The online gambling industry is an ever-evolving and changing organism. People behind leading brands of online casinos and game development companies are always on the lookout for things they could implement to make gambling more appealing and interesting for everyone.
To appease the new generation of players, many casinos have started to resort to what has come to be known as “gamification.” In short, this is the process through which casinos try to make the entire gambling experience feel more like playing a proper video game. This usually entails giving players their own characters, challenges that bring additional rewards, creating leveling systems, and more.
The idea is to create a situation where players are drawn to the casino not just for the sake of gambling but because they want to move up through the game and complete these various challenges. This provides them with satisfaction that is completely unrelated to whether they win or lose while gambling; every single bet they make brings them closer to that next level or challenge, regardless of the result.
Gamification at Work
There are plenty of good examples of gamification out there. Casumo Casino was one of the early adopters of this approach and this is probably what helped them become one of the most recognizable names in the industry today.
At Casumo, players are given their own character the moment they join. These alien creatures are called Casumo (which is where the casino gets its name from) and it is the players’ responsibility to make sure they are taken care for. Every player takes care of his or her own creature and moves it up through the levels, earning various belts for their creature along the way. Of course, alongside these virtual rewards, players are also given more tangible ones, such as special bonuses and extra spins.
Olaspill.com, a Norwegian casino, is another good example of gamification at work. Players are welcome by a cheerful and friendly jester, named Ola, who is there to make sure they have a good time and get properly rewarded for their play.
In addition to this, playing games at Olaspill.com helps fill the casino meter. Playing slots and other games at the casino brings the player closer to the next stage of the meter and once they reach it, they can exchange their accumulated points for extra spins, super spins, and even real money. So, like with Casumo, the play is always handsomely rewarded, regardless of the results.
More Gamification, More Fun
While playing at an online casino is fun by default, at least if you’re into online gambling, there is no denying that these various gamification elements add to entertainment. Giving players something to care about outside of the particular game they play at the moment and rewarding their play in a tangible form is a surefire way to keep the existing customers come back for more and attract new players.
As we move forward, we’ll likely see more and more casinos adopting this approach. And those already on the bandwagon will probably come up with further, more innovative strategies to really keep their players happy and entertained, offering them an experience they’ll be sure to remember.
