When was the last time you got excited about a poker hand, not just because of the cards, but because you hit a new level or earned a reward? That’s the magic of gamification in online poker. More and more players are drawn to the added fun of achievements and challenges, with over 60% of them saying it makes the game more enjoyable.
So, why exactly is this change so important for the future of poker? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Gamification in Online Poker?
Gamification refers to the features that online poker platforms offer to motivate players to spend more time on the platforms. These features are not related to traditional poker rules and are introduced by the operators to add extra layers of excitement for the players.
Some examples of Gamification may include:
- Daily Rewards
- Leaderboards
- Achievements
- Level Upgrades
- Daily Challenges
Gamification takes online poker to another level by making the game more interesting, competitive, and engaging.
The Importance of Gamification in Online Poker
With an abundance of online poker platforms in the industry today, operators must find new ways to attract and retain players and survive the ever-growing competition. Gamification helps poker platforms overcome the following challenges:
Longer Playing Sessions
Daily challenges, achievements, and leaderboards motivate players to stick around for longer periods, boosting players’ time spent on the poker platform.
Retention Rate
When a player is greeted with daily bonus chips upon logging in to the app or surprise gifts while playing on the table, they are bound to be encouraged and keep coming back for more.
Competitiveness
When the players are offered attractive prizes in the leaderboards, they participate in the games more actively to compete with other players for the leaderboard prizes.
Player Loyalty
A gamified poker platform is highly likely to have a more loyal set of players as compared to the platforms that do not offer any gamification features.
Top Gamification Strategies to Keep Poker Players Engaged
Let us now share some popular and effective gamification strategies to keep poker players engaged on today’s online poker platforms:
Daily Login Rewards
This is one of the most common and attractive way to have players log in to their poker accounts each day. The players are offered free play chips, deposit bonus codes, spin-n-go tickets, tournament tickets, and more. Players get into a habit of logging in regularly to get their daily rewards and spend more time playing games on the platform.
Daily Missions
Players can be given certain missions to complete regularly, and upon completion, they are rewarded with prizes like play chips, tournament tickets, or special emojis. Some examples of daily missions are:
- Play ten hands of PLO 5
- Invite 5 friends to join the platform
- Reach the final table of one tournament this Week
- Win a pot of more than 50k
- Win three hands in a row
Such missions keep the players engaged and motivated to complete such missions and earn rewards.
Levels
Players are always excited to see themselves progress. A multi-level system makes it a whole new journey for players to go from one level to another. As players keep playing more and more, they unlock new levels, and with them new rewards such as:
- Latest Avatars
- New table themes
- Emojis
- Tournament tickets
- Access to high-stakes games
- Higher deposit limits
VIP Programs
Every platform needs to reward loyal players with VIP perks so that they feel privileged and keep putting volume on their platform. A VIP tier-based system is one of the most commonly used gamification strategies to keep poker players engaged.
Some of the perks that VIP players get may include:
- Free Play Chips.
- Seamless Support
- Instant Withdrawals
- Rake Back
- Tournament Tickets
Leaderboards
Leaderboards always excite the players as they come with lucrative rewards. Players usually spend a lot more time at the tables when there are leaderboards offered by the platform. It also promotes competitiveness among players. Some leaderboard examples are:
- Weekly Cash Games Leaderboard
- Daily leaderboard
- Tournament Leaderboard
- Most Hands Played Leaderboard
- Tournament Leaderboard
Achievement Badges
Players can be awarded badges, which they can flaunt while playing on the table. Achievement badges always make players feel good and more confident while playing on the tables. Players can be awarded badges upon achieving the following:
- Won a Pot of over 100k
- Played fifty days in a row
- Won three consecutive hands
- First tournament win
- Royal Flush Achieved
Social Gamification
As poker is naturally a social game, social gamification becomes another vital part of the gamification process. Social gamification can include:
- Invite Friends
- Share Hands
- Send Gifts
- Private Table with Friends
- Share Achievements
Make Your Poker Game Stand Out in the Market
If you want to create a poker platform that truly stands out in competitive market, Creatiosoft is here to help. We don’t just build poker software, we create polished, engaging, and player-driven experiences that keep users hooked for the long run. From custom gamification features to smooth gameplay and striking UI, we help operators bring fresh ideas to life and stay ahead of the competition.
To Sum It Up
Gamification is rapidly gaining popularity in the online poker industry. Online poker platforms that miss out on offering these features often see players moving away from their platform. On the other hand, the platforms that offer leaderboards, daily rewards, achievement badges, and other gamification features are highly likely to see a boost in the number of registered users as well as the retention rate.
