Reactivation of Players: Simple Steps to Regain Customers

Casino Market’s experts explain how major operators invest in retention strategies and what benefits they get from it.

Reactivation of Gamblers

This set of approaches and tools is designed to encourage clients who have stopped making deposits to return to the entertainment platform.

Classical marketing is normally used to attract new visitors to online casinos. Reactivation works with an already familiar audience. Its main tasks are to remind people about the iGaming brand, show them the value of return, and give a good reason to start betting again.

According to H2 Gambling Capital, 60–70% of players become “sleeping customers” in the first 3–6 months after registration. In practice, this means that most of them require either retention or re-engagement.

Evolution, Playtech, and other companies are already testing reactivation mechanics in live casinos. They use push notifications about the start of a new broadcast, dynamic e-mails with personalised offers, etc.

Why Keeping Clients Is More Important Than Acquiring Them

At first glance, it may seem that the profitability of a gambling portal directly depends on the growth in the number of new registrations. In practice, a retained user generates 2–5 times more income than a player who visits a casino site for the first time.

There are several reasons why it is profitable for operators to work with a regular audience:

1. Increased acquisition cost. CPA for iGaming brands varies from $280 to $1,400 per person. The amount depends on the country, advertising channel, and competition in the niche. Such high expenditures affect business margins. If a player who was previously attracted leaves, a casino loses profit.
2. Increased LTV (Lifetime Value). Reactivating a gambler costs 5 times less than finding a new client. Savings are achieved because a customer is already familiar with the brand, as well as its interface and mechanics. Such a person faces fewer psychological and technical barriers, which increases the conversion to a deposit and repeated sessions.

Why Players Leave Casinos

Entertainment resources lose up to 60% of new visitors within the first 24 hours after registration. Their departure is almost always associated with a combination of several factors that affect the final choice.

Let us consider the main reasons for deciding to stop placing bets:

1. Complicated registration and KYC procedures. Gamblers are scared away by the huge number of fields to fill in, the need to immediately enter passport or bank details, and complex authentication. The mistake of operators is to ignore modern KYC methods, such as BankID or identity verification through social networks.
2. Technical barriers. These are lags, crashes, problems with authorisation, long load times, and difficulties when flowing between menu sections.
3. Financial issues. Most often, clients are repelled by impossible bonus wagering requirements (for example, x50). Reasons for leaving casino websites include losing large sums, running out of funds to continue playing, and slow or unstable payments.
4. Poor mobile adaptation. About 70% of online traffic comes from smartphones and Apple devices. If the interface and betting logic are poorly developed, gamblers will move to competitors after the first session.
5. Emotional factors. People are often disappointed by a negative user experience: the lack of wins, difficulties joining tournaments, or the absence of new slots. Even a single situation (for example, a dispute with customer support) can damage relations with an iGaming brand.

Role of UX in Retention

This element plays the same role in online casinos as the atmosphere in land-based halls. If visitors are comfortable placing bets, they stay longer and return more often. If not, they quickly go to competitors.

One of the main points in the work of entertainment portals is the provision of instant deposits and fast withdrawals. Slowdowns in payment transactions are always perceived negatively. They scare gamblers away and trigger outflows.

On the contrary, the variability of settlement methods attracts a huge audience. Therefore, today, those companies that integrate instant operations and ensure transparency at every stage are in a stronger position.

Personalisation is another part of a successful retention strategy.

Clients appreciate it when entrepreneurs know their interests and offer the following relevant content:

• recommendations based on favourite slots or genres;
• unique bonuses (for example, cashback on the game where a person lost most of the money);
• personal account with individual statistics and tips.

Cross-platform also plays a huge role in customer retention. Users often start spinning reels in slots on a PC and continue the session on their smartphones. The provider's task is to synchronise work across desktop and mobile devices while preserving the history of bets and achievements.

Strategies for Regaining Players

Returning “sleeping customers” requires delicately navigating psychology, motivation, and trust. Unlike attracting new audiences, retention is based on the experience the person has already had with the gaming site.

Bonuses for the Return

This is one of the most effective ways.

Casino owners can offer:

• free spins without a deposit;
• increased bonuses on the first account replenishment after a break (for example, 150% more to the paid amount);
• time-limited promotions.

Retention rewards work especially well for gamblers who have stopped betting for financial reasons or due to a lack of variety.

Personalisation of Offers

Individual proposals are more effective than universal promotions.

