Latest News
The Secrets of Extendy’s Retention Department: How Players are Retained and How a Casino Makes Money
Reading Time: 9 minutes
A casino’s retention department is a big player in an online casino’s operations.
Did you know…
Attracting a new player is far more costly than retaining one, and players who leave after placing their first deposit actually cause a casino to incur losses – with the cost of bringing them back being significantly higher than the FTD amount. This is why retaining players on a casino platform is a casino’s most important task. In fact, increasing customer retention by just 5% can lead to a 25% increase in profits.
Retention extends far beyond attracting and keeping players on one’s platform. It involves a fully-fledged, well-planned and well-executed strategy for turning ordinary users and First-Time Depositors (FTDs) into VIP clients who can bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars every month, as well as tactics of constant upsells.
In this article, Extendy’s Head of CRM dives deep into the retention department’s work. From how an ordinary player climbs the ranks from an FTD to a regular client and higher still, to the tools used each day by a retention department, and to why Free Spins don’t always cut it in traffic reactivation.
How and when does the retention process begin?
Traffic brought in by affiliates goes straight to the retention department as soon as a new player registers to the casino. It’s almost like a sorting center: at this stage, players are segmented and divided according to Tiers in order to set up targeted retention chains.
This data is the foundation in primary player segmentation, and allows casinos to create Welcome Packages for new players.
What is a Welcome Package and how does it work?
After a player registers and places their first deposit, they receive a bonus. The size of the bonus depends on the chain followed by the player.
For example: A new user makes a deposit, receives a Free Spin bonus, but ends up losing the entire amount. At this point, the “balance utilization” trigger is triggered – the player immediately receives a bonus offer for the next deposit. Each bonus comes with a wagering requirement that the user must use in order to withdraw the gifted amount.
The content now changes dynamically: after the bonus has been used, the player receives a subsequent, similar offer, several times. If the player does not respond though, the retention department will try to bring him back to the casino by giving him other, more generous, or more gamified offers. This way, the user is led smoothly along the welcome package funnel. Seeing the new player completing their welcome package as their first gaming session is the casino’s main aim.
The content of the welcome package depends on the partner, GEO, Tier level and traffic source. During a player’s first three deposits, the retention department would actually be analyzing the player’s likelihood of becoming a VIP client.
- How does the Retention Department Work with Players:
Once the Welcome Package – with its basic bonuses – has been used up, the player is assessed through his deposit history and over 30 other metrics. The retention department then forms forecasts and hypotheses based on all these factors. The user is then placed in a segment and is given a new retention chain. Segments can sometimes be combined within the same campaign: similar users can be treated using the same approaches and offered identical offers.
Metrics Used to Segment Players
Two main metrics are used:
- Payments. This is the player’s average monthly deposit amount. For example, John bet €200 in December, €100 in January and €300 in February. Therefore, his payment segment is €200.
- Player activity. This is how often a player visits the platform. Each player segment comes with activity tags, such as:
When retention campaigns are planned, player segments and their activity are taken into account. For instance, it is a normal behaviour pattern for a low-segment player to be absent on a casino site for 10 days, and platform resources will not be used for these users. However, if a VIP player does not visit the site for three days, a retention department will take prompt measures to invite him to return so as not to run the risk of losing a high-paying client.
The 5 Main Tools of a Retention Team
The CRM department determines communication channels with players depending on the payment and activity metrics, and communicate with the player using these five options:
- Push notifications;
- Pop-Up;
- E-mail;
- SMS;
- Calls.
Their effectiveness is analyzed based on technical and marketing indicators.
| Marketing | Technical |
| Click Rate | Open Rate |
| Conversion Rate | Delivery Rate |
Pop-Ups are one of the most effective communication channels. A pop-up appears while the player is still on the site. It’s a great tool for retaining users but it cannot reactivate them.
