As consumer trends change, it’s important for iGaming operators to adapt to best engage and serve their customers. There are a few examples of online casino and sportsbook operators that have updated their offerings to meet the growing demands of players. We’ve seen sportsbooks offer features like live and in-play betting, same game parlays, and early cash outs to name a few.

We’ve also seen more online casinos and sportsbooks offer players the ability to bet in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum as blockchain technology continues to be adopted. Today, the growing trend for operators is to incorporate mobile iGaming technology into their platforms so bettors can wager on their favourite sports and play casino games using mobile devices and smartphones.

Over the past couple of decades, the way consumers access the internet has changed drastically. In the early days of the web, people could only access the internet through desktop computers that were the size of a small refrigerator. Since then, and especially over the past decade, the emergence of smartphones and faster global internet speeds allow people to access the internet from almost anywhere. Thanks to the proliferation of more affordable and powerful smartphone technology, parts of the world that previously did not have easy access to the internet now do.

Thanks to innovation in internet and mobile technology, online casino and sportsbook operators can no longer rely on old technology that was built for the previous version of iGaming experiences. Nowadays, operators need to have online casino software that is built from a mobile-first standpoint. It’s not enough to simply allow access to gaming websites through smartphones. The whole gaming experience must be designed for mobile iGaming experiences.

We all get annoyed or frustrated when we visit a website from our mobile device that clearly doesn’t have a user interface designed for mobile. So just because your players can access your website through their mobile devices, doesn’t mean that they will enjoy their playing experience.

Some operators may think that it is excessive to prioritize a mobile experience, here is why they are wrong.

In the first quarter of 2023, over 58% of global web traffic came from mobile devices.

Since the majority of global web traffic comes from mobile devices, particularly in emerging markets, iGaming operators need their technology to be built to accommodate that traffic. They should choose white label casino or white label sportsbook software that puts an emphasis on the mobile playing experience.

Every iGaming operator knows that user experience is crucial, and that a customer’s first impression determines whether they will stay or go to a competitor. If a customer attempts to create an account and wager on their smartphone with an operator who has a poor mobile experience relative to any of their competitors, they will simply take their business elsewhere. For iGaming operators competing in a competitive market, you need to be able to convert and retain players from the outset. As such operators who treat the mobile betting experience as a secondary concern over desktop wagering risk losing out on potential players. The Ultimate iGaming Operator Marketing Playbook touches on the importance of mobile optimization and how it relates to converting players.

Mobile apps might seem like an easier solution than revamping an entire platform or switching iGaming technology providesr, however mobile apps have several critical flaws for most iGaming operators.

For starters, mobile apps create additional risks since they are reliant on the 3rd party app store providers. Historically, Apple and Google have not been keen on allowing real-money gaming apps in their stores. While they are starting to loosen the rules in certain markets, their rules are arbitrary and can be changed at any time – creating a possibility that an operator’s app could be pulled without warning. Further, app stores are not available in every country, and their rules for what apps are available differ from country to country, further complicating matters for multi-national operators.

Additionally, mobile apps are not a user-friendly experience. Instead of simply going to an operator’s website, a customer needs to go through the process of downloading an app. If a potential bettor is looking at different iGaming platforms, do you think they are going to try the one that requires them to download an app, or one that allows them to simply go to their website?

This is not to say that there is harm in offering players a ramp onto your platform via an app, just that it is not a comprehensive mobile iGaming solution on its own. To ensure that all bettors have an optimal experience, the gaming platform needs to be built from the ground up for mobile users.

Request a demo here or contact [email protected] to learn more about switching to mobile-first technology can improve your operation, and drive more revenue for your business.