Just like the old adage of each person believing they’re the center of the universe, many believe their feed and online experience are too.
When it comes to casinos, they have to put a lot of work in to make sure they meet the needs of everyone, because it’s such a global phenomenon. With the help of this expertly reviewed list of the best casino sites online, along with some tech and marketing insights, we will look at how casinos and game devs design games with culture in mind.
Cultural Data Analytics
Cultural data analytics is central to the offerings for various markets. Casinos are using demographic tools to get a detailed understanding of player preferences, much like businesses and politicians can. This analysis looks at things like age, gender and cultural influences that affect gaming choices.
For example, the rise of millennials and Gen Z has led to a focus on more digital and immersive games. At the same time, with more women entering the gaming world, casinos are redesigning games that were once aimed mostly at men. But, are women playing in some countries and not others? Certainly. Are some markets only played by older folk why others are seeing a rise in zoomers? Also yes.
These analytics help casinos fine-tune promotions, of course. By studying player data, casinos can create targeted offers that appeal to specific groups, such as virtual items for younger players or cash bonuses for older ones. There’s no point in targeting Gen Z with boosted Facebook posts in some countries (and not just because they’ve stopped using Facebook). To take an extreme example, the popularity of online casinos varies greatly between British towns, let alone countries.
Localization Beyond Language
Localization in casino gaming goes beyond language translation (though that is also important, having to consider which English-speaking games are hitting certain markets). It also involves changing entire game mechanics to suit different cultural tastes.
One clear example is the difference between Western and Asian markets. Western players often lean towards skill-based games like Blackjack. This may be related to their love of sports, or simply because card games have played a big role in their culture. Asian players often prefer games of chance like Sic Bo and Mahjong, which align with their historical influences.
Regulatory Compliance and Cultural Sensitivity
In the casino industry, regulation goes beyond following legal rules — it involves understanding and respecting cultural sensitivities. As of 2024, casinos are increasingly tailoring their compliance efforts to fit the cultural norms of specific regions. For example, in the film industry, you rarely ever see a Chinese villain played in big films. This is because the Chinese market is so important to film studios that they have to mind this sensitivity. Britain, however, has no such qualms in playing the villain.
In areas where gambling carries a stigma, casinos focus more on promoting the entertainment value. Game designs also incorporate culturally sensitive symbols and themes that resonate with local players. A big faux pas would be to accidentally place sacred or religious symbolism within a game, as this could be offensive.
Symbolism isn’t only a threat though, it’s an opportunity. Some research shows that culturally tailored games can improve player retention and a good example is the success of “Fortune of the East,” which saw an increase in engagement in Asian markets by using culturally relevant symbols. Beyond aesthetics, these games often include game mechanics and bonus features that align with cultural views too.
Balancing Traditional and Innovative Games
Casinos are trying to strike a balance between traditional and innovative games when appealing to diverse cultural markets. It’s difficult. They are blending classic games (but what is classic to Europeans is different to those in the Middle East), with modern touches to engage both older players and those looking for fresh experiences.
Traditional games like Blackjack are being revamped with local themes and stories to capture the interest of different cultural groups. At the same time, some markets prefer the original and don’t want varying rules. Of course, the younger audience is more open to these new changes, meaning that some markets work better than others.
Cross-Cultural Game Testing and Feedback
So, how do they exactly figure out what’s working and what isn’t? Cross-cultural game testing has become a refined process. Some larger casinos may use diverse focus groups to gain qualitative feedback, though this is rare. What’s more common (because it’s economical and scalable) is to simply track the play-time metrics of different games in different markets. Website owners can see all of their markets and subsequent activity on a dashboard, meaning feedback and A/B testing are real-time and easy to do.
Final Word
In the broader scope of things, this cultural adaption and localization is more than just sensitivity — it’s a part of a movement towards personalization. Taking culture out of it, we often have different tastes than our neighbor, who supposedly has the same cultural values. This is the making of data tracking and algorithms, but we are far from seeing its final form just yet.