Casino Marketing & Advertising Guide 2023

How casino gaming marketers can create great experiences that set their casinos and resorts up for success.

The casino industry has always been extremely lucrative. Even when the global pandemic was happening right outside the door, the US online gambling market stayed impassive. A study revealed that the gambling market is expected to reach $674.7 billion in 2025, giving marketers an excellent opportunity to make the most of this lucrative market.

This kind of growth has resulted in an extremely saturated market, making the competition fierce. The United States has over 1,000 casinos today, meaning the number of options has been spread quite thin for both physical and online casinos. 

Casino Industry Overview 

With the advancement in technology, a lot has changed since the casino industry has grown from its early days in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. These days casinos have more options for reaching their customers. Plus, on-site casinos count non-players as customers too, thanks to the number of entertainment options available. 

On-site casinos with other types of entertainment like hotels, resorts, restaurants, etc. can attract more customers, including families, executives, etc. At the same time, online casinos give them an opportunity to play in the comfort of their homes. This helps casinos to gain popularity as well as encourage loyalty. If experts are to be believed, they have estimated that the online casino market will reach a whopping $114.4 billion by 2028.

What is Casino Marketing? 

Casino Marketing is managing profitable customer relationships to attract and retain guests by promising superior services and gaming value. To attain the desired results, casino marketers must know how to acquire, retain and recover their customers/gamers. The goal is to differentiate themselves from competitors and convey their unique value proposition to maximize ROI. 

5 Casino Marketing Strategies To Drive More Revenue 

Though it could be difficult to stand out in such a crowded market, the right casino marketing strategy and execution are required to stay connected with your patrons and lure them back in. Here are some casino marketing ideas that casino marketers can follow to draw in more customers who stay and play for longer.

1. Know your Demographics

Remember that not every player at the blackjack table is the same. They all have different interests and reasons to visit casinos, which is why like any other marketplace, it’s important to know your customers’ persona, their habits, and their needs to ensure success in the casino industry. Here are some personas you can choose to design a customer-driven casino marketing strategy to attract new customers.

• Gambling Enthusiasts
• Social Exuberant
• Dabblers
• Lottery Loyalists
• Unengaged Audience
  
  

If statistics are to be believed, 75% of consumers recall a brand after receiving a print advertisement, and 80% act on print immediately. To get patrons back into the casino premises, direct your casino advertising strategies and efforts towards an omnichannel casino marketing campaign, utilizing the power of print but also engaging patrons on a digital marketing platform as well - the best of both worlds! 

You can leverage direct marketing options like EDDM & Variable data printing to keep customers coming back for more. At Compu-mail, we use creative data mining and analytics to create highly personalized casino marketing campaigns that drive response. In casino marketing & advertising campaigns, EDDMs can be used to notify new and existing customers of upcoming events, show offers, etc. at presort pricing. Similarly, variable data printing can help casino marketers in sending personalized mailers to their patrons.

With much of the gaming industry moving online, the subsequent operational processes have also changed. While traditional marketing strategy for casino business approaches is still effective in engaging players and boosting revenue, capitalize on creating campaigns that highlight the casino experience. Entice patrons with stunning pictures of the casino floor’s architecture, lighting, and design, as well as food, VIP programs, rewards, and other recreational activities. Encourage players to play more to win more!

Bonus #1: Augmented Reality

In a time where people may be fatigued from the same digital messaging over and over again, print and more creative uses of digital can offer some reprieve.  

Whatever videos that you may be promoting on social media or in emails, consider promoting via print as well. Yes, print.

Check out “Creating Augmented Reality Mailers” to learn how to easily make your mailers come alive with video using Augmented Reality through AReveryware.

Bonus #2: Casino Direct Mail Examples

Casino/Gaming Marketing – Postcard Example

Casino/Gaming Marketing – Custom Booklet Example

To stay at the top of your customer's minds you must make them feel like VIPs and let your patrons know that you are thinking about them. Some of the online casino marketing strategy and tactics to build profitable relationships include 

• Player Nurturing

It’s important to nurture long-term customer relationships to reap higher profits.

