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Although some of us reading this article might not be yet aware of it, in the past couple of years, we have experienced a somewhat revolution in the online gambling industry. Gamification, a relatively new and vague term, has been a key driver for online casinos, creating a new, more immersive experience for hungry players.
The biggest names on the UK gambling scene has incorporated gamification into their operations, to boost user engagement and spice up often mundane games. The trend is clearly set to define the present and future online casino scene, with operators fiercely challenging each other to come up with more and more entertaining offering.
What is Casino Gamification?
Academically speaking, gamification is nothing but a practice of using gaming techniques to help users solve problems. Thanks to game-playing features such as leaderboards, visual rewards, narratives level-up systems or unlockable content, online casinos create better user experience and increase player interaction.
Think of repetitive, boring and predictable slots - who wants to waste their precious time on an extremely average experience? They can instead enjoy skill-based, attention-grabbing slots such as Pay N’ Go’s Viking Runecraft that features a ‘back story’ packed with characters that players could identify with. Add to it special animations, bonus features and cutting-edge graphics - the success is bound to happen.
Today’s players are picky, they say, but it’s technological advancement to take the blame on it. It’s taught us that we’re allowed to have high expectations and be critical and demanding. Hence the challenge for casino game developers and operators - they lure players in with exciting options including as low as £5 deposit casinos, lucrative welcome offers or continuously improved game offering that helps them stand out from the crowded online casino scene.
Back in 2012, Casumo Casino was one of the first companies to explore the gamification trend and enhance their website to promote a more adventurous feel. Engaging storylines, collectable points and goals to achieve - with the fresh approach the casino hit the bull’s eye. Ever since the bar has been set high and hundreds of features and add-ons have been used by many to attract bored and unamused players.
Gamification Features
Let’s give gamification an in-depth look and analyse what actual features we can come across when playing online casinos. For starters, a game of your choice can offer players a whole set of characters that aim to complete a mission. The mission-based platforms are definitely the "it" thing now and the concept is closely connected to online role-player video games and first-person shooters. This technique can come in a variety of versions and might cover missions that have a start and endpoints, in-game tasks, adventure modes and, as well, can feature a protagonist character to complete a quest.
Casino Heroes is a perfect example - the whole site focuses around a mythical, fairytale island where an evil dragon has stolen the king’s golden crown, and it’s in players’ hands to find it. This can be achieved by playing various casino games, completing quests and collecting valuable rubies which in turn can result in winning some points.
Then, just like in any given video game, players have a chance to level-up as they play. While progressing in the game, they collect points, grab bonuses and unlock extra content that grant them additional benefits. But why bother to be the best and have it all when there is no competition to play against? For this exact reason, hundreds of online casinos present dedicated casino communities and tournaments where players can feel the competitive spirit and count on a real, social experience. Playing with and, most importantly, against each other is surely more exciting than competing with a machine. Knowing you just defeated an actual human being is probably wrongly satisfying but it’s nothing but our nature to feel good when winning. Simple as that.
Climbing up a leaderboard is a big part of online casino experience - they’re well-known from video games we used to play as children. They’re simple in structure but complex and funky for online casino communities. For example, in the case of slots, players might play slots in a particular order to begin climbing the leaderboard. The better and faster you play - the better ranking position and bonuses you can count on! Some leaderboards can be even shared on social media platforms, which adds an extra layer of immersion to the concept.
Casino Gamification Of Tomorrow
The number of online casinos chasing to go down the path of gamification is increasing as this article is being written and there’s no doubt the trend will continue to dominate the industry in years to come. We can expect more technically-advanced, conceptual and elaborate techniques to be implemented in casino games, which will ensure in turn a better player retention rate and a more impressive gaming experience.
Traditional casino promotions and bonuses will not disappear, as they’re way too deeply embedded in the online casino world and players still praise them over many other perks. However, in the overcrowded marketplace casinos and sportsbooks need to continuously experiment with gaming mechanics to ensure a unique type of entertainment. Think Virtual Reality - a massively hyped tool that already revolutionises the industry, coming hand in hand with the main objectives of gamification. Don’t be surprised to see more VR-focused online casinos in the near future.
Together with VR, we’ll see the rising importance of virtual game currency as part of casino games. As players progress throughout a game, they are rewarded with game currency to unlock new features and gifts. These extra points encourage players for higher engagement, as they can then purchase extra free spins or bonuses. Extra motivation and incentives have been proven to convince players to choose a particular game over others.
Whatever the future holds, it’ll be interesting to see how the gamification trend develops, with major gambling providers and operators coming together to produce titles designed to appeal to most demanding and choosy players. Watch this space, as the world is speeding fast and what’s unimaginative today might be as well a new standard of tomorrow!
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