Every industry has its trademark tool for marketing towards potential new customers. In the gambling and betting industry their marketing tool involves free money. You indeed read that correctly, free money, but under what normal circumstances would a business just give money away to attract customers?
The demand for high quality betting experiences has saturated the gambling and betting industry with an array of bonus options making finding reliable casinos an overwhelming task for new and even experienced players.
The gambling industry is known for always pushing the limits on innovation and next trends, the casino bonus strategy is just one way of pushing the limits even further.
How do casinos attract customers?
The global online gambling and betting market in 2020 was valued at over 59 billion dollars and expected to grow to 100 billion by 2026 according to Yahoo! Finance. The height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the number of online players skyrocket with stay-at-home laws forcing billions of people to stay home. In the closing of universities, offices, and entire branches of the government a diversity in user demographics began emerging.
The overarching connector that binds a university student in Manchester to a retired lawyer in Hong Kong is a mutual admiration for money, and casino bonuses tackle exactly that. Online Casinos attract customers and compete with the saturated online gambling market by offering what’s called a casino bonus or free money to play with.
Casino Bonus
The marketing strategy of casino bonuses entices new users to play with the casino house offering the best bonus. Each casino will offer bonuses, with thousands of competitors in the market these companies need to offer consistent bonuses if they are to be viably successful. The rise in online casinos also means players must stay alert reading carefully the terms & conditions (T&C) before registering. It’s important for new users to read each casino’s stated T&C’s before tapping the “I accept” box. Depending not just on the bonus but also the terms and conditions can make one casino more appealing than another.
There are many forms of bonuses the online casino industry promotes, some of the more popular ones include welcome bonuses, free spins, and no deposit bonus. It has been an upward battle with governments placing increasing advertising restrictions on online gambling companies forcing casinos to stay relevant, they do this by introducing a consistent stream of new bonuses.
Casino bonuses often sound like these common catchphrases being pushed on homepages of the tens of thousands of casino websites operating online:
- “New players only”
- “Huge no deposit bonus”
- “No deposit spins on sign-up”
- “Free spins must be used within 24 hours”
- “100% up to $400 + 200 free spins”
Welcome Bonuses
A welcome bonus, also sometimes called a sign-up bonus, attracts new players by offering free playing money when player’s sign up. By signing up and registering, players are able to claim this bonus upon making their first deposit or simply by registering.
Key players operating in the online gambling industry like William Hill PLC; Bet365 Group Ltd.; Paddy Power Betfair PLC; Betsson AB have developed the art of marketing strategies and ways to compete against top competitors. Superior promotions involving casino bonuses being offered by thousands of casinos is only further contributing to the growing number of players worldwide.
The highlights of welcome bonuses include receiving cash rewards upon signing up, starting a gaming session with a bankroll in the black, and even casinos matching welcome deposits by 100% or even by double. Makes sign-ups extra attractive for new users ready to dabble or dive into betting.
Free Spins
A casino favorite, the slot machine, is just as popular with online players making the free spins marketing strategy a favorite amongst casinos. Casinos wanting to entice slot machine fans will often offer new players free spins for depositing and registering with their site.
A free spins promotion would be an online casino offering a free number of spins allowing players to spin for free and depending on T&C normally bettor’s bankroll the winnings. The common misconception is that slots are based entirely on luck, when in fact there is a strategy behind playing slots. Online slot machines more frequently are using what’s called random number generator (RNG) software which allows for playing to be less about luck and more random and safe.
No Deposit Bonuses
Both free spins and no deposits bonuses are the two most popular casino bonuses amongst the menu of casino bonuses. With no deposit required to play, free casino bonuses are extra enticing and can range between $5USD for mobile platforms to $10USD for online platforms, and that’s on the low range.
With ‘no deposit bonuses’ the free money reaches the bettor’s account normally without the bettor having to make an initial deposit. The tricky and sometimes misleading T&C’s have pushed the online bettor community to actively support its players by creating blog posts, articles, chat groups, and forums for helping players find the very best promotions to enhance their online gambling experience.
Lists breaking down the ‘top casino bonus sites’ flood the online space letting bettors know where the best coupons and promotions can be found. With thousands of online sites to choose from, these lists help players find the best bonuses and deals.
It’s important that players do their due diligence when choosing a casino as greater competition leads to casinos offering better offers, better odds and better winnings. The enticement for new players doesn’t just focus on free spins but can also include superior graphics, Hollywood characters, multipliers and even cash prizes. The brilliant creators behind the online gambling experiences have made it so impossible to be bored while visiting their casino websites that some would argue online gambling is more engaging and without having to commute.
In some countries casino bonus are the only way to promote a casino online
With European players dominating the online gambling market making up over 40% of players in 2019 there is a global demand for superior bonuses, playing experiences, user interfaces and at the end of the day cash prizes.
Advertising restrictions have made things less straightforward in many countries, one of those countries with new and ever-increasing stricter laws happens to be Italy. In 2009 Italy even inaugurated the AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato – Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies) pushing advertising under even more scrutiny. With advertising being strictly regulated, online casinos use bonuses and free spins as their main way to attract gamblers and players.
For this exact reason casinos offer casino bonuses, to attract new players and to retain existing ones. But, casino bonuses are also a great opportunity for gamblers, that is why these unloyal customers are always on the hunt for new and even more rewarding offers.