you talk about how that journey has shaped where you are now and how you’ve seen the gaming industry change?

Starting my career after the dot.com bust, I often joked that I was born too late. I immediately saw the potential that technology, specifically interactive technology, could have on the casino industry and dedicated my career to advocating for using technology as a change agent. When I started, I was on the fringe of what is now very much an accepted fact, a novel idea. Executives were skeptical of the technology and convinced casino players would not use it. I was told the Internet was likely a fad and for the sake of my career I should probably move to operations.

Proven results and changing player behaviors and expectations transformed this perspective rather quickly. Casino players embraced booking online, managing their offers and loyalty options, and are now playing online.

Innovation and magic happen when technology and creativity intersect. This is my core belief and what has guided my career. I created my own path, stepping primarily into roles designed to support my vision of what was possible – allowing me to get a 360 view of the landscape.

I’ve been on the forefront of most of the technology shifts in the industry. From advocating for interactive marketing to launching the first U.S. iLottery site for the Illinois Lottery and then Georgia Education Lottery’s iLottery platform, it’s been a labor of love.

Leading IGT’s initial rollout of MGM’s mobile sports betting solution in Las Vegas and New Jersey as well as launching the PlayDigital, PlaySports, and PlaySpot mobile on-premises sports betting solution business units, has set me on my current path.

I’m forever grateful for the experiences, as they have shaped me into a knowledgeable and empathetic leader. It’s given me patience and humbled me, but also reinforced my core belief of the power of technology.

I’m happy to see the industry becoming self-aware and more mindful of how trends outside of gaming impact player expectations. Once very insular, casino leaders have a more global and open perspective on what success looks like. The biggest change is the industry’s willingness to test, learn, and embrace the unknown instead of hiding from or ignoring it.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation recently created WONDR NATION, a new online gaming entertainment venture, with you at the helm. What gap is WONDR NATION hoping to fill and what are you hoping to achieve?

We are aiming to fill the knowledge gap, especially as it relates to emerging tech and how to best take advantage of it in the gaming industry.

WONDR NATION hopes to create engaging interactive experiences for players, optimize and learn from these initiatives, and leverage our growing knowledgebase and expertise to support other operators. We are focusing our managed services on mid-size tribal casinos looking to diversify and expand their digital footprint. There’s a small subset of casino executives with both traditional operational experience and online expertise. We are building programs to train and develop leaders with cross-channel knowledge. We are committed to doing our part to create a better, more informed industry.

Beyond building experiences for players, we recognize the need to provide an environment that encourages divergent thought and innovation.

What do you see as some of the industry’s biggest wins in 2022 and where do you see challenges on the horizon in 2023?

For me, the biggest wins have been the improvement in the overall mobile gaming experience. New games and enhancements to the live dealer product offerings are creating richer and more engaging experiences for players. From better and faster cash out, to the ability to now use biometric data as part of the KYC process – it’s good to see some of the players needs being addressed.

Funding sources for online gaming will continue to be challenging – especially when it comes to blockchain technology. Although the technology is solid, and many players take advantage of it outside of the casino industry – it still is a lightning rod issue for regulators and compliance officers.

Players will continue to expect more – so there’s a consistent challenge to evolve and enhance the product as the technology matures and players expectations continue to grow.

Through your work with Global Gaming Women and African Americans in Gaming, how have you helped nurture and grow diversity and inclusion principles? Where do you see needs for improvement across the industry?

Talent is everywhere, yet opportunity is not. We are all losing out because of this. While I cannot take credit for this statement—it is why I am very passionate about the work I do for both organizations. The future of this industry depends on attracting innovators, creators, engineers, thought leaders, and inventors. We need to make sure that we create a welcoming environment and a culture of inclusion. This goes beyond just bringing in diverse talent. It means creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Political and social outcries for justice during the pandemic forced companies to reexamine the inequities within their organizations. However, successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives cannot be a reactive response to outside pressures.

It is much more than hiring a person of color or including one woman in a panel full of men. Diversity just for the sake of diversity, or political correctness, will not make the cut anymore.

It needs to be part of the core principles of the organization and a strategic imperative for success. It starts with setting transparent and realistic goals with full acknowledgement that diversity in a company does not organically equal more equity and inclusion. It requires work and commitment. As an organization becomes more diverse, it also must be more intentional in its efforts.

Once again – technology has a role to play here too. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) can enable companies to make informed decisions and build employment and team engagement programs based on real data.

The global gaming community came together to discover, connect, and explore at Global Gaming Expo this past October. What new trends and technologies interested you the most at this year’s event and what are you looking forward to at G2E 2023?

I enjoyed the technology-forward agenda with a focus on online gaming and sports. From the candid insights from Las Vegas Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan and Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Nardini on the evolution of sports and the impact of online, to the moderated discussion with FanDuel CEO Amy Howe and DraftKings CEO Jason Robbins on the future of iGaming and sports betting—it was enjoyable to see these topics take center stage at the conference.

Industry leaders are thinking differently about how to expand and diversify the gaming experiences we offer to players—I was impressed with the vision for the future.

The G2E Innovation Challenge gave early-stage startups a chance to be seen and an opportunity for growth. The solid line up of sessions on digital payments, iGaming, and the Metaverse and Web3, made it clear that the industry is collectively embracing emerging technologies. We are still in the infancy of what’s possible and have much to learn and discover. It’s encouraging to see the shift.

Next year, I’m looking forward to seeing how companies are leveraging AR/VR technology into gaming experiences both in physical casino experiences and online.