An exclusive deep dive with Henrique De Simoni on the strategic power of Flip-to-Win, Must Drop Jackpots, and the crucial role of the Game Aggregator, Timeless Tech, in Brazil's booming market.
The competitive landscape of global iGaming is increasingly won and lost on player retention, nowhere more so than in the high-growth Latin American (LATAM) market. Operators are facing a critical gap between content and effective player engagement, often relying on inflexible mechanics. This is the challenge 3Oaks Gaming, led by Country Manager Latam Henrique De Simoni, was built to solve with a suite of "zero-friction" gamification tools. The central promise is operational simplicity: a plug-and-play layer that actually makes an impact without technical overhead. As gamification shifts from a "nice extra" to an essential tool expected by players, iGaming operators are looking for partners that can deliver instant uplift. This is where strategic alliances with a robust Game Aggregator, such as Timeless Tech, become vital, ensuring that high-impact promotions like Lucky Drops and Flip-to-Win land precisely when and where they matter most—especially in the complex, high-traffic environment of a market like Brazil.
INTERVIEW
1. What sparked 3Oaks to build its own engagement features—and are gamification tools now a must-have for providers, or still a nice extra?
We built our engagement suite because we noticed a critical gap between content and player retention tools in many markets, especially LATAM. Operators often had to depend on third-party mechanics with limited flexibility. With our tools, we allow a plug-and-play layer that actually makes an impact. Today, gamification isn't a “nice extra” anymore—it’s expected. The emotional journey players want isn’t only about gameplay, but about how they are rewarded and surprised.
2. If you had to choose a headliner—Flip-to-Win, Lucky Drops, Jackpots, or Tournament Series—which gets the spotlight this year, and why?
Lucky Drops is this year's showstopper. It hits that sweet spot between simplicity and thrill. Unlike passive features, it's interactive, visually engaging, and instantly satisfying. In emerging markets like Brazil, this visual and quick gratification resonates more than traditional formats.
3. Flip-to-Win in plain words: tell us a short win story—“more people showed up,” “sessions ran longer,” or “spend ticked up.”
During a campaign with a major operator in Brazil, we activated Flip-to-Win as a soft retention tool during non-peak hours. Not only did sessions increase by 27%, but we also noticed a 36% uplift in second-day return rate among players who triggered it. The feature created an emotional loop—the kind of moment players want to chase again.
4. Lucky Drops and the “Hot Period”: what small setting or timing change most often turns a quiet hour into a lively one—without blowing the prize pot?
We experimented with narrowing the Hot Period from a two-hour window to just 45 minutes, right before Brazil's evening football matches. This small change increased click-throughs by 18%. Players react better when there’s a short, urgent moment to act on.
5. Jackpots (Time / Must-Drop / Classic): which format do Brazilian players enjoy lately—and what kind of session fits each one?
Short-session Must-Drop Jackpots have outperformed other formats. Players in Brazil prefer rapid cycles and tangible outcomes. A jackpot that must drop within one hour, with clear visual progress, brings that sense of FOMO and instant reward.
We already have two games with the Must-Drop—and we’ll keep developing more!
6. Tournament Series over several days: how do you keep casual players involved, not only the leaderboard heroes?
We introduced surprise milestones throughout multi-day tournaments. For example, “reach 50 spins and win a boost prize” or “log in 3 days in a row for mystery drop access.” This decentralizes the leaderboard and gives casuals reasons to stay active without feeling outmatched.
7. On football nights in Brazil, which 3Oaks tool tends to catch the surge—Must-Drop near kick-off, Lucky Drops at half-time, or Flip-to-Win right after big moments?
Lucky Drops at halftime always perform well. Players check their phones during the break, and that’s the perfect moment for instant rewards. Before kick-off, Must-Drop Jackpots generate buzz and anticipation.
8. Outside match days, when do you see the best natural pickup—late evenings, weekend afternoons—and which tool benefits most from that rhythm?
Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons show natural spikes in activity. Tournaments capitalize on these because they’re easy to trigger and promote social sharing—perfect for casual weekend players.
9. Red Tiger’s Daily Drop Jackpots made “must-go today” an appointment. What’s the 3Oaks signature in your Time/Must-Drop design that feels more personal?
