Data & Loyalty 2.0

Data has always been important to the gaming industry. It is an industry, after all, built on knowing the odds. But the advancements in digital technologies over the past few years are changing everything we thought we knew about player behavior, market trends, and loyalty programs.

There was a time on the Las Vegas Strip when a gaming operator’s loyalty program amounted to slot machines spitting out paper tickets that someone would carry around and eventually trade in for a prize. Today, loyalty programs are as common a fixture in casinos as lounge acts and buffets—but now rewarding room upgrades, dining vouchers, free play, and more. Everybody has one, in short, because they’re effective in increasing retention and revenue. For decades, consumers have deemed the programs a fair deal: They provide some information about themselves, and in return, they receive extra benefits and rewards for their spending activity.

“…today’s technology has dramatically improved our ability to gather and use data regarding player behavior, patterns, and preferences.”

But loyalty programs are ready for renovation. In large part, because today’s technology has dramatically improved our ability to gather and use data regarding player behavior, patterns, and preferences.

Operators can harness the data provided by player behavior to gain valuable insights into their own operations, such as which promotions are most effective, which areas of the casino or sportsbook are driving the most revenue, and even into which non-gaming activities provide the most return on investment. Operators can use this data to make informed decisions about which games to add or remove, where to allocate staff, and how to structure future promotions and bonuses.

The primary goal of any loyalty program is to develop a stronger, one-to-one relationship with the patron—difficult to do with one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter promotions. But we can now send unique and targeted offers and promotions to an individual based not only on what information they provide but also around their spending and activity—in real time.

For example, built on Sightline Payment’s Mobile+ platform and integrated with Play+^® cashless technology, Resorts World Las Vegas recently launched the latest version of its app. Patrons receive personalized offers and rewards based on their player profiles and the platform’s built-in machine logic. Furthermore, Resorts World can also recognize, thank, and reward the patron through the app on their smartphone as soon as they step onto the property with Mobile+’s geofencing features. If the patron leaves Resorts World Las Vegas for hours at a time, the operator will be notified so they can immediately send an offer to get them back.

Today’s technology now offers operators an opportunity to establish real relationships with their patrons. Gone are the days when everyone must receive the same emails and the same advertisements.  Now, offers, promos, and the entire loyalty program can be personalized for patrons based on a profile that’s created by data and not guesswork—and in less time with fewer costs. The odds that a better bond can be formed between a patron and an operator with this technology is something you can take to the bank.