Latest News
Cross-Selling and Upselling in Poker Stores: How to Increase the Average Check
Revenue optimization has emerged as one of the key success factors in the highly competitive online poker industry. With the growing costs of acquiring players and the challenge of retaining them, poker operators need more ways of generating revenue. In this light, the In-Store feature developed by EvenBet Gaming has brought a new change in the industry: boosting the operator’s revenue while offering engaging game perks for the players.
The mechanics of online poker rooms
Historically, online poker rooms have been able to attract a variety of players with diverse games, starting from the more common Texas Hold’em to the less known Razz. In the past, poker platforms have depended on rake, which is a small percentage of every pot, or tournament fees as their main sources of income.
However, nowadays, these models have become less dependable as poker operators face a number of challenges. They are always torn between the need to meet regulatory requirements, maintain their profit margins, and keep the players happy. This has led to the need to increase the average revenue per user (ARPU) without losing customers in this competitive environment.
Welcome cross-sell and upsell — two effective techniques successfully implemented in niches like e-commerce and are now actively used in the poker segment. These strategies have been effective in increasing the LTV and customer retention rates. For poker rooms, this could mean the difference between going bust and holding out for the long term.
Cross-selling in poker
Cross-selling is the practice of selling related products or services to existing customers. In the poker context, this could take several forms:
- Basic cross-sell: advertising casino games to sports bettors and the other way around. For example, a poker room may recommend slot games to the players who frequently play Texas Hold’em.
- Intermediate cross-sell: the use of player data to develop more specific campaigns. For instance, if data reveal that poker tournament players like to play blackjack, the room may target blackjack to tournament players.
- Advanced cross-sell: a more complex approach that employs dynamic and data-driven models to provide the player with customized suggestions. For example, when a player’s activity and their preferences are used to recommend new games or tournaments that may be interesting.
Upselling in poker
Upselling persuades the customer to choose a better version of the product they are already using. In poker rooms, this might involve:
- Providing VIP tournament seats to the ordinary cash game participants.
- Offering higher risk and reward tables to players who play at lower limits.
- Offering additional services such as higher level statistics or time bank top-up.
Through these strategies, poker operators can develop multi-players — customers who interact with several products. Multi-players have higher retention rates and an average future value of 50% higher than that of single-product players.
For poker room operators, understanding these cross-sell and up-sell strategies might be the only way to not only survive but prosper in the highly saturated online gaming market. It’s about the long-term perspective and the audience that will provide constant revenues.
Applying cross-selling and upselling to poker platforms
The poker industry is one of the most suitable for cross-sell and upsell strategies. The EvenBet Gaming In-Store feature is a game-changer for operators as it provides a range of virtual items that can improve the players’ experience.
Items available for cross-selling include:
- Play money packages: for those who wish to play or warm up with other games without staking their real money.
- Time bank extensions: allowing the players to spend more time making strategic moves over the course of the game.
- Rabbit hunting feature: enabling the players to see the cards that would have been dealt in the next round once a round is over.
- Opponent game statistics: informing the players about the actions and strategies of their opponents during the game.
Upselling opportunities in the store include:
- VIP cards with bundled perks: EvenBet store offers customisable sets of benefits that come at a lower price when bought together.
Yet another option are loyalty programme incentives that can come in different styles:
- Premium tournament entries: as players accumulate cash game points or achieve a certain hand count, they can unlock access to exclusive tournaments.
- Exclusive game access: higher-tier loyalty members might gain entry to special cash games or tables not available to the general player base.
These features are beneficial for the platform’s revenue, and they also boost the gaming experience and bring greater satisfaction to the players.
Strategies for increasing the cash flow
To optimize revenue in online poker stores, operators should implement a comprehensive strategy that encompasses several key elements:
- Strategic offer placement: display relevant promotions in the lobby and during the game, so that they do not interfere with the gameplay. This approach keeps the audience interested in your offer without being annoying.
- Personalized marketing: use player data to create specific promotions that will appeal to the players’ preferences and activities.
- Value-driven bundles: offer appealing promotional offers like “two for the price of one” and combo packages. Such offers have high perceived value for the players, as in a bundle they receive more than each separate item’s worth.
