The igaming industry is built on the hope that everyday people can predict the future.
Every day, millions of players try their luck at deciding whether a ball will fall on red or black; or whether their favorite sports team will by 10 points or lose by five.
Of course most of us know that kind of future-casting offers only limited returns. But when industry analysts talk, that’s another story entirely. These folks eschew the lucky troll doll and rabbit’s foot in favor of cold, hard facts.
Here are few predictions for the year to come from some of the industry’s biggest brains.
Big Data Shows its Face
Big data is going to be more than just a buzzword in 2015, it’s going to be a genuine market force according to Paul Doocey of Casino Journal:
In an increasingly competitive gaming marketplace, operators are constantly seeking ways to both attract new customers and get more revenue from existing clientele. To accomplish these tasks, casinos are increasingly turning to analytics providers with systems that can parse Big Data into actionable information and actions that help overall profitability.
Millenials Matter
Those much maligned Millenials are heading for the igaming world and they’re bringing a new set of values along with them. That’s what David Chang, chief marketing officer of Gamblit Gaming LLC says:
They [Millennials in the U.S.] are already commanding an estimated US$1.3 trillion annual in direct purchasing power… I think you [the casino industry] would be wise to start looking at this demographic and paying attention…Five years ago we were having a Facebook privacy debate. No one has that [debate] any more. Everybody is living online, sending Snapchats to each other; they’re shooting videos of their lives. Fundamentally a Millennial is someone who lives socially.
Watch for Asian Growth
It doesn’t take a psychic to see that the Asian Pacific market is a huge growth sector in the igaming business. Just how much growth is a matter of debate, but the folks at Price Waterhouse seem to think it will be very significant.
…by 2015 the Asia Pacific current growth surge will have fundamentally reshaped the landscape of the global industry, with Asia Pacific then accounting for 43.4 percent of total global revenues, ahead of the US at just over 40.1 percent.
So get that baccarat content in the pipeline.
Our Predictions
Our view of the igaming industry comes straight from the front lines where affiliates battle for depositing players on a daily basis. From that vantage point we think 2015 is a year that’s going to reward affiliates who take their value propositions to the next level.
So what exactly does that mean?
We’re thinking of affiliates like Tundik “Hawkie” Zoltan of EuropeanSoccerStatistics.com who crafted a predictive algorithm for punters who want an edge in soccer wagering.
How about the cutting edge content marketing being done by Robbie Strazynski on CardPlayer Lifestyle?
And what about the bold redesign of AskGamblers by Igor Salindrija that scrapped the old design and brought the site roaring into the 21st Century?
These guys aren’t making excuses as they head in 2015, they’re making opportunities and that, in our humble opinion, is the real key to success in the igaming business.