The rapid and growing development of mobile iGaming and casino games is revitalizing more and more startups, new online casinos .conception.
In the following sections you will find important information about market development, the potential of startups and why a good strategy can pay off right from the start. We also encourage you to check out National casino as our favorite.
Mobile gaming strategies for startup growth
The sharp increase in smartphone purchases, for one, and rapid technological advances are key reasons for the current particularly high number of online casino players.
Revenues from casino games are also proof of the growth. Casino revenues are around 40 billion US dollars per year. For the year 2024, an amount of 74 billion US dollars is forecast as revenue. Even today, the number of casino players worldwide can be recorded at over 1.6 billion US dollars.
While online games quickly became popular after the launch of the Internet in the 1990s, app games in particular are enjoying ever greater popularity.
App games allow even faster access to casino games and, thanks to cloud gaming, conserve mobile memory.
Virtual reality and augmented computing technologies are further influences that are having a significant impact on online casinos. Millennials in particular can be understood as a new user group. They see casino games as equal to games of skill and character games.
The further development of online casinos, especially in the area of slot games, transforms the appearance and game offerings of the casinos of yesteryear. Players with an interest in playing in a traditional casino can continue to do so in the live casino with real live dealers.
With the US-wide legalization of online sports betting in September 2018, numerous new add-on sports betting services and new sports betting startups established themselves to date.
By 2020, 85 countries will already allow legal gambling – and the trend is rising. An increase in employment figures and government revenues are at this point two more reasons for the increasing, worldwide legalization of gambling.
These reasons have an impact on the growth of app games, online games and online casinos:
- Secure payment methods and wide choice
- Sponsorship from companies / celebrities / clubs
- Nationwide high-speed internet 5G
- Growing demand for smartphones
- Rapid developments of new technologies: VR, AR
- Especially easy installation of online casino games / online games / apps
- Growth of female casino players
- Integration of Facebook, Youtube and Instagram of online casinos
The breakdown of the global online gambling market is into US, Latin America, Europe, EMEA, and APAC.
With a market share of 48.9%, Europe dominated the online gambling global market with $19.91 billion (2018). The increased demand has led to a very large supply of online games and app games in recent years.
The many pushes in recent years were evident in, among other things, strong relaxations in the legalization of online gambling and the growing number of youth gamblers. For a successful entry into the mobile gaming market, a good strategy has become essential for all startups.
The following strategies show first steps to successfully enter this market as a startup
- Offer payments with cryptocurrencies. In this way, existing security concerns among customers can be minimized and an additional customer group can be tapped. Choose providers that use games based on Flash technologies.
- Find a handful of strong partners and networks
- Plan promotional activities early in terms of scope, target audience, and timing
- Professional / paid marketing and customer acquisition
Target profitable markets
The online gaming sector is not a crowded business sector, so it is easy to get started and build your own customer base.
The gaming industry places itself ahead of the music and film industries.
Reasons for this are successful franchises and blockbuster titles, such as Book of Ra, Starburst or Book of Dead. In 2019, around 60% of mobile purchases were spent on online gaming.
According to Newzoo, global app revenues are expected to reach 72% as early as 2020, with revenues of up to $58.1 billion. However, the large number of apps released also leads to uncertainty about the level of seriousness of apps.
The iGaming and gaming startups are increasingly focusing on these strong markets and not only on traditional casino markets. The startups that achieve the greatest success are those that focus on localization of the offering, campaign customization to the customer group, and cultural characteristics and native language.
An example of increasing app sales by switching from return on ad spend (ROAS) to the cost per action model. Furthermore, it is recommended to build a long-term strategy involving strong partners and networks.
Google, for example, does not accept casino advertising.
Therefore, ask your partners about the best demand side platforms (DSP) and find out what new, potential customers want.
Targeted advertising, player releases and bonus offers at the right time can bind players to the online casino offer faster and, in the best case, permanently.
Create quickly, update frequently
New players or customers looking for a new mobile gaming are usually guided by app store recommendations or rankings from reputable portals.
App stores, for example, are more competitive than ever.
The most important goal of published mobile games is that they achieve long-term growth – such as through inclusion in game suites. Every game should take the player out of reality and into a world of new experiences.
Therefore, always ask yourself if the investment can be recouped or exceeded after the game release.
As another recommendation, startups can release games quickly and then improve them further. Meanwhile, people invest in fully functional games with intensive game history.
In addition, there are the quick release games. These are trend-subjected games with particularly simple gameplay. Through constant updates, a clear competitive advantage can be taken.
For these reasons, it is important for startups to react quickly to trends and create a new game or offering.
This is how the first user experiences turn out
Fun Run is one of the app games that has taken the #1 spot in the App Store with 100 million downloads. What makes it special is that Fun Run’s development was focused on the first-time user experience (FTUE).
Undoubtedly, it is difficult and also expensive to convince users of your own new app game. Therefore, build trust with potential customers already with your still unknown brand.
Do I offer a tutorial? Do I answer questions before the user has loaded and played the game?
Think carefully about whether you want users to agree to receive notifications or the like with the still unknown app. Once the brand is established, you can then ask more from your customers without losing them.
Another important aspect is the use of WOM marketing. In this form of marketing, players can only share information about the game on social media when they have scored a high score and are at an emotional peak.
Sharing screenshots about the game are other simple and effective ways for players to spread the word about the game unknowingly.
The third recommendation for a huge growth spurt for mobile game apps is recommendations with a reward principle. This means that recommendations made to new players by users reward the players with a free goodie.
The same concept has made the international ride-hailing company Uber successful and well-known, for example.
This strategy is still too rarely used in the mobile gaming sector. Another variant is to offer players advantages in the game, such as an additional life, if they send a casual game recommendation to a friend.
