How Branding Dominates the Gambling Industry

Intro

Gone are the days when starting a casino seemed like an unachievable feat reserved for wealthy billionaires. In this age of online gambling, anyone can make money in the industry.

However, success in the gambling sector is heavily dependent on branding. The most successful casinos are not just businesses. They’re brands people love and trust.

Here are some of the ways successful casinos use branding to thrive in the highly competitive gambling sector.

Strong Memorable Brand Names

Wynn Resorts, Caesars Palace, BetMGM, Casino de Monte-Carlo, and Bellagio Hotel & Casino are some of the most famous casino brands in the world. One of the reasons is that these casinos have brand names that create an impressive first impression.

You don’t need to be an expert to know what Casino de Monte-Carlo is all about. The name is conspicuous and memorable. Everyone who walks across the casino will know what the establishment does.

Likewise, the name Bellagio Hotel & Casino says everything you need to know about it. The casino offers both accommodation and gambling. Some names—Caesars, Casino Royale, MGM Grand, and the Cosmopolitan—evoke luxury and class.

Bottom line: casino branding is all about standing out and describing the core business in one name. For this reason, casinos with bland names rarely succeed. No one goes back to a place with a forgettable business name.

Unique Colors and Logos

Take a moment and look at these great options for online gambling in the US. Look at each casino's logo, colors, and general identity. BetMGM uses black and gold colors, hues represented in its conspicuous logo.

Golden Nugget also features a golden color in its logo. But thanks to its unique logo, you would never confuse it with BetMGM. You also can't mistake it for PokerStars Casino, which features a red spade with a white star in the middle.

Similar to naming, colors, logos, and outlook help a casino stand out. They make it memorable and easy to identify. The right colors can also evoke certain sentiments. For example, gold is a royal color. This explains why so many casinos tend to feature gold in their logo, website, and interior design.

Beyond the logo and brand colors, most casinos abide by well-known casino colors when offering gaming experiences. From chips and tables to roulette wheels and blackjack tables; casinos use colors people associate with gambling.

Brand Differentiation

Another feature of highly successful casinos is that they have a strong differentiator. Without a differentiator, the only way a business can succeed is to offer low prices. And this strategy doesn’t always work.

In the casino industry, these are some of the most sort-after brand differentiators:

• Fast Payouts

• Generous bonuses

• Wide Variety of Games

• Live Casino

• Reliable Customer service

• Top-notch safety and reliability

Payout speed is a matter of major concern in the iGaming sector. Many casino players love sites that process withdrawals fast. They also love apps with fair bonuses and promotions.

Although you should strive to offer quality services all around, it is important to have a differentiator. For example, you can sell your brand through fast payouts. However, also ensure you offer quality games and bonuses.

In Las Vegas, casinos differentiate their brands mostly based on experiences. Caesars Palace has a reputation for providing the best sports betting odds. Aria is famous for its high-payout slots while the Cosmopolitan is the best casino for foodies.

The Target Audience

Another way casinos build their brands is by targeting specific audiences. Consider PokerStars as an example. Since its launch in 2001, PokerStars has focused on poker players.

The company built its brand around poker—its name, logo, colors, brand message, and marketing all communicate its mission to impress poker fans. As a result, the company attracts millions of poker players every month.

Catering to a unique audience is one of the best ways to differentiate your brand in a crowded market. Let's say you have a New Jersey gambling license. You could focus on slot fans because slots are huge moneymakers.

If you can find an underserved location, this could help you build your brand even better. Think about it. Most casinos tend to target major states and countries. Yet, the best way to succeed is to explore underserved markets. For example, online poker platforms that focus on regions with little competition can quickly establish a loyal player base and dominate the scene.

Brand Experience

A good brand should attract positive perceptions and reactions from customers. Yet, according to Hubspot, only 39% of businesses say they have effectively found ways to resonate with buyers.

Creating a successful brand experience involves a lot of hard work. For people to associate a casino with trustworthiness, fair bonuses, fast payouts, and efficient customer service, it has to excel in all these areas.

Whether you're advertising, offering games, or responding to customer inquiries; it is important to keep your customers' perceptions in mind. The best way to build a trustworthy casino brand is to meet customers' needs.

What are your customers looking for? Do you fulfill their needs? If your brand doesn’t fill all the gaps in the market, it is likely to fail. As such, work on providing the best casino services in your niche.

If you target UK customers, find out what players like. Do they appreciate slot bonuses? Do they value mobile gaming? Consider what your customers like and fulfill their needs.

Brand Voice

Just like your voice makes you unique, so does your casino’s brand voice. Your company’s voice makes it recognizable in a world where companies are always copying one another.

Write a mission statement for your brand. Highlight the important values you associate with as a casino—fair games, friendly bonus terms, and high-payout games.

Align your brand voice to your customers’ persona. Consider how Buzz Feed writes its content. Compare that with the New York Times. These two companies are in the business of information. Yet, they have different brand voices.

As a casino, you need to identify your customers and speak to them in a voice they can resonate with. Maybe you're talking to slot players. Use slots jargon. When addressing high-stakes poker players, know how to trigger their interests.