When you enter an iGaming site to place a bet, you might think you see exactly the same as anyone else in the world. Yet, these sites are cleverly localised so that you get a personalised experience based on your location. How does this work and in what way does it improve the experience?
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Different Sporting Events Shown
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If you want to bet on sports, the chances are that you already have some favourites that you follow. The big, international betting sites offer many sports from around the world to all of their customers, but the presentation of their home page and marketing materials varies according to location.
For instance, in the UK you can expect to see football and horse racing featured heavily. In the US, traditional American sports like basketball, baseball and American football take pride of place. The same applies in other countries, with Indian sports fans typically looking for cricket, basketball and football, while Australians prefer cricket, rugby and Australian rules football.
This also means that the sponsorship and brand ambassadors they choose vary by country. Champions League football games are highly attractive to many players, but others would prefer to be greeted by the photo of a cricket star, a basketball player or some other sporting hero they can relate to.
Games that are Popular Locally
When it comes to online casinos, people all over the world see slots and table games, but there may also be some differences in terms of the exact games used. American slots fans are more likely to see titles that are culturally relevant to them, such as Gridiron Glory and The Big Bopper, while Brits get offered titles along the lines of Britain’s Got Talent and Football Fever.
Something similar can be seen on the table games tab. Although we can expect to see a variety of roulette and blackjack games featuring both American and European rules wherever we are, some games appeal more in certain markets. Americans like poker games such as Texas Hold ‘Em while British players may be drawn more to Three Card Brag than other variants. On the other hand, Indian players may look for Teen Patti and Andar Bahar when they go online.
The introduction of live dealer games has allowed casinos to tailor their offering further. Players can now look for a game where the dealer speaks their language and adapts the proceedings to their cultural expectations where possible, rather than having to follow a game that isn’t played the way they’re used to.
Research will show that it is important to know an audience before starting an iGaming site. Once conducted, setting up the right games is made easier through the use of a turnkey online casino platform. If you’re not sure what these are, let’s look at an example of one, pronetgaming.com, which is essentially a customisable platform that can be tailored to meet local demands and expectations. Data-driven analytics are used to assess the best approach in each case, so that the casino and sportsbook elements can be chosen and implemented according to the client’s needs.
Location-Based Promotions
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The highly competitive nature of the iGaming market has led to these sites offering interesting promotions to encourage new players to sign up and then stick with them. In many cases, similar offers can be obtained in any of the countries where they operate, but there are also occasions in which the deal is tailored to fit the local market better.
A good example could be where a sports betting site offers a free bet or a special odds boost to existing customers. This will generally be based on a specific sport, so it makes sense for the operator to look for something appealing to locals. In the UK, they might offer an odds boost on certain games on an FA Cup weekend or on the Grand National.
American sportsbooks see most business over the weekend of the Super Bowl, so offering a bonus based on this game could be a good move. Other major occasions such as the World Series, March Madness and the NBA Final could all have special offers for players to discover and enjoy.
Banking Methods
To gamble with real money, you need a secure way of moving money in and out of your iGaming account. This is easily done anywhere on the planet, but the most popular methods vary from one country to the next. In general terms, electronic wallets and bank cards remain popular, while emerging options such as cryptocurrencies and mobile payments are gaining ground in some places.
For example, British players often choose Skrill, Neteller or a pay by mobile option. They can also use debit cards but not credit cards. Canadians use the likes of Interac, Jeton and Neosurf, which aren’t as commonly used elsewhere. Americans often have a smaller selection of banking methods to choose from, but some operators allow their members to deposit and withdraw from the cashier’s cage at their local casino for added flexibility and speed.
Most betting sites allow their members to carry out transactions in their local currency, with the option of using a major currency like US dollars or euros if they prefer. All the promotions and offers need to be presented in a way that makes sense to someone using their national currency
Language
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The language used on these sites is also crucial, as each operator looks to be seen as a local option that understands its market. Some of the most important differences include Australians calling slot machines pokies, while British players know them as fruit machines or one-armed bandits.
We can also see different ways of expressing the odds in sports betting. A bet that’s shown with odds of 2/1 for a British user will appear as 200+ using the American odds format and 3.0 using the decimal approach that is popular in mainland Europe. Most sites get around this issue by allowing their users to switch between the different formats. However, any marketing that is carried out will need to be done using the most popular approach in that country.
No matter where in the world you are, expect even the big international gambling brands to offer you a localised experience.
