Roderick Cassar, Head of Product Development – Mobile Apps, Betsson Group
Apps are becoming more popular as more companies offer services on mobile devices. Whether betting on sports or playing casino games, most players today prefer mobile apps, for several reasons. Some mobile apps become such a part of people’s lives that we find difficulty in imagining a life without them – think of Facebook, Spotify or Instagram. The same applies to app features – some of which are nowadays expected by users. That is why we are seeing mobile gambling apps that feature fast live streaming and mobile-friendly UIs, which give players an improved betting experience; thus potentially increasing the user’s time on the app.
With attention spans shrinking, mobile apps enhance and sustain player engagement by reducing the likelihood players will become distracted and close an open browser tab unintentionally, as often happens with mobile browser versions. Mobile accessibility is an expectation these days. Online betting is becoming increasingly popular, as mobile apps allow players to place bets quickly and safely from anywhere with just a few taps.
Offering a mobile gambling experience is much more convenient for the player. Mobile devices are at arm’s length at all times of the day. A reliable internet connection is all they need to be able to play a round of slot games, or bet on one of their favourite teams. In some regions, where mobile data is still relatively expensive, it is actually a better option as an app uses less data than a website.
Less is more! The challenge of offering a mobile app is to offer an optimal UI on a small mobile screen. Players require a seamless navigation interface throughout the entire betting journey, so it is crucial to offer mobile apps that give them a high-quality visual design that is stable, convenient and consistent.
Mobile offers a more secure environment. Security features and end-to-end encryption are built into these apps. Neither the financials nor data of the bettors are at risk from hackers accessing their personal details. Two-factor authentication is available to platform app users. Regardless of the player’s password, they cannot log in without their fingerprint or FaceID.
For a gambling app to get its full potential, one would need to optimise the keywords within the app store, similar to how a website needs SEO optimisation to improve the SERP. This leads to higher downloads. Once we manage to get a user to download the app, the app would need to be able to offer an easy and fast onboarding process. Mobile offers more innovative features to make this process easier, faster and more secure, thus helping in making the account verification even smoother. What is next? Making an easy deposit process, easy gaming experience and optimal user experience will make the user come back again.
What makes an optimal user experience? Personalisation. As time goes by, we’re seeing more and more use of data to offer users a fully personalised experience according to their behaviours, preferences, needs, etc. It’s key that we have the right tools in place so that from the very first time a user makes use of the app, we start learning about what their preferences are, as that will allow us to start offering an optimised and personalised experience, helping them find what they are after more easily. The app will be able to differentiate content between players, using data and machine learning technologies, leveraging the app’s tailor-made experience to the end user.
The use of social media for social gaming within betting apps may boost in-app engagement and result in faster user acquisition.
There is also another social element that may be leveraged: the idea of betting together socially and thus sharing joy. The penetration of peer–to–peer gambling apps is increasing and apps like those designed to simulate fantasy sports league play are more popular than ever. They are similar in both concept and execution to “private sportsbooks” that offer the same betting events available through traditional bookmakers, but are limited to a few players. It is no wonder the best social betting apps merge the features of a conventional social network with that of a modern betting app.
We cannot talk about mobile gambling apps without mentioning mobile in-app messaging, which is an excellent method for reaching and engaging customers while they are using your app. There are many reasons why and cases where sending such a message can be justified. An in-app message is a unified message sent to all your app’s users at once. It works like an email inbox and lets you send an exclusive offer to re-engage with your users, such as a free extra bet.
Live betting takes everything to the next level, as players can place bets even when they are physically watching a live game. The app can be intelligent enough to know the location of the user, knowing that the player is more likely to place a bet on that respective game. This takes us back to personalisation – the app will offer that match on the app’s lobby, making it extremely easy for the player to find it. The deposit process together with the bet placement should also be as easy and as fast as possible, as apart from it being a default expectation, we are now in a live environment and things can change extremely fast. The user would rather spend time watching the match unfolding in front of them instead of searching for the right section/button on the app. As we have highlighted here, mobile apps offer a lot more to the players than a website does. When mobile features and abilities are applied wisely, the gambling app will offer optimal experience, increasing active users as well as their respective lifetime value.
Will Whitehead, Commercial Director, mkodo - A Pollard Banknote company
User Experience (UX) is a commonly used term in the iGaming industry. It’s about putting your users first, and making their experience with your products as smooth and seamless as possible. It’s about finding the most efficient and effective ways of directing players to the objective, whether it’s registering, playing a game, placing a bet or making a deposit. To provide the best UX, iGaming operators should truly listen to what their users want and how they want to engage.
From mkodo’s 20+ years' experience in frontend development, we can attest to the fact player experience is more important than ever. And with changing consumer behaviours focused on convenience and a more educated view on what makes a good UX, iGaming operators need to be at the top of their game when it comes to marrying digital and retail to offer an outstanding UX.
Without a doubt, one of the best ways to provide your players with a superior UX is to build a native app. In several recent reports on mobile phone usage, native apps account for roughly 90% of smartphone usage, which isn’t surprising since they adhere to the guidelines that ultimately enhance and align UX with the specific operating system (iOS / Android).
Adhering to specific guidelines allows users to interact with your app through actions they’re already familiar with. This improved journey allows players to better understand your app (for example navigating to favourite games or winning numbers).
If you intend to use your app as one of the central tools for interacting with your players, then without question, you must deliver an excellent UX that supports mobile app retention. Even the slightest frustrations can lead to poor retention rates and increased uninstall rates. and this is where non-native apps simply cannot compete.
An enhanced UX doesn’t start and end with native apps, though. Today’s consumers will shop online or in person based on their preference, convenience and maybe even the weather. Integrating a digital strategy is vital to engaging a new generation of players, as well as revitalising the excitement for core and infrequent players.
Looking to the future, the demand for convenience is key and innovative products that provide a better UX stand at the forefront. For example, checking winning numbers accessed via an app or web app (Ticket Scanners) provides players with instant results and can quickly move them to second-chance games if available. This functionality can evolve further into Mobile Cashing, allowing players to digitally collect winnings on their device from a ticket purchased at retail. Moreover, if regulation allows for customers to buy a lottery ticket or place a wager on a mobile device outside of retail, a digital offering is an essential tool to give power to a customer to decide when and where they play.
With continually changing consumer behaviours, the ultimate player experience is a lot about tailoring your offering. It’s a case of different experiences for different jurisdictions and different regulations. Don’t just focus on good game content and sportsbook data/odds/markets. Focus on the UX and the UI, and the experience around the gameplay. Remove barriers to key user journeys including registration, login, deposit, gameplay, placing of bets and claiming winnings while still respecting responsible gaming guidelines.
Not only that, but it’s also important to differentiate your UX offerings among various user groups to stand out from the crowd, such as VIPs versus novices, heavy vs casual, older generation versus newer generation and targeting specific verticals.
For example, one app could cater to the VIP player who is less invested in the front-end experience, and just wants the best odds and great performance. Another app would be for the casual player who wants to have fun with the most popular sports and events easily available. Tailoring your digital iGaming product offering and personalising it based on user groups and locations is a sure-fire way to improve UX for iGaming customers.
As operators develop and launch new products and services, they need to place their players at the centre of the brand experience. This means considering when, where and how customers want to play, and ensuring they have products in place to meet players' needs wherever they are.
