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Retention through skill games w/Araz Heydariyehzadeh – Chief Commercial Officer at Scout Gaming
Check out our latest interview focusing on retention with Araz Heydariyehzadeh CCO at Scout Gaming
Do operators need to go beyond loyalty schemes and bonuses when it comes to retention? Why?
Retention in the iGaming industry is incredibly difficult to get right. Based on what we know from intenrally and from market research, it is much harder to keep players engaged with online betting brands than it is with other products in other sectors.
The most common retention tool used by operators is of course bonuses and loyalty schemes, and they do work when deployed effectively, intelligently and as part of a well planned marketing strategy. There are some big players in the iGaming industry, like Skybet, who do this very well.
If it’s not done well these incentives are really only effective for as long as the bonus lasts – once the free spins have been used up, the player is no longer motivated to remain loyal to that specific brand and can jump to offers from another provider. Loyalty schemes do keep players engaged for longer, but with most being tough to progress through, they too can have their limitations. Despite this, operators still throw big money behind bonuses and loyalty schemes in order to stand out from their rivals and keep players coming back.
It is important to consider the bigger picture, and other – potentially more effective – ways of retaining players. This means looking at the player experience being offered and identifying ways of delivering even more value and entertainment. For online sportsbooks, this could be launching skill games such as fantasy sports for the first time to give players a reason to return to their book each day, week, or month throughout the season. Operators can also run marketing campaigns and promotions around these games to take retention to the next level.
How can fantasy/social/skill games be used to drive retention rates?
These games are hard to beat when it comes to retention. The very nature of fantasy sports requires players to return to the operators site regularly. In the case of daily fantasy sports, players return to change theoir teams, set captains or make substititions, this deepends their engagement with the operators brand. Our latest data shows that the average player logs in four times a week to make changes to their team. This in part helps to drive some incredible stats for our partners. According to the indexed numbers of users in the Scout Network, there are clear indicators that fantasy sports and especially season-long games boosts retention.
Here are some highlights…
- Churn after 12 months = 30% still active
- Churn after 24 months = 20% still active
- Churn on season-long fantasy tournament players = 50%+ still active in month nine
- Acquisition = +15% more players on a yearly basis after launching fantasy sports
- Time spent on site = fantasy players spend 20%+ more time than regular sportsbook players
Sportsbooks can expect between 10% and 30% of their player base to engage with fantasy sports products which in turn can significantly move the needle in terms of turnover and GGR.
What makes these games so effective when it comes to retention?
Playing season-long fantasy sports requires the player to log in each match day at the very least and usually over an eight-month period. That is certainly the case when tournaments are hooked up to large prize pots which is something we offer via the Scout Network. Fantasy really is a great retention tool by design, but it can also be used to drive cross-sell as, over time, fantasy players become trusting of and loyal to the operator’s brand. Indeed, we have measured a 45% increase in turnover and a 20+% increase in GGR on our partner’s sportsbook users that engaged with our fantasy products compared with those that did not.
How important is the skill element here? And what challenges does it present for operators?
According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, fantasy sports games reward skill rather than luck. This conclusion was reached after analysing thousands of win/loss records of fantasy players over several years. The indexed numbers in the Scout Network confirm this conclusion. Given the skill factor in fantasy sports games, players can train their skill set and apply their advanced knowledge of sports to improve their odds of winning. But similar to other skill games, this presents a challenge for operators.
To sustain a balanced game economy, measures have to be taken to ensure that all participants have a fair chance of winning and that even those who are new to the concept have an enjoyable experience. A game economy where only a small percentage of users have a chance of winning is unhealthy and ultimately drains that all-important liquidity from tournaments. That is why we carefully analyse games and ensure a healthy economy for all. This led us to make several changes to our popular Premier League Season game such as reducing multiple entries from single users, prohibiting certain tools used by high-volume players and softening rules around saving free transfers. This ensures that more casual users can come back to play the season game, thus improving retention rates even more.
How can these games be used in wider marketing activity to keep players coming back from more?
It is important to highlight that skill games are far more social and community-driven than sports betting and casino, and season-long fantasy games in particular add an additional dimension to the sport itself. This generates more fan and player excitement, and often throughout the entire season. Players can also improve their knowledge by embracing the community, chatting in the forums and researching insights and advice.
There is a growing content creator market directly involved with various forms of Fantasy sports which really taps in to the community feel for these types of games.
This is highly desirable from an operator perspective. Giving players a single ticket to a season-long fantasy sports tournament is not only cheaper than offering free bets or loyalty schemes, but the incentive lasts for the entire season. When this is combined with the social element of fantasy and how this helps to drive engagement further, it is clear to see just how powerful fantasy sports is when it comes to retention.
In terms of how to market fantasy sports, we have recorded cases where the addition of a targeted fantasy bonus such as a free entry ticket being added to a CRM email reactivation campaign has generated impressive returns. In one instance, the click-through rate was 25x the average and in another case, 2,000 inactive customers were reactivated within 24 hours of the email campaign being sent out.
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Cubeia, a Sweden-based iGaming software solutions provider, has unveiled the latest addition to its Originals Studio, Turbo Crash – a fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled game designed to test players’ instincts.