• Loyalty Marketing 

A loyalty program is a great way to promote your brand and grow your customer base to increase sales and maximize ROI. Customers will repeatedly return if you shower them with rewards, exclusive deals, and additional offers.

Send out flyers to your customers letting them know about the recent events happening at your casino or nearby place, making them feel special. This might bring them to your casino for a little pre-or post-event fun. Also sending them direct mails informing them about the complimentary offers and rewards helps sustain and nurture long-term relationships with the customers. 

While you offer comps, it's critical that the same appeals to your demographics. For instance, a complimentary message may be ideal if your customer is a business executive whereas if your customer tends to bring the family, then a free meal might be the right thing.

As per the recent survey 99.9% of people read reviews, and 98% found them essential, meaning to ensure your business thrives your customers must become your prime salespeople for your brand. To show off your social proof you can encourage your customers to share their experiences with you to make the most of this valuable commodity. Some of the common ways to show off your social proof are 

User Reviews: 

Now that it’s very easy to voice your opinion online, it’s important to keep your casino’s customer reviews stellar. Reviews have the power to make or break your business, regardless of the industry. Before spending serious money gambling, plenty of casino goers perform deep research first. Remember, consumer perception is everything, so manage it well, so your business can thrive.

Casino Affiliate/Influencer Marketing

Casinos no longer have to spend big money on huge celebrity endorsers for casino advertising. Today, social media influencers are more than enough to provide top-notch promotions. Tap into Instagram and TikTok influencers with thousands, even millions of keen and enthusiastic followers – they’re a lot more affordable with an unprecedented audience reach.
In fact, a lot of companies have leveraged the use of influencers for social media brand-building, with the global influencer market value doubling at around 13.8 billion U.S. dollars as of 2021. Choose the best influencers  (who can be your customers) that would perfectly fit your brand by carefully perusing both their Instagram feed and personal background.

Testimonials: 

Testimonials from winners can help build trust in your brand and encourage new customers to give your casino a try. Also, you can play video testimonials and post pictures on screens in your casino.

Last but not least, to get an edge over the competition, staying on top of gaming trends is critical. With so much advancement and new technology, casino customers have multiple options than ever and the casinos that fail to keep up with these trends will definitely fall down. The most popular trends in the gambling industry include

• Virtual reality
• Esports
• Online casinos

Key Takeaways With Casino Marketing Strategies

• The good casino marketing strategy and ideas could transform your business to elevate your brand and give an edge to your competitors. 
• Incorporate traditional forms of marketing like direct mail marketing along with casino digital marketing options like casino email marketing to get a more scalable success.
• Casino Marketing analytics & ROI Measurement is imperative for casinos looking to optimize their digital marketing strategies. 
• Creative data mining or casino database marketing not only unlocks highly effective email personalization but empowers buyer/customer journeys. It will also help in building a direct mail marketing strategy and benefit from better results than using a randomly designed marketing approach.
  

Contact us today to see how we can help you understand casino marketing trends and take your casino marketing campaign to the next level!

FAQs

What are the benefits of casino marketing? 

An effective casino marketing strategy can attract potential customers and retain old customers. Casino marketing helps in gaining customer loyalty and marketing to those loyal customers can help them get to your door more often. For example, testimonials can act as a catalyst to get those high-dollar clients to visit your casino. 

What is a good casino marketing strategy?

There are many strategies available to advertise casinos, but leveraging customer reviews have proven to be the most effective. Always encourage your customers to share their experiences in social media posts and tag your casino. You can also record winning videos and showcase them on your website in the testimonial section. 

As a marketer, you can highlight the positive reviews while sending out direct mail marketing materials. 

How do casinos attract new customers?

Freebies and Bonuses attract even the most unsuspecting lot to the casinos. When a player hasn’t visited a casino in a while, be it physical or online, the casinos send personalized emails letting customers know if there are any new games available or inform the customers of any promotions that are running or send them complimentary offers/coupons or money to be used at the casinos. Most people like to grab the offers/ freebies offered as it allows them to place higher bets without the fear of running significant losses.