Increase Casino Visitors’ Loyalty Using VIP Programs

Experts of the Smart Money studio will explain why it is worth rewarding valuable clients and how to do it. You will also learn about the ways to launch a successful incentive system for the premium segment to raise the revenue of an iGaming project.

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What the VIP Program Is

The entertainment niche is extremely promising but there is a high level of competition in it. In the fight for customers, operators resort to various methods, including rewarding the most loyal users.

The idea of ​​a VIP system is not new. Airlines were among the first to implement such programs. For regular passengers, membership cards and points-based systems are provided. Similar practices exist in many other areas but most often, they can be found in the B2C segment.

Such a tool demonstrates high effectiveness in:

• retail;
• tourism;
• beauty industry;
• gambling.

The sale of luxury items (clothing, cosmetics, accessories, and cars) is also accompanied by the earning of points by clients.

How Online Casinos Reward Valuable Players

In large land-based establishments and on iGaming resources, the loyalty program is one of the main impetus for the development of entertainment locations. The business is growing and scaling, a new audience is appearing, and regular visitors are placing even more bets at higher limits.

The VIP program is a routine campaign on digital portals. Operators award gifts and privileges depending on the activity of users and the length of their stay on the website.

At the registration stage, each new customer receives a notification that they become a participant in the accumulation system. In the beginning, a person receives points, which can later be exchanged for various types of incentives.

Basic Characteristics of the VIP System

The key feature of any premium program is progress. It is displayed as scores, which depend on the number of bets and are tied to certain slots (for example, solutions with jackpots or a high RTP percentage).

Collected points promote gamblers through the VIP program and provide access to generous gifts. Customers can also always exchange them for money.

Those players who have created their profile on the website must receive the first level of participation. Further, as they make progress, the number of privileges will only grow.

A striking example of an effective VIP service is the solution from poker rooms. It offers a gradation of users depending on playing time, amount of money spent, victories, and other characteristics. At the end of each month, all achievements are summed up and the client is assigned a certain status.

Popular Bonuses

Benefits that can be received by online casino visitors:

1. Participation in events for a limited number of gamblers. Entertainment platforms organise tournaments, lotteries, sweepstakes, and other exciting promotions with substantial prize funds.
2. Bonuses for memorable dates. These are birthday, New Year, Christmas, and the date of registration on the website.
3. Increased cashback. This option is available in many online casinos. At the start, iGaming portals offer a 5 or 10% refund, and VIP clients receive up to 40%. Money can be credited once a week, month, quarter, or according to an algorithm specified by business owners.
4. Exchange of points for cash and spins. Recalculation can be carried out 1 to 1 or according to a coefficient specified by operators.
5. Access to improved payment solutions. These include increased limits on deposits and withdrawals, instant transfer of funds, and transactions with decreased commission fees.
6. Priority technical support. VIP clients often receive a dedicated manager. Such a specialist advises players on a variety of issues and informs them about current promotions, tournaments and the latest releases.

Most VIP rewards are provided with no winning-back conditions. In very rare cases, bonuses are supplemented with wagers but with minimal requirements.

Advantages of a Premium Program for Online Casinos

Key benefits of the solution:

1. Revenue growth. It is no secret that entrepreneurs receive most of their profit thanks to high rollers. Therefore, the retention of such clients becomes a priority task for any gambling resource.
2. Improvement of image indicators. Successful players often become advocates of an entertainment portal. They show what privileges a casino gives if you actively place bets for a long time. Such customers are unlikely to reveal the exact amount of the reward but they will certainly create a positive image of the company.
3. Attracting new audiences. The launch of a VIP program is a good information guide. It will motivate users to register on the platform, make initial deposits, and launch digital reels. Thanks to this, Internet traffic and conversion will grow, as well as the entrepreneur’s profit.
4. Increased loyalty. Even if gamblers are not included in the list of VIP clients in the reporting month, they will still be loyal to the casino. The main thing here is to show players that the entertainment brand is ready to reward and support dedicated and active participants.
5. High-quality feedback. The implementation of a premium program makes it possible to maintain constant communication with valuable users. Entrepreneurs can inform them about upcoming releases, exclusive events, and other interesting updates.

Secrets of a Successful Loyalty System

Let us consider how to launch an effective VIP offer:

Beautiful Name

The reward system should not be faceless. Therefore, it is better to immediately choose an intriguing title that will overlap with the slogan and corporate identity of an online casino.

