Gaming industry has continued to develop since it began in the 2000s, betting operators now fill a much larger role than the primary function of being able to pay-out on bets.
by Ludovico Calvi
The pandemic is still taking the toll on the gaming industry especially in the retail segment. The first quarter of 2021 has sadly confirmed what we all feared with respect to the timing of the much-hoped-for, full recovery.
The speed of the vaccination process in many countries is slower than expected and this, once again, has brought gaming organizations to review their recovery plans putting more pressure on profit and loss accounts also in 2021.
The crisis of the retail business with renewed lockdown measures and heavy restrictions in the physical space seems ever more acute and several small betting and gaming locations will not be able to survive while the growth of the digital channel appears unrelenting.
All major sport events are going ahead in 2021 even if with enacted restrictions on the side of the athletes, while behind closed doors to safeguard public health.
Three major sport events are going to take this year’s stage with
Copa America, the
European Football Championships and the
Olympics, all planned to take place and be major business drivers for sport betting organizations. The convergence of the attention by the public on these events and the ability to compete and prevail in a very crowded betting market environment by betting companies will decide who will be able to generate more revenues and therefore accelerate the recovery process already starting from this year.
Once again, all around engaging digital betting and gaming experience will make the difference and will determine the winners and losers.
Content automation, personalization and Netflix-style gaming experience are hot topics on this year’s gaming operators’ agenda and the trend will continue to grow after the pandemic. The present and future of digital marketing is automated, responding to an ever-increasing demand from consumers for customized content with a new acquisition and engagement approach, which in recent years, has been moving from a one to all to a one-to-one consumer marketing model.
With artificial intelligence and data driven predictive models applied to marketing, we have witnessed a significant growth in the use of automated marketing tools with significant scope to expand into automated video generation and customized animated content generation.
Media content and data analytics with enhanced Crm tools are driving more and more traffic to distinctive gaming operators in a market, which in terms of prize payout and offering is flattening out.
In the digital space and in particular while offering in-play betting, the visualization of live sport data such as head-to-head statistics and comparisons during the game is very engaging across all content and platforms and proving to be a formidable acquisition and retention driver.
We know that, as
the gaming industry has continued to develop since it began in the 2000s, betting operators now fill a much larger role than the primary function of being able to pay-out on bets. Following on from the likes of bonuses, loyalty and risk-free bets, we’re now entering the era of “intangible value” for brands, where loyalty is based on whether the brand meets the customers’ values and principles.
Social engagement is another key element which can mobilize sport digital communities effectively through daily entertainment capable of transmitting the positive values of "gaming". Social Gaming integrated platforms are designed for all those looking for a moment of relaxation with an exciting level of entertainment, which allows each player to field their skills thanks to which they can climb up a ranking and have fun challenging their friends. Entertainment can also be guaranteed by a multitude of games, quizzes and competitions which will reward users for skills, knowledge or luck, inspiring consumers who, from spectators would become real protagonists.
This is where a competitive advantage can be carved in the market, and we’re seeing it in the industry in real time, where we’re now progressing from one stage to another in the mid of a pandemic, which is accelerating the overall process of creating distinctive “intangible value” in gaming offerings.
This player demand evolution is requiring a new way of engaging sports betting fans beyond affiliates and this is what personalized, bespoke and automated marketing of content can do.