Foxwoods Casino recently launched an online social casino platform whose purpose is to bring in new business and build brand loyalty.
Eric Pearson, who led the introduction of the platform, last week told the Hartford Business Journal “We created an opportunity to differentiate ourselves in the online play-for-fun space.” He added, “We customized the site to feature the sights, sounds and games at Foxwoods.”
Daily average usage has increased dramatically since April, when the platform was launched. Said Pearson, “When we launched two years ago, between 10 to 12 percent of our users played on mobile devices,” Pearson explained. “Now, it’s nearly 50 percent.”
Aviram Alroy, vice president of interactive gaming at the Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods’ biggest competition, noted that his casino launched its online social program last year.
He told the Journal, “When we started our site [last year], it was mostly online poker games. “Now, we have more than 100 games including slot games and — in the near future — more table games.” He noted that almost 25 percent of the top downloaded mobile app games are casino-related.
That dynamic is helping both the Sun and Foxwoods, who drive business by offering points and credits for playing games that are technically not gambling because no money is paid out.
Says Pearson, “We offer new enrollees 10,000 virtual credits. And we have a variety of daily quests — like playing three different games or completing 100 spins — that can help generate bonus credits and unlock new games.”
Bobby Soper, president of the Mohegan Sun Gaming Authority, sees the online gaming market in its infancy, with nowhere else to go but up as more states enter the field. “Strategically, we want to build loyalty to our online platform in the early stages,” he said.
Some forecast that the market globally would reach $56 billion by 2018.
In Connecticut the legislature mulled over legalizing and regulating online daily fantasy sports, but dropped the idea when it was suggested that such a law would require amending the state constitution.
Now both Indian casinos are looking at legalizing online gaming, and whether it would be good or potentially bad for profits. Social gaming is a somewhat different beast.
Pearson opines that social gaming will grow rapidly as brick and mortar casinos add online platforms. Which only half of them have today. That should change in the next three to five years, he says.
