Leveling up player experiences and engagement in a competitive market

How to level up player experiences and drive player engagement in a competitive market
It’s widely accepted that around seven in 10 consumers will pay more to shop for the things they want with the brands they are most loyal to, but is loyalty on a slippery slope?

If we look at the world of real money online betting and gaming, loyalty has hung by an increasingly thin thread. Pre-internet, customers would have their go-to bookmaker or casino of choice but in the smartphone era habits have drastically changed.

The increase in thousands more sites and mobile apps, multiple game variants and thousands of games launched every year, plus many more betting options and promotions has seen player loyalty decline with individuals registering numerous accounts across multiple brands and scrolling between them depending on specific preferences, events, rewards and marketing incentives. Add to that the plethora of other non-gaming entertainment options that consumers have at their disposal and claiming a share of the wallet has never been fiercer.

In other words, it is becoming difficult to stand out and retain that repeat spend, but when a brand does, gaining even a few seconds of a player’s attention has become more invaluable than ever.

There are, however, some rare exceptions such as Brazil where the online betting and gaming market is regulating in January 2025. EveryMatrix, in partnership with ENV Media, commissioned a study of the Brazilian betting market and player behavior, asking 1,800 regular bettors their preferences across a variety of areas uncovering some fascinating insights.

Despite using multiple platforms players there show strong loyalty to an average of two brands each, stressing the importance of superior service and user experience. Ensuring a high level of satisfaction with key features can lead to higher retention rates. This loyalty will be severely tested next year as the country brings in a regulated framework with a flurry of international brands giving players far more choice.

We also found that for Brazilian players, promotions and bonuses (57%) and range of betting options (43%) are the biggest influences on betting site choice with loyalty rewards (60%), customer support quality (57%) and exclusive promotions (51%) top factors in retaining their custom.

This is not unusual in most regulated markets, what is, however, is that brands either overlook or place less priority on player engagement. This is an error when attempting to stand out from the crowd and gain those few seconds of ‘loyalty’ in today’s fast-paced, mobile-first world.

This is the reason we launched LoyaltyEngine in September this year; a cross-vertical suite of tools empowering operators to strengthen the bond between players and brands, significantly boosting player engagement, retention and lifetime value by rewarding loyalty. This unique blend of gamification elements includes level-based experiences, coin rewards, and an engaging shop where coins can be redeemed for perks, unlocks bonuses, and more.

LoyaltyEngine features clear progression paths with attractive rewards to motivate players to climb the ranks and unlock new benefits. It seamlessly integrates with our portfolio of 31,000 games, and more than 330 game studios, using advanced algorithms to offer personalized rewards, including bespoke bonuses, tailored promotions, and exclusive VIP perks, ensuring players feel valued and engaged.

Benefiting from real-time access to analytics and insights into player behavior, operators can go the extra mile to understand what drives engagement, identify high-value players, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their loyalty strategies once they enter a new market.

LoyaltyEngine is already having an instant EveryMatrix effect on our customers’ brands, strengthening the relationship they have with their players by offering richer experiences through gamification and personalized rewards, while equally benefiting operators with seamless integration and real-time data insights and reporting.

EveryMatrix has pioneered cross-vertical bonusing, loyalty and gamification tools for many years and we believe LoyaltyEngine will continue this proud tradition by offering a premium solution with clear progression paths and enticing rewards leading to significant benefits for our customers and their players.

The original version of this article was published by La Fleur’s.