User experience, or UX, has become a watchword when it comes to online services of all kinds. Banking, e-commerce, games and entertainment have all migrated online, be it on desktop or mobile, and consumers are more demanding than ever. They expect a streamlined and intuitive UX that will enhance their customer journey, an important part of customer retention, which is at a premium in an ever-busier and more competitive global marketplace. Online gaming is one area where this is in practice, and online casinos, especially, are focusing more on UX than on many other aspects of their services.
New Tech
The development of new and emerging technologies has allowed developers to enhance UX on both apps and mobile-optimized content. Gone are the days of basic online casino layouts, optimised solely for desktop computers, with simple games and more complicated withdrawal and deposit methods. New technology has empowered developers to make things slicker, easier, and more intuitive for customers to sign up, make deposits, and start enjoying casino games quicker than ever. The evolution of mobile apps is starting to play a bigger role, too. Many online casinos are now offering dedicated apps to play on, making for a seamless UX and transition between desktop and mobile.
Mobile-First
As new markets, especially those in the developing world, such as Africa, open up, much more focus has been placed on mobile-first gaming. Mobile gaming has become a legitimate and well-regarded platform in recent years, and as the cost of powerful smartphones and tablets becomes ever more affordable, mobile-optimized UX has become of vital importance. The humble slot machine is a great example of this, with players able to access games with increased immersive qualities, such as narratives, different levels, high-end graphics and top sound design.
There are also hybrid games emerging, such as bingo slots online, which have captured the public’s imagination. That’s not to mention options offered by online casinos with live dealer games and croupiers for table-top classics like blackjack, poker, and roulette, which harness the power of smartphones and tablets’ ability to livestream effectively.
UX vs Bonuses
Traditionally, online casinos have used generous welcome bonuses and promos for returning customers to bring in new business and retain regular players. Of course, bonuses aren’t going anywhere, and all casinos worth their salt offer a range of offers such as deposit matches, free spins, and cashbacks to soften losses and keep players at the gaming tables and slots. But more and more, customers are valuing the overall UX of an online casino, seeking a smooth, intuitive, and immersive experience, which may supersede the bonuses on offer. Player retention is being driven less by bonuses and more by usability, well-thought-out interface design, and consistent performance across devices. Established entertainment operators are investing in platform architecture, mobile optimization, and immersive digital environments (and games) to compete with ever-rising numbers of competitors.
Smooth Operation
It’s worth emphasizing that the smoothness of operation across both platforms is vital for customer retention UX. Clunky, slow-loading interfaces are a massive turn-off for players, and the fast-paced nature of modern games, especially slots, requires speed and smoothness to really pay dividends. This is especially true on mobile, where touchscreen tech is now better than ever, and both playing games and making withdrawals and deposits should be a smooth and intuitive experience for customers. No one likes to wait around for games to load, and today’s modern consumer is much more demanding of top-quality UX than in the past.
What Does the Future Hold?
UX is only likely to improve, given the availability of high-end tech to game and app developers. We can expect to see more immersive experiences, including the use of more VR and AR (virtual and augmented reality) in online casino games. While these technologies are still in their infancy in terms of online casinos, one only has to look to the wider world of video gaming to see that their adoption can take immersion (there’s that word again) to a whole new level, with greater levels of interaction and social elements as well. That’s not to say these technologies don’t face their own challenges. VR and AR require extra hardware, headsets and smart glasses, and the cost of developing apps that support them can be prohibitive. But expect, in the coming years, to see UX further enhanced by these and other emerging technologies. We’ve already seen how AI has transformed the customer journey with more appropriate recommendations and enhanced customer service, so customers can look forward to an even more exciting UX.
Today’s consumers demand a lot from their online services. In the world of online casinos, new tech, smoother gameplay, banking options, and overall advanced UX are primary drivers behind generating and retaining business.
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