GPWA Times - Issue 20 - March 2012

P oker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . While poker is just as historically estab- lished as bingo and casino, it is definitely more of a young man’s game. Poker play- ers are typically males between the ages of 18 and 50, with a skew toward the younger end of the range. Poker players tend to have a much higher lifetime net worth and due to the individualistic nature of the game are much more competitive than their bingo and casino counterparts. Due to the higher player values, poker pro- motions must adequately address player worth in order to succeed. This generally means sign-up bonuses with 100 percent to 300 percent deposit bonuses. A match like that would be unfeasible for other verticals, but the returns on poker players are generally more lucrative. Since poker players require such a high match as an incentive, it is crucial to follow up wel- come bonuses with effective loyalty-based retention promotions. Strong promotions to ensure steady play can include distrib- uting redeemable loyalty points based on real-money play. When a player deposits a certain amount of money, or plays spe- cific types of games, he will receive loyalty points which, regardless of the outcome of game play, can later be spent on prizes and other offerings. Since poker is a competition-based ver- tical, providing players with tourna- ments is often a well-received promotion. Regularly scheduled tournaments with guaranteed high-money value, such as a monthly $40K tournament, keep play- ers interested and, due to the skill asso- ciated with poker, encourage more non- tournament play. These tournaments can be scheduled on a day when player traf- fic is low to encourage more player par- “The promotions that pique the interest of the older female demographic prevalent in bingo may do little to encourage younger male poker players.” Vertical leap: driving player deposits through targeted promotions