Fantasy sport games are games in which the real players assemble teams of virtual players, that are given specific skills and actual real-life statistics, in order to resemble to reality. Then, real-life players play against other players, by using the teams they assembled one against each other. Seasons are converted into “one-week” timed tournaments. After they compete, they get points that are complied. Football and NFL are the most preferred, but baseball goes first in the USA.

Fantasy sports have been around for quite a while, marking its beginnings short after world war II and officially credited by Daniel Okrent  in 1979, in fantasy baseball game. With the influence of technology, personal computers (desktops) internet and mobile phones, the industry has boomed. One Australian company has estimated the worth of the industry at about $2B, growing by 10% each year.

Obviously, the internet has a very big influence on the fantasy sports industry, thus booming once with the rise of networking, web sites and personal computers in 1990. Unlike real games, players could play a whole season in just a week. But how does that industry look in numbers?  With an annual growth of over 10%, an Australian company has reported that the industry is worth over $2B. This is how a statistic of the FSTA industry group looks like:

Some consider fantasy sports as a form of gambling, others are arguing that there is more than just “chance”. A “calculated result” can be estimated  using  information and certain skills attributed to virtual players, in order to foresee the outcome of the match.  Fantasy sports range from baseball and basket to auto racing, boxing, cricket football, golf, hockey and almost all sports we can think of.

Also the rise of mobile apps make it even easier for people to “hop in” and start playing, without being dependent from a desktop and internet connection . Mobile phones and Wi-fi are making everything much easier.  People can join such activities with their friends, form teams or compete against each other in a more friendly interface, rather than just looking at matches. The desire to look at other matches is growing, people try to get more information about in-game players, their skill-tree and attributions in order to grow the strength of their own teams.

Malta is the first European country to regulate DFS. The decision made was that the DFS no longer require a gambling license in order to function.  Daily fantasy sports, continue to grow in popularity and attract new people, willing to bet and follow specific competitions in order to gain bigger winnings.

It’s definitely an industry with a very bright future. Those who play not only will continue playing, and exploring the fascinating world of DFS but will also introduce their friends to it. Competitive games against friends or people you know, is much more fun rather than engage in matches with complete strangers. And it can also make people play more.

An online casino is not a buzzword any longer. It is a niche market that ranks third in the UK gambling market in 2016, following spread betting and sports betting.

The increase in the UK online casino market is reflected in the total figures, from operating licences obtained to the number of active customers.

Casino games are not only popular in the UK, they have rushed into all areas where 3G and 4G networks are available.

The remarkable increase worldwide can be explained firstly by the fact that many casino games lend themselves well to ‘on the go’ gaming. Secondly, the market is driven by the advance of top-notch online casino software that has reached an impressive point in terms of graphics and number of games offered.

If you are thinking of starting your own online casino business, you will have to map out your strategies, from choosing a software provider to running promotional campaigns which, for example at BetConstruct are an essential support activity extended to partners using their casino software solution.

Find the best online casino software for starting a gambling business

Before you buy casino software and start integrating games, you should take the take time to examine exactly what you are looking for in a partnership with a provider and what features and functionality you are seeking for your casino website.

The software will be the backbone of your success. When choosing a provider you have two options: you can either opt for a turnkey solution obtaining yourself the licences required or use a white label option and focus on marketing.

In either case, make sure your casino provider gives you:

• Powerful back office tools – Back office tools determine how easily you will be able to keep track of tasks, marketing, payment services and business practices. This applies to game integration as well. A good back office tool allows you to understand player behaviour and accordingly structure your casino site to improve user experience.
• Multi-channel solution – Most players enjoy the freedom to play online casino games on tablet, mobile and/or desktop, anytime, anywhere. A multi-channel solution increases your players’ loyalty and LTV (life-time value). Your players will appreciate the freedom of choice to play through any platform possible.
• Impressive games portfolio – A prudent provider will offer you diverse game categories. A more prudent one will also include games from top third-party gaming companies like NetEnt, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming and more. New game releases should be available through your provider and easily integrated into you casino platform.
• User friendly interface – A ‘customer first’ focused user interface (UI) is a must for online casinos. Your players should be provided with clear and trustworthy information while playing on the casino website. A well-planned and effective UI can be the difference between a good casino and a great one!
• Good communications with your provider – Your software provider must understand that you work tirelessly to grow your business and that any delay may affect your operations. Support for both the business and your customers is a vital element to ensuring satisfaction and prolonging the lifespan of your customers. The gambling industry even has awards to recognise excellence, and in BetConstruct’s case: the company received the EGR Award for Best Customer Service for two years running.

