Coming up with casino games marketing campaigns can seem like a daunting challenge. But getting your mobile casino game noticed isn’t out of reach.
Wondering how to grab the attention of players?
Dive into this guide to uncover practical and effective strategies for advertising your game. Let’s help your game stand out.
Casino Games Market Overview
The mobile casino game market was stable during the last couple of years, according to statistics from AppMagic. Despite this steadiness, 2023 has seen a minor dip in revenue compared to the previous year.
On the flip side, downloads have been climbing this year, although they haven’t reached the soaring heights observed in mid-2020, when the casino games market experienced a peak in downloads.
Casino games attract a large and diverse audience and offer multiple subgenres that players can choose from.
Some of the most popular ones are:
- Slots: Virtual slot machines that offer a chance to win in-game currency.
- Card Games: Digital versions of classic card games like poker and blackjack.
- Bingo: A game where players mark off numbers on a card as they are randomly called out, aiming to be the first to complete a sequence.
- Pachinko: A Japanese game resembling pinball.
- Mahjong: A tile-based game from China.
- Dominoes: A popular game played with rectangular domino tiles.
- Roulette: A game where players place bets on either a single number, various groupings of numbers, the colors red or black, whether the number is odd or even, or if the numbers are high or low.
It’s also important to note that most casino games on mobile fall into the category of social casino games.
These games emulate the excitement and thrill of real-life casino games like poker, slots, and roulette. While they provide the fun and challenge found in actual casino games, social casino games have a distinctive feature: there’s no real money involved.
Players can win and wager in-game currency, such as coins, allowing them to experience the joy of gaming without the financial stakes.
With this groundwork laid, let’s further explore the top casino games in the following section.
Top Casino Games in 2023
These two lists feature the top casino games of 2023 so far by downloads and revenue, according to data from AppMagic. As you might expect, Coin Master is still the leader in this space. Learn more about why it’s so successful in my Coin Master analysis.
I’ve also analyzed Slotomania, another top-performing casino game.
Top Casino Games by Downloads in 2023
- Coin Master by Moon Active
- Dice Dreams by SuperPlay
- Teen Patti Gold Poker & Rummy by Moonfrog
- Higgs Domino by Higgs Studio
- Crazy Coin by DoraBmonkey
- Teen Patti Get Online by Edward Skopinsky
- Bingo Blitz by Playtika
- ZingPlay by VNGGames
- Boss Domino by BossGame
- RummyCulture by Gameskraft
Top Grossing Casino Games in 2023
- Coin Master by Moon Active
- Bingo Blitz by Playtika
- Jackpot Party Casino Slots by SciPlay
- Lightning Link Casino Slots by Product Madness
- Slotomania by Playtika
- DoubleDown Casino Vegas Slots by Double Down
- Cashman Casino Las Vegas Slots by Product Madness
- Cash Frenzy by SpinX
- Huuuge Casino Slots Vegas 777 by Huuuge Games
- Lotsa Slots by SpinX
Casino Games Marketing: User Acquisition Tips
Want to put your casino game on the map? Here are some casino games marketing strategies you can try right now!
1. Understand Different Types of Casino Players
When it comes to marketing a casino game, you first need to know who’s your audience and what motivates them to play. It will allow you to target casino players and specific subgroups successfully.
Let’s learn the types of casino players according to motivations for playing.
Excitement
For these casino players, it’s all about the excitement. They’re not motivated solely by winning but also by the thrill of playing casino games. When marketing to this type of casino players, you need to highlight that your game is exciting, has high stakes, and is fun, whether they win or lose.
Relaxation
Just like many other gamers, these casino players just want to pass the time and relieve the stress of their daily lives. Many casual casino players enjoy gaming during short breaks, which is why ads targeting this group should emphasize short, bite-sized sessions.
Social Casino Players
For many casino players, the social aspect of casino games is very important – they want to play with friends or against other users. To target these casino players specifically, showcase social features in ads.
Multiple Motivations
Finally, there are casino players that like all of the above – excitement, relaxation, as well as the social aspect of casino games.
2. Choose Creatives Wisely
Marketing a casino game is all about attention-grabbing creatives – it’s what can make or break your mobile game.
Since casino mobile games are oftentimes mobile versions of real slot machines and other games Las Vegas is famous for, your creatives should reflect that. It’s all about bright colors and flashy images that demand user attention.
Use those recognizable layouts of coin-operated slot machines and make them dynamic and exciting. And, of course, don’t forget about the cash – dollar bills and coins are visuals that attract casino players.
When possible, localize your creatives – that allows you to reach a worldwide audience. For example, India is one of the biggest casino games markets, so it’s worth it to localize ads for this region.
This is particularly important for your ad copy. Translate it into different languages and optimize the text so that it’s culturally relevant.
3. Audience Segmentation: Target Lookalike Audiences
Finding and acquiring high-quality users is an essential part of marketing a casino game and eventually profiting from it. One of the ways of achieving that is by targeting lookalike audiences.
