Industry predictions: A move to license affiliates and tailoring the player experience
Mr Gamble's head of accounts Tero Päivärinta and ZingBrain co-founder and CEO Vladislav Artemyev predict the big themes in online gaming this year
Tero Päivärinta, head of accounts, Mr Gamble
A move to license affiliates
2022 is going to be the year that the discussion around online casino affiliates having to secure licences in markets outside of the US gathers momentum. Mr Gamble fully supports affiliates having to secure permits in order to market to players in jurisdictions around the world as it is the only way to weed out bad actors and ensure affiliates are responsible.
The US, and in particular states like New Jersey, has proved that it is possible to license affiliates, and that the process does not need to be too burdensome. As such, we are actively encouraging regulators in other markets to put forward proposals for affiliates to be licensed.
On the subject of the US market, I expect it to really explode over the next 12 months. 2021 was all about getting up and running but in 2022 we will see the scale and scope of the market increase rapidly as more states open their doors to legal online gambling, and more operators, suppliers and affiliates get in on the action.
Vladislav Artemyev, co-founder and CEO, ZingBrain
Tailoring the player experience
2022 is going to be all about delivering truly personalised player experiences. This is something that operators have been trying to do for some time now, but very few have managed to crack the code so far. This is certainly true when you look to other entertainment industries – streaming, gaming, etc – and the deep personalisation that is offered to consumers.
Over the next 12 months, the gambling industry must – and will – play catch up if operators are to continue to engage consumers and compel them to spend their time at online sportsbooks and casinos instead of playing multi-player mobile games.
Personalisation will be a key factor in them making this decision, so operators need to embrace philosophies and technologies that ensure everything from marketing to game/bet selection via bonusing and customer support is tailored to each individual player. Those that do will be able to unlock tremendous upsides.