The effectiveness of emails and SMS depends on the GEO. For instance, the open rate of emails is high (40-50%) in Tier-1 countries, but low (only 10-20%) in Tier-3 countries. This is because PCs are used less often in Tier-3 countries, and sorting through emails from phones is considered inconvenient. Therefore, SMSs are the perfect channel for Tier-3 countries. Fortunately too, sending SMS messages in Tier-3 countries, unlike in Tier-1 countries, is very cheap.
When and Why are Players called?
Calls are used selectively in situations where only personal contact can bring a player back or increase their LTV. Therefore, a call center’s priority are VIP players, high rollers, dormant users and players with a high chance of churn. Calls can have different goals:
- To reactivate: if the player has stopped making deposits and has become dormant;
- To upsell: to offer an exclusive bonus or VIP program;
- To onboard a new high-potential player to the platform;
- To help with a problem if there are difficulties with payments or verification.
How calls work: The CRM department decides which players need to be called depending on their player behavior — frequency of casino visits, number and amount of deposits. The call will usually follow a script but depending on the player’s segment, the conversation will be conducted with flexibility. For example, a casino might want to establish a connection with a high roller by focusing on emotions and player status, saying something like: “We are holding an elite tournament among our top players. We’d love to see you among the participants!”
A Retention Chain involving a Call Center might look something like this:
The number of attempts to contact the user also depends on the player’s payment segment: an ordinary user would be contacted once or twice, but a VIP player will be contacted up to 5 times. If a player is clearly not interested, he will be removed from the database so as not to be bothered.
As online casinos operate in markets of different countries, call centers are multilingual and work with users from all target GEOs.
The Price of Tools, and Tracking Indicators
The following image compares the cost of different communication channels:
Each communication within one channel (Push/SMS/Email/ Calls) is assigned a UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) tag which allows you to see the promotions that produced results. The CRM department evaluates the costs of each campaign and its results through the number of clicks, and the amount and number of deposits. If the campaign turns out to be expensive and does not produce results, the retention department will change its strategy.
Player upsell
Retention is also focused on increasing casino revenue from each player, and trying to turn regular users into VIPs. Only taking action and trying to reactivate a player after he or she has already left the casino only results in a massive profit loss.
In a previous article, which you can read here, Extendy discussed VIP players at some length explaining how and why VIP players generate 45% of online casino GGR, and make up only 20% of the total number of players.
Extendy’s retention department creates a special promotional plan for active players taking into account factors like GEOs, and specific events like local holidays and paydays.
How it works. Let’s say a certain segment in a certain GEO has an average deposit amount of €40. As part of a promotional campaign to celebrate a local holiday, the player will receive a push notification along the lines of: “Today only, get 100% of your deposit when depositing €50 or more.”
The only players who are not upsold are the inactive ones. Rather, the approach to take when attempting to bring inactive players back to the site is to first, offer plenty of bonuses for a small deposit amount. When the player gets a taste for it and returns to the platform, he’ll be placed into a segment, and then, can be upsold.
Gamification: a Bonus Level for Advanced Players
An underrated tool in retaining and engaging online casino players is gamification. At Extendy, we implement gamification through a separate gamification module with a variety of mechanics:
- A specific bonus when picking from a set of three different slots;
- A scratch card where you need to uncover matches at certain intervals during gameplay;
- A shop where a player can buy Free Spins or receive bonus money on their balance;
- Lotteries and tournaments;
- Cashback and Rakeback: the user receives a percentage of the total balance amount and can withdraw it once a week. The cashback percentage is dynamic and depends on the active player. The rakeback percentage however, is always fixed;
- Dynamic Prize Egg: The player places bets and fills the scale to “crack open” the egg and receive a prize.
How it works. The player can be offered 100% of the deposit, or given a Free Spin on the Wheel of Fortune where a similar bonus will be won. If the player opts for the Wheel of Fortune the conversion rate will be higher than that of a regular bonus.