Let us consider what techniques providers normally use:

1. Reminders of favourite slots. For example, suppose a customer often played Book of Dead. In that case, the reactivation letter should include news about the continuation of Playtech’s product series or a bonus for launching this video slot.
2. VIP packages for high rollers. This includes a personal manager, increased limits, and access to exclusive tournaments.
3. Cashback on selected entertainment. The approach creates a sense of fairness and care, allowing clients to quickly win back.

Improved Communication

Players may leave due to a lack of dialogue with the iGaming brand.

To build long-term relationships with customers, operators utilise the following tools:

• chains of letters with useful content (news, game tips, and stories from winners);
• push notifications with limited offers;
• calls from a personal manager showing real care and attention.

Effective communication reduces the distance between the entertainment portal and its visitors, turning standard offers into an exciting interaction.

Social Mechanics

Several tools provide a good retention effect:

1. Tournaments. Gamblers form teams, compete, and receive rewards. This encourages them to return to the website so as not to let the squad down.
2. Integration of chats or clans. Thanks to them, players can communicate with each other, sharing their emotions and achievements.
3. “Invite a Friend”. Such a promotion turns user retention into double motivation. People can place bets and get a reward per referral.

Social mechanics are highly efficient in the long term. Gamblers return not to an online casino, but to the community within the brand.

Dealing with Negativity

The audience leaves because of losses, inconveniences, or conflicts. If such issues are not resolved on time, reactivation will be impossible.

Entrepreneurs should ensure a high-quality work of the support service. Professional managers will easily cancel erroneous transfers, explain everything about the wagering of bonuses, and describe responsible gambling solutions.

The publication of transparent statistics also helps to combat negativity. Entertainment platforms should post RTP, the frequency of wins, real stories of winners, and other information that can rebuild trust.

Gamification

Special mechanics make the return emotionally rich and increase the chance of long-term activity in the online casino.

Operators normally use the following tools:

• missions and achievements for those who have decided to visit the portal again;
• loyalty levels;
• exclusive content, etc.

How Market Leaders Bring Customers Back

Let us look at examples of experienced brands:

Evolution

The provider has focused on live casino and show games, so the main retention mechanics work in real time.

Evolution offers:

1. Video pushes and streams. The developer reminds people about new broadcasts via push notifications and e-mail.
2. Progressive tournaments. These are time-limited events (for example, “a roulette week”) that motivate clients to return to the website to secure a solid prize pool.
3. VIP segmentation. The vendor sends invitations to exclusive rooms for high rollers.

The brand reduces churn by tapping into the emotions and atmosphere of the “show”, even drawing back those who have long lost interest in classic slots.

Pragmatic Play

The company's retention strategy is based on gamification and the following promotional tools:

1. Drops & Wins. These are regular offers with daily and weekly rewards. Even a “sleeping customer” can quickly return to try and get a random prize.
2. Mobile notifications. Pragmatic Play actively integrates push notifications into betting applications.
3. Gamification. This includes leaderboards, challenges, temporary promotions, seasonal missions, and tournaments.

Playtech

The provider relies on an educational and social UX interface.

The brand uses e-mail chains with training (“new rules of the roulette”, “blackjack strategy guide”, social chats, cross-promotion bonuses). They can be applied in different genres, for example, in live poker or digital slots.

Entain

The company interacts with a huge audience. It places emphasis on strong personalisation and CRM marketing.

Key tools of the vendor include:

1. Individual offers. To create them, the supplier uses Big Data and artificial intelligence. Thanks to this, all clients receive profitable bonuses that are relevant to their gaming experience.
2. Dynamic letters. They contain updated data on tournaments, new products, and friends' successes.
3. Personal managers. The VIP segment receives calls with exclusive promotions and increased cashback.

The Main Things About the Reactivation of Gamblers

A competent retention strategy is the key to the prosperity of entertainment platforms.

Basic aspects that operators should take into account:

• Clients can leave for different reasons. These are unsuccessful user experience, financial or technical issues, complicated registration, problematic KYC verification, and emotional factors.
• The goal of the retention strategy is to prevent gamblers from leaving the casino site and quickly return “sleeping customers”. For this, personalised offers, social mechanics, and gamification tools are used. Dealing with negativity and granting special bonuses also has a good effect.

The Casino Market studio provides professional advertising services. Our specialists also help with the launch of turnkey gambling platforms, the creation of unique promotions, and the development of original content.

For all questions, please contact our managers.

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James Burton The Casino Market partner, the owner of the gambling establishments’ network

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