People who regularly play live dealer online casino games will have probably come across the term “gamification” in recent times. Even if it’s a term you’ve never heard before, you can be sure that the concept has infiltrated your online gambling experience and other aspects of your life in one way or another.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about this online casino trend and how it will change the way you play casino games.
What is it?
Gamification is the process of adding certain types of game mechanics into what are typically considered non-gaming environments. This could mean introducing leaderboards, points, or badges, along with providing feedback or information concerning the next steps along the way, all in an effort to urge users to “progress” towards a goal. The ultimate aim is to optimize engagement to achieve interaction, sharing and collaboration within a community or group of people.
While the concept has become very popular in the digital casino world, it’s also spread much further than that. It’s popped up in all sorts of businesses, often to optimize participation and productivity among employees. It’s also extended to websites, learning management systems, online communities and more. Today, it spans a host of different industries, from retail and e-commerce to healthcare and politics.
Gamification in online casino games
Although it was introduced quite subtly at first, gamification has become a standard part of the online casino games world. Various online slot game producers have added gamification to keep their loyal players coming back for more. These systems encourage gamblers to earn points and badges and gradually climb the ladder of a leaderboard, usually to win significant prizes or earn special offers and bonuses.
Some virtual casinos have fully embraced the concept and are allowing a dramatic increase in interaction between their online gamblers as a result. This makes it possible for them to chat and exchange “valuables,” like free spins, in return for points to help the exchanger climb the “ranks” faster.
Another one of the many gamification examples in virtual casinos is the introduction of loyalty and/or VIP programs that promise profitable perks to regular gamblers. One way perks and bonuses are earned is when a player completes specific “missions.”
Some casinos specialize in daily missions, whereby missions change day by day, and the goal is to complete as many of them as possible before a fresh set comes in. For example, you could be awarded 10 free spins by playing three different online slot games in 24 hours.
Other online casinos specialize in ongoing missions, levels and leaderboards. In short, the more missions you complete, the higher you can climb up the leaderboard and the greater your player level will become, with the higher levels offering access to more attractive rewards. For example, while you may win 10 free spins by playing three different online slots within 24 hours, you could win 100 free spins if you spin three times in three different online slots over a week.
Online casinos also have gamified spending through the earning of loyalty points or virtual currency that can only be spent at the virtual casino itself. These points or virtual currencies can then be used to buy specific items from the casino itself. For example, spending $100 dollars might earn 100 points at a virtual casino that you can then exchange for free spins.
In this way, gamification provides long-standing gamblers with a new and exciting way to play, as well as something different to attract newbie gamblers from far and wide – especially those who enjoy playing and experimenting in the video gaming realm.
Why is it so effective? The benefits of gamification
The concept of gamification seems to generate the intended results among the majority of people. Experts believe that it plays on people’s desire for achievement and provides a sense of gratification when accomplishing goals and earning rewards. It also draws on most individuals’ strong urge to compete with and win against one another. All of this works together to promote higher levels of engagement and interaction while encouraging people to fully immerse themselves in an experience with gamification elements.
What does the future look like?
There may have been online gamblers who believed that gamification was just a passing trend. However, considering just how massive its scope has become, there’s no doubt that it’s here to stay.
Another future trend to watch out for is social media integration into virtual casinos. While social media platforms have very strict rules regarding gambling content (with even popular streaming site Twitch recently clamping down on unlicensed casino content,) there’s no doubt that online casinos and livestreaming are two technologies that work well together, so it’s possible that licensed casino content will appear on social media platforms, particularly as it’s legalized in more states. If and when this takes place, players could be encouraged to share their progress to earn more rewards, obviously with the casino’s goal being to attract more players through these ever-popular and ever-growing platforms.
Another medium that will undoubtedly embrace gamification and casino games is VR. Considering how gamification maximizes the opportunity for a player to immerse themselves in an experience, it’s almost certain that virtual reality – which looks to be another way for gamblers to enjoy the top online casino games– will be paired up with the concept sooner rather than later.
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