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There are many different reasons people take their chance on a slot machine or at a poker table. Some love the thrill of a win, while others find the fun in taking a chance. So, it’s no surprise that now these activities have moved to online systems, it is one of the biggest reasons people take to the internet.

Online casinos have changed the face of gambling, combining the impulse of human nature and the convenience of playing wherever you like. But as with any industry, customers come and go. Online casinos have to continually vie against each other’s platforms, entice new customers in and retain them all at the same time. Free play is a tactic used by these platforms to engage with new and existing customers. Here, we are going to look at how free play works and whether it’s a great tactic for engagement, or simply a standard business marketing gimmick.

Online Casinos Explained

Online casinos have been around for decades now and have evolved from single game platforms to entire communities of games and players. Offering exactly what you would expect at a physical casino (i.e., a collection of both slot machines, chance games and table games), you are able to play at your convenience any time of the day or night. As well as the thrill of the game, the social side of online casinos are also a big draw with chatrooms, forums and social media groups being frequented by players regularly.

As the years have gone on, we have seen an influx of new online casinos, all with unique selling points or different customer focus. However, one thing that remains constant throughout the masses of online casino platform that are ow available is the need for new customers. All competing against one another, they can’t rely on their USP alone. This is where the free play concept comes in.

Free Play Explained

Free play is essentially where an online casino platform allows you a certain amount of money or “turns” at a game before charging you. Of course, we all know that there is no such thing as free money so where is the catch? Well, in many cases the free play is linked to or in return of a commitment made by the customer. This varies according to the type of free play so let’s look at them further.

• Free cash

Free cash is often promised as a “matched deposit” transaction. A new customer signs up to the platform and deposits a certain amount into their play account. This amount is then either matched or a set amount is provided on behalf of the casino. In essence customers feel that they are already doubling their money before they have even started gambling, however there are rules against taking the free cash out of the account and therefore all of it is guaranteed to go back to the casino.

• Free trial

Free trials or “practice accounts” are often used to encourage customers to use their hard earned cash once they are hooked on the game. These free trials do not, however, allow you to play with real money. There is no cash at stake and therefore the customer doesn’t actually win anything. The system is designed to prove to the customer how easy it is to win or make money and that by betting their own cash is a dead cert.

• Coupon Codes

Coupon codes work in a similar way to the free cash system in that when you deposit a certain amount, they will deposit money into the players account as well. The coupons are usually only reserved for new customers.

• Referral Bonus

In order to retain existing customers, referral bonuses offer free cash to those who sign up their friends and family as new customers. The free cash is usually a nominal amount which encourages the customers to sign up as many people as possible.

How Free Plays Work in Games

In addition to the above free play types, you’ll also find them within games. Here are a few examples of how free play works in individual games.

• Slot Games

online, free slots work in the same way as a traditional slot machine and recently bars and casinos have actually been installing virtual online machines over their traditional counterparts. Slot games use a free spin system to hook the user in and encourage them to have “just one more turn”.

• Roulette

Free play within roulette is usually free cash to bet with or matched winnings. This is where the casino will match or double your winnings for a certain number of spins.

• Poker

Usually given in the form of free cash to bet with or with a free trial. These free trials don’t use real money but rather virtual cash in an attempt to allow you to practice your poker skills before you bet with your own cash.

• Bingo

Seen as the housewife’s game, bingo is actually one of the most popular online games and has some big money behind it. You’ll usually find either discounted or free games you can enter which will be available for both new and existing customers. This is to help retain numbers rather than entice them in.

Online Casino Real Money

Great Tactic or Marketing Gimmick?

Offering “try before you buy” is a marketing tactic that has been used for years. From perfume samples in magazines to free samples in the supermarket, getting something for free has always been a great way to hook customers in and give them a taste of what is to come. But does this really translate well within the online casino industry? As we have seen already, there are lots of effective ways to draw new customers in. Whether it’s free spins or deposit matching, getting a customer to sign up is easy which, in a sense makes the free play an effective tactic for attracting customers.

Online Casino Marketing

But when it comes to retention, how does it pan out? On many of the online casino platforms, you see little to encourage customers to stay. That is down to the effectiveness of addiction. If you are still playing on a regular basis once your initial deposit (and the free cash deposit) has run out then they don’t need to work to retain you, the compulsion to continue to play the game will do that for them. Billions of dollars is put into designing games that will keep you hooked, meaning all the casinos need to do is to spend enough to spark your interest.

Casino Marketing Strategy

So, is free play a great tactic or a marketing gimmick? Despite it being used to market products and services for centuries, it really is an effective tried and tested method of enticing customers in. Once you’re signed up, they will make their cash back in no time.