As the casino industry was focused on why millennials weren’t gambling, now that Gen Zers are entering their early 20s the focus has shifted toward making gambling more enticing to them.
This new audience cohort are digital natives and are already shaping iGaming preferences. Here’s how casinos are accommodating them by meeting their individual needs and expectations.
AI-Driven Chatbots
AI chatbots are powerful tools for companies looking to provide customer support and create engaging experiences at scale. They are capable of providing prompt and tailored responses, collecting user feedback, automating support queries and automating routine support requests – in addition to beta testing new features to ensure users understand them fully.
NLP allows AI-powered chatbots to interpret user queries and understand their intent, so as to meet users’ needs more effectively. Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), on the other hand, enables these chatbots to search external knowledge bases or documents for relevant information.
Anthropomorphism is another feature of AI-powered chatbots that makes them appear more humanlike and increases perceived personalization, but its effect depends on an individual’s level of situational loneliness; to avoid becoming deceptive or annoying, care must be taken when adding this feature.
Social Media Platforms
Gen Z is an extremely socially aware generation and prefer casinos that reflect this in their experiences beyond gaming, such as hosting exclusive entertainment acts or pop-up activities. Furthermore, adding social media elements into casino marketing campaigns to drive engagement may also prove successful in engaging Gen Z visitors.
Gen Z has grown up immersed in technology, and as such craves interactive experiences and seamless digital integration. They respond favorably to esports gambling which allows them to engage with players from around the world while competing in organized tournaments; virtual reality gambling also appeals to their technologically-inclined natures.
This demographic tends to be budget-minded and prioritize brands’ transparency as well as sustainability initiatives and responsible gambling practices. Therefore, they’re drawn to online casinos offering flexible payment options and digital loyalty programs; additionally they embrace influencer partnerships which help promote their favorite gambling venues while simultaneously increasing brand recognition.
Virtual Reality
Generation Z are technologically-savvy individuals who prefer digital gaming experiences when engaging in gambling activities, so casino operators have begun investing in VR casinos and games as well as social betting platforms in order to appeal to Gen Z’s preferences.
Gen Z is particularly drawn to esports betting and fantasy sports, which provide greater control and participation compared to traditional slot machines. Furthermore, these forms of gaming satisfy Gen Z’s preference for community: through social media platforms they are able to form friendships with those who share similar betting interests while discussing strategies.
AI algorithms can assist customer service agents in faster identifying and resolving issues – something Gen Z expects from all digital experiences. Furthermore, AI can detect patterns that indicate problematic gambling behaviors to prompt platforms to limit access or provide resources on responsible gambling – this proactive approach is key for combatting gambling addiction among younger generations.
Metaverse
Gen Z gamers spend much of their gaming time immersed in the Metaverse, an expansive virtual space outside the usual boundaries and expectations of video games. It arises as a result of trends within individual titles extending into wider online environments, and holds immense promise to shape how we live, work, and play in future years.
The Metaverse is more than a mere game platform; it’s an immersive digital environment in which people can socialize, learn, travel and make money. According to a worldwide February 2022 survey, two popular activities among Gen Z consumers in this virtual environment include playing video games and attending virtual concerts from artists they admire.
As tech companies and casinos race to create the next generation of virtual reality experiences, marketers must adjust their strategies accordingly. Brands must not only understand the technologies, platforms and hardware supporting Metaverse but must also pay attention to socialization strategies, designs and content that will ensure its success.