Turbo Crash challenges players to make the ultimate risk-versus-reward decisions in search of astronomical returns. Players place their bets and watch the multiplier soar higher and higher – but timing is everything. It’s possible to cash out at any moment with a single click and every round can be verified for total transparency and trust thanks to its Provably Fair design.
Turbo Crash continues Cubeia’s Originals Studio mission to create operator-first, fully brandable games inspired by its Operator-Up philosophy – built from the ground up around what operators and their players need.
Cubeia’s investment in gamification and community-driven features is reflected in its latest release with challenges, achievements, and duels all available to bring players closer together.
A very successful first year for Cubeia Originals has validated this approach, and with Turbo Crash, the company is setting the pace for what an Originals experience can become as it scales the portfolio further.
Cubeia’s Head of Sales, Caroline Björkman, said: “Launching Turbo Crash as we approach our first anniversary is the perfect way to celebrate how well Originals Studio has established itself in the market. In less than a year, we’ve launched ten distinctive titles – from Mines and Crash to Turbo Crash – and built a portfolio that operators can rely on and players genuinely enjoy.”
The post Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS
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Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems, and solutions, is excited to announce the launch of Werewolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank and Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. Packed with captivating visuals and engaging gameplay, this online and mobile slot duo is designed to deliver strong results for operators and offers the best in iGaming entertainment for players.
Werewolf It Up featuring Cash Bank is the Halloween-themed follow-up to Inspired’s smash hit Wolf It Up! Set in a mystical, spooky forest, the game combines fairy-tale charm with thrilling win potential. The base game introduces cash-packed candy symbols and the Bonus Wolf, which together trigger the Cash Bank Free Spins Bonus with eight free spins. A pseudo-persistence mechanic adds further excitement, with collected candies building towards the Lucky Wheel for chances to win one of four Prize Pots.
As with all our games, players can enhance their gameplay with customisable features including Bonus Buy for instant bonus entry, Fortune Spins for boosted hit potential, and Inspired’s Gamble, for potentially bigger rewards. Werewolf It Up delivers spook-tastic thrills, fun features, and a broad appeal for casual players looking to win big this Halloween.
Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo is a 5×3 reel, 20 win-line slot adventure that brings the power of Zeus, the King of the Ancient Greek Gods, to the reels. In a new art style for Inspired, the game blends ancient Greek mythology with fun gameplay features, the game introduces Inspired’s new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, designed to deliver escalating excitement and legendary rewards.
Players collect coins to feed three pseudo-persistent bags, Double Coins, Pot Fill, and Zeus Boost, that unlock epic bonus rounds powered by Inspired’s thrilling Win & Spin mechanic. With expanding reels, escalating prizes, and Zeus himself boosting values, every spin builds suspense toward greater wins. Optional features include Bonus Buy, Gamble, and a new multi-level Fortune Bet that allows players to supercharge their bonus rounds. Zeus Legends of Olympus combines a mythic theme and modern gameplay with Inspired’s signature innovation.
Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil these two exciting new slots, each offering something truly unique for players. Werewolf It Up! is set to be this Halloween’s standout game, blending proven mechanics with spooky, visuals that will have players howling with delight. Our seasonal games have become player favorites, and Werewolf It Up! is a perfect addition to our portfolio of holiday-themed titles. Meanwhile, Zeus Legends of Olympus raises the bar with our brand-new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, kicking off a powerful new series of ancient Greek god–themed content. We’re confident both titles will engage players worldwide and deliver outstanding performance at launch and well into the future.”
The post INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Northern Lights Gaming, the award-winning studio known for blockbuster slot titles such as Unusual Suspects and Bison Moon, has promoted Chris Loftus to CEO.
The promotion comes after Andrew Goodale chose to step away from the studio after more than eight years at the helm to pursue other opportunities.
Chris is a seasoned online slot studio executive with more than 17 years of industry experience and joined Northern Lights Gaming back in April 2025 as Commercial Director.
His career began at Inspired Entertainment, where he spent a decade as Head of Content Operations before moving on to 1X2 Network, where he served as Commercial Director for the leading studio and aggregation platform.
This was followed by a stint as Sales Director at fast-growing game studio Playnetic, where he further expanded his expertise in commercial strategy and business development, before joining the Northern Lights Gaming team.
As CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, Chris brings seasoned insight and an energetic approach to the studio, which has both a strong legacy and ambitious plans for the future.
Robert Henrysson, Chairman at Northern Lights Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to promote Chris to the position of CEO and for him to lead Northern Lights Gaming into the next chapter of its success story.
“Of course, we’d like to thank Andrew for his many years of service and for helping to drive Northern Lights Gaming forward with passion and purpose and wish him well for the future.
“Change always brings adjustments, but our direction and mission remain the same – and that’s to create the very best games and experience in the industry.
“And with Chris leading our incredible team and with a strong product roadmap in front of us, we are highly confident of doing just that.”
Chris Loftus, CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, added: “It’s an honour to have been promoted to CEO of Northern Lights Gaming and to have the trust of the team to steer the ship and continue to build on the incredible progress we have already made.
“The key to success for any studio is to create great games that hit the mark with players, and we have the team and process in place to keep adding epic titles to our portfolio.
“Our product roadmap is packed with truly exceptional games, and we can’t wait to see them leave our production line and for players to fire up the reels.”
The post Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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