A casino without customers doesn’t last, and those that don’t value their customers’ opinions don’t last much longer. Now, I know I’m not going to win any prizes for insight of the century with that particular eye-opener, but it’s a good starting point. Casinos are a service business, and the user’s whole experience is the most important component behind the success of any gambling platform.
Online casino game design works similarly – if nobody is playing the games, or they’re not appealing to users, the platform is bleeding money and wasting resources, time and investment. I will deal with casino game design in different sections today because it’s reductive to lump them all together. For instance, the user experience of a video poker game is entirely different from that of the user who plays niche games such as Wheel of Fortune or Aviator. However, the point remains: a casino game is often only as good as its number of users and the profit it generates.
The customer is always right
What a trite and misleading phrase that is. In casino gaming, user experience is usually pivotal to the industry’s direction. In my opinion, the customer is not always right, but most of the time, when enough of them voice the same opinion, they’re not wrong. I understand that’s a far more long-winded way of saying it and it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue in the same way as “the customer is always right”, but nobody else has better first-hand experience of a game than the gambler who is sat there playing it.
Online platforms are for more likely to take heed of constructive criticism from level-headed gamers who identify issues with user experience, can voice their issues clearly and don’t leave a 4,000-word review in caps lock about how a casino is robbing them and how it’s a scam and not to be trusted.
Game designers will rigorously test their games and usually roll out demo versions to try to iron out any potential flaws before they go live on casino sites. However, because the industry moves so quickly, is 24/7, and time is money, finding the balance between ironing out bugs and getting games to market can cost thousands of dollars a day. Hence, user experience is vital to pick up some of the problems that are missed in initial tests.
Breaking down different casino user experiences
Due to the size of the casino gaming industry, there are different facets to consider when designing an online casino game – let’s look at some of the key ones:
Blackjack and roulette
If we look at these two classic games through the prism of user experience, roulette and blackjack are relatively inflexible. Yes, some deviations exist from the original games, but they operate within a very slender set of variables.
Ultimately, the user experience of the games boils down to whether they work correctly, have no latency issues and don’t have any problems when you place your bet, or on any potential payout. From a gaming mechanic or innovation perspective, users know what they will get. Some providers have innovated by bringing in secondary elements that complement the game, whether it’s a live chat option or the ability to engage with a live dealer, but aside from the speed of the games improving, the broader game experience hasn’t changed much at all over the last 20 years.
Poker
Online poker is an anomaly in gambling – by all accounts, it shouldn’t have transitioned well into the digital world. I remember speaking to people in the industry back in the early 2000s who were sure that poker would not be able to translate online.
While many failed to grasp that video poker in the 1980s had shown a market for games that didn’t involve posturing and psychological flexes, I was surprised to see just how big online poker has become. While I’d apply the same points I made about roulette and blackjack to poker, such as rigid rules, the limited potential for gaming innovation etc, poker differs, as live streaming technology is imperative for sites to operate.
Some online poker games go on for hours, with prizes in the millions of dollars, and some casinos will stream them online, too. Any platform that fails to meet the streaming requirements will drive poker fans and players right to the competition; even a minor slip-up could cost the operator dearly in the long run.
Online poker, blackjack and roulette game design focuses on video streaming technology, and the main priority is maximising the quality of the user experience. Other areas of game design actively seek out customer experience and quickly seek out ways to implement it into future game design or as part of upgrades to existing titles.
Slot machine gaming
If I’m examining which sector within the online casino industry is most influenced or affected by user experience, the slot gaming industry is probably the obvious choice. Unlike the other games we touched on in this section, slot gaming is a colossal sector, encompassing tens of thousands of games and hundreds of design companies looking to capitalise on the potential profit for those who can get it right.
You can see how user experience has transformed the slot game design experience. Mythology slot games became hugely popular, and before we knew it, hundreds of games featured Zeus, Tutankhamun or Cleopatra on the home page of many top casino sites. Irish slots were the same; following the success of Rainbow Riches, it seemed like leprechauns had taken over the industry.
Feedback is vital to the consistent growth of slot gaming, and designers, to their credit, generally think outside the box. During my lengthy time in the casino business, I’ve encountered some of the most ridiculous themes imaginable, and perhaps the most absurd part is that some of them went on to win awards and attract substantial new audiences.
Defining user experience
Although user experience might be an objective term, there’s a broad range of elements that you’d consider when describing good user experience. Well, I would, anyway. Two of the most vital criteria are how well casino game designers implement the feedback they receive and how proactive they are in identifying upcoming trends.
While it might not sound like much, these criteria often separate the elite game designers from those who put together a competent but relatively uninspiring package of games.
Those who are proactive will branch into all areas to try and get inspiration for a fresh idea or two. Some slot gaming companies will look at the successful titles or genres in PC gaming and try to get branded games, or in some cases, blatant rip-offs, to try and scoop up some of the hysteria following a particular TV or film at that time.
Without overcomplicating it, my opinion on user experience is that it is demonstrated in a casino game that does what it says it will and has no latency issues. A game design company that listens to feedback and accordingly integrates it into the future design of its games also shows that it understands the importance of the end user.
Encompassing all platforms
I’m not going to use the word one-dimensional, but online casino gaming has gone from a regimented and fairly set way of operating to a multi-faceted juggernaut of an industry. The rise of mobile app betting and other less popular but equally innovative ways to play, such as VR gaming, has kept online casino game designers on their toes.
If we bring it back to slot machine gaming, the ideal user experience is a game that translates just as well on a PC as on a smartphone or tablet. Admittedly, I haven’t come across this for a few years now, but I remember when tablets were emerging as a preferred way for people to play slots, and you could find some games that were compatible with iOS and not Android, and vice versa.
Some games would only be compatible with a laptop, and have a dreadful user experience on a smartphone. These issues were ironed out, pronto. Many game designers who threw together such lacklustre products didn’t last long in the industry, and it’s a sure-fire way of ensuring users sever any ties with big casino platforms. Without user experience and feedback, these issues can sometimes go unresolved or overlooked for much longer than they should.
Final thoughts
Online casino game design isn’t entirely governed by user experience or customer feedback. It does, however make up an essential part of the wider process. Suppose user experience is overwhelmingly poor, or data shows that people spend less time playing a particular game in comparison to the competition or similar types of casino games – in that case, designers will obviously heed this and go back to the drawing board.
For more popular games, the feedback regarding user experience will be far more nuanced, and there can be some push and pull. It’s vital to the industry overall, and it will continue to play a crucial role in the direction online game designers take when they’re putting together new gaming ideas and designs.
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