Cross-sell in 2020 and the migration
of players to slot lobbies

In the penultimate episode of SlotBeats Spotlight, we asked our five experts to delve into the impact of cross-sell in 2020, to see how operators have successfully managed to migrate players to the slots lobby and how it can be improved in 2021.

In terms of the cross-sell this year, have operators been able to successfully migrate players over to the slots lobby in casinos? How can this be improved in the year ahead to ensure more crossover?  

Marina Ostrovtsova, BGaming: I believe this was a good year to cross sell and acquire new players to the slots lobby as nearly all sports events had to be postponed due to the pandemic and now with many sports events still having empty stadiums this leaves more time for players to look for new entertainment to pass his time.  

Offering a safe and entertaining value to the player should ensure a good way to attract players on different products.

Albert Pesca, Pragmatic Play: Operators will have had to successfully migrate players to casino this year, due to the external sporting situation. However, the circumstances have only accelerated a shift that was already in progress as gaming portfolios have become more engaging through gamification tools and more refined.

Cross-sell tools and targeted titles, such as those around sporting events, will also act as a great tool. With a potential rescheduled Olympics and European Championship football event this year, there will be plenty of opportunities looking ahead to the next 12 months. 

Peter Causley, Lightning Box: There has certainly been an influx of sports bettors into casinos. How to keep them now that live sport is back, is the million dollar question. 

Retention and further migration can improve with more thoughtful cross promotions between the different verticals on operator sites. In many respects, it’s about using player data more wisely and knowing your customer. 

Players have definitely had a taste of it, out of necessity more than anything: they now need to be convinced to stick to it in the longer term.

Tamas Kusztos, Kalamba Games: I would certainly say that the biggest winner of this unfortunate situation has been esports, but casino lobbies were also quite successfully engaging with the sports betting audience. 

As online gaming continues to gear towards a ‘mobile first’ approach and everything being available with a single click/slide. 

The key focus must remain for all aspects of gambling to create great entertainment value and a user experience that will make sure that the industry will thrive for many years to come.

Arcangelo Lonoce, Habanero: When it comes to cross-selling, the casino lobby is always going to be king. To maximise cross-sell, operators must develop a scientific approach to customer intelligence and product offering. 

A lot depends on the operator’s marketing strategy, but that approach will put them in a strong position, and will no doubt be key more than ever going forward. 

Also, ramping up the fun factor will be vital to attracting new players. One of our 2020 highlights, the immersive slot Scopa, offers a strong element of gamification by allowing players to progress through levels by visiting new Italian cities – and has proven itself as a hit the world over for both newcomers and veterans alike.