HomeIn-depthCustomer loyalty in online poker club: How to build a rewards program for players

Customer loyalty in online poker club: How to build a rewards program for players

OPINION PIECES03 Feb 2025
7 min. read
Ekaterina Giganova opinion

The online poker market is a very competitive and fast-moving space, with operators constantly trying to find ways to differentiate themselves and create a unique experience for their players. In such a climate, the demand for innovative and reliable solutions for iGaming platforms has never been higher. As a trusted provider of online poker software and leading iGaming technology, EvenBet Gaming has been a knowledgeable partner to operators, offering technical solutions and strategic advice that guides them through the challenges of the iGaming environment.

And for online poker operators, player retention is one of the biggest challenges they face nowadays. In a market so oversaturated with players, a brand needs to build loyalty to ensure its future and prosperity. In this article, we discuss the concept of customer loyalty in online poker clubs, with special attention to various models of player retention, effective strategies, and actionable steps to develop a robust rewards programme. Beyond that, we’ll look at how operators can build trust and loyalty with their players by looking at EvenBet’s experience.

The Importance of Player Loyalty in Online Poker Clubs

Sustainability through growth in online poker is not a mere concept, it’s a real foundation that holds the system in place. Moreover, retention has peak value for the operator’s financial well-being, since most revenue comes from loyal players. Thus, successful operators increase their income and also become more popular among players thanks to their brand’s reputation.

Scientifically speaking, player loyalty is driven by psychological and behavioural factors. These factors help with overall player satisfaction: they want to feel a part of a community, be recognised and rewarded. For example, a loyalty programme does a good job of letting players know they are valued and in turn, they come to the platform and spend more time (and money) playing the games.

Casino loyalty programmes have useful approaches in the broader iGaming context. For instance, players will stick around more when they think you have a fair and transparent rewards system. This points out the necessity of designing the loyalty program in line with the players’ motivations and expectations to make their participation worthwhile.

EvenBet Gaming team is aware of these dynamics and has always stressed the importance of customer-centric strategies and fair play in iGaming.

Models of Player Retention in Online Poker Clubs

As we have mentioned, a successful loyalty programme is built around player retention. To understand how you can make players stick around, it’s worth exploring the different models available to operators.

Traditional Retention Models: Traditional models usually feature tiered loyalty programmes and point-based award systems. You can have a poker club with bronze/silver/gold levels, with the rewards being different for each level. The rewards can span from free spins and tournament tickets to access to additional gameplay features. These options are easy, usually simple to implement, but not very personalised — that might not appeal to modern players.

Modern Retention Models: Operators are increasingly switching to modern retention approaches such as gamification and personalised rewards. Gaming becomes more engaging and rewarding with added gamification elements such as badges, leaderboards, and challenges.

Personalisation is another key trend: analysing player data (especially with the use of modern AI tools), operators can learn granular details of what rewards players like and what features they prefer, thus tailoring the platform to each player’s wants. Take, for example, a player who participates in a lot of high-stakes tournaments: they will get premium invitations to different VIP events, while someone playing casually might be offered rake-back or free tournament entry.

This segmentation, as long as many others, is easy to implement into EvenBet Gaming platform: the developer’s CRM allows to create models with dozens different criteria based on player profile data and game statistics.

Retention methods are at the core of EvenBet Gaming’s expertise in adaptability and innovation. We provide operators with tailored solutions that solve the specific requirements of their players to build long-lasting engagement and loyalty.

Examples of Effective Player Retention and Loyalty Strategies

To offer some real-world examples of how loyalty strategies work, we’ll take a look at some examples from the online poker industry.

  • Community-building initiatives: players need to feel that they’re a part of a community, interact, and share their experiences on forums, social media groups, or in-game chats. It results in higher player engagement and a community that stays connected to the brand and its values.
  • Exclusive tournaments: restricted access to some tournaments is another powerful tool, especially when it comes to retaining high-value players. By giving away VIP tournament passes with a big payout, operators can even bring their loyal players back to the platform.
  • Referral programs: referral programmes are a win-win for both the players and the operators. It is a good way for operators to grow their player base because it encourages players to invite their friends and get rewarded for it. For instance, a poker club can provide free tournament tickets or cash bonuses for drawing new people into the game.

These examples illustrate that creativity and data-driven decision-making are key in the design of a solid player loyalty strategy. Plus, with the use of modern technology, operators can understand player behaviour and preferences and learn how to build programmes that reach their audience and create long-term loyalty.

How to Build a Loyalty System in an Online Poker Club

The creation of a loyalty system is a process that needs a stabilized, structured, and rational approach to existing retention strategies and technological innovation. Of course, there is no cookie-cutter solution that will be suitable for all brands, but some steps are pretty universal.

  1. Define your goals: First, figure out what exactly you want to get out of your new loyalty programme. The common goals are increasing player retention, maintaining engagement, and perfecting the overall gaming experience.
  2. Segment your players: Use data analytics to segment your player base by behaviour, preferences, and value. For instance, you can categorize players into casual, intermediate, and high-rollers to later devise different strategies for each group.
  3. Design a rewards system: Look for a reward system that corresponds to the player’s motivations. Think about giving them tangible rewards (rake-back, tournament tickets, or custom avatar designs) and intangible incentives (i.e., recognition, exclusive access, and a sense of community).
  4. Incorporate gamification: You can add gamification elements to make the programme even more engaging. This additional layer of excitement can also be achieved through badges, leaderboards, and in-game challenges.
  5. Monitor and optimize: Regularly watch your loyalty programme performance and get player feedback. With this data, refine and optimize the programme to remain transparent and up-to-date.

Conclusion

Player loyalty is the first step to the sustainable success of online poker platforms. Understanding different models of retention, and then deploying the right strategies and modern technology to design and launch loyalty systems — is how operators can resonate with their players and keep them coming back.

With innovative and reliable solutions, EvenBet Gaming helps operators increase their success. Knowing how to build player trust and loyalty is what will drive long-term success — and we have the iGaming expertise and commitment to customer-centric strategies to help you with it.


03 Feb 2025
7 min. read
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