Optimove iGaming Pulse – December 2019
The holiday season has come and gone, with the gaming industry investing heavily in holiday player/bettor acquisition. But did it pay off?
According to Optimove’s iGaming Pulse, it appears that both casino and sports betting operators made it onto Santa’s Nice List.
Casino
In terms of the average single deposit amount, we saw an increase of 6% year-on-year and 9% month-on-month, with the figure rising to €37 from €34.
The monthly deposit per player showed an increase of 10% year-on-year and 8% month-on-month.
When these two key performance indicators rise, this usually translates to a rise in revenue, however the picture was mixed on this front. While month-on-month revenue rose 21% to €88, on a year-on-year basis it fell 4%.
The conversion rate for casino increased significantly on a year-on-year basis, rising to 38% from 32% the previous year. This rate has been holding relatively steady since September 2019.
The retention rate, meanwhile, increased to 67%, up by 3% on a year-on-year basis and 2% on a month-on-month basis.
The mobile bet ratio showed a significant increase of 9% year-on-year, remaining stable on a month-on-month basis.
Sport
In sport, we saw the average single deposit amount increase month-on-month, by 6%, but decrease, by 3%, on a year-on-year basis.
The monthly deposit per player increased by 13% year-on-year and by 9% month-on-month.
Monthly revenue per player rose to €98, up only slightly on a year-on-year basis (1%), but more significantly on a month-on-month basis (23%).
The new retention rate showed a year-on-year rise of 16% but remained stagnant month-on-month. The retention rate showed a 3% year-on-year increase and a 1% month-on-month rise. The retention rate applies to bettors who made a deposit the previous month and also a deposit in December.
KPI close-up: from December acquisition to January retention
Christmas is a time for festivities, something that has been clearly and repeatedly demonstrated by the gaming industry. Football leagues around the world enjoy the madness of four rounds of fixtures in 10 days, attracting many bettors.
Gaming and casino websites launch special features and offers to fit the holiday spirit and acquire new players. But how can operators keep these players around for January and beyond? Here are a few tips:
- Gamified campaigns: try to encourage players to increase their engagement through gamified campaigns and attractive ‘post-Christmas’ offers.
- Segment and conquer: target players differently based on their previous activities – new players should be welcomed with enhanced offers compared to active players.
- Prevent churn: identify players at risk of churn and try to prevent it. For example, sports bettors who haven’t visited your site one week after Boxing Day should raise a flag. Send them an offer ASAP.
- Show players you’re in it for the long run: keep communicating with players after the holiday season using the same ‘voice’. Keep the offers templates and extend the holiday spirit. The New Year’s cycle can be a nice idea for that kind of marketing series. Be creative.
About iGaming Pulse:
iGaming Pulse is an industry benchmark tool for the gaming sector. iGaming Pulse enables gaming operators to accurately assess their overall performance against industry-wide key performance indicators.
Its figures are updated on a monthly basis. It enables gaming operators to gain a clearer understanding of how their KPIs compare against the rest of the industry, broken down by geography and game type. This type of data, which is made publicly available for the first time, provides operators with the ability to conduct comparative analysis and derive insight into how their performance compares with industry averages.
iGaming Pulse comprises of data collected from over 200 online casinos and sports betting companies, including industry giants and boutique operators, providing an accurate, statistically significant sample of the industry. Access to this information is vital for operators that are limited to only their own data. Optimove’s iGaming Pulse is now fully accessible, ensuring operators will have a clearer overview of how they compare to the industry.