The growing usage of customer personalization in sports betting has become a focus for many forward-thinking suppliers and their partners. It’s no longer a trend or marketing gimmick, now it’s going deeper than ever to tailor player journeys and experiences to their preferences. But why is it so important in the first place, and what might the future of personalization hold for one of iGaming’s biggest new opportunities?
Why is personalization so important?
At first glance from bettors, the online gambling industry appears to be made up of interchangeable operators, all offering more or less the same thing. And, as the industry itself isn’t too old in the grand scheme of things, the push for differentiation hasn’t been as strong as it has been in online shopping channels, streaming services, and social platforms.
Generally speaking, operators have attempted to offset product similarity by concentrating on price differences, which has caused their profit margins to narrow. Also, despite the general enthusiasm for the online gambling industry, the cost of acquiring new customers from competing operators has increased due to market-wide, price-based advertising tactics that include “free money” promotions such as welcome bonuses.
A pricing war is not a long-term viable strategy in the oversaturated gaming industry; true distinction should come from other areas – and one of those areas is personalization.
The picture today
As technology has advanced over the past several years, standards of personalization have been rising quickly. It has evolved from a catchphrase to a genuine source of differentiation. Today, it’s all about the player, as opposed to a while ago, when it was all about the product. However, The iGaming sector lags behind other e-commerce sectors. For instance, Netflix has seen a shift in its user base from those looking for specific films to those just watching the suggestions. There’s no reason why operators can’t offer the same, so it’s time for a change.
Recommendations and relevancy
A key component for the future of personalization is offering recommendations for games that are pertinent to a player’s circumstances and specific needs. The increase in conversion rates and transaction value is driven by relevance, especially when that relevancy is executed intelligently.
Personalization can be used dynamically, based on preferred sports, game schedules, device types (such as mobile or desktop), geolocation, time of day, and even real-time behavior.
Putting the player in the middle
Due to the rising costs of attracting new players and keeping hold of existing ones as well as the limitations on advertising, many operators are struggling to draw in and keep hold of customers. Players should always come first, and operators that have products that offer personalized experiences are more likely to succeed in the long term.
In iGaming, personalization entails knowing which market group your players fall under, what their gaming preferences are, what they’re trying to achieve, and why they should trust you as their operator. Understanding target markets and players’ behavior through data and technology creates a better foundation for iGaming player acquisition and retention methods that are more intelligent and successful.
For operators offering both Sports and Casino betting, the potential benefits of future personalization are even more alluring. For example, once an operator knows enough about the bettor’s habits on a Sports betting platform, they can create special promotions to offer them Casino experiences based on what is already known about their preferences.
A new Era is coming
So, that’s where things stand now. But what about tomorrow? Just like any other technology, the future of personalization is going to need to continue evolving alongside customer needs and expectations. For global iGaming supplier, Delasport, this evolution is already in full swing.
Known as the “MY Era”, Delasport is on the verge of something big. And, as the name suggests, it is the beginning of something long-term, where personalization is the focus, and players sit firmly in the middle of their experiences. The “MY” products, as the name implies, will give players a sense of ownership and belonging by providing only the content they specifically request. They effectively control what they see.
My Sportsbook and My Event Builder
The ‘”MY Era” starts with two products, each offering a different way for players to bring their betting in line with their interests. First up, we have My Sportsbook, which serves bettors with a questionnaire on their first time logging in. Through this, the players can indicate what their interests are in terms of sports, leagues, teams, and so on, creating a custom lobby for future logins. This means that they’ll be taken straight to the action without the need to scroll and search for their favorites. This level of convenience is especially important for mobile screens, as navigation is naturally more restricted due to the display size.
Then we have My Event Builder, which gives bettors something completely new: the chance to create their own unique custom events to bet on. They can choose two teams from completely different leagues, who aren’t even scheduled to play at the same time. For example, a bettor can create an event between a small local team and an international powerhouse, who would never play against each other in the real world. They can bet a score of 3:2 in favor of the small local team, and if that team scores 3 in their game against someone else, and the international team scores 2 in theirs, the player has won their custom bet. This essentially means that there is an unlimited combination of bets they can place, where their imagination is the only limit.
Looking forward to the future
My Sportsbook and My Event Builder are just the beginning. Delasport is working on creating a similarly powerful feature for our Casino offering, which will once again reinvent how operators engage players looking for deeper and more rewarding experiences.
As for what the future holds for personalization, it is likely that machine learning and AI will continue to lead the way. But, learning about the player is not just about gathering data over time. The “MY Era” is unique because it does the unthinkable: it actually asks the player what they want to see without making assumptions. Of course, data and analysis of betting patterns can support in many effective ways, but the future of personalization also needs to have a more human approach.
