The online casino industry is ultra-competitive, which forces innovation and change. This stands to reason because if every platform or mobile app offering casino games for real money was identical, new operators probably wouldn’t get a look in.
In recent years, one of the more interesting innovations within this sector has been the birth of ‘Gamification Casinos’. The angle of these sites is to provide a fun-filled experience to boost player engagement. Additionally, it’s believed that gamified casinos are more appealing to the next generation of players who are looking for something more than merely playing roulette or spinning the reels on a glorified video fruit machine.
What is Gamification?
In a nutshell, gamification is applying elements of game design and their principles into non-gaming contexts. Specifically for online casinos, this could be giving players a cartoon avatar as part of their profile or awarding badges for completing specific achievements, such as logging in to the site for five consecutive days. It’s human nature to want to achieve more, and gamification elements feed off of this, but it’s done in a non-threatening way that puts a smile on the user’s face.
Elements of Casino Gamification
What can you expect from a gamification casino that a regular site doesn’t offer? Here are some of the main elements casino operators have introduced.
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Progress bars
This feature is so successful that most new online casinos have integrated it before launching. Essentially, it’s a modernised loyalty scheme. The progress bar gradually fills as a player wagers real money. Once again, it plays on the emotion of completing a level and more up to the next rank. Imagine, when the bar is 95% full, the urge to play a little more to level-up and receive a reward increases.
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Leaderboards
We all want to be number 1, and even more so if there’s a juicy incentive waiting at the end. Gamification casinos use leaderboards to bring out our competitive nature. Many slots offer slot tournaments with leaderboards with cash prizes. Once more, imagine the prize pool pays out the top 50 places, and you’re sitting in 52nd place, would you have a few more spins to try and push yourself higher? Many players would.
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Customised avatars
This is actually an old trick taken from online poker platforms. Many of these sites, like PokerStars and Full Tilt, let players pick an avatar which was their ‘character’ at the table. The fundamentals are the same with online casinos, but it’s possible to create customised avatars that are individual to each player.
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Completing maps
A different take on the progress bar, but with the same outcome. Players embark on an adventure through a map, with the aim of unlocking new areas and claiming special bonuses. All this is done by wagering real money and completing certain missions on the site.
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Experience points
Traditionally loyalty schemes award comp points for playing; however, experience points take this a step further. Some sites give points for logging in - you don’t even have to wager any money. It’s also possible to earn points for depositing and withdrawing, or engaging with the casino’s social media channels. The points that a player accumulates can then be used in a shop, which may offer game tokens, electronics, and apparel, among other things.
Will Gamification Casinos Stand the Test of Time?
While we don’t believe that in ten years from now every online casino will be gamified, there is certainly high demand for these sites and that looks set to continue. Modern players are demanding, which means that operators can not afford to stand still.
Entertainment and value will be two of the main drivers pushing this industry forward, and gamification elements tick both of these boxes. Of course, there are other variables to consider for players that wish to gamble online, so you should always do your due diligence before signing up.
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