iGaming Business magazine Mobile Gaming Outlook 2017 | Page 8

Mobile Gaming Outlook 2017
STANDING OUT
FROM THE CROWD
Pragmatic Play’s Yossi Barzely shares his thoughts on how operators can set
themselves apart in an increasingly crowded mobile marketplace.
It is no secret that catching bettors’ attention
as an igaming operator in a highly competitive
market has become increasingly challenging.
Just trying to increase your visibility has
become a task akin to sending up a smoke
signal in a forest fire. With so many operators
working with the same games from, in many
cases, the same platforms, the prospect of
players spotting that signal is becoming more
and more difficult.
So, in the face of long odds, how can
operators avoid putting out a commoditised
product that is almost identical to the
competition and also deliver to players
an experience that is both memorable
and worthwhile?
The power of personalisation
The twin pillars of choice and
personalisation now power almost every
facet of entertainment as we know it.
From streaming services such as Netflix
recommending your favourite shows, to
receiving updates on when your favourite
bands are in town through websites such
as Songkick, being able to enjoy a tailored
relationship with entertainment services
is the new norm. This is the approach that
igaming operators must embrace if they are
to loom large above their rivals in the minds
of their customers.
While personalisation may have become
one of this year’s buzzwords, this is testament
to its importance for brands in making certain
their content and offerings remain relevant to
players. Ensuring that players are presented
with their favourite games and recommended
similar titles sounds basic, but needs to be
stressed at a time when many landing pages
still greet players with an untargeted and
overwhelming glut of content.
Push notifications are an ever more
effective way of delivering targeted and
compelling customer messaging on mobile
devices. A study published by Business
Intelligence in August last year found that
iOS users who turned on push notifications
logged 53% more monthly sessions than those
who did not, while push-enabled users also
displayed higher longevity rates, with 41% still
using an app after three months compared to
18% of push-disabled users.
That Google decided to allow gambling
apps into its Play Store for the first time in
July, with Android users needing to opt out of
push notifications rather than in, boosts its
relevance to operators.
The importance of push notifications
is clear, but personalisation remains more
important than sending out an untargeted,
one-size-fits-all blast. Operators would be
well-served by utilising existing data on a
customer’s favourite markets, sports teams
and casino games, and sending them targeted
and actionable messages such as enhanced
cash-out offers, or the news that their
favourite slot game developer has just released
a new game that is available on their site.
Giving players that extra layer of
engagement to enhance the traditional slot
game experience is also an important element
in the armoury of any forward-thinking
operator. Using rewards and points systems
are simple yet effective ways of boosting
engagement and retention, and can easily
be used to build loyalty schemes that keep
players coming back to earn the next accolade
for success. Giving sports bettors and slots
players the opportunity to take on their friends
is another factor here. Leaderboards are one
example of how savvy operators can allow
players to pit their wits and skills against each
other, and provide them with a compelling
reason to keep coming back.
56 | iGamingBusiness | Issue 106 | September/October 2017
Don’t discount your service providers
On reflection, the opening thread of this
article — that all operators are hamstrung
in using the same games and platforms —
does not give many providers the credit
they deserve for their ability to deliver
tailored games and solutions. Much of
the personalisation and gamification
mentioned above is something that platform
and game providers can help operators
to succeed in developing.
Delivering the customised games
required to diversify an operator’s library
is now a service offered by a number of
providers. The difficulty, in the face of
insatiable demand from players for new
content, is providing operators with new
games quickly enough. Many operators
are receiving only mass mailout-style
delivery of a game whose ubiquity is both
its strength and its weakness. As they bid
to set their offering apart, I believe that
operators will increasingly turn to
boutique providers to further differentiate
themselves from the crowd.
There is no denying that there is a
plethora of online operators out there, and
mobile users are increasingly spoilt for
choice on where to test their luck. But by
applying the principles of personalisation
and gamification to draw players in and
build loyalty, with the active support of
platform and game providers, operators can
give themselves a concerted advantage over
the rest of the pack.
Yossi Barzely is head of business
development at Pragmatic Play.
He is responsible for driving the
company’s growth in new and
existing regulated markets, as well as
providing support to its operating partners.