- Time-sensitive promotions: take advantage of the FOMO effect by offering time-sensitive products or services. This creates urgency, which in turn leads to faster buying decisions.
- Integrated loyalty schemes: integrate cross-selling and upselling opportunities in the loyalty programme. This helps retain the players for a long time and makes them use the platform more frequently.
By implementing these strategies, poker room operators can create a more engaging and profitable store environment. This holistic approach not only drives revenue but also enhances the overall player experience, fostering loyalty and sustained growth in the competitive online poker market.
Seizing the opportunity
Well-adopted cross-sell and upsell strategies can greatly improve both the cash flow and the players’ experience. This way, operators can increase their user lifetime value while enhancing the quality of the game. If you want to transform your poker platform’s monetisation model, learn more about EvenBet Gaming’s advanced store options and find out how these enhancements can help you increase player worth and involvement. The operators able to balance the revenue targets and player satisfaction will be in good standing to succeed in this competitive market.
Latest News
Corytech Unveils Exclusive Offers at SiGMA Europe 2024 in Malta
Corytech, a leading innovator in payment orchestration, is excited to announce its participation at SiGMA Europe 2024, taking place from November 11-14 at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Valletta, Malta. Attendees can visit Corytech at Booth #2085 to discover a range of exclusive offers available only during the event.
“We’re thrilled to bring exclusive promotions to this year’s SiGMA Europe,” said Dmytro Miliukov, CEO & co-founder at Corytech. “This is a unique opportunity for businesses to enhance their payment capabilities through our innovative payment orchestration platform at transparent rates.”
Exclusive Offers Include:
- Special Pricing: Enjoy geo-specific rates on our Payment Orchestration Platform.
- Complimentary Consultations: Receive a free, personalized payment strategy session with our crypto & fiat payment experts.
- Early Access: Be among the first to experience a single integration approach by Corytech.
Don’t miss out on these limited-time offers. Schedule a meeting with our team in advance by contacting us at [email protected].
About Corytech
Corytech is a global FinTech force with a successful track record serving leading enterprises through our payment orchestration platform (70+ employees onsite, 15450+ users, and 1137500+ transactions monthly). Businesses trust us to streamline their payment processes by leveraging our advanced orchestration solutions.
eSports
BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025
Esport entertainment company BLAST has announced an expanded Global Partnership with Blacklyte for 2025. The landmark partnership marks a significant milestone in esports history, being the first of its kind to encompass five leading esports titles.
As a Global Chair & Desk Partner, Blacklyte will play a pivotal role in supporting the world’s best esports players by providing custom-made esports desks and chairs for the competitive landscape across these five popular esports titles: Rainbow Six Esports (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege), BLAST Premier (Counter-Strike), BLAST Slam (Dota), RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), and FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series).
This partnership not only showcases Blacklyte’s commitment to the esports community but also emphasises its dedication to elevating the industry by providing players with the best equipment possible to compete at the elite level.
Last month, BLAST announced Blacklyte as the first commercial partner for Fortnite Competitive for the FNCS Global Championship 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
The expansion of the partnership means Blacklyte will cover all esports titles BLAST operates in 2025. The partnership will focus on delivering unique and immersive experiences for fans and players alike. Alongside Blacklyte’s products being used by streamers and players across more than ten arena events and many more studio events in 2025. Blacklyte will also be integrated physically into these events and within broadcasts.
Blacklyte produces desks that set a new standard for quality and durability. These state-of-the-art desks are designed to withstand everything. They will be showcased at the BLAST Premier World Final in Singapore for the first time.
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue for BLAST, said: “We are proud to expand our partnership with Blacklyte to encompass all five of our esports titles heading into 2025. This marks a landmark moment for BLAST. We work across a number of leading esports ecosystems, which gives us the ability to leverage these different communities and tournaments. This partnership is testament to harnessing that network to create best-in-class partnerships.”