Red Tiger nailed the “must-go-today” logic. What we add at 3Oaks is hyper-local customization: prize sizes, timers, art direction—all matched to the final customer play. It feels personal and tailored, not part of a mega-pool network.
10. TaDa’s WIN CARD jumps straight to the bonus round. Where does Flip-to-Win create a similar “get me to the fun” feeling—and what extra flavor does 3Oaks add?
Both aim for that shortcut to dopamine. Flip-to-Win, though, brings animation, sound design, and surprise layers—you can flip a card, reveal a bonus inside it, then unlock another level. It’s a journey, not just a one-time reveal.
I’m also a big fan of TaDa’s games; I believe they’re on the right path.
Captured during SBC Summit Lisbon 2025, this photo represents the synergy between Timeless Tech and 3Oaks Gaming — two teams aligned in shaping the future of gamification and player retention in LATAM.
11. Wazdan’s Mystery Drop™ builds surprise inside gameplay. When does Lucky Drops feel more satisfying for everyday players—timing, visibility, or prize style?
Wazdan hides the reward; we build hype. Lucky Drops are public, timed, and visible. That tension of “will it drop now?” keeps players glued to the game. In LATAM, visibility equals credibility.
12. From your side, what’s the single most useful thing a game aggregator like Timeless Tech can do to make 3Oaks promos land better?
Smart timing and lobby placement are crucial. If aggregators can schedule feature highlights based on predicted traffic spikes—like just before football matches—performance rises. Bonus points for API triggers for banner callouts during Hot Periods.
Also, commitment is super important, and we have 1000% from the TLT side.
13. A campaign that didn’t click at first—what did you tweak (timing, wording, prize size, eligible games) to turn it around?
We launched Lucky Drops at 11 AM thinking of early commuters. It flopped. We re-launched at 8 PM, added tropical visual assets, and reduced the pool of eligible games for clarity—and GGR tripled in two days. Lesson: right time, right framing.
14. What’s the most underused 3Oaks feature you wish more brands tried—and why?
Flip-to-Win in social media campaigns. Operators don’t realize how perfect it is for reels, TikToks, or Instagram stories. It’s short, visual, and can tease rewards. We’re working more and more with this fast, flexible solution.
15. Looking at 2026, should we expect more rewards woven into gameplay, or smarter pacing that adapts during a session?
Pacing will matter more than layering. Instead of throwing multiple overlays, we’ll see smart engagement pacing that adapts to the player's rhythm. Cold? Add a mystery reward. Hot? Show a leaderboard. AI is gaining momentum here at 3Oaks—it helps us predict and adjust future steps.
16. In simple words, what do people often get wrong about “easy-to-launch” promos—and what’s the reality?
People think features are plug-and-play. Truth is, the orchestration matters most: timing, audience, message, even sound design. Especially in regulated markets, a misfire can mean wasted spend—or even player churn.
17. The smallest tweak you’ve made that delivered the biggest lift.
We changed the CTA from “Try to Win” to “Flip Now & Win” on the mobile widget. CTR increased by 21%. Sometimes it’s the verb that drives the action. Operators can play with the naming, for example: “Flip to Win at Timeless operators.” Leaving the name open benefits many parties!
18. If you could borrow one idea from another toolbox, which would it be—and how would you make it “3Oaks”?
Casumo’s Reel Races—but with 3Oaks flair. Real-time races with operator-branded visuals and Flip-to-Win milestones mid-race. It would feel like a hybrid between racing and discovery.
19. Your proudest LATAM campaign—goal, tool used, and the moment you knew it worked.
During Brazil's Carnaval, we launched hourly Lucky Drops with our RIO Gems game, music overlays, and themed visuals. GGR doubled. Timing is everything!
20. Would you like to add or highlight anything we didn’t touch on?
3Oaks isn’t just building tools. We’re building emotional architecture around gameplay. Engagement isn’t just a feature—it’s a feeling. And in LATAM, feelings convert.
We’re hitting all-time highs across most KPIs, and our goal is to keep creating the best environment for players to have fun.
Conclusion
The insights from Henrique De Simoni reveal that 3Oaks Gaming has carved out a distinct and defensible market position by prioritizing operational efficiency and psychologically-tuned design. Their core strength is the "zero-friction" implementation, turning a complex software solution into a fully managed promotional service that removes technical barriers for operators.
