The first time I visited a website that featured live dealt games I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed. As a frequent online player, I was already used to the fast, random number generated casino games, and to have to wait for a dealer to take action was a little frustrating. But then the light went on.
I can play roulette or blackjack, watch the spin of the wheel and the cards come out of the shoe, and know that I am getting a fair “deal”! I can make my own decisions, and on some sites chat with the dealers and other players, and trust that my experience has not been pre-determined by a computer chip.
As a marketer I know the objections that some gamblers had to playing online, and the vast majority of these came down to trust. Live dealer games address that concern head on, and I quickly realized, and experienced, the much higher conversion and retention rates that live dealer casinos could generate. As an affiliate myself, as well as a casino manager, knowing that I could generate a significantly higher return on my efforts was great news indeed!
Having had experience in pretty much every facet of the online gaming industry since 1997, I am intimately familiar with click-through rates, conversion percentages, player life-time values, and of course the challenges of player retention. Working with live games has exceeded my expectations in all of these areas, and this is great news for affiliates.
Most large gaming operations have, or are acquiring, a selection of live games. They understand the value, and know that players are actively looking for them, especially the more mature, higher-wealth individuals. Likewise, most savvy affiliates have added live game casinos to their mix, and are starting to promote them more visibly.
It is early days for this vertical, but if the past few years are anything to go by, live games will be a big moneymaker for operators and affiliates alike. Take the time to look at some of the larger software providers, and their casinos, and select a few to promote. It may take a while for your current members / traffic to respond, but when they do, I feel confident that you will be pleasantly surprised.
Contributed by Gian Perroni, Affiliate Program Director for Fairway Casino, a live dealer casino on the Visionary iGaming platform.