Personalisation of the Experience of Gamblers Via Big Data

Information plays an important role in almost all sectors of the economy, and casino entertainment is no exception. Today, these companies process various reports at such a speed and in volumes that were unimaginable just a few decades ago.

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About the Concept

Analytics from the Fortune Business Insights online publication predict that by 2028, revenues in the industry will reach $158 billion. Data science will become an essential element for the development and an important indicator of business capitalisation and scaling.

The described term defines a huge amount of unrelated pieces of information, which are collected and processed using special automated tools. The obtained facts are used for statistics, analysis, forecasts, and effective decision-making.

The concept was first used in 2008 by Clifford Lynch, editor of the Nature magazine. Back then, there was the explosive growth of information in the world, the volume of which was estimated at hundreds of gigabytes per day.

In 2012, Big Data increased so much that large IT corporations became interested in it. Microsoft, Oracle, Meta Group, and other market leaders started to invest tens of thousands of dollars in specialised software to benefit from the technology in the future.

In 2015, Gartner included the technology in the Top 10 trends of the decade.

Today, it is used in many sectors of the economy. These are fintech, banking sector, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, logistics, construction, and, of course, gambling.

Basic Properties of Big Data

Not all information falls into this category, although the evaluation criteria are rather loosely defined.

The Meta Group corporation has proposed the most accurate characteristics of the concept:

1. Volume. The minimum amount of new information per day is 150 GB. Basically, brands use unstructured data. Its value is not always known at the start, and after processing, it can be reduced by several times.
2. Velocity. This is the speed of reception, accumulation, and study of facts. In the online environment, there are many sources that work in real time. Therefore, the collection of such data must also take place 24/7.
3. Variety. There are several types of info, such as text, audio, and video materials, as well as fragments of the program code, and all kinds of reports.

Big Data is also evaluated according to such parameters as value and reliability. It is essential to be able to highlight things that will be the most beneficial for the iGaming business in the short term.

How and Where Information Is Collected

This task is performed by monitoring, tracking, and studying various facts from different sources. This is external data and insides available only to casino owners.

Internal Analytics

It can be described as information about how the gambling application is used on a daily basis, which includes real-time and long-term statistics.

Main sources of information:

1. Customer support requests. These are problems of users and reports on their solutions, data about possible errors, the deposition or withdrawal of funds, etc. Technical failures during the rounds are recorded in log files. The developers can extract them, conduct a qualitative analysis, and take appropriate actions.
2. Recorded game sessions. This includes the history of bets, wins, and losses, as well as participation in tournaments, quests, etc. The track of entries and exits, the verification procedure, bonuses received, and other options for the player’s interaction with the portal are also taken into account.
3. Sentiment analysis. Data is collected in the form of chats and voice messages, surveys on auxiliary platforms (for example, on a profile page on Instagram or Telegram), and reactions of the audience to new slots, seasonal promotions, or changes in website usability.
4. Behavioural statistics. It shows how clients interact with the resource, where they place bets, and how their gaming patterns change over a long period of time (month or quarter). The gathered information tells operators whether users will choose recommended slot machines or keep selecting entertainment that they already know.

Data monitoring is carried out continuously in real-time.

External Sources

With the emergence of IoT, more and more devices are connected to the Internet, which qualitatively and quantitatively affects large data. Entrepreneurs can find out about the functioning of niche products, search queries, reactions of players, and their activity on specialised websites, social networks, or instant messengers.

The so-called digital footprint (the history of customers’ actions in the online space) is one of the key sources of information, which can be processed data and used for various purposes, from the improvement of service quality to protection against fraud.

Nuances of Technology Functioning

To get started, operators need to follow 3 steps:

1. Integration. Data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) tools allow entrepreneurs to quickly combine info from disparate sources and applications, making it unified and comfortable for viewing.
2. Management. It is required to properly store huge amounts of data in a local or cloud environment. The second option is rapidly gaining popularity in the iGaming market. It is distinguished by increased computing power and restores the websites of businessmen’s resources when necessary.
3. Analysis. For effective work, information must be carefully prepared and constantly updated. Specialised software, such as Apache Spark, Airflow, Drill, and other solutions will help speed up and simplify the processing.

Examination of the Data for Personalising the Gaming Experience

Entrepreneurs use this technology for a variety of purposes, including the improvement of customers’ impressions of the betting process.

Profiling of Users

An in-depth study of the actions of players allows people to create their unique accounts.

For analysis, the following elements are used:

• gaming preferences;
• duration of sessions;
• statistics of wins and losses;
• page views on the website;
• information about favourite slots, settlement methods, and promotions.

The collected and processed data allows operators to qualitatively segment the audience and create individual profiles for each casino visitor. They store information about the gamblers’ habits, preferences, bonuses, payment services, demographic characteristics, geolocation, etc.

Message Personalisation

After registering a client, entrepreneurs can send notifications using the provided personal data.