It is worth integrating simple and understandable terms: “Awards”, “Circle”, or “Club”. This will make the VIP program clear, attractive, and memorable.

Careful Segmentation

To build a good loyalty system, it is necessary to analyse the user experience. Even within one cluster (for example, for high rollers), operators need to identify several subgroups and make sure that there is a fair distribution of prizes for each of them. This approach will increase the program’s effectiveness and improve relationships with valued clients.

Successful Gamification

In the VIP system, it is appropriate to use various elements, such as:

• animated images;
• avatars;
• puzzles;
• quests;
• labyrinths, etc.

They should all be consistent with the overall style of the program. It would be good if the puzzles could be used to form the name or emblem of the solution, and the players’ levels would be marked with stars or diamonds.

Beauty, elegance, and an exclusive experience are characteristics that should be emphasised with the help of game elements.

Available Information

It is advisable to place the rules for calculating bonuses and assigning statuses in the FAQ section of the casino site.

Operators should also add:

• progress table;
• data on the required turnover;
• gift offers at every level.

The point accumulation system should be clear. Entrepreneurs should not come up with indirect requirements that cannot be fulfilled.

Financial Benefit

It is important to make sure that incentives for VIP clients are not too costly for the business because the main factor that affects the increase in loyalty is attention. It would not be wise to immediately award huge payouts to valuable players. Project owners need to implement a multi-stage reward system to motivate premium customers to stay on the website longer.

Continuous Monitoring

The following KPIs will make it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the VIP system:

• Lifetime Value. This is the amount that people spend during their entire interaction with an online casino. Rewarding high rollers should increase their LTV. The metric can be tracked based on the results of the month, quarter, or year.
• Return on Investment. The parameter shows how quickly the costs of implementing a loyalty program pay off. The premium segment is characterised by a higher ROI. Based on the results of just one campaign, entrepreneurs can fully compensate for the expenses for rewarding clients.
• Average Revenue per User. This is the average income per user. As the value of the loyalty program increases, the ARPU indicator should grow as well.
• Churn Rate. It is advisable to calculate the CR in the context of the premium segment. If VIP gamblers leave, it means that the bonus system is not functioning effectively.

Legal Aspects of Special Offers

There is a trend in the casino and sportsbook industry where regulators are limiting the number of incentives they can offer gamers.

In September 2020, the UK Gambling Commission introduced new rules on granting rewards. They are aimed at combating irresponsible VIP programs and the development of ludomania.

The government authority obliged licensees to:

• regularly update client data;
• conduct inspections for the damage caused by games for money;
• block the acceptance of deposits from credit unions, etc.

The Spelinspektionen Swedish regulator has limited the maximum size of bonuses per month. At the beginning of 2024, this is €8.48 in equivalent. In Denmark, a similar practice has also existed for several years. In this country, the monthly bonus limit is set at €133.85.

It is obvious that the world’s leading gambling commissions will continue to limit operators in terms of incentives. Therefore, today, it is not wise to rely on monetary rewards from VIP clients alone. It would be better to use a balanced approach when the premium segment receives a personal manager, accelerated withdrawal of prizes, and other privileges.

The entertainment business is also gradually shifting towards encouraging smart gaming habits instead of focusing on regular customers. This approach ensures operation in a legal framework in accordance with international standards.

The Main Things about Rewarding Premium Players

The VIP program is a mandatory element of any successful online casino.

Key features of the concept:

• Among the advantages of the solution, we can name the high income of business owners, increased loyalty to the iGaming brand, and attraction of new clients. The incentive system also improves the company’s image indicators and helps to establish communication with users.
• Popular types of rewards include bonuses, increased cashback, as well as the exchange of points for cash and spins. VIP participants often receive priority technical support service and more favourable conditions for withdrawing funds.
• The success of a special program depends on many factors. These are an attractive name for an accumulation system, thorough customer segmentation, financial benefits, and continuous monitoring.

The Smart Money studio provides marketing tools. From us, you can order promotion of a gambling platform, development of an individual advertising strategy, and creation of an effective VIP program.

We also offer the following useful products:

• turnkey online casino;
• White Label portal;
• payment systems;
• security software;
• slots from top providers, and much more.

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