The online gambling market is an ever-growing industry. It is expected to continue to grow at around 11% per year, culminating in an industry worth over £100 billion by 2027.

The increase in technology and, in particular, smartphone technology is continuing to drive the market. With the market increasing, there should be enough room for many brands and companies to share the pie, but strictly, that isn’t true. The industry is becoming more and more competitive, and companies have now released that player retention is just as necessary as obtaining new clients. Many gamblers will hold accounts with a multitude of different websites to ensure that they firstly receive a welcome bonus, and secondly, they continue to get the best value for money. So how are brands standing out from the crowd? One-way developers working for these brands are helping them stay ahead of the competition is through improved gamification.

 

What is Gamification?

Gamification is essentially bringing the video gaming and the online casino worlds together. The gambling world has moved on from the days of the OXO slot machines, and players want to feel involved in the game’s plot to enhance their experience. First, you either have to sign up or download these games as apps on your phone, which is how you start to invest in the game. The games will then keep players interested by collecting coins or gems to unlock new features. This keeps you continually returning to play the game. However, you might be one of those people who doesn’t want to wait days on end to unlock your favourite character, and you pay for the privilege of unlocking them instantly. These are all examples of gamification. The online casino industry is ever-evolving gamification is a vital part of that.

 

Enhanced Player Experience

 

 

Fusion is happening all over the world right now. Whether that be in cookery, religion, or work, it’s happening everywhere. So why should the online casino industry be any different? Well, the answer is that it’s not, and this is already happening. How many times have you heard a friend say, I bet I could beat you on the latest FIFA football game? That is the way the industry is heading. Take Casino Hero’s, for example, which is essentially a video game that tells a unique story and keeps gamblers interested by using casino games along the way. This creates a fan base for the game, and you find you are opening yourself up to a different audience. Gamers or gamblers will also feel that they have received value for money even if they lose, which is crucial. What’s worse than spending all your hard-earned cash on a three real slot machine with no features? Where is the fun in that? These games make the player feel a part of something as the array of side games is a part of a bigger adventure as you complete your quests or missions.

I can tell you are already starting to research what other games are available. Well these games have been around for almost a decade now. The first casino to introduce this new gaming platform was Casumo Casino, and others soon followed after their success. The games have evolved since then, but the concept has remained the same. Many users like the personalisation side of things. Whether that is in the game play itself and you create avatars and design them exactly how you want them. You can then send your character on various missions to slay dragons and defeat ogres to unlock free spins or play rounds and other great prizes with an enhanced player rewards system.

Many of these games will also have a leader board, and the competitive players want to return to beat their top score and the top scores of others. Like the video gaming world, players want more, they want to interact with other players, and they want them to feel a part of the game. This industry has moved on from the days of Pacman, Super Mario Brothers, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Yes, there is a retro element to these games, which resides with kids of the 80s & 90s. It was a wonderful time for gaming, film, and music, with artists like Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, and Gabrielle playing on the radio. Still, players nowadays prefer to play online multiplayer video games.

The concept behind gamification is to heighten the player experience, which keeps them coming back to complete different game elements and in ways makes them feel wanted and valued by the brand. Gamification takes place worldwide and online gambling sites are working hard to ensure a great experience. As users, we love to get hooked on the game, enjoy the graphics and have a friendly experience, that’s why we truly recommend visiting this unique UK online casino which is one of the best out there IOHO.

Gamification in itself is an example of metagaming, which is a tool added to a host game and works as an external engagement tool. This works on the basis that not every game or theme is going to appeal to everyone. Still, it will work alongside the game to keep the player interested through various formats such as side games. That’s a whole different conversation for another day.

Brands have realised that it’s not enough to offer the best sign-up deals or have more markets or games for users to play. They released that they needed to get their users invested in their website somehow, and gamification is one of those routes. Although it has been around for a while, it has only recently started to take off, and who knows if it will catch on properly. My guess is with technology progressing at the rate it is; it won’t be long before the virtual reality market buys into this and offers gamers and gamblers a complete gaming experience they will never forget. Like all industries and the world, things evolve. Some things work, and some don’t, but I would bet on this sector taking off massively over the next couple of years.