Gamification also allows for smooth onboarding on the platform. With new players, this involves a list of onboarding missions, such as completing the steps of verifying their email or phone number, making a deposit, or placing their first bet. Thanks to the game mechanics, the user would get a hang of the product and becomes motivated to play more often and place higher deposits, bringing profit to the casino.
Behavioural Analytics in Retention: How Data Drives Player Retention
The casino retention department doesn’t just hand out bonuses — it works with statistics. Deep player behaviour analysis allows casinos to not only retain players, but to also predict churn, select personalized offers, and increase LTV.
Predictive Analytics: Who’s going to leave the site?
All players leave a digital trace: through the frequency of their deposits, their choice of games, bet size, time between sessions… If a VIP player usually makes a deposit every two days, but is late one time, the system will send a trigger offer. However, if a low-tier player doesn’t log in for 10 days, he’ll likely be left alone.
Example. A player regularly places deposits of $100 every two days, but suddenly misses a payment. This is the first alarm signal. Three days later, the system sends him a push with a deposit bonus, and five days later, a personalised increased cashback offer by email. If there is still no reaction from the player, he is transferred to the risk segment and alternative scenarios are tested: SMS, VIP offers or exclusive bonuses.
Activity Heatmap: When Players Are Most Engaged
Let’s say that in some GEOs the peak of activity is on Friday evenings and Saturdays. Knowing this, the retention department will attempt to spark interest in advance by sending out push notifications with exclusive offers, activating special tournaments or launching personal quests.
Example. Analysis showed that most players in a certain GEO visit the casino on Fridays from 20:00 to 23:00. To increase the average amount spent on the site, three hours before the peak, players are sent a push notification along the lines: “Just for today we’re giving 100% back on your deposit.”
Triggers and Automated Scenarios
Retention campaigns are launched after careful planning, and each campaign is tied to specific behavioral metrics.
Example. If a player loses $50, instead of receiving a standard bonus, he’ll receive an offer to choose from a 50% deposit bonus, or 100 Free Spins on their favorite slot. This motivates the player to make a repeat deposit as his chances of winning back money are higher.
A/B Testing of Offers: Which Offers Work Best?
A 100% bonus on a deposit? 300 Free Spins? A Wheel of Fortune with prizes? The retention department tests different scenarios on different user segments to test which option would give the best conversions.
Example. A casino wants to understand what would work better for an audience in Tier-1 countries: a 10% cashback, or a 50% deposit bonus. Players are randomly divided into two groups, each receiving its own offer. After two weeks, the data is analyzed: which group made more deposits, which had a higher LTV. The best offer is scaled to the entire segment.
Conclusion
Retention in online casinos is not just a set of bonuses and standard tools, but a fully-fledged ecosystem. Retention will allow casinos to:
- Increase reg2dep conversion;
- Onboard new players with a welcome offer and gamification mechanics;
- Increase the average amount spent by players, conduct upsells and transfer players to VIP status;
- Notice and reactivate “dropped out” users and players at risk;
- Collect and analyze data for marketing campaigns in different GEOs.
A retention department worth its salt is able to extract the maximum from its existing player base resulting in generating the maximum revenue for the online casino and directly impacting GGR.
The post The Secrets of Extendy’s Retention Department: How Players are Retained and How a Casino Makes Money appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Europe
Hölle Games Goes Live with Starcasino in the Netherlands, Bringing German-Crafted Slots to Dutch Players
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Hölle Games, the Berlin-based video slots studio with a proud “Made in Germany” identity, has officially launched its content with StarCasino.nl, one of the Netherlands’ most recognised online casino brands. This partnership marks an important step in the company’s expansion into regulated European markets and introduces Dutch players to Hölle Games’ distinctive blend of classic slot design and innovative creativity.
With this integration, StarCasino.nl’s Dutch customers can now experience Hölle Games’ most popular titles, including Fruits, Reel Wolf and Hellish Seven. Known for their striking character artwork, immersive themes and high-quality audio-visual design, the games combine a nostalgic slot feel with modern entertainment value.
