Scattered across the vast internet exist an uncountable number of online casinos advertising themselves in various ways to players. Modern online casinos have developed various tactics to differentiate themselves in an overcrowded market, including promoting special offers, hosting unique games or creating special events. However, iGATE, a premier white-label software provider, also identifies art and design as being key contributing factors to creating successful online casinos.
Knowing your audience
As with any business, it’s important for new online casinos to understand their audience demographics. Specific demographics vary by region. However, the general trend seems to indicate that, although the online gaming industry is dominated by 18 to 34-year-old males, female audiences are rising dramatically. An in-depth study by the UK Gambling Commission backs up these stats, showing that young males have more online gaming accounts and are more frequent players than any other demographic.
Additionally, according to a report by LaneTerraLever, a US-based marketing agency, Gen Z online gamers play for the experience and millennials are driven by technology. Therefore, it’s important for upcoming casinos to consider their audience’s preferences when constructing their platforms. Younger audiences also appreciate high-quality and well-designed websites, games and content, as they add to their visual experience and overall enjoyment.
Art and design optimised for KPIs
Casino operators focus on KPIs when advertising their business. However, optimising a casino’s performance begins at its foundation with art and design. An online casino that focuses on creating an immersive digital world with rich themes, captivating characters and high-quality design will experience increased player acquisition and retention rates.
iGATE adopts a boutique approach to its partners, meaning that the company tailors its solutions and offerings to meet the partner’s business needs. With a top-notch art and design department, iGATE has a portfolio of beautiful online casinos and sportsbooks that are optimised for player experience, from gameplay to cashier services.
According to a survey conducted as part of LaneTerraLever’s report, many younger igaming enthusiasts enjoy personalised services. If they feel that the gaming experience and the casino they play at are relatable and personal to them, they become loyal customers much faster. Therefore, entrepreneurs looking to launch their own casinos must choose wisely if they enlist the help of white-label services, as it’s important to work with a company that can tailor and customise its offerings.
Marketing design for player segments
Player segments are specific groups that the online casino creates, each with unique characteristics and preferences. For example, Gen Z players enjoy the casino experience and more personalisation, whereas a boomer might want an uncomplicated user experience. These segments also react to the design of marketing strategies differently. A Gen X player is less likely to be on social media platforms as much as younger segments, so social media advertising to target them wouldn’t be optimal. Therefore, an online casino might use design to create eye-catching billboards or TV ads to capture that player segment.
To succeed, an online casino requires a flexible art and design department that can stay ahead of trends and implement marketing theory to create campaigns that convert. A casino with a strong identity and branding is more recognisable, which increases its authority and makes well-designed marketing campaigns more effective. With consistent, high-quality art, players will associate the casino with superior content and trustworthiness.
Gamification mechanics
Gamification is “the craft of deriving all the fun and engaging elements found in games and applying them to real-world or productive activities,” according to gamification expert Yu-Kai Chou in his blog. For online casinos, this could mean developing progress bars, leaderboards, tournaments, achievements or any similar mechanic that encourages social engagement and interaction.
An upcoming philosophy for many online casinos is that they compete with large social media platforms like TikTok instead of their industry competitors. This is because casinos’ real commodity is not the player’s purchasing power but rather their attention. Therefore, well-designed and implemented gamification mechanics become incredibly powerful tools to garner attention and develop a loyal player base.
These mechanics all require top-notch design. If they’re executed poorly, players might become discouraged from engaging with them, defeating the purpose of these gamification mechanics.
Blending the creative and technical
According to iGATE’s CEO, John Foster, iGATE differentiates itself in a competitive market by innovating art and design. Although that seems to be a definitive selling point for iGATE, the team offers full technical infrastructure support and various managed services to “help take the pressure off operators and give them time to focus on driving traffic to their website and increasing return on investment,” as Foster recently told media.
Art and design have always been crucial to an online casino’s success. However, with so many competitors vying for players’ attention and business, it’s more important now than ever to have high-quality aesthetics and well-designed websites to boost player experience.