Evolution CPO Todd Haushalter described Crazy Time as “the new blackjack”, saying it is significantly more popular than traditional table games.
Evolution chief product officer Todd Haushalter has described the supplier’s flagship game show title Crazy Time as “the new blackjack”, saying it is significantly more popular among players than traditional table games.
Speaking on the NEXT.io Podcast, Haushalter said the game show format has evolved into a major vertical in its own right. Backing up his description of Crazy Time, he revealed the product has more players than both blackjack and roulette across Evolution’s network.
Launched in July 2020, Crazy Time is a wheel-based live casino game show that has become one of Evolution’s most popular products. It also played a major part in Evolution’s – and the wider industry’s – shift towards more entertainment-led gaming content.
“I think Crazy Time is the new blackjack,” Haushalter said on the podcast. “We have way more Crazy Time players than we have blackjack players. We also have more Crazy Time players than we have roulette players.”
Coping with competition
Crazy Time sits alongside other Evolution game show titles such as Funky Time and Monopoly Live, which have helped broaden the appeal of live casino gaming beyond traditional table game audiences.
Haushalter said the market is now at a point that successful game show products have developed into standalone brands capable of attracting and retaining players in much the same way as established casino staples like blackjack and roulette.
The Evolution executive also suggested that the supplier’s future growth will increasingly be driven by entertainment-focused products and branded content, rather than conventional table games alone. This, he said, will also help the company fend off competition from other developers in this space.
“We’re increasingly trying to create brands and game shows and entertainment,” Haushalter said. “We’re trying to widen the space of gambling, to make the tent bigger, rather than just take customers from the competition.”
Evolution backs live dealers over AI
Human presenters form a key part of gameshow style titles by interacting with players and maintain engagement between game rounds. However, with the increasing use of AI and rapid developments in the sector, could this place presenters – and indeed dealers working across Evolution’s live casino products at risk?
In short, Haushalter does not think so. He played down the prospect of AI-generated live casino products becoming a major force in the market, arguing that players still value authenticity and trust when gambling online.
While acknowledging that AI will play an increasing role in game development, he predicted that AI-generated live dealers would struggle to gain traction with players.
“I think that it’s going to be a catastrophic failure for all kinds of reasons,” Haushalter said, referring to so-called “deepfake” live casino products. He also suggested that consumers are already showing signs of fatigue with AI-generated content across social media platforms, making it unlikely they will embrace artificial dealers when real money is at stake.
Haushalter was also sceptical about the long-term impact of AI-generated slot games. He said while the technology will make it easier to create content, developers will still need strong brands and proven products to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
“Make games that players trust, players have fun [with], operators like and love, and you get to carry the day,” he said.