The collaboration between Hölle Games and StarCasino.nl is built on a shared commitment to safe, responsible, and regulated entertainment. For StarCasino.nl, the addition of Hölle Games’ content strengthens its mission to offer Dutch players both variety and quality, with a focus on memorable gameplay experiences.
Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of Hölle Games, commented: “We are thrilled to bring our games to the Netherlands in partnership with StarCasino.nl. Dutch players will now be able to enjoy our titles, which combine German craftsmanship, creative design and reliable performance. This launch highlights our focus on delivering entertainment in regulated European markets and reflects our growing momentum as a studio.”
A spokesperson for StarCasino.nl, Pieter van den Bos, Director at Starcasino, added: “At Starcasino we want to bring our customers the best that online slots have to offer. By adding Hölle Games to our library, we are enriching our portfolio with content that is fresh, visually distinctive and highly entertaining. We are confident that Dutch players will embrace these titles just as much as audiences in other European markets.”
The partnership underlines Hölle Games’ position as a rising force in the iGaming industry and confirms Starcasino’s dedication to offering its community access to leading international content. Together, both brands are set to deliver a more engaging and enjoyable experience for players across the Netherlands.
The post Hölle Games Goes Live with Starcasino in the Netherlands, Bringing German-Crafted Slots to Dutch Players appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Tom Smallwood, Chief Commercial Officer at OpenSlots
The growth of AI in the industry is a talking point you cannot ignore. From sceptics to those convinced it will have a big role to play, AI dominates discourse. However, it is widely accepted that it will play a significant role in product development. In our industry, the biggest misconception is that AI will replace creativity in game development. In my experience, it has the power to do the exact opposite. I’ve watched countless studios struggle with the same challenge of transforming creative vision into market-ready slot games without requiring a six-figure budget a six-month timeline only to fail to achieve distribution. Yet that’s exactly what the traditional route to market looks like now.
AI is removing the technical barriers that risk keeping creative minds locked out of our industry. At OpenSlots, we’re beginning to see firsthand how AI can help turn a game creator’s ‘napkin sketch’ into a playable prototype in a fraction of the time.
The hidden costs of traditional slot development
The harsh reality facing game creators today is staggering. Developing and distributing even a basic slot requires substantial budgets and months of specialised expertise. Factor in regulatory compliance, RNG certification, and multi-platform optimisation, and smaller studios face insurmountable barriers.
These costs aren’t just financial, they affect the creative output too. When a single game requires months of mathematical modelling, extensive asset creation, development and technical integration it is inevitable that innovation stagnates. Game developers tend to play it safe, but even then, they risk not getting any ‘airtime’ in the face of the overwhelming quantity of games released by larger studios. The result is a market flooded with similar games, from the same providers, while innovative ideas never see daylight.
The OpenSlots approach
At OpenSlots, we are building a platform aimed at non-technical professions in which every element of the development process is optimised. Our AI-powered system lets operators and game designers create professional slot games through an agentic interface and AI-powered game creation workflows all on a tried and trusted RGS. You describe your vision, say, a high-volatility Norse mythology theme with cascading reels, and OpenSlots, backed by human expertise, handles everything from the creation of your game design document to the game build itself. We even have an WYSIWYG editor prior to publishing.
Real democratisation means accessible innovation
True democratisation isn’t just about making existing processes slightly easier, it is about changing who can participate. When we enable game creators to describe their vision in natural language and watch AI generate playable prototypes, we’re not replacing human creativity, we’re amplifying it. The most successful implementations don’t replace human expertise, they eliminate tedious and costly tasks that prevent creative professionals from focusing on innovation. This is as true for an operator as a studio. We do not see AI as a magic wand, to make everything easy, especially in a highly regulated industry. However, it is an enabler that can create a certain originality and independence for B2Cs and a voice to smaller game design studios.
