Gambling is an age-old pastime that attracts a huge audience worldwide. Whether it is traditional games such as blackjack or roulette, fast-paced crash games with instant wins or mesmerizing slot machines with their numerous bonuses, there’s a game that will suit even the fussiest of players.
From the glitz and glamour of your favourite Vegas brick-and-mortar establishments to the revolution of online gambling sites offering a wide range of casino games and live casino experiences, gamblers have it all at their fingertips. However, in recent years we have seen an explosion in the popularity of social casinos, which are engaging a new demographic, one of casual players and non-gamblers.
What is a Social Casino?
A social casino is an online site that offers free-to-play games where members use virtual currency to bet and play their favourite casino-style games without the risk of losing real money. One of the key benefits of social casinos is the ‘social’ element which allows friends to interact with each other whilst playing games and encourages members to participate in community forums.
What is a Sweepstakes Casino?
Often the terms ‘social casino’ and ‘sweepstakes casino’ are used interchangeably, however, there is a significant difference between them. Whilst social casinos attract players through a strictly free-to-play model using virtual coins and traditional casinos, appeal to the seasoned gambler wishing to wager their own money for real cash wins, new sweepstakes casinos offer members a unique hybrid model where players can use virtual coins to bet with the possibility of real money prizes.
Evolution of Social Casinos
What started out with social network-based browser games in early 2010 turned into a global social casino market estimated at 6.2 billion dollars in 2020. This was further helped by the mobile gaming boom during Covid-19 in 2020/21. Whilst social casinos do not require real money deposits, players are able to purchase in-game content such as special gifts, items to enhance play, tournaments and events. In 2021, the average spent on in-app purchases per player amounted to $12.28, an increase of $11.88 from the previous year.
Online casinos have long since struggled to emanate the social atmosphere of their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. However, with a rise in the art of live streaming, we have seen a significant crossover from video gaming into iGaming. As technology evolves and player preferences change, there’s a considerable shift towards more social and interactive experiences.
This drive is led by the younger generation, who have been catapulted into the magical world of social media. This demographic thrives on social interaction, instant connectivity and live streaming. Popular platforms such as Kick and Twitch demonstrate the enormous power that lives streaming has to create interactive communities worldwide to share in the joys of their favorite video games and other gaming content.
In the midst of this social casino revolution, we find streamers, influencers, and on occasion, celebrities who are transforming online gambling through high-jinks entertainment and live interaction. These charismatic and engaging hosts are fostering trust and building communities in ways that some traditional online casino sites can only wish for. This trend of social and interactive experiences has not gone unnoticed by the major players in the gaming industry, as evidenced by the acquisition of Livespins by Evolution Gaming and FanDuel’s purchase of BeyondPlay.
Conclusion
Despite the intensive spike in social gaming during the Covid-19 pandemic, where almost everyone took to their phones and social media became the prominent aid for social interaction and engagement, over the last couple of years, we have seen a levelling out of numbers across the social and real money casino fields.
However, recognition must be given to the influential powers of engagement through social casinos to attract non-gamblers and casual players. This is yet another strand of the gaming industry where we see big brands integrating an element of social gaming into their current offer in a bid to attract and engage a new type of player.
Benefits for operators offering social gaming include:
- An increase in player acquisition: charismatic hosts can significantly boost player numbers through human interaction
- Long-term engagement: interactive experiences, live chat, and community forums encourage players to stay longer, which in turn potentially increases in-app purchases
- Unique promotions: offering exclusive prizes during live streams can lead to an increase in player engagement
- Attracting younger audiences: this particular demographic is more likely to be drawn towards a community-feel and streamer-led experience
- Personalized marketing strategies: social gaming provides an insight into wider spread player preferences and behaviours
