LOYALTY PROGRAMS AND ALTERNATIVE GUEST ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN THE SOCIAL CASINO INDUSTRY
Loyalty Programs Have Proven to Be Effective Marketing Strategies The closure of casinos during the pandemic caused these businesses to lose untold profits. Some went out of business. During that same time, however, the die-hard gamblers never lost the thrill of hearing the ding, ding, dings of the bright, shiny slot machines. Through the many social casino gaming apps, they continued to gamble, but in a different way. With social casino games, players could gamble on their personal electronic devices for free. On the other hand, land-based casinos were destined to continue losing money without in-house customers. Gaming Professionals Save the Day Social gaming professionals, however, came to the rescue. They found the B2B social casino solution to reel in customers to the casinos. These professionals employed a tried-and-true marketing strategy to get people from their couches and into the brick-and-mortar casinos. And, what is this highly lucrative way that proved to be a marketing bonanza? Rewards, of course! Doling out prizes on social gaming sites was the answer for lagging sales in a pandemic-era economy. By offering prizes which had to be redeemed in person at a physical casino, patrons responded to the call. One casino involved in a popular reward program saw a 10% volume increase of patrons within the initial trial period of 90 days. It also showed a 100 increase in foot traffic among those who were cashing in their rewards. In all the ways that the success of their loyalty program was measured, the numbers showed a dramatic increase. It also proved that loyalty programs are effective, profitable marketing strategies that convert online social casino gamers into live casino customers. There would be no looking back. The key to loyalty-program marketing success unlocked a spigot that social gaming professionals will continue to tap. This platform is designed to keep gamblers playing their favorite games. When done, they will be directed to drive to their favorite casinos and cash in those rewards. Once inside the casino, the statistics tell the story that players who cashed in their rewards also spent money gambling. Double the Rewards This marketing strategy is not only effective in increasing sales but is just as potent in decreasing the cost of advertising. Traditionally, casinos spend a sizable budget to lure customers through their doors. But, with loyalty rewards, costs of getting the word out are significantly lower and the return on the casino’s investment is often hundreds of times the initial funding. Loyalty-based programs are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Our social gaming company has proven that getting gamblers into a casino with a reward is a winning solution for casinos with less than stellar sales. The metrics reveal that we have tapped into a successful formula that, like a fishing reel with good bait, will bring about the desired result.
THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL CASINOS
What is the Future of Social Casinos? There is no doubt that the social casino concept is booming. In 2020, the global social casino market was worth an estimated $6.2 billion and mobile casinos became the top-grossing iGaming genres. During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, the gaming category had an incredible 37% year-on-year growth in downloads. So what is driving this growth? Let’s look at some of the factors causing it: Increased Penetration of Devices The global installed base of smartphones and tablets is expected to exceed 5 billion by 2023. This provides a large potential user base for social casino games. Advancements in Technology Social casino games are increasingly becoming more complex and sophisticated with the introduction of new technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain. The increasing penetration of these technologies will create opportunities for social casinos to increase their user bases, engage users deeper, reduce fraudulent activities, and improve the overall gaming experience. Maturing of the Market The social casino market is maturing, with an increasing number of gamers becoming more comfortable with gaming in a social setting. In addition, the growth of new genres such as sports betting and fantasy sports are also helping to drive its growth. Increased Adoption of 4G/5G With the rollout of 4G/5G networks, there is a rapid increase in the number of social casino gamers as broadband speeds enable high-quality graphics and user experience. Presence of a Tournament Concept One area where social casinos have lagged is providing players with an incentive to continue playing and return frequently. This is now changing as developers and operators implement tournament concepts and progress-based gaming mechanics to keep players engaged in a social casino solution. So, What Does the Future Hold for Social Casinos? The future of the social casino concept is even brighter. Here are some key trends to watch out for: Proliferation of VR/AR-Based Social Casino Games Virtual reality and augmented reality are two of the most exciting new technologies in the gaming industry. They offer a more immersive experience for gamers and provide operators with an opportunity to attract new users, especially younger gamers who are more familiar with VR/AR technologies. Integration of Meta Features in Slot Games Slot games are one of the most popular genres in social casinos. To differentiate their games and make them more engaging, developers will start to integrate meta-features such as storylines, character development, and in-game choices into their slots games. Increased Adoption of Blockchain Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that can revolutionize social casinos by providing transparency and trust among players, operators, and suppliers. We expect to see more blockchain-based social casino games in the years ahead. In conclusion, the social casino industry is strategically placed to make use of these growth drivers and continue its robust growth in the coming years. Ruby Seven Offers Robust B2B Social Casino Solutions Developed in the cloud, our B2B social casino solution is designed to help operators increase their user base by tapping into the lucrative market. Our platform offers a wide array of games that can be easily integrated into existing social networks or gaming platforms.