Why this matters now
The timing for this transformation couldn’t be more critical. The slots market generates over half of total casino revenue, with operators facing pressure to deliver personalised, engaging content at speed. As mobile gaming dominates consumer spending and competition grows, the traditional development model can’t keep pace with market demands.
This creates an opportunity for platforms that can democratise game creation while maintaining quality and compliance. The industry needs solutions that allow rapid iteration and testing, branded content creation, and market-specific customisation, all without the costs that have historically limited who can participate in game development.
Building the future of game creation
The winners in this transformation won’t be the companies with the most advanced AI algorithms. They will be the ones who best understand how to apply AI practically to real challenges.
The future belongs to platforms that combine industry knowledge with cutting-edge AI capabilities. It’s not about auto-generating second rate game assets, just to for the sake of speed and cost, but leveraging the power of AI to amplify human expertise and give the chance for innovation. In many ways we are giving people the chance to make mistakes. And that, of course, is how we grow.
The question isn’t whether AI will transform gaming development. It’s whether we allow the broader ecosystem be part of that transformation or left behind by it.
The post AI isn’t replacing creativity in gaming – it is democratising it appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Bet on Games announces the expansion of its very own gaming ecosystem—positioned as a true “universe of games.” With a single API, operators gain access to more than a hundred titles across multiple genres: crash games, slots, lotteries, and hybrid formats. Each game is presented as a unique “planet” with its own character and dynamics, giving operators a broad spectrum of content and players a diverse gaming journey.
At the heart of this universe lie crash games—the driving force behind today’s industry growth.
- Aerobet is all about takeoff and risk. Players place their bets before launch, and as the airplane climbs, the multiplier rises. The challenge is to cash out before the plane disappears from the screen. Its simple mechanic, built around an ever-increasing multiplier, makes every round unpredictable and full of suspense.
- BarioJet takes players into an arcade-style adventure. Here, the hero with a jetpack keeps flying higher while the multiplier grows each second. The task is to secure the winnings before the character soars away. The fast pace and transparent mechanics turn every session into a thrilling test of reflexes.
In the slots category, Bet on Games continues to build on classic formats. A standout example is Monkey Magic 2: Choice—a 6-reel slot inspired by mythology. With its striking visual style and bonus features, it has become one of the central planets in the Bet on Games universe.
Key advantages of Bet on Games:
- Single API for seamless integration
- 100+ titles in the portfolio
- Familiar mechanics in a fresh format
- Bonus features and in-game enhancements
- Modern visuals and adaptive design
In this way, Bet on Games offers not just standalone products but an entire ecosystem—a universe where every game is part of a greater whole. For operators, this means streamlined integration and stronger player engagement. For players, it’s the constant thrill of discovering new worlds.
And the Bet on Games universe is still expanding—with new “planets” and ever-fresh gaming experiences on the horizon.
The post Bet on Games Presents Its Gaming Universe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Common Commitment of Care for Problem Gambling7 days agoIBCB Launches Common Commitment of Care on Problem Gambling
-
Asia7 days ago
BETBY EXPANDS ASIAN MARKET PRESENCE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY PLATFORM
-
Central Europe7 days ago
GGL Warns: Illegal Online Gambling Puts Young People in Particular at High Risk of Addiction
-
Blueprint Gaming7 days ago
Blueprint Gaming casts the net wider with Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish 3 Megaways™ Rapid Fire Jackpots™
-
Booming Games7 days ago
Leprechaun Riches Await in Greedy for Gold Power Hit
-
Australia6 days ago
NICC extends The Star manager’s term for six months
-
40 Art of Gold 6 Reels Dice Edition7 days ago
Amusnet Releases 40 Art of Gold 6 Reels Dice Edition
-
James Jelliffe Head of Slots at Stakelogic7 days ago
Stakelogic smashes symbols with Runner Runner ClusterBreaker™
