How can we forget about such a way of monetization as gambling? You can be sure that if it were not for the strict regulations of the App Store and Google Play regarding gambling, it would be possible to beat not only the daytimes, but also the hottest video games in terms of profits.
Despite all the limitations, online casinos, betting shops and poker tables have successfully transferred their skills to the mobile environment, and the niche is evolving by leaps and bounds.
It is still not so easy to make money from such apps, and all because of severe restrictions. In 2013, the AppStore banned the acceptance of bets via IAP in apps that provide the ability to withdraw real money. Also, the publisher of the application must have a permit and license to conduct gambling in all countries in which the application is published, and its download must be free. Restrictions apply to everything: the size of the maximum bet is often limited, and this cuts off some users who want to gamble legally and in a big way.
Mobile Stores keep mobile gambling within strict limits, but casino apps remain a klondike for the publisher. Poker by Zynga, for example, brings in more than $25,000 a day. Some publishers are trying to boost revenue bypassing the big stooges by offering to download the app to your phone directly from the casino’s website or by distributing it through alternative marketplaces.
Whether you want to create a legal or illegal mobile casino, don’t try to do it without a thorough knowledge of the online and nuances of mobile gambling: most likely you won’t succeed.
Most gambling apps are very similar in terms of content. Online betting sites and casinos feature almost identical bets and games with only marginal differences. Customers know this, so they place more emphasis on quality than content when looking for an app. If they want to bet on the Grand National horse race, for example, the question is not which app does it, but which app does it best.
Customers go through the same formalities with all gambling apps, so they can easily compare the experiences. If the account verification check before the withdrawal takes significantly longer on one app than another, customers quickly notice.
So how do two of the biggest names in gaming address common challenges in a way that differentiates them from competitors? We share steps to develop a gambling app that stands out from the crowd.
Anticipate regulations
The first step in developing exceptional digital experiences in gaming is to anticipate upcoming regulatory requirements. That means preparing for regulatory changes that have already been announced or are coming soon. In this way, gambling operators can avoid having to sacrifice product development or even the launch of planned features to incorporate mandatory regulatory changes on short notice.
Integrate safer gambling
The best online gambling experiences are offered by operators who see secure gambling as an integral part of their business model and look at every feature from a customer safety standpoint. When measures are integrated, operators can respond more quickly knowing that secure gambling has already been considered. This creates more time for other priorities such as providing a stunning gambling experience. In addition, customers actively seek out gambling apps that take security seriously.
Build a modular tech stack
Online gambling products need to be agile to survive in a global environment of ever-changing demands. It come down to “having a tech stack that builds features in a modular way so they can be adapted or excluded for different markets.” In other words, operators should develop their technology so that they have a core product and then can choose from a wide range of add-on features. This offers gaming operators two advantages: First, developers can adapt individual functions (e.g., to new regulations) without having to consider interdependencies. Second, they can easily add or remove these features depending on the needs of the customer group.
Localize, not translate
Modular software is particularly well suited for localization. For example, if certain casino games are not legal in all countries, gambling operators can demarcate groups of games entirely as needed. The question asked may influence the answer the customer gives. Therefore, it’s important to phrase surveys idiomatically and adheres to local norms so gambling operators don’t draw the wrong conclusions when aggregating responses.
When is less more?
Ten years ago, every betting shop offered a bet that was not available anywhere else, like betting on yellow cards or corners in soccer. That was a unique selling point. Today, the industry is so saturated that all operators offer such comprehensive derivative groups that customers never reach the end when navigating an events page. It’s a similar story in online casinos, where one operator may have over 1000 games. Studies in retail have found that too much choice lowers customer loyalty. If this continues, gaming operators will have to consider whether removing some markets might not have a positive effect, even if the shares of that market are lost.
Encourage discovery
Given the flood of markets to choose from, customers should be encouraged to filter, because merely scrolling will cause them to leave the app, as they won’t find any interesting bets or games. This is especially true for mobile device users, as the small screens make it difficult to view multiple options. When gambling operators group multiple markets together, they can personalize the recommendations and offer customers only the markets that interest them. With many operators offering the same bets and games, CX factors such as fast navigation and relevant recommendations become increasingly important points of differentiation.
What does an MVP look like?
In a fast-paced industry, operators can’t spend so long on delivering a feature that it ends up being obsolete by the time it’s delivered. That doesn’t mean providing bad products, just asking the honest question: what do we need and what can we do without?