Social casinos enjoy huge popularity with the global value of the market estimated to be in the region of $7bn annually. As one of the top-grossing mobile gaming genres, we analyse the place that it occupies in the gaming ecosystem and examine its growth.
In the concluding part of our latest iGaming Expert roundtable, Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, Bernd Eibl, Director of Brand Management Social at Greentube, and Rory Kimber, Commercial Director at LuckyStreak, rounds things off by addressing the allure of gamification techniques and if the demand for social casinos will continue to surge.
iGaming Expert: Is the use of gamification and player engagement strategies greater in a social casino given their community environment?
Dmitry Starostenkov: Absolutely. The community environment of social casinos fosters a greater emphasis on gamification and player engagement strategies. Features such as leaderboards, social sharing, and community events enhance the overall experience and encourage players to interact with one another.
This social aspect not only increases player retention but also drives engagement, as players are motivated to participate in challenges and compete with friends. The focus on community makes social casinos a fertile ground for innovative engagement strategies.
Bernd Eibl: Yes, the emphasis on communal experiences is a defining feature of social casinos. Gamification and player engagement strategies—such as leaderboards, achievements, loyalty systems, team-based leagues, and tournaments—have become integral.
Products like Diamond Cash Slots, Slotpark and Gaminator illustrate how team dynamics and league structures enhance community involvement, encouraging players to collaborate, compete, and interact regularly. This social proof and recognition (e.g., posting top team rankings on social media channels celebrating player achievements publicly) contribute to heightened engagement.
Such features drive user retention and foster a vibrant, interactive ecosystem where players gain satisfaction from individual and collective accomplishments.
Rory Kimber: I think for sure, social casinos rely more heavily on these tools to engage players because they can’t rely on the monetary factor.
The preferences of the player for a more interactive experience means that brands in this space are often leaders in promotional tools like tournaments, leaderboards and achievements, to engage users through the player-to-player interaction and challenges, earning badges and ranks.
Players don’t care about their bank balance, you have to engineer a way for them to be invested, and whilst that’s harder it also breeds innovation.
It’s no surprise that games developers are taking inspiration from this to engage, retain and grow player values, win market share from competitor providers, offer points of difference, provide for changing operator requirements, dovetail into platform level loyalty systems. Some very successful real money games providers have their history in social gaming, Red Rake being a good example.
iGX: How do you see the popularity of social casinos developing in 2025?
BE: By 2025, social casinos are poised to become even more integral to the broader gaming landscape. Their popularity will likely be fueled by:
- Continuous innovation in engagement mechanics: Advanced personalisation, innovative reward systems, and evolving competitive formats will keep players invested. As developers experiment with new features first in social environments, the overall quality and sophistication of the genre will rise.
- Enhanced social features: Expect deeper team-based dynamics, multi-tiered league systems, and more complex collaborative and competitive events. The increasing importance of community engagement is evident in current offerings and will only intensify as developers fine-tune the social experience.
- Larger, more diverse audiences: The ability to play without financial pressure will continue to attract broad demographics worldwide. Millions of daily players enjoy competitive and cooperative play, which will likely grow as accessibility and community-building features improve.
- Integration with social media: Social media amplification—such as sharing achievements, team results, and avatars —will remain a cornerstone, galvanising player pride and status-seeking. Players’ organic formation of discussion groups and fan communities will contribute to the cultural resonance of social casino experiences.
RK: It’s a big and readily growing market, and it naturally offers new growth opportunities for operators and providers to leverage their products, expertise and knowledge to generate significant incremental value and strong margins. And as ever, in our great industry, innovation, entertainment and engagement are at the core.
This is the rocket-fuel for continued development; more providers will enter the space, games and experiences will continually improve. There will be new games that set the world alight as we tap into newer audiences with already higher expectations. Particularly in the US, where the prize is huge and the audience hasn’t yet dedicated what games it likes best.
DS: I anticipate that the popularity of social casinos will continue to grow significantly in 2025. As technology advances and mobile gaming becomes even more accessible, social casinos will attract a broader audience, including younger players who are more inclined to engage in social gaming experiences.
Additionally, the integration of augmented reality and virtual reality technologies could further enhance the immersive experience, making social casinos even more appealing. Overall, I believe that social casinos will solidify their position as a vital component of the gaming ecosystem, bridging the gap between casual and real money gaming.
