We live in a period when augmented reality is widespread and many entertainment industries thrive on the augmented UX, but when it comes to the iGaming industry this trend seems to be falling behind.
When puzzling over what obstacles operator are challenged with, regarding the delivery of augmented UX, the issues that most commonly come up are the difficulty for operators to develop a highly accurate prediction engine used for sports events.
In BtoBet’s latest Industry Report: “A Player-First Approach,” Ben Marley, Head of Market Development of Feefo talks us through some of the issues the iGaming and betting sectors are facing, as well as how to come to a solution and provide the best experience for the player.
According to Marley, the focus of many industries – including online gaming and sports betting – must revolve around the end-user and the overall experience of the player above all else, and to go past the basics and the common practices of the majority of the platforms offering this entertainment.
“A brand needs the best possible insight into the minds of players and what their goals and aims are so it can constantly improve any aspect of the user-experience (UX). Some improvements may seem trivial but turn out to make a big difference. We must never assume we know what every customer wants – we need the evidence from customer feedback,” Marley argues.
Moreover, Marley emphasized the difference between a good UI vs. good UX, to which he adds that when operators don’t talk to users and engage with them, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that “every little thing you do is magic”, when in fact, the reality is completely different.
A good UX, as Marley asserts, is based on collecting feedback, running polls and surveys, tests for usability as well as interviews.
“Define target personas for players and divide them by game-type or category, based always on the consumer’s needs,” Marley adds.
When it comes to the UI, the process of user registration, navigating the platform, placing bets and making deposits must be made very easy, simple, and accessible regardless of the device the player is using, whether it is a phone, tablet, computer, TV or digital voice assistant. The only way to enhance the overall experience of the players is by following them throughout the whole journey and pay attention to what they enjoy, what are their preferences, as well as what they dislike.
“Inputting personal details is a real drag for most players, as is trawling through all the information about what the gaming platform offers. Predictive search and categorisation will make all that so much easier, as will personalisation,” Marley explains.
As an industry that focuses mainly on the importance of player-centricity it is essential to stand out in the highly competitive market by creating excellent UX, provided that the players hold the trump cards and need a rationale to switch between one brand or another.
Marley argues that in the iGaming industry, loyalty is very difficult to achieve due to the fact that players tend to use several platforms, adding that player-centrism is of great importance in order to be able to provide personalization for the player, thus knowing what is on their mind.
With technology moving forward swiftly, the future of iGaming looks bright, as users tend to gravitate more towards the digital look and feel of online gaming, especially with the integration of AR technologies, specifically those used in complementing sports event.
“Then on the other side of the equation, ethical considerations will be built into the UX, spotting the signs of problem gambling, offering support and help. This will raise the tone of gaming platforms, increasing transparency and making the UX more pleasant and reassuring,” Marley says.
To read the whole interview download the latest industry report “A Player-First Approach”.
