Fernando Saffores and Victoria Coates discuss Ask FocusAI, a new feature that transforms a decade of journalism into instant, actionable industry intelligence.
Exclusive interview.- As the gaming industry becomes increasingly data-driven and fast-paced, access to reliable information is no longer just a competitive advantage; it is a necessity. Professionals across the sector are looking for faster ways to navigate complex regulatory developments, market trends, company histories and industry insights without spending hours searching through archives. In response to this evolving demand, Focus Gaming News has launched Ask FocusAI, a new AI-driven tool that provides personalised responses based on content published over the past ten years at Focus Gaming News.
In this exclusive interview, Fernando Saffores, CEO and founder of Focus Gaming News, and Victoria Coates, managing director, discuss the vision behind Ask FocusAI, the role AI is playing in the company’s continued growth, and how the platform fits into a broader strategy that includes products such as MyFocus. They also reflect on Focus Gaming News’ evolution over the past ten years, the changing expectations of professional audiences, and why they believe the future of industry media lies in combining high-quality journalism with innovative technology that makes information more accessible, personalised and useful than ever before.
Ask FocusAI represents a clear shift in how readers access media sources, making direct use of AI. At what point did Focus Gaming News decide to take that step, and what specific demand from the industry prompted it?
Fernando: The decision didn’t happen overnight, but rather came from observing how the pace of the igaming industry has accelerated. Over the last couple of years, we noticed that executives, operators, and regulators no longer have the time to sift through years of archives or read multiple long-form articles just to find a specific regulatory update, historical data point, or market trend. They need precise, validated answers immediately.
We realised that after ten years of non-stop, high-quality reporting, we were sitting on the most comprehensive and authoritative database in the industry. The step towards Ask FocusAI was a natural evolution. The industry was demanding a tool that could instantly transform our vast archive into actionable intelligence, and we realised we were the only ones with the depth of content required to build it reliably.
“The step towards Ask FocusAI was a natural evolution.”
Fernando Saffores, CEO and founder of Focus Gaming News.
Building Ask FocusAI puts Focus Gaming News at the intersection of media and technology in a way few industry publications have attempted. What does that position tell you about where industry media is heading, and what does it demand of an outlet that wants to remain relevant?
Victoria: I think the expectations of professional audiences have changed dramatically.
People still value quality journalism, but they also expect immediacy, personalisation and efficiency. They don’t just want information—they want answers.
For industry media, remaining relevant means finding new ways to deliver trusted knowledge without compromising editorial standards. Technology should enhance the experience, not replace the journalism behind it.
That’s the balance we’re trying to achieve. We want to continue producing the high-quality reporting our readers know us for while making that knowledge significantly easier to access and use.
How does Ask FocusAI change the way readers interact with Focus Gaming News content compared to traditional news consumption?
Fernando: Traditional news consumption is passive; you open a website, scroll through the homepage, and read what is published that day. Ask FocusAI completely flips that dynamic and turns media consumption into an active, tailored conversation. Instead of searching for keywords or browsing categories, a reader can now ask complex, contextual questions like how a specific market’s regulations have evolved over the last three years, and get a synthesised answer instantly. It transforms Focus Gaming News from a daily online newspaper into a personalised, 24/7 research assistant. The user is now in full control of the narrative, pulling the exact insights they need from our decade-long archive of trusted journalism.
Victoria, in our previous conversation, you said that one of the questions you constantly ask yourself is how to create more value for readers. How did that question ultimately lead to Ask FocusAI?
Victoria: One thing we’ve always believed is that our responsibility doesn’t end when we publish a story. We constantly ask ourselves how we can make the information we produce more useful for the people who rely on it every day.
Over the past ten years, Focus Gaming News has built an enormous archive covering regulation, markets, companies, interviews and industry developments. The challenge wasn’t creating more content; it was making that knowledge easier to access.
Ask FocusAI was born from that idea. Instead of asking our readers to search through hundreds of articles, we wanted them to simply ask a question and receive a clear, contextual answer based on trusted journalism. For us, it’s about removing friction and helping professionals find what they need in seconds rather than minutes or even hours.
In a context where many companies view the adoption of AI with a degree of concern and scepticism, at Focus Gaming News, AI has driven both team and business growth. What are you doing differently?
Fernando: The main difference is that we never viewed AI as a tool to replace human talent or cut corners, which is where the scepticism usually comes from. Instead, we embraced it as an amplifier for our team’s capabilities. While others were afraid of AI cannibalising traffic or replacing writers, we focused on how it could free our journalists from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on deeper investigative pieces, exclusive interviews, and strategic growth. By integrating AI into our workflows, we actually expanded our business footprint, hired more journalists and editors, launched new regional editions, and scaled our multimedia output. We didn’t use AI to shrink our operations; we used it to supercharge our growth and create innovative products like MyFocus and Ask FocusAI that bring entirely new value to the market.
