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Deena Komisar, VP Marketing at Solitics, says advanced gamification is the key to unlocking better conversion rates, boosting retention and ultimately driving higher LTVs from loyal players
Do you think there is enough differentiation between online casino and sportsbook brands?
This is a very busy space with lots of brands making lots of noise with their marketing campaigns and bonus offers. This can make players feel bombarded. But despite all this noise and bombardment, the experiences offered by these brands are very much the same – I’d even argue there’s little difference between the brands themselves. Most operators use the same game providers, so regardless of which casino the player engages with, they often find the exact same games in the lobby. The same applies to sportsbooks – operators offer pretty much the same markets and because they have to be super competitive on odds, there’s very little difference in pricing between brands. So no, I don’t think there’s enough differentiation but, in reality, it’s tough for operators to find ways of standing out.
What does a solid retention strategy look like?
It comes down to offering players a unique experience that brings added value to their play. If operators can do this, the player has no reason to jump ship to another brand simply because they can claim a sign-up bonus. This means putting together a comprehensive strategy with cleverly mapped user journeys, points of engagement and interaction, customised communications, personalised rewards and, where possible, a feedback loop so that operators can optimise and refine the strategy. For me, operators that can deliver timely, relevant and captivating player experience will win the retention race.
Can you share an example of a retention campaign that brings all of these elements together?
A brand could come up with its own currency, with players awarded a “” a “diamond” each time they log in, make a deposit, play a certain game, hit a specific win multiplier, etc. These coins are accumulated, and then once a week, the player receives a personalised prize based on the number of coins they have collected – this could be free spins, bonus cash, spins on a prize wheel or even VIP club upgrades. Other ideas include surprising the player with a scratch card when they log in, interrupting a losing streak with a prize reel spin, launching a mini-game to introduce a new game and assigning the player a mission for the following day just before they end their current session.
This allows the casino to offer something unique and to create a long-lasting impression with the player. This is why Solitics is so passionate about gamification.
Why is gamification so effective when it comes to keeping players engaged with an online casino or sportsbook?
Social casinos have used gamification to engage players for many years – in fact, in most instances, it’s the main way they monetise players. And it’s proved to be a highly effective approach. Why? Because it creates anticipation, excitement and fun, even without the ability for players to win money. Delivering gamified rewards works in the social casino space because they are always deployed in real-time – and therefore don’t miss the mark, are native to the brand’s themes and colours, are contextualised to the player experience and always come as a surprise. Online casino operators can and should take the same approach to gamification – those that do will achieve the same high levels of engagement and retention.
How can operators take their gamification strategy to the next level?
Gamification has been used in the real money space for some time now, but only a small number of operators have deployed advanced gamification. This means having access to a rich library of widgets (think of this as a library of gamification games and journeys such as tasks, missions and tournaments) they can integrate into the player journey and experience, with the ability to personalise these to their brand or around certain themes and seasons. Next-level gamification also requires the leveraging of player data in real-time, using advanced data calculations, but also data such as wins and losses, current balance, etc. and historic aggregated data like average deposit and average wager.
Operators must also have control over the set-up of widgets especially the prizes, odds, playing frequency, number of games the player receives, etc. This is not only key to delivering experiences and rewards that add genuine value to the player but also to balance this off by ensuring a solid return on the retention budget being spent. Ease of use and rapid deployment are also critical for operators looking to level up gamification and unlock the benefits this brings.
What return can operators expect from investing in advanced gamification?
I’ll keep this answer nice and simple. Conversion, engagement and loyalty KPIs will all increase significantly simply because they can stand out from the competition and provide a superior experience to each player.
