Sideplay produce instant win games for the eGaming industry. They work in a niche gaming sector and are one of very few companies worldwide producing this type of innovative game content. The eGaming and online lottery industry are particularly interested in Sideplay’s content and the company now has an opportunity to establish itself on a global scale. The funding received from the States will enable Sideplay to do this quickly by developing its own portfolio of game content which it will then licence to third-party eGaming and lottery operators around the world.

Sideplay were the first company to hold a software developers licence issued by the Jersey Gambling Commission – the independent gambling regulator for the Island - and they have already signed contracts with Playtech, William Hill, Odobo and Openbet, with many more in ongoing negotiations.

Steve Hickson, Director at Sideplay, said: “At £400,000 we believe that this is the largest JIF award made to date, which underlines the States’ confidence in our business model.

“I would really like to thank them for their support and for demonstrating their genuine commitment towards economic diversification and the digital sector.”

From their Hill Street offices the team at Sideplay have been working with Camelot for a number of years providing some of the most innovative and highest grossing instant win game content to appear on the National Lottery website. The team has already grown to 11 strong in recent months and Sideplay have made a commitment to grow to 19 within the first 24 months of operation.

“We hope to recruit the vast majority of our team locally and are on the lookout for anyone with specialist mobile developer skills as well as computer animators and 3d graphics artists,” said Mr Hickson.

“I believe Sideplay offers a great opportunity for young local talent to display creativity and innovation though our game content.

“It’s a really exciting industry to be involved in. We are the first of a new generation of digital businesses operating in the eGaming industry in Jersey and the hope is that by establishing and growing our business locally it will encourage more and more businesses in this sector to have the confidence to operate from Jersey.”

With a modern and robust legislative and regulatory framework now firmly in place the eGaming sector appears poised to be the next big economic opportunity for the Island.

Local businesses have been swift to recognise the opportunities presented by this multi-billion pound industry and in February of this year a stand was taken to promote the Island at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), the largest industry exhibition in Europe, which is held annually in London, carrying the message: “Jersey eGaming, your new jurisdiction.”

Since ICE the Jersey Gambling Commission and local businesses have seen a great deal of interest from gaming operators around the world who see Jersey as a great place from which to run their global businesses. At the time, Senator Ozouf, who took the time to visit the stand at ICE, commented: "It is extremely positive to see this sort of collaborative initiative being organised by industry [the joint effort by industry and Digital Jersey to present Jersey at ICE as a standalone e-Gaming destination] and we are fully supportive of these efforts....we are confident that Jersey can grow an appropriate and specialist eGaming sector that will benefit the Island economy."