Fan retention has emerged as a primary concern for traditional sportsbooks. With acquisition costs on the rise, competition fierce, and users becoming more discerning regarding the sportsbooks they choose, the challenges increase.
However, sportsbooks can learn from alternative platforms, such as 55five, which has become a leader in community-centered engagement and active participation.
55five, and similar platforms, encourage a customer experience that prioritizes engagement even before the customer places bets.
Sports bettors, or gamers, if you will, expect to experience the thrill of winning (or emotionally losing) rather than just getting the result.
Gamers expect to build on previous activities so that the engagement with the platform brings a sense of accomplishment and breaks beyond the one-off transactional relationship.
Building Engagement That is Gamified
Perhaps the greatest compliment to a user-centric platform is how they construct participation. Engagement (or activities) is multifaceted with daily, weekly, and long-term goals.
Achievements reward and incentivize participation, which helps to gradually realign the user’s mindset from short-term activities (such as betting on the latest game) to long-term engagement with the platform, which may go on for months or even years.
Promos can spike activity but do not create long-term habits for sportsbooks. In contrast, engagement-led platforms do. They build long-term habits, helping users feel connected to a journey rather than just pursuing a bonus.
Digital entertainment and traditional betting models align more closely with this strategy.
Community as a Retention Engine
These platforms also use the dynamics of community engagement to broaden their use. Being a part of a community lowers churn rates. This feeling can manifest through engagement features, shared goals, or leaderboards, for instance.
This sense of community exists with sports betting, as fans can discuss the sport, bet, and watch games together.
Most sportsbooks, however, distance themselves from this type of engagement, which negatively impacts their product. The field has yet to fully utilize the synergy between community engagement and sports culture engagement.
ALSO READ: Exploring the Role of Maxi Doge in Future Sports Betting Communities
Gamification Without Losing Credibility
Superficial betting is often RV. Rather than trivializing engagement with the NBA, a sportsbook understands that users appreciate recognition and feedback.
This approach serves to gamify the experience. Sports feedback can facilitate the integration of these ideas, given the serious nature of the engagement.
What Sportsbooks Can Take Forward
The key takeaway is largely strategic rather than tactical. Retention is not created through more aggressive and louder promotions, but through a more thoughtful retention design.
Platforms that prioritize improved user experience, consistency, and emotional design are setting the standard for all digital entertainment, including sports betting.
Once again, fan behavior is rapidly shifting. Sportsbooks that learn from engagement-led platforms will gain a competitive advantage.
Most likely, the betting loyalty of the future will come from brands that do not see fans as mere transactions but as active participants in an experience.