The Hubspot online publication claims that when a person's name is mentioned, a unique reaction in his brain is created. Several areas are simultaneously activated, which leads visitors to iGaming sites to action.

These include the deposition of funds, use of the welcome bonus, launch of the reels, and much more. All this increases casino conversion and brings large profits to the enterprise.

Adaptation of the Platform to the Audience’s Needs

Attention to the requirements of customers and personalisation of their experience encourages gamblers to return to the website over and over again. Big Data plays a key role in the adaptation of entertainment platforms to the interests and demands of visitors.

Thanks to such technology, operators can better understand clients by studying what people like, tracking their behaviour, and identifying any problems that may arise on the portal. Even such an ordinary function as instant account replenishment during the session can increase the audience’s loyalty to the casino.

How Big Data improves iGaming resources:

1. Customizable home pages. The data is used to improve the quality of website usability and create a hint system, as well as pages with personal settings. They help players achieve their tasks much faster. This may include the deposition of funds, the launch of an interesting slot, or the reception of a promotional code or cashback.
2. Game recommendations. Thanks to Big Data, entertainment platforms function like Netflix applications. They analyse the preferences of users and offer only the content that will definitely interest them. Some will like traditional fruit-themed solutions, while others will be delighted with adventure slots. Products can be grouped based on mathematical algorithms, topics, additional features, and other characteristics.
3. Personal bonuses. Big Data can be used to adapt available offers and reward loyal customers. The creation of an individual incentive system increases conversion on the gaming site. Players see that operators care about them and spend even more time placing bets.

If online casinos meet the audience’s needs, it helps to reduce the company’s costs and increase business liquidity.

By understanding user habits, entrepreneurs can efficiently spend the budget. This includes the purchase of only relevant content, installation of popular payment services, and integration of high-quality affiliate programs. Money is spent only on what brings real and measurable results thanks to the study of people’s preferences.

It is even theoretically impossible to independently analyse all the necessary information (history of clicks, terms of cooperation with product vendors, and reactions to new content). Therefore, the role of technology in the entertainment niche is growing rapidly.

How Casino Brands Benefit From Data Analytics

Personalisation of the gaming experience is not the only reason why the concept is used in the industry.

Fighting Against Fraud

Criminals use false or stolen identities, VPNs, and other tools to obtain undue advantage for themselves. They register, claim bonuses, perform rollovers, and disappear. The development of the fraudulent transaction database allows operators to implement effective protective measures.

Big Data also helps combat hacker attacks, phishing, and the introduction of Trojans and spyware. The technology studies the experience of competitors in the fight against cybercriminals and increases the casino’s resistance to various types of threats.

Examination of Problem Behaviour

Thanks to user profiling, it is possible to identify such atypical actions of gamblers as:

• too long sessions;
• placement of bets at night for a long time;
• unjustified increase in rates;
• aggressive play, and other aspects that indicate a loss of control.

Using Big Data, entrepreneurs can develop effective audience engagement mechanisms. Their list includes an emergency notification system, limits on the sizes of bids, and other elements that make the stay on the site safer.

Evaluation of the Project Effectiveness

Thanks to the technology, operators can quickly and accurately calculate the main KPIs of a casino:

• gross gaming revenue (GGR);
• net gaming revenue (NGR);
• average revenue per user (ARPU);
• conversion rate (CR);
• return on investment (ROI).

It is worth assessing and analysing these parameters in dynamics. This will help to show the strengths and weaknesses of iGaming platforms, outline ways to optimise costs and increase the investment attractiveness of the business.

High-Quality Marketing

It is possible to organise targeted advertising campaigns based on specialised player profiles. They are extremely effective since entrepreneurs interact not with some collective image but with particular users, know their habits, and understand how to quickly attract/retain customers.

Ads created using Big Data can be placed in:

• search engines;
• social networks;
• email newsletters, and other communication options.

The Hubspot online publication provides the following statistics:

• iGaming companies that launched targeted advertising based on the described technology increased their conversion rate by 45%.
• Brands that paid attention to geolocation and the audience’s preferences have experienced a growth of the number of registrations by 60%.

With Big Data, it is also possible to predict which partnerships will be the most profitable and identify high-performing niches.

The Main Things about the Role of the Concept in the Gambling Sector

The technology represents a set of tools for collecting, processing, and analysing huge amounts of information.

Key features of the option:

• The entertainment industry uses both internal and external data sources. Companies focus on behavioural studies, recorded sessions, and reactions of players. Interesting facts can also be learned by tracking the digital footprints of clients: clicks, search queries, and comments.
• Big Data is the key to creating personalised experiences. The concept is useful for profiling gamblers, customising targeted messages, and adapting the platform to the audience’s requests.
• The technology has been successfully used to combat fraud, study problematic behaviour, and evaluate business performance. It can also increase the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and help operators retain customers.

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• turnkey casino launch;
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