Obtain a gambling licence or use white label software

Depending on your business model, you will either have to apply for an operating licence or your casino will legally operate under the gaming license held by your software provider. So the first step should be to choose the jurisdiction/s you want to operate in the market/s you want to focus on. The more highly reputable licences and legal consulting the provider will offer you, the more independently you will be able to run your business.

Integrate casino games from top third-party providers

Games are what will attract people to your casino, and you should consider that as one of the main factors in deciding which provider to choose.

It is essential that you be clear about the content, focus on new releases, diversify your offerings and require third-party games integration. The landing page should display such essential elements as promotions, latest news and winner list.

Knowing the market and diversifying based on your knowledge will gain you more players: for example, in Scandinavia people prefer playing on mobile, and that’s why you should pay attention to mobile device graphics. In Africa the Internet connection is slow (otherwise expensive) and there is poor access to devices, so choosing video slots that have a low graphics option will help. In Latin America a great number of people prefer slots and table games.

Whatever you choose to include in your casino portfolio, make sure the content is of high quality. Trusted and popular game providers are essential to building a strong brand.

Another possible solution is to integrate a live dealer casino. Live casino games, which have become a must-have offering at any online casino, are a fantastic tool to create an atmosphere similar to what a player would feel in a ‘brick and mortar’ casino.

Get the right payment systems on your casino.

The next decision you should make is the integration of payment systems. Offering your players as many payment options as possible is the best way to retain them. More freedom of choice is what they seek to have when depositing money. If a player doesn’t find the option that suits him the customer is lost. Nowadays PayPal is probably the most accepted e-wallet provider but the number of people preferring Neteller and Skrill and other payment providers is increasing day by day.

Apart from payment systems, you should provide your players any type of currency they want to wager, be it the more popular currencies like the Euro or US dollar or more region specific currencies such as the West African CFA Franc or Argentinian Peso.

Promote your online casino with the help of your gaming software provider

Depending on the software provider you choose to work with, you have to tailor your marketing strategies. Ideally, your provider will offer you a fully featured Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, a Bonus System, Affiliate Marketing solutions and banner management upon request.

These tools will assist you with the processes of player acquisition, retention and reactivation. Full integration of these tools with your casino is another key aspect you should look for.

Affiliate Marketing Software is an excellent tool for promoting your online casino because the best affiliates understand the market and know how to recruit players. Advanced software helps you take advantage of their knowledge and skills.

In an earlier post we defined that an effective CRM solution helps operators make data-driven decisions. Your decisions and way of reaching out to your players define the way you treat them and your business: are players only money for you, or do you want to create a casino platform where they can spend quality recreational time?

Building trust with your customers is a key concern for online sportsbooks and casinos, you should make communication more human and build relationships with them. It is essential that you focus on turning your website’s visitors into loyal players through unique and honest content. Integrity and powerful technologies paired with a diversified games portfolio will create a win-win situation for your players and business.

See also:

How to Start an Online Casino: Essential Tips

How to Start an Online Gaming Business: 5 Key Steps

Big Data Helps Operators Strategize More Effectively

Did you know that over 80% of the customer messages that are left on Facebook pages are unanswered?

It seems that the majority of Facebook page owners did not understand that Social Media is your public relations nowadays and not answering to you customers that leave a message on your Social Media is not an option. It’s like not replying to e-mail and ignoring it even if you could just reply with a thank you or maybe a short text saying “Thank you for contacting us, one of our Customer Service Represents will contact you shortly.”

Facebook is the perfect source for services and business relationship building. Don’t think that your players that find the review of an online casino or any other gambling affiliate activity that you work in and would like to ask about more infos are all going to fill out your contact form on the website. Since nowadays everybody is connected to a social media account at lest 16 hours a day, it’s much easier to leave a message to a social media page.

Well, in one of our recent discoveries we have found the new Facebook feature which shows your fans or visitors your Facebook Page’s Response Rate

All Page admins must Respond to 90% of the messages and maintain a median response time of 5 minutes for all replies that are sent to get a Very responsive to messages icon below their Page’s cover photo.

Since this feature has been added, we have discovered the true testing power of Facebook. We have received 200% more messages during last week from users that don’t exist anymore. Some of them saying “Hola”, “Hello”, etc.

We found that Facebook has tested the pages to enable the feature for those who reply within 5 minutes to the received messages and award the first Responsiveness icons to those who started focusing more on their Customer Service.

As we said earlier this is a slap on the face to the page owners to wake up and realize that you must have a quality customer service in order to grow you brand and customer/player base.

If you are looking to grow your affiliate websites or affiliate programs exposure be sure to join the only Social Media Network dedicated to gambling affiliates, The Affiliate Voice.