With intense competition in the online casino industry, operators face constant pressure to differentiate themselves and introduce innovative products and features to attract audiences. Whether it's leveraging cutting-edge technology and game mechanics or employing artificial intelligence to enhance engagement and predict user behavior, the industry is always evolving.
IGF Special Correspondent explores customer engagement techniques with Videoslots Marketing Director, Marco Trucco. Videoslots promotes the unconventional idea that online casino customers prioritize autonomy and anonymity over personalization and an older audience. The success of this approach is detailed in the interview, where all the most interesting insights are shared.
– As the slot machine market continues to grow and become more saturated, what ways do you use to stand out from the crowd?
– It’s not just about standing out. Sometimes, it's not even necessary. Equally important is staying current, capturing traffic, and retaining it. Online casino users tend to have multiple accounts across various sites, so offering competitive deals is key. Realistically, you can gain a solid market share with a reliable, user-friendly product, a vast selection of games (our main feature), and excellent customer support.
The notion that you must stand out in a competitive environment is somewhat idealistic. In practice, it's more about focusing on consumers who are open to trying new operators and products. These players are often willing to spend more and, being experienced, know what they want. Our focus isn't so much on attracting new players but on selecting the right categories and products. Once gamers come to us, we prioritize retention efforts and provide a high level of service.
– What digital tools do you like best for player engagement?
– We don't rely heavily on personalization and recommendation tools; this is a distinctive feature of ours. We don't maintain a VIP team or offer special deals, so our success is a reflection of the strength of our product itself.
With the launch of new brands, we have the opportunity to explore personalization technologies more extensively. These brands offer more testing options and allow us to take a more personalized approach, which contrasts with what Videoslots and Mr Vegas have traditionally offered.
I believe that most players prefer to navigate a casino website independently, finding the games they enjoy without needing to be guided with tips or game recommendations. While some players appreciate these features, others prefer a more hands-off approach.
– How do you think the introduction of AI will change the customer journey? Is this the key to successfully engaging players on a global scale?
– In theory, AI could play a significant role, and many brands and companies will certainly pursue this route to enhance player engagement. However, whether we will adopt AI is another matter. There are numerous ways to increase engagement that are focused more on the games themselves—concepts, ideas, mechanics, promotions, and other tools integrated into gameplay. For instance, we offer trophies, rewards, slot battles, and jackpot wheels.
Most of our interaction tools are embedded within the game itself, seamlessly integrated without interrupting the flow. We don’t send emails for players to check, nor do we require them to sign up for bonuses separately. Everything is part of the gameplay experience. If we do use AI, it will be in a way that aligns with our approach.
While we employ AI for certain tasks, I'm skeptical about relying on it to personalize the gaming experience for each player. There's an assumption that players want casinos to know and predict their preferences, but do casino players really desire that level of personalization? Do they want to feel like the casino knows them intimately?
There's a misconception that we need to know everything about our players and make them feel recognized. In reality, many players value anonymity. When you enter a large land-based casino, you don’t expect to be greeted by name and directed to your favorite game. Some players prefer to maintain a level of confidentiality, and that’s perfectly valid. We must respect their privacy and provide them the freedom to explore our offerings without feeling intruded upon.
The last thing we want is for players to perceive us as a casino that predicts their every move, akin to a social media platform. We strive to avoid an unsettling, overly intimate insight into their preferences.
– Is the industry doing enough to attract younger audiences, and is this even necessary for sustainable growth?
– Perhaps the industry is doing too much. Especially for casinos in mature markets, targeting the younger segment isn't necessary. The 40+ demographic is growing and will represent the vast majority in Western Europe over the next 50 years. This demographic is already an excellent audience for the next half-century, waiting to be entertained. So, why focus on younger audiences who have other entertainment options?
In highly saturated and mature markets, pursuing the most challenging customers doesn’t make sense. Younger people have less disposable income and are more restricted in terms of marketing, and rightly so. It's different for bookmakers and poker, where younger demographics are key, but for casinos, young people are not the primary audience.
It's about focusing on real customers who are genuinely interested in the casino and offer good value for money. Eventually, the younger audience will age into our key demographic in their 30s and 40s, but that's not something we can or should force.
– Is regulation a factor limiting customer growth, or is it just an opportunity for innovation?
– Regulations are indeed restrictions, but they also drive innovation. They compel you to find new ways to stay relevant and maintain popularity.
However, there's a misconception that the over-40 audience wants to be treated the same as younger players—they don't. It's not that they wouldn't like to be 20 years younger; obviously, everyone would. Rather, they want to be 20 years younger but with the preferences of their own generation, not the current one.
Typically, the 40+ audience doesn't understand the younger generation and what they like to do, and that's okay. This means the 40+ generation should be treated with their own preferences in mind, not as if they were younger.
Don’t try to create something that appeals to a younger audience, thinking older generations will also find it interesting. Due to the generation gap, they might feel it's being marketed to young people, not to them.
My message is to stay true to your purpose and category. If that makes the offerings, content, and overall approach seem a bit dated or uncool to the younger generation, that's fine. Focus on what appeals to your core demographic and stay authentic to their preferences.