Here’s how it works.
Put simply, lookalike audiences are audiences who are very likely to be interested in your casino mobile game because they resemble your existing user base.
The key is to identify users who have spent some money (high LTV users) and those with high engagement, i.e., users who are actively playing your game.
You need to upload your mobile game’s user data into a preferred ad network and identify what your users have in common – interests, traits, behaviors, demographics, location, etc.
Then you target users who ‘look’ similar to your high-quality users.
Ad networks like Facebook allow you to create many different lookalike audiences, along with excluding certain audiences.
Lookalike audiences should be smaller since you’re targeting a very specific group of people.
However, even though it’s small, that audience will have a high interest in casino games. This makes it effective and cost-efficient. It results in acquiring high LTV users who are more likely to spend in your game and become loyal players.
However, CPIs tend to be higher for lookalike audiences.
On the other hand, unlike broad audiences, small lookalike audiences result in higher CTR and improved ROAS.
4. Use App Store Optimization to Your Advantage
The casino mobile game market is crowded – it can be quite lucrative and many developers want a piece of that cake.
That’s what makes it so hard to stand out among thousands of casino games in the app stores.
The solution?
Be smart about app store optimization – it aids both organic and paid user acquisition.
But don’t think that following some basic app store optimization tips for mobile games will do the job.
You probably already know that attention-grabbing visuals are very important – your game’s icon, trailer, screenshots. Choosing the right game title, keywords, and description is also essential.
All of that is fine and dandy, but you need to take it one step further.
Instead of doing guesswork, you need to study what your competitors are doing and rigorously test everything.
Even though ASO does require creativity, it all boils down to science and data.
For example, designers might be convinced a design is perfect, but testing can show they were wrong. Relying on your instincts is not a smart strategy when it comes to ASO.
Let’s take game icons as an example.
You have probably noticed that most casino mobile game icons look pretty similar. Images of colorful slot machine reels, playing cards, and a general Las Vegas-esque vibe are prevalent.
These game icons are mercilessly A/B tested, especially if we’re talking about top mobile game publishers.
Nothing is left to chance.
There are even tools that can analyze the design, style, and colors of your icon and tell you how good it is according to the game genre.
So it’s no wonder that, when a winning design formula emerges, it becomes a trend and everybody copies it.
Even though it’s not that original, it makes sense that slot machines would be appealing to casino gamers. A/B tests have proven that.
That’s why it’s smart to keep up with casino trends. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t put your spin on it and make it stand out. Pun intended.
Another example is casino game titles. You’ll often find words like “slots”, “spin” or “roll” in casino game titles. That’s because those keywords work – it’s what users search for in the app store.
5. Partner Up with Established Brands
There’s another trick you can use to gain an advantage over your competitors – team up with popular brands that have a large following.
By doing that, you leverage established brands to make your casino game a hit. When users see a brand they love and trust implemented in a new casino game, they’re more inclined to install it.
Here are some examples of casino mobile games that did just that:
- Monopoly Bingo
- Wizard of Oz Slots
- CSI: Slots
- Game of Thrones Slots Casino
Wondering how to get a famous brand to partner up?
Ask.
Sometimes, it’s that simple.
I can hear you say, “We’re an indie game studio, there’s no way we’ll get a famous brand to team up with us.”
Wrong.
Tiny Rebel Games, an indie game studio, got permission from the BBC to create a game based on Dr. Who.
Can you guess how they did it?
Yes, they asked.
BONUS: Legal Knowledge Is Essential for Casino Games
Casino mobile game developers are met with many challenges other developers don’t have to think about.
When it comes to real-money gambling, you need to make sure your casino game is in line with all state and federal laws.
Since different countries have different legal jurisdictions when it comes to gambling, it’s crucial that you equip yourself with legal knowledge. It is even recommended that you consult an attorney with experience in this field.
When it comes to the U.S., real-money gambling online is legal in only 3 states, Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey, according to attorney Martin D. Owens who specializes in U.S. gaming law.
This is one of the reasons most games are casual casino games, i.e., there are no financial rewards.
Ad networks also have specific rules for advertising casino games. For example, Facebook (Meta) allows developers to advertise social casino games but targeting people under 18 and offering monetary rewards is strictly forbidden.
It’s also a good idea to have multiple versions of your casino game so that every different version complies with the specific laws of a country. This ensures that your product will be 100% legal and safe for users.
For example, PokerStars has as many as 11 versions of the same game.
Casino Games Marketing: Creative Trends & Ad Examples
In the ever-evolving space of casino games marketing, it’s crucial to stay atop the latest advertising trends.
Data from AppMagic reveals that the majority of ad impressions for the casino game market originate from India, the United States, and Brazil. The ad networks contributing the most impressions include Google AdMob, Unity, Facebook, YouTube, IronSource, and Vungle.
Understanding and leveraging these trends and platforms can significantly enhance the visibility and success of your casino mobile game.
