Unlike sports betting, online casino gaming is only legal in a handful of states. For most Americans, playing casino games means going to a retail casino location and spending a few hours there. Of course, that depends on whether the player wants to spend the time, money, and effort just to go to a physical casino.
This is why online casino operators must capture as much of their market as possible. Online casinos with a sports betting license have a leg up in the competition; they already have a pool of potential customers to invite over to the casino side. But they also face a unique challenge: enticing their Millennials and Gen-Z users to play casino games.
Why should casino operators focus on Millennials and Gen-Z players?
According to research by marketing research firm KS&R, 42 percent of online sports bettors today are Millennials, followed by 28 percent of Gen-Z users. That’s a whopping 70 percent of bettors out there, comprised only of two age groups. Although this number may vary per state, individual statistics will likely look close to what KS&R found.
For the six (soon to be seven) states with legalized online casino gaming, operators must find a way to capture over half of their sports betting clientele and invite them over to play casino games. Here are a few methods they could implement to achieve this.
Don’t give out too many free plays
You’ve seen what signup bonuses typically give: a certain number of free spins and the occasional free credits to use in the casino. While this may seem inviting initially, new and casual users typically don’t follow through after using free plays as a trial. They’re likely to stick to an operator they know because it’s one less account for them to manage.
Suppose a joint online casino and sports betting operator wants to retain a new user successfully. In that case, they must hook them in with lucrative casino and betting bonuses, encouraging further use.
Keep an eye on loyalty programs
There’s only so much comparison a player can do before they just give up and stick to their preferred operator. So why not capitalize on this and discourage them from “looking around” by instituting an excellent loyalty program?
Loyalty programs can be tricky to implement, so online casino operators must employ several methods, such as user surveys and customer behavior analysis, to design a good program. They want to find the right balance between keeping a customer’s attention on them solely while still running a profitable business.
Don’t give rewards that require a physical visit
Most online players turn to online casinos because of the convenience they offer; they can play a game or two whenever they want without having to commit to a land-based casino visit. So, when a loyalty program focuses on rewards that make a customer visit a retail location, it doesn’t work.
Instead, online casino operators must focus on supporting the convenient lifestyle these players have. Some good ideas include offering free or discounted streaming services and exclusive access to insider analyst info that’s typically unavailable to the public. Rewards must cater to what the players want so they have a reason to keep playing.
