How Gamification May Change The Online Casino Industry

Online casinos are in fierce competition, so they can’t simply stop innovating. Anyone who reads a lot about the casino industry knows that casino gamification is one of the major forces in the market right now.

If you read the best online casino reviews, you see that many well-positioned operators use this technique. Most of them are significantly improving the experience of the users and getting the customers hooked on their games with it.

What is Gamification?

Before you can understand how elements of gamification are changing casinos all over the world, it’s essential to know what gamification is. Gamification is to apply concepts that are common in video games to other areas. The main reason for doing this is to make the user experience more engaging.

You may be wondering how this is something innovative in casinos, though. Casinos already have games as products, so why should they be gamified? The answer is simple; because most casino games are luck-based and not skill-based.

According to the expert Daniel Bennet, casino gamification offers a tangible prize for gamblers even when they lose. In traditional video games, he explains, you’re rewarded for your effort. They rely on skill to move forward or to win. If you keep playing long enough, you’ll get a reward.

In casinos, however, you’re rewarded if you’re lucky. You may play casino games for a long time and only lose money. It’s entirely possible, and it can demotivate some gamblers from playing.

The main goal of using gamification is to engage players by offering them a reward if they continue to interact with your product for a long time. This way, they will be happy to play even if they’re not winning.

Gamification 2020: What Is the Future of Gamification?

Now that you know what the term means, you’re probably curious about what casinos are actually doing with it. Often, they devise some sort of ranking or reward system for the players. These systems can be used within other marketing strategies to promote another related area of the website.

The most common example is to give points to players each time that they play a game. It doesn’t matter if they win or lose; they will always get a tiny reward for their engagement. Over time, the rewards will pile up, and they will become more valuable. You may recognize this strategy because loyalty programs are basically big gamified systems.

Another strategy is to give gamblers a reward when they post on a forum. This method is mostly used for casinos that want to increase the social engagement on their platforms. Users who post more can earn prizes this way.

In most of these systems, the players level up. They start level 0 or 1 and can see their progress while they remain engaged with the activity. Higher tiers equal better rewards, so there’s an incentive to keep interacting.

Rewards vary a lot, depending on the budget of each casino. Some offers cash back, while others offer draws for big prizes or moderate financial rewards. The rewards of the high levels need to be meaningful, otherwise players may lose interest quickly.

Another crucial point is that, by using these strategies, casinos can acquire gamification statistics. Big data is the future; there’s no denying that. Understanding your client base is essential to create gamified systems. With more data, it’s possible to understand the clients better and create even more efficient solutions.

Casino Gamification May Also Change Game Development

Casinos themselves are not the only ones that will change how they work because of the rise of gamification. Game developers are already making an effort to enhance their new products.

Developers know that games can be much more entertaining if they are not solely based on luck, so they’re already changing the formula. By taking inspiration from video games, you can see many types of slots that have a storyline or different levels today.

In these games, it’s possible to feel an enhanced sense of progression. It may motivate the players to keep playing for more time because they want to find out what’s in the next level. They also may become more involved in the story.

Even the insertion of achievements in games can motivate players to play for a longer period. Sometimes, these achievements may not be worth money. Simply by earning a title, it’s possible to engage the audience more effectively.

By using these technologies as well as virtual and augmented reality, which are also prominent right now, a revolution may happen. Casino games will become more engaging than they ever were before.

Gamification and Its Limits

Elements of gamification are effective in increasing engagement with a platform. However, they have their limitations. It’s essential to notice that gamification needs to be followed by all the traditional parameters that make an excellent casino or game.

If a casino has slow payments, complicated rules, and a bad interface, it will probably not work. Gamification needs to be a part of a global strategy in which the user experience is as engaging as possible.

A welcome bonus may call the attention of a potential client. A loyalty system may interest this user, but no player will keep playing in a casino that is not very fun to use. As time passes, however, gamification elements will tend to be much more prominent. If they are regarded as optional today, they’ll probably be essential in the future.

Conclusion

It’s clear that gamification is a strong trend for the future. However, it’s not a panacea that will make a failing casino do well. A good gamification strategy is necessary, but it must be backed by excellent casino services as well.