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Part 3: Crossing the channels: Developing an omnichannel offering Building an omnichannel future for European casinos
Yet Pettemerides says Grosvenor’ s unified land-based and online gaming experience has proven successful.“ We’ ve seen a significant increase in number of visits and spend in our venues, once a customer plays with us online.”
Despite this successful consolidation of channels and customer databases, it’ s important not to provide too much of a distinction between online and land-based play. It has to work in tandem, he adds.
“ This isn’ t a one-way push in customers from venues to online – we provide a joined-up experience across the brand with a membership system that rewards loyalty based on customer preferences and gameplay,” he explains.
THE POTENTIAL OF LINKING PLAY
In terms of whether online or landbased casinos have more potential, the Covid-19 pandemic may have skewed things in favour of digital offers. But as part of an omnichannel offering, landbased and online play are inherently linked. Therefore, the performance of one channel is linked to the other.
It’ s also worth noting the presence of igaming in Bliem’ s and Pettemerides’ respective regions. While igaming is established in Great Britain, it’ s a relatively new feature in Switzerland. This explains the differences in approach between the two operators.
In terms of the worldwide lockdowns in 2020, Bliem reveals that online play
“ We have very high tax rates in Switzerland and we have more or less the same tax rates offline and online, so it doesn’ t make sense for us to shift revenue from one channel to the other”
WOLFGANG BLIEM,
CASINO LUZERN
did not support land-based play at all for Casino Luzern.
“ Last year, some people were saying that the online business was so huge, that there were too many advertisements,” reveals Bliem.
“ But in reality, the total amount spent in offline and online was less than the year before. So the online did not compensate the reduction in the offline. There’ s a different customer group, different behaviours, and the link between the spending is not big.”
Both Bliem and Pettemerides see omnichannel performance as inherently connected. This outlook, which seems to have proven positive for both operators, brings land-based and online performance to equal importance in a mutually beneficial relationship.
A RELATIONSHIP ISSUE
Online play can support a landbased counterpart. But it’ s a complex relationship. Omnichannel offerings have the ability to bring in more customers by leveraging traditionally land-based offerings, and most crucially, allow operators to increase share of wallet.
“ Some customers only want to play online, which is fine,” Pettemerides says.“ Some customers will only want to play in a venue, but your most valuable customers will want to do both.”
Again, the importance of not making one subsidiary superior to the other comes up. For his part, Bliem says channels must work together to bring forward the most valuable forms of engagement.
“ What we see as popular in Switzerland is live casino operation being broadcast from land-based,” he says.“ Our customers can play offline in the casino, and can play on the same table online.”
It comes down to whether operators are willing to merge land-based and online channels where possible. According to Pettemerides and Bliem, customers seem keener to engage with offerings that are familiar to them, rather than dazzling new services. Simply put, this is how operators can ensure a balanced relationship between online and land-based play, as opposed to one channel inherently supporting the other.
Building an omnichannel future for European casinos July 2021