Alexander Liu, CEO at Blacklyte, said: “We are excited to enter into this unprecedented partnership with BLAST, which will enable us to reach a broader audience and create a lasting impact across multiple titles. This collaboration signifies a new era for esports, where we can unify diverse gaming communities under one strategic initiative, providing equipment to help esports players compete at the top level.”
Gaming
The mobile gaming market is growing and attracting new companies. GAMIVO is the latest example
Usually, consoles and PCs come to mind when discussing the gaming industry. The mobile sector is often treated as a child of a lesser god, even though it generates almost as much revenue as console and PC combined. Some companies can see this potential. For instance, the e-commerce platform GAMIVO has recently entered the mobile market, allowing players to buy in-game items cheaper.
Back on course
The entire video game industry has evolved incredibly, but the most spectacular has been the growth of the mobile sector. It expanded from 36.9 million dollars in 2016 to 93.2 billion in 2021. Unfortunately, the gaming market suffered from a decline that stemmed from the overoptimism of the pandemic era. As a result, the mobile gaming industry revenues dropped to 92.2 billion in 2022 and to 90.5 billion in 2023. Recent information has indicated this was a necessary correction rather than a long-term trend.
The latest Newzoo report, issued in August 2024, shows that the industry is on the right track again. According to analysts, the mobile sector will generate revenues of $92.6 billion, representing +3.0% growth year-on-year. It’s nearly half of the entire gaming industry.
Billions of players
Revenues are crucial, but they only show part of the story. To fully understand the size and potential of mobile gaming, it’s necessary to consider the number of players, which constantly grew even when revenues dropped. Newzoo estimates that it will reach 2.8 billion in 2024. It means that almost twice as many people play on mobile devices than on PCs and consoles combined. Currently, every third person on Earth plays on mobile devices, and there’s still space for further growth.
“There are emerging markets where smartphones and mobile networks can expand, providing new potential players. Furthermore, this type of entertainment has a low entry barrier because most popular games are free and don’t require high-end devices,” explains Mateusz Śmieżewski, the CEO at GAMIVO.
One hobby, different habits
GAMIVO is an example of a company that has recently joined the party to get a piece of the mobile pie. “We examined the mobile market for a very long time, trying to find a suitable place for us. It’s essential to understand that mobile gaming and mobile gamers differ from their PC or console counterparts. You can’t do the same things you do with PC and consoles and hope to replicate your success,” said Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Studies confirm this observation. Average PC and console players spend about 2.1 hours a day in virtual worlds. It’s half an hour more than mobile gamers. However, things get interesting when we take a look at playtime per week, which is the same for mobile and console (5.4 hours) and slightly longer for PC (5.7 hours). Moreover, typical PC and console owners play 2.6 and 2.7 days a week, respectively, while mobile players play 3.4 days per week.
Those statistics prove that PC and console players are more dedicated, spending more time in games’ worlds once they enter them. However, mobile gamers prefer shorter but more frequent sessions. They play while commuting or have a short amount of free time.
“Mobile players are more willing to uninstall games and give another title a chance. Hence, the gameplay has to be captivating and designed to provide quick but intense sessions.
Furthermore, even though the average weekly playtime is identical to PC players, many mobile players don’t think of themselves as gamers,” clarifies Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Another major difference regards the way in which revenue is generated. PC and console games traditionally represent the premium model, where players buy the game. Most popular mobile releases are free and generate revenue with microtransactions. Almost all titles allow players to spend their real money on virtual coins, crystals, and other items that can be used to unlock additional content or reduce cooldowns.
Entering the mobile market
Those contrasts and nuances scare most companies from the mobile market. Let’s see how GAMIVO has coped with this.
“We decided to launch a new product category dedicated to mobile gamers. Our model allows them to top up in-game accounts cheaply. As a result, they can save up to 30% on buying virtual items, upgrades, and other content. The GAMIVO offer includes the most popular mobile titles, such as Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile, and still extends,” describes Mateusz Śmieżewski.
“We dedicated a lot of time to research and analyses. Also, the development process required a lot of work to provide GAMIVO customers with safe transactions and a user-friendly environment. The first reactions are very positive, confirming our belief that our decision was right and there is still more space in the mobile game market,” concludes the GAMIVO CEO.
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