How does Focus Gaming News balance the use of AI with its editorial team to ensure that responses remain reliable, verified, and aligned with its journalistic standards?
Victoria: That’s probably one of the most important aspects of the project.
Ask FocusAI doesn’t generate answers from the open internet. It draws from more than a decade of reporting produced and reviewed by our editorial team. That distinction is fundamental because the quality of any AI system depends on the quality of the information behind it.
Our journalists remain at the centre of everything we do. They investigate, verify, interview, provide context and produce the original reporting that feeds the platform. AI simply makes that knowledge easier to navigate. Rather than replacing editorial judgement, it extends the reach and accessibility of the work our newsroom has already done.
“Ask FocusAI doesn’t generate answers from the open internet. It draws from more than a decade of reporting produced and reviewed by our editorial team.”
Victoria Coates, managing director of Focus Gaming News.
Ten years ago, Focus Gaming News was launched as an online media outlet. Today, with six editions, a presence at the industry’s leading events, and multiplatform content, how would you describe what Focus Gaming News has become?
Fernando: Looking back at where we started, Focus Gaming News has evolved far beyond a traditional B2B online publication. Today, we have become a global information ecosystem and the primary voice of authority for the gaming industry. With six localised editions and a continuous presence at every major international expo, we act as the bridge connecting operators, suppliers, and regulators across different continents. We are no longer just reporting on the industry; we are actively shaping the conversation and driving innovation within it. We have built a trusted, multiplatform network that the market relies on every single day to make critical business decisions.
This launch is part of a broader strategy alongside MyFocus and other products. How does Ask FocusAI fit into the long-term vision of Focus Gaming News?
Victoria: When we introduced MyFocus, our objective was to personalise the way people received information. Ask FocusAI takes that evolution a step further by personalising the way they search for it.
Both products are part of the same vision: creating an experience that adapts to each reader instead of expecting every reader to consume information in exactly the same way.
Looking ahead, we see Focus Gaming News becoming much more than a destination for news. We want to build a platform where professionals can stay informed, discover opportunities, access historical context and answer complex business questions—all within a single ecosystem.
You joined Focus Gaming News just over a year ago. Looking at where the publication stands today, with Ask FocusAI, MyFocus, and a full rebrand behind it, does this match what you envisioned when you took the role?
Victoria: When I joined Focus Gaming News, what immediately stood out wasn’t just the quality of the journalism or the reputation the brand had built over the past decade—it was the people behind it. I found a team that genuinely cares about the industry and is constantly asking one simple question: “How can we create more value for our readers?”
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of being part of that journey. The rebrand, MyFocus and now Ask FocusAI weren’t developed just because we wanted to launch new products. They all started with the same intention: making the experience better for the people who rely on us every day, whether that’s helping them discover more relevant content, personalise what they read or find an answer in seconds instead of searching through countless articles.
For me, innovation has never been about technology for the sake of technology. It’s about solving real problems and making our readers’ lives a little easier. That’s what makes me most proud of what we’ve achieved so far.
Looking ahead, I think this is just the beginning. The industry is evolving quickly, and so are the expectations of our audience. Our responsibility is to keep listening, keep adapting and continue building products and experiences that help people navigate an increasingly complex industry with confidence.
The first half of Focus Gaming News’s tenth-anniversary year is behind us, and the announcements and new releases have kept coming. What is your assessment of what has been achieved so far, and what plans are in place for the second half of the year?
Fernando: The first half of this milestone year has been incredible, highlighted by major achievements like our strategic expansion with Focus Gaming News UAE and being recognised as the Best iGaming Media of 2026 at SiGMA South America. It has validated all the hard work we put into globalising the brand. But we are not slowing down.
Launching Ask FocusAI is the crown jewel of this anniversary year, but for the second half of 2026, our plans focus on deepening our market penetration and further enhancing our technological infrastructure. We are rolling out exclusive high-end video formats, expanding our onsite coverage for the upcoming major autumn events, and ensuring that Ask FocusAI becomes fully embedded as the go-to tool for every C-level executive in the igaming space. We started the year celebrating a decade of history, but we are closing it by defining the future of gaming media.
Fernando Saffores and Victoria Coates discuss Ask FocusAI, a new feature that transforms a decade of journalism into instant, actionable industry intelligence. Exclusive interview.- As the gaming industry becomes increasingly data-driven and fast-paced, access to reliable information is no longer just a competitive advantage; it is a necessity. Professionals across the sector are looking for faster…
