Optimove iGaming Pulse – June 2019
The Champions League final at the very beginning of June led to average deposits and retention rates dropping off during the month. However, our exclusive look at Optimove iGaming Pulse data shows that the casino trend was more steady.
In June the average deposit amount in sports was 3% lower than the previous month (at €29), probably due to the end of the Champions League, with the final taking place on June 1.
The average number of monthly deposits per player increased year-on-year in June by 46% but decreased slightly (2%) month-on-month.
The big year-on-year jump is likely due to the World Cup having started in June 2018 (with finals in mid-July 2018) – it’s likely that more players in the previous year were casual bettors, rather than avid gamblers and fans.
In June monthly revenue per player increased by 19% year-on-year and remained the same month-on-month.
The conversion rate decreased 13% year-on-year, and 8% month-on-month, to 46%. This means less players were placing their first deposit after registering.
The retention rate was down 11% from the prior year, and stood at 59%. Again, this appears to be down to the fact that the Champions League ended on the first day of the month and there was no other big event to prompt players’ next interaction. The new retention rate decreased 17% from May, meaning new players (probably registering to bet on the Champions League in May) had no reason to continue playing in June.
An odd-numbered summer brings not only sunshine and heatwaves, but also a long off-season, which leads to a decline in retention metrics. To combat this situation, operators should up their engagement game and strive to keep their bettors active, using cross-sell into other sports and special offers.
In casino, the average deposit amount showed a very steady trend, despite a slight decrease month-on-month. The mobile bet rate stood at 50% and we saw a 4% increase year-on-year, but a slight decrease month-on-month at 7%. Monthly revenue per player held steady at €86.
KPI close up: new retention rate
The new retention rate represents the number of players who made their first deposit in one month and remained active in the following month, divided by the number of first-time depositors in the first month, in other words the number of new players who remain active two months in a row.
This KPI speaks to the loyalty of first-time depositors, since players who make a first deposit around a big event are more likely to leave following finals. Keeping those players engaged and active is a challenge all operators face regularly.
Last month, for example, the new retention rate decreased by 17% month-on-month, which means a significant number of new players who made deposits in order to bet on the Champions League in May were not engaged enough to continue playing in June.
Disclaimer: At the time this article was written, data was still being updated. Slight changes in numbers are possible.
Omer Liss:
Omer Liss is Optimove’s director of strateic services, helping leading marketers optimise their customer retention strategy. As a marketing data scientist, Omer has vast experience consulting clients, analysing their customer data and revealing actionable, data-driven marketing insights. Omer holds a BSc in Industrial Engineering and Management, specialising in Information Systems.
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.