As the unstoppable momentum of the US’s rollout continues, the ability to rapidly scale up operations will be the key difference.
But empires need solid foundations. That means delivering a full-service gaming ecosystem combining all verticals and offering multiple, flexible components to fully accompany the customer.
The ability to offer this is especially important in a rapidly expanding market like the US, where a full player account management (PAM) system is essential to deliver a 360-degree offering in what is, in effect, only recently online territory.
We know a 360 offering can be the real difference, and not all major US sportsbook suppliers have this. Indeed, those lacking such a comprehensive offer have felt the effects.
The wallet element of the PAM system is the real differentiator, and the more dynamic your customer journey is, the more your offering will resonate with the modern American player.
Putting it in perspective, a multi-state roll-out necessitates the ability to use single logins across multiple territories. For customers of many traditional US operators, this means downloading a new mobile app each time they cross a state line. Removing this obstacle to customer loyalty is essential, especially when it comes to scaling up and becoming a multi-state operator.
We’ve seen this happen a lot in our multi-state rollouts since 2018. It’s all about conceiving and building solutions that are unique to the needs of the growing US market. Those solutions must be then tailormade for the new dynamic of the American opportunity – and a full-service PAM system is key to that.
With a sharpened focus on the player journey, these KYC-based features make it easier than ever for customers to get involved in the action, and as quickly as possible. Each additional second lost during the sign-up process can translate into a loss of initial retention.
Of course, customers are looking for more than merely a simple sign-up. A solid bonus engine is also a cornerstone of the PAM offering, and with it, igaming specifically. Leading suppliers like Red Tiger, NetEnt and Evolution are making the most of the igaming gold rush in the US, and with good reason. Until now, igaming has lagged in development, as despite being regulated in a few states going back to 2013, momentum and political will had been lacking. That all changed in 2018, when the re-interpretated PASPA made regulated sportsbook offerings possible in a majority of states. This overnight sea-change led to multi-state roll-outs, meaning operators need to be able to quickly scale across multiple states. So hub-and-spoke architecture is feasible via just one app. This is not yet a mainstream offering in the US, but is what operators need to start doing if they want to lay claim to a coherent, truly multi-state presence.
With the right platform, operators are able to deliver a completely new online experience for players, unrecognizable from the fractured player journey that early adopters saw. Suppliers that are able offer that kind of smooth UX across multiple states will have those strong foundations in place, and the basis for potentially spectacular future growth.
The design, look and feel of such an app is also essential to delivering a smooth user journey. After all, this is one of the world’s most discerning markets for customer UX when it comes to entertainment. This means the ability to offer differentiators is critical. Bonus campaigns with interchangeable widgets – all embedded with igaming – will eliminate the need for a separate app to enter the casino lobby, boosting retention rates.
Perhaps the greatest opportunity that PAM can create in the US is to introduce the user to the next generation of online entertainment. In many ways, the American mobile UX has been behind what players expect in European markets. For suppliers that can match and even exceed the European customer experience, the US truly is the land of opportunity.
