We are living in an age of integration. For better or worse, pretty much any technology, lifestyle feature, or habit that we have is somehow being integrated into other things. Although some efforts are more successful than others, there is no question that the world is becoming a more diverse and interconnected place all the time.
This definitely applies to gaming and its effect on the online gambling world. The appeal is obvious: people that play video games and people that gamble often have similar motivations. The thrill of winning, the prospect of getting higher and higher scores…it all makes sense. So it is only natural that the two would come together somehow once technology allowed for it.
What exactly is happening?
The gamification of gambling sites is just one reason for their ever-increasing popularity. Sites like Mino Casino are booming thanks to many different advancements. But since this is such a widespread phenomenon, it deserves a closer look.
Player engagement is soaring
Online casinos are definitely getting on the ball when it comes to engagement strategy. In the past, operators mostly utilized things like free spins or cash back offers to entice new players. And while these methods had some success, they didn’t bring in the consistent numbers that site owners were looking for. Recent methods are different:
- Sites are using things like daily streaks, milestone badges, and tiered loyalty clubs to keep players hooked. These features are already proving to retain more players for longer periods of time, and have a significant effect on Customer Lifetime Value.
- Site owners are paying much more attention to demographics. They know that younger players in particular care about interactive gaming-type elements and want options that include advanced technological features. Therefore, online gambling outfits are offering gamified rewards to players in the style of video game rewards.
Online gambling sites appeal to gaming psychology
Beyond simply introducing new elements, there is a whole psychology behind the way gambling outfits appeal to gamers. This includes things like the following:
- Features that give players a sense of accomplishment. Today’s online casinos feature things like “skill-based components,” which give players the idea that they are building a new skill. Also things like quizzes and an increased level of customization give players a greater sense of control over their participation.
- Site owners know how to trap players into what psychologists call a “dark flow.” Through the use of things like instant feedback, a greater number and frequency of goals to reach, and a faster pace overall in mobile versions, players more easily fall into a state where they simply get absorbed into their participation and keep wanting more.
- Scoreboards and challenges keep players on the ball. Increasingly, people who participate in online gambling are able to see the scores of other players. This helps to increase their motivation as they see other players as competitors. Also, community challenges drive players to try to one-up each other on the challenges they can meet. And mobile devices offer more and more features all the time.
It goes both ways
Just as online gaming is influencing gambling practices, so too is gambling influencing gaming. This can be seen in several aspects of gaming:
- Many games are becoming monetized. There is nothing sweeter than the allure of making a profit, and game developers know this. Therefore, more and more games are adding things like loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions to keep players on the ball.
- Some games are imposing age restrictions. As the line between gaming and gambling becomes blurred, both game developers and governments are being forced to think more carefully about age limits for game players. People are well aware of the tendency for young people in particular to become hooked on gambling-like activity, so different parties on all sides of the industry are making efforts to create boundaries for younger players.
General regulatory concerns
Beyond the issue of minors creeping into the gambling world, regulatory bodies have numerous issues to contend with when it comes to the integration of gaming and gambling. The whole issue of monetization leads to questions of addiction, crime, and other potential problems. Among other things, operators are being forced to introduce session caps (to prevent people from simply sitting and playing all day) and various types of “reality-check” popups.
Industry analytics are also able to produce extremely precise and telling patterns that help to flag things like loss-chasing and binge-gaming. Responsible online casinos are using AI behavioral monitoring techniques to trigger interventions when systems detect that players’ behavior is spinning out of control. Also, regulations are pushing for greater transparency in things like the presence of loot boxes and microtransaction usage. This helps everyone involved stay aware of just how much these tools are being used, and to what effect.
Both technological progress and monitoring are on the rise
As the integration of gaming and gambling increases, the possibilities for players become both more exciting and more potentially risky. With analytics to prove just how great of an effect different tools have on players, site owners are able to tweak their offerings and customize them to maximize the influence they have on players. This can be both good and bad: obviously, when players win more, they make more money and are ultimately happier. But the advancements can also lead to greater addiction levels and more potential losses for some people. It is up to everyone involved–including site owners, players, and regulators–to stay on top of things and make sure that gambling sites stick to responsible practices. As to the “gamblification” of gaming, game developers too need to create solid rules and stick to them.
