A few years ago, one of the UK universities conducted research. Their goal was to find out the following:
Why do players trust some casinos and not others? What are the key factors in this case?
The authors conducted opinion polls and psychological experiments, processed data, and ran experiments. The conclusions they came to are discussed in the article.
Goals of Researching the Players' Behaviour
In recent years, the development of gambling on the world wide web has intensified. But many players still trust land-based casinos more than online portals.
People are afraid to trust money operators because they can't control the gameplay from the beginning to the end.
For example, in an offline casino, customers watch as the dealer shuffles the deck, deals the cards, makes payments, launches the ball on the roulette, and performs other actions. This inspires them to be confident because everything happens in front of them.
While at an online casino, a person has to rely on the honesty of the random number generator. He must believe this program will provide unpredictable results in every draw.
Yes, some websites offer control systems, but they look, to put it mildly, unconvincing. The cooperation of gambling operators with independent auditors and regulators of the gambling business does not give guarantees either.
The initiators of the above experiment created a mathematical model to determine how users choose reliable online casinos.
The main provisions of their theory are as follows:
- Preliminary filters – How much does a person trust Internet gambling in general? How is it affected by the prevalence of online gambling? Does a player read reviews and recommendations?
- Interface properties – How convenient are the services offered at casinos?
- Information content – How much information about the company is available? What are the working conditions? What is the level of security?
- Customer relationship management – The overall quality of service and the level of communication before and after the provision of services.
The stated purpose of the study is as follows:
Find out which factor is the most significant for players when choosing an online casino.
After learning what potential customers are taking into account in the first place, the owners of gambling establishments can use this information to attract more visitors, keep old players and improve the overall level of service.
Methodology of the Research
The authors conducted a sociological survey on thematic forums where online gambling fans communicate. They were asked a series of questions to determine how they decided that some casinos are reliable and others are not.
Initially, the researchers talked with the most active commentators in person and created a questionnaire posted in the public domain. The questionnaire consisted of several dozen statements that had to be accepted or rejected.
A seven-point evaluation scale was also used.
An important point: participation in the survey was anonymous, as many users insisted.
Results of the Research
Analysis of the collected information revealed the composition of the audience by gender:
- Women-13%,
- Men-87%.
About 99% of people surveyed have used the Internet for over three years.
Next, scientists calculated the average rating for each of the four factors most often repelled by the players. Below are the results collected from the survey.
Informational Content of Online Casinos
This factor was leading. It got 34%.
Information about the institution is extremely important for the player.
He wants to get acquainted with the documentation, learns about the founders, independently understand all the nuances of the rules, get answers to all questions, etc.
Site structure is also significant. The portal should be convenient and transparent so people can easily find everything they need.
Work in Customer Support
The second place was given to the player support factor. It scored 26%.
Customers need direct and fast communication with the official representatives of the casino administration.
In land-based casinos, this is easier. Any visitor can turn to the pit boss, manager, cashier, or croupier, depending on his question. And he will certainly get an answer if it is a reputable club.
At an online casino, a player can communicate with support and needs to respond to his requests quickly. The conversation can be carried out in different formats:
- Email – The client sends an email to the specified email address and receives a response in the same form. This is not the most convenient way because it does not provide genuine live communication. Sometimes the casino responds the next day or later.
- The feedback form is email analog, but the player must send a letter using a special questionnaire. This approach is also not very attractive to customers.
- Phone number – Phone numbers are published on the site, where you can contact support. It's okay if free options are available for all major countries, but that's rare. Players usually do not want to pay for the call.
- Live chat – The ability to communicate with the operator in real-time. The best option is round-the-clock live support with employees who speak different languages.
- Messengers and social networks – Many casinos provide an opportunity to contact support representatives in such ways.
According to the survey, customers want to get answers to their questions right away. They also prefer to have multiple ways to communicate.
Support operators should be polite, educated, and able to solve problems. This increases the level of trust at online casinos.
An important role is played in the FAQ section, with answers to new users' questions. It allows for solving many problems independently, without external assistance.
Casino Interface
This factor received 22%.
Every year, Internet users are becoming more demanding to the design of sites.
They do not want to see intrusive animations, annoying ads, poorly readable fonts, grammatical errors, and misleading phrases.
If the website looks cheap, many customers will not dare to trust it with their money.
Pre-filters of Players' Perception
This factor gained 18%.
Since the survey involved experienced Internet users who already play at online casinos, most of them are familiar with the general principles of these institutions.
They do not need to be convinced that gambling sites can be safe, high-quality, and convenient. They are already aware of their shared strengths and weaknesses.
Summary
What do the study results of the factors of trust in online casinos show?
The information obtained during the survey makes it clear to gambling operators that they should take into account all aspects:
- It is necessary to provide customers with comprehensive information about the founders, licenses, certificates, etc. Players should not doubt that the institution is legal, offers fair slots, and their money will be safe.
- Customers should be able to contact support conveniently at any time and receive an instant professional response in their native language.
- The website design should be as comfortable and intuitive as possible.
- It is also necessary to carry out a general policy to increase confidence in online casinos. This can be cooperation with the media, participation in charity, caring for problem players, and the like.
Only a comprehensive approach will allow for attracting the maximum number of potential customers.
What criteria do you use to select a casino? What factors convince you that the institution is honest and reliable?
Share your opinions in the comments. Write reviews, tell life stories, and ask questions.
