Spintec Advisor Krupenko Says ETG Future Lies in Balance with Live Tables

Aljoša Krupenko, senior product performance advisor at Spintec, says the next phase of competition in Electronic Table Games will be decided by who best anticipates how players will behave years from now.

He made the comments in an interview about his new book, "Casino Secrets: The Rise of Electronic Table Games," one of the first dedicated entirely to the ETG segment.

"Players are more comfortable with technology than ever before," Krupenko said.

He said two defining moments inspired him to write the book: a 2008 move from casino operations to manufacturing, where he found a lack of dedicated ETG resources, and a 2015 conversation with Rob Bone, who told him, "You know so much about ETGs, you should write a book."

Krupenko said he hopes readers take away several key lessons.

First, ETGs have become a distinct segment of the gaming industry rather than simply an alternative to live tables.

Second, long-term success is achieved by balancing technology, operations, and player experience, not by focusing on any single element alone.

Third, the evolution of ETGs demonstrates how innovation can reshape an entire industry when it solves real business challenges for operators while creating engaging experiences for players.

He said integrating ETGs into a casino operation is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey requiring a clear strategy, continuous learning, performance analysis, and a willingness to adapt.

Krupenko traced the development of ETGs to two different objectives: one aiming for complete automation like slot machines, and another focused on improving the efficiency of live table operations.

Over time, these two approaches converged, creating the diverse ETG landscape seen today.

He said another important development was the shift from technology-driven design to player-driven design, turning ETGs from a technological innovation into a sophisticated gaming category with its own identity.

Current adoption is driven by operational efficiency, increased gaming capacity, and changing player preferences, he said.

Krupenko said the industry's perception of ETGs has changed, with them now viewed as a distinct gaming segment that can attract new players and serve as a bridge between slots, online gaming, and traditional table games.

He rejected the idea that ETGs would eventually replace live table games.

"A casino without live table games is no longer truly a casino. It becomes an electronic gaming hall," Krupenko said.

"The future is not about replacing live tables, but about finding the right balance where live tables and ETGs work together to deliver the best player experience and business results."

From an operator's perspective, he said ETGs offer several advantages: increased gaming capacity, less operational staffing, lower minimum bets, significantly more game outcomes per hour, flexibility to offer multiple games in a small footprint, and reduced fraud risks, cash handling vulnerabilities, and operational errors through electronic bet collection and automated payouts.