Interactive ONLINE PAYMENTS
THE ROLE OF MOBILE Mobile is already well established in the gambling
sector, accounting for more than 50% of digital revenues for leading operators. This compares with an average of just 15% in UK e-commerce generally.
Mobile adoption rates are affected by a number of factors including network infrastructure (for example, the availability of 3G or 4G and cover- age), as well as the cost of data plans, the cost and availability of handsets, and the operating sys- tems on mobile handsets. For gambling operators, the regulatory and distribution restrictions are an additional headache, with Apple App Store restrictions outside of regulated markets and a complete ban on gambling apps in Google’s Play Store.
The mobile gambling opportunity has ramped up more quickly in countries such as the UK as such markets are more developed technically and have relatively simple payment. In the case of the UK, just being able to support cards and offer PayPal as a minimum would allow an operator to reach the vast majority of recreational players.
That is not to say fully supporting cards on mobile is easy itself. The most common and long-stand- ing complaint from gambling operators is that the 3D Secure payment pages are not optimised for mobile, which can cause frustration for users. However, for legacy reasons, it is unlikely that this will be resolved in the near future.
In countries where APMs are more prevalent, payments on mobile have been restricted in some instances by the popular APMs not being mobile optimised. Given their demographic usage, e-wal- lets have generally performed better but there are many payment methods that still do not work on mobiles, causing problems for consumers who play on multiple devices.
Another consideration is the rise of mobile-cen- tric APMs such as the direct carrier billing method Boku, which adds the cost to a player’s mobile phone bill. This is an increasingly popular pay- ment method in digital commerce generally, notably in mobile video games. The process is quick and simple, and it enables consumers to remain relatively anonymous, only needing to provide their phone number to complete a pay- ment.
However, there has been limited adoption in gam- bling so far for a number of reasons. With direct carrier billing, it takes longer for the funds to be settled to the operator, customers typically receive their mobile phone bill monthly and have additional time to pay the bill, so the funds aren’t transferred to gambling operators for some time. This can lead to an increased risk of fraudulent behaviour. In addition to this, transactions are usually limited to low values, typically £20-£30, which limits appeal to VIPs, or Casino and Poker players who typically have higher average trans- action values. A number of operators are investi-
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gating this method as part of their recreational customer strategy.
This highlights one of the biggest challenges gam- bling operators face regarding mobile payments at present. Customers accessing content through multiple devices want a seamless and consistent experience between devices (mobile, tablet, desk- top). They expect to be able to use the same pay- ment methods regardless. There is also a bur- geoning group of players that will use only mobile devices, and expect both mobile optimised and mobile-specific payment options. Balancing these expectations adds an extra layer of complexity to the customer experience.
Gambling operators should remember that it is not just about the range of payment methods and ensuring everything works on mobile devices – they also need to consider optimising the experi- ence. Simple tweaks such as defaulting to numeric keypads on touch-screen phones when numbers are required, using dropdowns with present inputs where appropriate, and prioritising options based on either regional or individual user’s preferences can have a big impact on the user experience. Implementing design best prac- tice, such as bigger call-to-action buttons and
clear text should also be incorporated so users don’t have to zoom into read or click through the sales funnel. Quick and easy to use payment options will improve player conversions, transac- tion success rates and ultimately improve opera- tor revenues
MARKETS? The specific approach and considerations when entering new markets will vary by operator based on their broader corporate growth strategy and aspirations, existing geographic footprint and experience – all of which will determine the best actions to take. However, there are some universal considerations that impact the payment offering required.
LOOKING TO EXPAND OR IMPROVE EXISTING
The first is the suitability of the payment methods on offer, including having preferred methods available to optimise the user experience. It’s also important to recognise the different behaviours of recreational and high value players, as the latter may not react well to restrictions that lead to transaction frustrations.
Another important factor to consider in terms of payments are the fraud characteristics of each
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