Building Live Casino Products That Players Come Back To: Eriks Nukis on Quality, AI and Innovation

After more than a decade building live casino products, Eriks Nukis, Head of Product at Imagine Live, has seen the industry evolve from a handful of desktop games into one of iGaming's most competitive verticals.

This conversation took us through innovation, AI, responsible gaming, the future of live casinos, and came back to a few of his non-negotiables.

Where Great Product Ideas Move Faster

So why join Imagine Live?

For Nukis, the answer was about finding an environment where ambitious ideas could move from discussion to execution without unnecessary friction.

"Imagine Live reminds me of the beginning of the live casino era" he told us. "Everything happens faster. We can react to client feedback quicker. We can experiment, we can be brave, and we can build something with its own soul."

That pace stood out.

Imagine Live has grown rapidly in a relatively short period while continuing to expand internationally, but according to Nukis, growth doesn't have to come at the expense of agility. 

It's an environment where strong ideas don't sit in long approval chains. They can be tested and refined through close collaboration with operators and a clear understanding of player behaviour and preferences.

"We're not trying to redefine the industry," he said. "But we can definitely give it a flavour that's recognised."

For Nukis, success is about creating experiences that players instantly recognise, not because of a logo, but because of the consistency, attention to detail and overall quality behind every interaction.

Quality Is the Heart of Every Product

Ask most product leaders about innovation and the conversation quickly turns to AI, automation or whatever technology is making headlines.

Nukis went somewhere basic, to the core. That’s Quality.

"Quality goes above everything. We never compromise on quality."

But quality in his world is about removing friction.

The player shouldn't have to think about the interface. The stream shouldn't stutter. Bets should feel effortless. Everything should simply work.

He compares it to dining at a five-star restaurant.

"Think about the restaurant you keep going back to," he said. "The food is excellent, but that's only the beginning. The menu is wide enough that everyone at the table finds something. You're greeted, not pounced on. The server is invisible and somehow always there when you need them. The music sits at exactly the right volume. The tablecloth is white and clean. Hundreds of small things running in harmony, and not one of them announces itself."

"None of that is why you came," he added. "All of it is why you come back."

It's an analogy that sums up his entire approach to product development.

And it works in reverse. One piece of friction and most players never articulate what bothered them. They simply find themselves somewhere else next week.

Live Casinos Need Better Experiences

Imagine Live already offers the classics roulette, blackjack, baccarat as well as multiplier games and game-show style experiences.

For Nukis, the goal is not only to introduce new titles, but also to build a consistent identity across the entire portfolio.   

"We want players to recognise our games," he said. "When they see one of our tables in an operator's lobby, we want them to know that it's Imagine Live."

It shouldn’t be due to the logo because that’s too obvious. It should be because of how it feels.

His goal is to build familiarity through experience rather than branding.

Innovation That Adds Value

As our conversation continued, one thing became increasingly clear.

What attracted Nukis to Imagine Live wasn't a single innovation, but the company's broader approach to product development. From its rapid growth and international ambitions to its willingness to invest in meaningful technologies, he saw a company focused on creating better experiences rather than simply following trends.

One example that particularly caught his attention was Imagine Live's robotic camera arm.

"The robotic arm was actually one of the reasons I joined Imagine Live," he said.

Less for the technology than for what it signalled - a company that builds ambitious ideas instead of discussing them.

"There are so many technologies we could use," he explained. "But we shouldn't."

For Nukis, every new technology should answer one simple question: does it genuinely improve the player's experience?

The robotic arm does exactly that, creating more dynamic camera angles and bringing players closer to the action. It's one example of a wider philosophy that also embraces AI and other technologies to improve quality, operational efficiency and the overall live casino experience.

Technology, in his view, only matters when it adds genuine value.

An Industry Built on Risk Is Risk-Averse 

Live casino is an industry built on risk. Every spin, every hand and every bet revolves around uncertainty. Yet when it comes to product innovation, it can be surprisingly cautious and predictable. 

We put that contradiction to Nukis. Honestly, we expected him to disagree.

"No one knows," he kind of pulled us back with this answer.

Predicting whether a new game will succeed, he said, is one of the hardest parts of building products. Every team believes they're creating the next big hit. Every launch is backed by research, discussions and countless design decisions.

But until players actually start playing, nobody really knows.

"It's probably the hardest thing in casino game invention to feel what players are ready for and whether today is actually the right time."

Timing, he believes, is just as important as the idea itself.

After all, you're not competing with last year's release. You're competing with games like roulette and blackjack. These titles have entertained players for centuries.

That's why innovation is about introducing the right idea at the right moment.

As Nukis put it, "I applaud any game that introduces something new and gets on the right nerve with players."

Because building something different is one thing. Building something players come back to is something else entirely.

AI Isn’t the Human Element We Need

Few topics divide opinion in live casinos quite like AI dealers.

Could they eventually replace real people?

"Nothing beats playing with a real dealer," he says.

Players already have digital alternatives. RNG games have existed for decades, complete with animated dealers and increasingly polished graphics.

Yet live casino continues to grow. He compares it to football.

Video games have become incredibly realistic over the years, but they still don't replace stepping onto a real pitch or watching a live match.

The same applies here. Players aren't just looking for perfect visuals.

They're looking for authenticity. That doesn't mean AI has no place.

Imagine Live is already using it behind the scenes to improve operational efficiency, strengthen risk analysis and monitor dealer performance. The technology is there to make the person in front of the camera better, not to replace them.

Building Entertainment Responsibly

As live casino experiences become more engaging, we asked Nukis where product responsibility begins and ends.

He didn't reach for the disclaimer.

"We really focus on our games being entertaining and rewarding. Players should have the absolute best time playing them. That's the job - and it isn't separate from doing it properly."

His argument is that the two questions get treated as opposites when they aren't. A game that's designed carelessly isn't more entertaining, it's just less considered. Pacing, clarity, whether a player understands what they're doing and what it costs - those are quality decisions before they are compliance ones, and they show up on both sides of the ledger.

Imagine Live develops its products in line with responsible gaming principles and the regulatory requirements of the markets in which it operates. Those considerations sit inside the development process rather than arriving at the end of it.

For Nukis, that's not a constraint on making something great. It's part of what making something great means.

Looking Ahead

While refining existing products remains a key focus, Nukis is equally excited about developing new games, concepts and technologies that bring genuine value to operators and players.

His ambition isn't simply to expand the portfolio, nor is it only to perfect what's already there. It's to do both.

"We want to have nothing short of the best live casino roulette in the world."

That ambition sits alongside a broader roadmap that includes new product development, continuous innovation and ongoing improvements across the existing portfolio. From the player interface and game experience to studio environments, video production and table formats, every part of the experience is under constant review.

For Nukis, innovation isn't measured by how many products are launched.

It's measured by whether each improvement genuinely makes the experience better.

After an hour of talking to Nukis, one thing became clear.

He's not interested in innovation for innovation's sake.

Every new product, every technology and every feature has to earn its place by delivering real value to operators and players.

Quality remains the foundation.

Purposeful innovation is what builds on top of it.

And in an industry that's constantly searching for the next big breakthrough, that balance may prove to be the most valuable strategy of all.