Are operators ignoring their most valuable players?

While men still make up the majority of players, Optimove research reveals that women are actually the more valuable players. Ahead of International Women’s Day, which falls this Friday (March 8), Optimove vice president of revenue Asaf Cohen digs into the data to show that women are winning the Battle of the Sexes in online gaming.

A common myth in the gaming industry associates gambling with men, asserting that they are more invested financially and emotionally in this activity. But the rise of online casinos, and the anonymity they provide, brought new trends to the roles gender plays in the gambling space.

Optimove’s research covers eleven leading casino brands in Europe and more than 9m transactions. The data reveals that despite making up 51% of the world's population, women account for just 28% of registered players. Despite being in the minority, female customers are arguably more valuable than their male counterparts:

– Women tend to deposit smaller amounts, but they do so more often: 32.3 times a year on average, compared to 19.4 times on average for men.

– When looking at the yearly average deposit amount, women outspend men by some distance; their average annual deposit stands at €1,143, compared to €940 for men.

– Women’s gross gaming revenue is higher than men’s, with average annual GGR at €604 to men’s €546.

– Women’s average total bet is also higher, peaking at €12,395 compared to men’s €10,360.

Looking beyond numbers, female customers are valuable in terms of betting behaviour. They tend to be more loyal to the brand of their choice, with higher survival rates for the first four months: 19% for women compared to 17% for men for month two, 14% for women compared to 12% for men for month three, and 11% for women compared to 9% for men for month four.

But perhaps most surprising is women’s place within iGaming VIPs. Analysing the top 1% of depositors shows that women make up 34% of iGaming VIPs, despite owning just 28% of registered accounts. This shows that women become VIPs more often than men.

This research raises the question many operators are – or should be – asking themselves. How can they court women and score more valuable players? Not to play into gender stereotypes, but a little makeover can’t hurt. Make the look and feel of online casinos less masculine, and create environments that entice both sexes to engage.

Next, create special offers that cater specifically to women players and celebrate them – after all, International Women’s Day is coming up, remember?

Most importantly, look deep into the data and learn about the wants and needs of women players. Use this insight to communicate with these players in an emotionally intelligent way which will increase their loyalty and participation.  This will be the start of a long-term relationship between operators and their women players, that will recognize as players and their role within the online gaming industry.