Now, let’s dive into some specific creative trends and examples that are making a mark in the industry.
Featuring Meta-Layers
Many social casino games now integrate additional game mechanics and features beyond the traditional casino elements, and these aspects are prominently highlighted in their ads. A game called Animal Kingdom, akin to Coin Master, seamlessly blends in a running mechanic where players dash and accumulate coins.
The objective behind such diverse ads is clear – to appeal to a broader spectrum of players and not just confine to those enticed by classic casino elements.
By projecting these varied features in ads, games like Animal Kingdom are successfully expanding their target audience, ensuring their appeal resonates far and wide.
Collect Free Reward
Another impactful trend in casino games marketing is the promotion of free rewards within the ads. Casino games inherently revolve around winnings and rewards, and ads that highlight free coins tend to garner significant attention. It’s a straightforward yet potent strategy to encourage players to download the game.
Consider the example of Jackpot Party Casino by SciPlay. Their ad prominently features an irresistible offer: the opportunity to collect 45 million coins. Accompanied by a clear and inviting “redeem” button, this ad effectively taps into the players’ desire for rewards, enhancing the likelihood of downloads.
Next, we will explore another emerging trend that is making a difference in casino game marketing campaigns.
Viral Audio
One interesting trend in casino game marketing is the utilization of viral audio to capture attention and convey messages effectively.
Take the example of Cash Winner Casino Slots. This game boasts the #1 and #3 ads in the US casino game market by the number of impressions. Both ads ingeniously employ audio from the song “Choices (Yup)” by rapper E-40.
The ads feature a sequence where the words “nope” and “yup” from the song interchangeably answer various queries about the game. Questions like “Is it a scam?” are met with a firm “nope,” while “Is it easy?” is greeted with a confident “yup.”
This clever and catchy use of audio delivers clear, concise answers about the game, making it a memorable and effective marketing strategy.
Playable Ads
Playable ads stand out as another effective trend in casino game marketing. Many games opt for this straightforward approach, presenting viewers with an interactive snippet of actual gameplay.
A notable example is Bingo Card Klondike Adventures, which features uncomplicated bingo gameplay in its ads.
By giving prospective players a taste of the game action, these playable ads serve as a compelling call to action. They encourage ad viewers to immerse themselves in the game immediately, motivating them to download and explore the game further.
This tactic effectively bridges the gap between viewing an ad and taking the action to download, making it a beneficial strategy in the world of casino game marketing.
Unique Slots
For casino games marketing campaigns, the presentation of unique slots takes a significant place, especially for games in the slots subgenre. The emphasis here is on showcasing a diverse, but recognizable, array of slot designs.
Utilizing visually appealing slots or those reminiscent of legendary Vegas slots known to players can be a game-changer.
A case in point is the top-performing ad from Legendary Hero Slots. This ad employs dark fantasy-themed slots gameplay, accompanied by suspenseful music, adding a sense of excitement.
Such thoughtful representation not only captures attention but also elevates the overall appeal of the game, which encourages more downloads and engagement.
Testimonials
Another notable trend in casino game marketing is the use of testimonials within ads. Many games employ actors, often women in their 30s and 40s, who pose as genuine players, articulating their profitable experiences with the game. Though these testimonials frequently promise real cash rewards, it’s crucial to recognize these claims as typically misleading.
Take the ad from Lucky Match Slots for example.
The initial segment of the ad is characterized by a persuasive testimonial, underscoring the availability of real cash rewards from the game. Despite the deceptive messaging, this tactic proves effective in attracting players by infusing the appearance of trust and personal touch into the ad.
Deepfake Technology
The utilization of deepfake technology marks a cutting-edge shift in advertising strategies. By employing AI-generated voices and visuals of well-known figures, casino game marketing transcends traditional boundaries, offering a seemingly authentic and persuasive narrative.
An example that stands out is Plinko Master’s ad. It features a deepfake voice of Andrew Tate, a controversial personality, creating an illusion that he is endorsing the game.
Despite ethical concerns, this approach effectively garners attention, resonating with potential players and encouraging them to explore the game further.
Influencer Marketing
Embracing the power of influence is another substantial trend among casino games marketing campaigns.
The famed social casino game, Coin Master, stands as a noteworthy example of this marketing strategy. It has featured celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, and the Kardashians, making the game’s ads more compelling and relatable.
The presence of well-known personalities in advertisements projects the image that these celebrities are regular players of Coin Master, which adds a layer of aspiration and relatability to the game.
Casino Games Marketing: Final Thoughts
Casino games marketing strategies are all about staying updated and creative.
It’s crucial to use different tactics, whether that’s showing off unique slots, using innovative technology, or working with an influencer.
Keep an eye on new and evolving trends to make your casino mobile game stand out and attract many players. Got thoughts or questions? Feel free to drop a comment below.
Data source: AppMagic, a leading ad intelligence platform. Get 3 days of free access to all AppMagic’s features, as well as 10% off, by clicking on this link.
Comments