First impressions really do count

The online casino industry is so fiercely competitive that operators must ensure their brands and sites stand out from the crowd. The power is very much in consumers’ hands, and they are drawn to sites that are visually appealing. Game variety, loyalty schemes and promotions are still important, but, in reality, casinos must look their best in order to catch the player’s attention in the first place.

This has led to a rush of new ‘lifestyle’ brands that have turned casino design on its head. I’m talking about operators such as Casumo, Dunder and SuperLenny; themed casinos that transport players to another world or universe. They are all about entertainment and fun, adding significant value to the player experience through creativity and design.

This has forced traditional online casino operators to sit up and take note. Players, it seems, prefer bold and vibrant online casinos offering thousands of games from all the major suppliers over those offering slots from just one provider and those that haven’t refreshed their design in the past decade. But hitting the mark with casino design is no mean feat, and it is something Codeta has struggled with in the past.

If anything, our experience has taught us that casino design is something of a dark art. It starts with getting your entire team on the same page; the vision of senior managers and marketers can’t always be turned into reality by designers and developers. What may seem like a very simple feature can require a huge amount of creativity and technical work.

We have also found that what looks good on paper doesn’t always work in the real world, and super-stylish design can actually lead to an awkward user experience. In addition, players in different markets prefer different styles. So, what works in Sweden doesn’t necessarily work in Germany. Codeta, for example, has Nordic founders, and this influenced the look and feel of the site when it first launched.

Substance over style

Codeta looked clean and simple whilst still using advanced graphics. But we soon realised that this design philosophy didn’t appeal much to players in other markets; players in the UK and Germany, for example, are drawn to designs that deliver a streamlined user experience and are easy to navigate. So, substance over style, if you like. To overcome these difficulties, it is important for operators to be comfortable with who they are, and the brand they want to be.

Another thing to consider when it comes to casino design is mobile; around 70% of our turnover comes via smartphone and tablet devices. With this in mind, we approached our redesign with a mobile-first perspective – all the more challenging being a live casino operator.

We also took the decision to alter the design slightly between smartphone and tablet devices. We have discovered that for our players, tablets are considered ‘fixed devices’ – the majority are hooked up to an ISP rather than a mobile network. This means they are likely to be playing from the comfort of their own home, which allows us to include additional design furniture.

An example is setting the default mode for a smartphone to be sound off, while for a tablet it is sound on. Perhaps the most difficult thing about casino design is that it is always evolving, particularly as consumer tastes and expectations continue to change.

That said, I believe there are some core principles that stand the test of time. The most important is to showcase the games above all else; designing distractions around that will only disconnect and frustrate players from what they are ultimately trying to achieve.