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Magnus Olsson, Play’n Go’s Chief Commercial officer , delivered his verdict about the importance of content in driving operator retention strategies at a panel discussion during the 2023 The Next Conference held in Valletta.
Olsson, along with the CEOs from Crucial Compliance and Aspire Global highlighted that the increased regulation in several markets has driven up the cost of player acquisition to the point where’retention strategy through great content is what everyone should invest more in.
Olsson commented that the panelists discussed the importance of RTP in retention strategies.
“I believe it’s about content more than RTP. You can create a game which is both entertaining and engaging, and also has a lot of acquisition and retention potential if you are a good provider.
“Mechanics and volatility are more important than RTP levels in terms of retention strategies, if you ask me.”
I think that what is missing from retention strategies today, is an emphasis on quality content and entertainment value.
The panel discussed the importance of providing players with a positive experience after paying to acquire them, but the first slots game that they choose to play did not really matter.
Olsson strongly disagreed with the view and said:
If your first online casino experience is with a slot machine that has a long base game and was designed primarily for bonus purchases, then you will have a bad experience. You may never play online slots again. It’s a bad start.
“The first game that a player will see must be of high quality. A game that captures the players’ attention. I don’t believe that winning is necessary if the player can enjoy a quality, entertaining game .”
Olsson highlighted the strengths of Play’n GO’s portfolio when discussing how players and markets differ. He said:
“We have some great games in our portfolio from a few year ago, like Lady of Fortune. It’s perfect for markets that have a long history of land-based gambling. And it’s good to see their popularity returning – particularly as it has a medium volatility and a low maximum win of 500x. This shows that fun games are more important than anything else.
“I think that the industry could do better by not focusing so much on the short-term – the latest release, etc..- and getting away from predatory functional games in their retention strategies.”
The panel also discussed the future of revenue in a regulated world. Olsson continued,
The old “80/20” rule is no more. It’s gone.
Play’n GO wants to see marketing that adapts to the new reality. The main target audience is recreational and social players. We haven’t seen that yet .”
