Simmo!
16th Dec 2008, 10:09 AM
Many affiliates include links to what are considered "responsible gaming" sites like Gamblers Anonymous, UK Gambling Commission, Gamcare etc, which is a step in the right direction and also (if you believe what you read) has some SEO benefit too. But let's be honest, for most of us it's just a nod in the right direction and while a sensible move, is probably just a quick throw-away thought.
But responsible gaming is a serious part of the industry and IMO affiliates can benefit far more from giving this a little more thought. When you read up on player forums, you often see players with problems and it's probably fair to say that a large majority of them probably wouldn't want to "open up" to a group like Gamblers Anon or Gamcare.
As an affiliate, it makes a lot of sense to write up your own suggestions for gambling responsibly and include information from the casinos, poker rooms etc that is pertinent. The principle benefit here is that it will help to encourage some loyalty because many savvy players will, even subconsciously, make a note that you are presenting them with good, honest information and that breeds a trust factor. It also provides you with more content!
Here's another thing too: a player who overspends off the bat is far more likley to uninstall a casino in disgust. It makes far more sense to have a player who plays within their limits as they will develop more of a comfort factor and stay at that casino (and thus affiliated to you) a lot longer. Trust me on that, I know first-hand!
In fact, as a player myself, I set reponsible gaming limits at all of the casinos I play. Some I set myself, others are imposed. For example, Canbet sets a £2,000 weekly deposit limit automatically for new players which they physically have to request an increase for. Wagerworks casinos all have a facility that allows the player to set the limits daily, weekly, monthly, by losses or on a specific wagering amount when they log in. Not all players probably know it's there but you could educate them on that. Microgaming casinos do it on request (as do the reputable RTG's) but are limited to a daily/weekly deposit limit.
It's well worth looking into this if you don't already. And it's worth mentioning the Reverse Pending times too as it's very relevant to the player experience (negatively affecting it) - but I'll concentrate on that in a seperate topic at some point as it's an area I feel very strongly about. If anyone else does anyhting in this area or has any tips, do share.
Cheers
Simmo!
But responsible gaming is a serious part of the industry and IMO affiliates can benefit far more from giving this a little more thought. When you read up on player forums, you often see players with problems and it's probably fair to say that a large majority of them probably wouldn't want to "open up" to a group like Gamblers Anon or Gamcare.
As an affiliate, it makes a lot of sense to write up your own suggestions for gambling responsibly and include information from the casinos, poker rooms etc that is pertinent. The principle benefit here is that it will help to encourage some loyalty because many savvy players will, even subconsciously, make a note that you are presenting them with good, honest information and that breeds a trust factor. It also provides you with more content!
Here's another thing too: a player who overspends off the bat is far more likley to uninstall a casino in disgust. It makes far more sense to have a player who plays within their limits as they will develop more of a comfort factor and stay at that casino (and thus affiliated to you) a lot longer. Trust me on that, I know first-hand!
In fact, as a player myself, I set reponsible gaming limits at all of the casinos I play. Some I set myself, others are imposed. For example, Canbet sets a £2,000 weekly deposit limit automatically for new players which they physically have to request an increase for. Wagerworks casinos all have a facility that allows the player to set the limits daily, weekly, monthly, by losses or on a specific wagering amount when they log in. Not all players probably know it's there but you could educate them on that. Microgaming casinos do it on request (as do the reputable RTG's) but are limited to a daily/weekly deposit limit.
It's well worth looking into this if you don't already. And it's worth mentioning the Reverse Pending times too as it's very relevant to the player experience (negatively affecting it) - but I'll concentrate on that in a seperate topic at some point as it's an area I feel very strongly about. If anyone else does anyhting in this area or has any tips, do share.
Cheers
Simmo!