## Closing the Divide: Social Play’s Promise for Traditional Casinos
Jordan Levin, the top dog at SG Interactive, recently explored the thrilling opportunities social gaming presents to physical casinos. His enthusiasm is warranted! These days, the boundaries between the digital and physical realms are fading faster than ever. This phenomenon, my friends, is spreading across industries like wildfire, and the gaming sector is right in the thick of it.
Consider this: today’s casino patrons are a mobile group. They seamlessly transition between their smartphones, their laptops, and yes, even those dazzling casino floors. They desire an experience that’s incredibly smooth, personalized to their preferences, and perhaps even a tad predictable (who doesn’t enjoy a sure bet?). This evolution in player behavior is a call to action for land-based casinos. It’s time to adjust, transform, and modernize – and quickly! After all, why confine yourself to a physical space when your clientele is already immersed in a limitless digital playground?
Let’s delve into some statistics for a moment. Back in 2014, Media Dynamics revealed a startling fact: the average person is inundated with an astounding 362 marketing messages daily. That’s a cacophony of information to break through! To differentiate themselves, companies are becoming strategic, developing campaigns that reach the right individual at the right moment, in the right location. So, how can our cherished brick-and-mortar casinos maintain their relevance and keep those players engaged?
Rick Mathieson, the visionary behind “The On-Demand Brand,” perfectly articulated the solution: “It’s not about conquering technology; it’s about conquering the understanding of your customer.” He’s spot on! Once you comprehend your audience thoroughly, you can connect with them on their terms, communicating in a way that genuinely resonates.
Speaking of understanding your customer, let’s examine some compelling data about mobile device usage and social casino players:
In the foreseeable future, failing to utilize your customer knowledge beyond your casino’s confines won’t just mean a missed chance – it will mean falling behind.
Let’s analyze the current situation:
* In 2014, techtimes.com already indicated that mobile devices outnumbered people globally, with over 7.2 billion active SIM cards in circulation.
* Consider this: mobile device usage is primarily app-driven (80%), with gaming representing a substantial 40% of that usage.
Now, let’s discuss social casino gaming:
* This industry is already valued at $3 billion, and surprisingly, over half of its revenue originates from mobile devices.
* Here’s the crucial point: 82% of social casino gamers have frequented a physical casino within the past year. Moreover, a third of those who enjoy playing slots on their phones visit casinos weekly.
* The majority (a staggering 70%) of these social casino players are under 50.
A study published in the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, entitled “eCommerce Market Convergence in Action: Social Casino Gaming and Real Money Gambling,” revealed a fascinating insight. Social casino players tend to be more open to various forms of gambling compared to those who exclusively engage in online gambling with real money. This suggests that social casino players aren’t substituting real-money gambling with digital games – they are actually broadening their interests and becoming more involved in gambling overall.
The key takeaway is this: these social casino players are already part of your customer base. They are the same individuals walking through your casino doors.
As enthusiasts of slot machines develop stronger allegiances to particular companies, they’re organically migrating from brick-and-mortar casinos to online gaming environments—all while seeking that same exhilarating feeling. However, what lies ahead? The answer is utilizing technology not merely to draw in players, but to genuinely comprehend them. The online realm provides remarkable monitoring and data analytics that can revolutionize your revenue generation.
Picture delving into player demographics, their whereabouts, even their mindset and actions. This knowledge enables you to customize your offerings, craft focused marketing campaigns, and individualize the entire gaming journey.
We’re already witnessing industry titans like Bally, Barcrest, Shuffle Master, and Williams rising to the occasion. They’re crafting cutting-edge products like SG Universe, which assists casinos in blurring the boundaries between the physical and virtual, maintaining player engagement even when they’re not physically on-site.
The crux of the matter? If you’re not capitalizing on data to decipher your players and connect with them beyond the casino premises, you’re not just overlooking a chance—you’re lagging behind. It’s time to engage your clientele where they are, with an experience that is fluid, user-friendly, and personalized specifically for them.
The concept of “blending” feels old-fashioned, almost retro. The focus now is on building a genuinely distinct brand encounter.
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