The online gambling industry has seen exponential growth in recent years. By 2025 the global online gambling market is projected to be valued at over $127 billion. With such a lucrative market, online casinos face fierce competition to attract and retain players on their platforms.
Progression systems tap into psychological drivers
Gamification leverages people’s innate desires for achievement, status, self-expression and social connectedness. Online casinos utilize features like loyalty programs, quests, badges, leaderboards and level systems to tap into these motivations. Just like in video games, progression systems with tiered statuses give players long-term goals to work towards.
Casinos, like JokaBet, essentially gamify the gambling experience to make it more engaging. Professor of Gambling Studies Dr. James Close at the University of Las Vegas explains:
“These gamification features activate the same dopamine-driven feedback loops in the brain that make video games so addictive and compelling. Online casinos use them not just for player enjoyment but also to drive retention.”
Social features foster communities and competition
In addition to progression systems, social features are increasingly being incorporated by online gambling operators. These include community forums, chat functions, avatar customization and options to share big wins on social media.
Social gamification elements leverage people’s needs for social belonging and reputation. Features like leaderboards additionally tap into the human drive for competition.
|
Year |
Global online gambling market size |
Projected social gamification usage among operators |
|
2023 |
$106 billion |
67% |
|
2024 |
$117 billion |
78% |
|
2025 |
$127 billion |
84% |
As seen in the table above, social gamification has become a must-have for most online casinos. MMOGames, an online gambling news site, reports that over 80% of operators now utilize some form of social features due to their proven impact on key metrics like player retention and average revenue per user.
Enjoyment and responsibility
However some critics argue that excessive gamification essentially manipulates player behavior to keep them gambling for longer periods. While most features are harmless additions that improve the player experience, some mechanics may promote irresponsible gambling habits.
New technologies raise new questions
As gamification becomes more sophisticated, new technologies like virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) are also entering the online gambling space. VR enables immersive casino environments while AI powers personalized recommendations and predictive analytics.
However emerging technologies bring risks as well as opportunities. Dr. Close cautions:
“While VR and AI heighten enjoyment and convenience, they may also amplify gamification’s potential downsides. For example, an AI learning your preferences to offer tailored bonuses may negatively enable excessive gambling habits.”
Regulators still lack clear rules to address technologies like VR and AI. But Dr. Close stresses that “any innovations should always uphold player safety as the top priority.” Responsible implementation starts with an ethics-by-design approach backed by ongoing research.
Ethical balance
Professor Close argues that more research is still needed to provide definitive guidance:
“We are still in the early stages of understanding gamification’s psychological impact, especially in the context of real-money gambling. Responsible operators should err on the side of caution with potentially addictive mechanics.”
He advocates for reasonable limits on features like loss streak bonuses which may negatively reinforce excessive gambling. The application of rigorous player protection measures also helps balance enjoyment and responsibility.
Ultimately gamification shows no signs of slowing down in online casinos. But both regulators and operators share responsibility in developing ethical best practices as the technology and its influences continue evolving.