The future of engagement for iGaming operators lies not in throwing multiple overlays at the player, but in smart engagement pacing that adapts to the player’s rhythm. The success of localized, urgent mechanics—such as adjusting a Hot Period from two hours to 45 minutes for an 18% increase in click-throughs—underscores that timing and orchestration matter most. Furthermore, as proved by a campaign that tripled GGR by applying the right time and right framing (re-launching at 8 PM with tropical assets), 3Oaks isn't just building tools; they are building the emotional architecture around gameplay. By maintaining a commitment to this managed simplicity, while leveraging the rapid distribution power of a Game Aggregator partner like Timeless Tech, 3Oaks is positioned to be a foundational piece of the retention strategy for any ambitious iGaming brand in LATAM and beyond.
FAQ
1. What is 3Oaks Gaming's core competitive advantage in the iGaming market?
3Oaks Gaming’s core advantage is its "zero-friction" value proposition. The engagement suite is plug-and-play, marketed with slogans like “No integration,” and “No tech team involved,” transforming a product into a fully managed promotional service that offers rapid speed-to-market.
2. How effective is the Flip-to-Win tool for operator KPIs?
The Flip-to-Win tool has demonstrated significant, quantifiable impact. Case studies show it drives an average bet increase of +127% among participants and an extension of the average session duration by approximately +25% across all participants.
3. Why are Must Drop Jackpots so popular with iGaming players in Brazil?
Brazilian players are highly motivated by the thrill of the game and the potential for large payouts. The Must Drop Jackpot is perfectly aligned with this, creating intense anticipation by guaranteeing the prize will drop before it reaches a specific value threshold, encouraging quick bursts of concentrated play driven by urgency.
4. What is the "Hot Period" mechanic in Lucky Drops, and how does it help retention?
The Lucky Drops' "Hot Period" is an intelligent, adaptive system that monitors player activity. It automatically and dynamically increases the frequency of prize drops during periods of decreased engagement, which helps to remove activity gaps and prevent player churn.
5. What role does a Game Aggregator like Timeless Tech play in the promotion strategy?
The Game Aggregator, such as Timeless Tech, is a vital strategic partner that ensures the promotions land effectively. The single most useful thing they can do is implement Smart Lobby Placement and Schedule Pacing to ensure high-impact events (like the Jackpots countdown) receive premium visibility during local traffic peaks.
6. How does 3Oaks keep casual players engaged in a multi-day Tournament Series?
To involve casual players and not just the "leaderboard heroes," 3Oaks leverages features like non-cumulative scoring rules (e.g., Highest Single Round Multiplier), allowing a single lucky high-multiplier win to compete with high-volume bettors. Additionally, surprise milestones and Flip-to-Win milestones mid-race provide reasons for casual players to stay active without feeling outmatched.
7. What is a successful example of aligning the Lucky Drops tool with local Brazilian culture?
A key success story was launching hourly Lucky Drops during Brazil's Carnaval, specifically aligned with their RIO Gems game, themed music overlays, and other themed games. The combination of the right time (Carnaval) and right framing (localized theme) doubled GGR.
8. How do 3Oaks Jackpots differ from competitor Red Tiger's Daily Drop model?
While Red Tiger is known for its large, network-wide "must-go today" appointments, the 3Oaks Jackpots focus on hyper-local customization. This means prize sizes, timers, and art direction are all matched to the final customer's play, making the reward feel personal and tailored, rather than part of a mega-pool network.
9. Why does 3Oaks say gamification is a 'must-have' for the iGaming industry?
3Oaks noticed a critical gap between content and player retention tools, especially in the growing LATAM market. Gamification is now a "must-have" because the emotional journey players want is not only about gameplay but also about how they are rewarded and surprised. Tools like Lucky Drops are essential LTV drivers designed to remove activity gaps and prevent churn.
10. What is the significance of the verb change in a Call-to-Action (CTA)?
A small change to a CTA, from "Try to Win" to "Flip Now & Win" on a mobile widget, delivered a +21% increase in Click-Through Rate (CTR). This demonstrates that sometimes it's the specific verb that drives the action, and iGaming operators can and should play with different names and calls.
