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 an 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, first delve into the role that these can play in engaging players, the cross-over potential possessed and overall purpose served when it comes to development practices.
iGaming Expert: How significant is the role that social casinos play in attracting new players?
Dmitry Starostenkov: Social casinos play a crucial role in attracting new players to the gaming ecosystem. They serve as an entry point for casual gamers who may not be ready to engage in real money gaming.
By providing a risk-free environment where players can enjoy casino-style games without financial stakes, social casinos help to familiarise users with game mechanics and build their confidence. This exposure can lead to a natural progression towards real money gaming as players seek to enhance their experience and potentially earn rewards.
Bernd Eibl: Social casinos play a primary role as entry points for players. By offering a no or low-stakes environment, they appeal to a broad demographic looking for entertainment rather than monetary gain.
The appeal of competition, team-based activities, and community interaction – such as leaderboard rankings, team challenges, and interactive events – further increases their allure.
The ability for players to jump in without financial pressure expands the player base, as seen in platforms like GameTwist, Diamond Cash Slots, Slotpark, and Gaminator. These products attract millions of players daily, indicating that accessible, socially driven gaming experiences are key to onboarding new audiences.
Rory Kimber: Social casino can play a major role in new player acquisition. On the one hand, they’re a destination in their own right; with a much more social-focused experience that goes beyond just the gaming, they attract players looking for fun and social engagement rather than to gamble. Social casino operators have built huge player bases in this regard.
Separately, they can act as a source of real money players for iGaming businesses that are also active in this space. There will always be a segment of a social casino base that is attracted by this opportunity, and offering seamless ways to migrate through brand partnerships and shared rewards will support this.
iGX: What is the crossover of social casino players who also enjoy real money gaming? Are there any noticeable trends?
BE: Social casinos and real money gaming may share some audience; nevertheless, the overlap is minor. Trends show players enjoy honing their skills and exploring game mechanics in a competition-rich, low-pressure environment like social casinos.
Features like leaderboards or team-based treasure hunts encourage a comfort level with the gameplay itself. Moreover, the sense of accomplishment, recognition, and community fostered by social features increases players’ excitement, and they prioritise this aspect over the real money experience.
RK: There’s often less of a crossover than you may think. A key factor is the market, and in this way the US market stands out: the state of online casino licensing means there is a less established real money gaming market – not like there is in regulated European markets for instance.
So there is less established player preference and behaviours in the market, the few states that have legalised online casinos have done so in the last few years, meaning adoption is not established yet. In the rest – the vast majority – there are no legal real money online casinos, so a ‘legal’ alternative like social casinos have huge opportunities. As well as being a chance for operators to learn about their future customers.
Alternatively, in Europe for instance, the spectrum of gaming offerings are broad, from the Candy Crush right through to P2P poker. All are very established, prominent and highly discoverable, and the overlap is far greater.
DS: There is a significant crossover between social casino players and real money gamers. Many players who start in social casinos eventually transition to real money gaming, especially if they find enjoyment in the games and community aspects.
Notable trends include an increase in the number of players who engage in both formats, as well as a growing interest in hybrid games that blend social and real money elements. This crossover indicates that social casinos can effectively nurture a player base that is more likely to convert to real money gaming.
iGX: Are there games developed specifically for this purpose?
RK: Yes certainly. And no surprise given the size of the market, estimated at $7.5bn worldwide. Whether they are traditional real money casino games providers or from the mobile gaming apps market, there’s an understanding that social casino players, in many cases, want more than just the chance to win cash.
They want gamification, achievements, tournaments, leaderboards. They want social connectivity and communities. They want a fun, interactive, engaging experience beyond just winning on the games.
It’s a mind-shift in terms of game design, but also for the operators and platform developers, a seamless integration of all these elements into the wider gaming experience. So it makes sense that the successful developers have experience, know their customers more.
DS: Yes, there are games specifically developed for social casinos that can later be adapted for real money gaming. This approach allows developers to test game mechanics, player engagement, and monetisation strategies in a low-risk environment.
The potential for launching games in social casinos first is significant, as it provides valuable insights into player preferences and behaviors. Successful titles can then be fine-tuned and transitioned to real money platforms, ensuring a smoother launch and higher chances of success.
BE: Absolutely. Many titles are designed to excel in social casinos by emphasising striking graphics, engaging gameplay twists, and multi-layered player interactions, such as leaderboards, team competitions, and chat functionalities.
Social casinos provide a fertile testing ground: developers can refine game mechanics and social features – like team-based goals, league systems, and collaboration-based rewards – in response to player feedback. For example, the transition from single-player leaderboard to multi-player team competitions shows an iterative approach guided by user engagement metrics.
Of course, by perfecting the communal and competitive dimensions in a social environment, developers can introduce more polished versions of these games into real-money markets with greater confidence in their future success.
