Time to Face the truth about hate in the digital online ad space

The post Time to Face the truth about hate in the digital online ad space appeared first on lancelotmedialondon.com.

This week, The Gambling Commission released confirmation that it will introduce a ban on the use of credit cards for all forms of online and land-based gambling. A move we wholeheartedly approve of and one we have predicted for some time.

The ban will come into effect on April 14 and will apply to most offline and all online gambling offerings with the exception of Lottery Products.

Some of the stats published this week reveal that
24 million adults in the UK gamble, with 10.5 million of these gambling online
UK Finance estimates that 800,000 consumers use credit cards to gamble
22 percent of online gamblers use credit cards

It goes without saying that operators and game suppliers alike, will need to find ways to offset this loss in income.

The Emma Barnett 5 live show this morning had gamblers ringing and sharing obvious ways they intend to bypass these changes imposed to protect them. Banning the use of credit cards for online gaming is only the first step in trying to keep people from gambling money they don’t have. More regulation will no doubt follow, with another rise in Point of Consumption tax, or a stake limit to £2 being the most obvious and potentially damaging.

Riding this tide will require revenue streams which are future proof; taking into account not only changes in legislation, but the impact of the current social milieu. For example, in the future, UK banks may voluntarily start doing their bit to protect vulnerable gamblers.

To future-proof the industry, we propose that operators must find a revenue stream that is not controversial and will not be constantly targeted by regulation, taxes and levies: Advertising.

In an industry where profit margins are already slim, traditional belt-tightening will not be the answer. We propose an alternative: diversify your revenue streams. Now. Don’t wait for the tidal wave; surf it.

UK online casino operators hold a massive, unused asset: strictly regulated audiences of rigorously verified 18+ consumers. There is no end to the advertisers that can benefit from access to these audiences: luxury goods, automobiles, high fashion, insurance providers, mortgage lenders…

Now add to this the fact that verified 18+ audiences are elusive. Despite extensive research, it is still difficult to pinpoint the times and places adults, and only adults, will be watching and receptive. Do advertisers just submit to the fact that most viewers will be inappropriate?

Instead, imagine this scenario: You’ve got hundreds of thousands of real-money online gamers active in the UK each month . They are verified 18+; their wallets are open and they’re in spending mode; they’re highly engaged; they select a game to play and a stimulating video ad appears in the 10-15 second window while the game is loading. Married to more personalised data, it’s hard to find a more targeted placement.

In short, real-money online gaming sites are a huge, untapped publisher for brand advertisers.

Why haven’t these audiences been tapped before? Because traditionally, ad networks reflexively blacklist anything related to gambling as not “brand safe”. But looked at more closely, there are no surprises on a real-money gaming site; that’s all they publish, and the consumer is completely brand-compatible.

By publishing video adverts during the game loading experience, operators earn additional revenue that is not subject to point-of-consumption tax. They can offer game suppliers a better share of the revenue. Advertisers reach unique, untapped, highly targeted audiences in buying mode.

Talk to us now to find out how onload{media} can diversify your income streams way ahead of this ban, and help protect your bottom line in this difficult and rapidly changing landscape.

Originally published on OnloadMedia.com

The post Don’t Gamble on the Credit Card Ban appeared first on lancelotmedialondon.com.

Breaking Stereotypes

If I were to ask you to picture the typical online real money gamer, what mental image would you create? What would that person look like? What is their gender, their age, what kinds of other hobbies do they enjoy and what goods and services do they spend money on? The online gambling industry here in the UK has been undergoing significant change in recent years. Odds are, the person you are picturing right now doesn’t reflect many of the changes that have taken place. Fortunately, the UK Gambling Commission publishes regular industry statistics that provide significant insight into these changes and what it means to be a typical online gambler today.

Expanding Reach

One of the most dramatic changes that has been taking place in recent years is the growth of online gambling in comparison to other forms of gambling. It is the largest single gambling sector, accounting for almost 40% of all the gambling in the UK with £3.0bn coming in from online casino games alone. The latest industry data shows that 18% of all people have gambled online at least once in the last four weeks. Unlike the past, where online gambling only took place at home, now over half of all online gamblers are making use of mobile phones and tablets giving more access to RMOG sites.

In fact, over the past four years, the number of people who have engaged in mobile gaming has grown from 23% to 44%.

Setting the Record Straight on Age
Most people imagine gamblers to be in their 50s or 60s. This isn’t without justification, because when you look across all types of gambling this is the age group with the highest participation. However, if you remove national lottery draws, then the landscape looks very different. After removing the national lottery, the age group that has the highest participation in all gambling is the 25-34 age bracket, with 37% of the population participating. This is reinforced when we look at the participation rates specifically for online gambling by age. Again the 25-34 age bracket leads the way, making up 23% of the total market.

Gender is No Longer a Barrier

Returning to your mental image of the typical gambler, what gender did you assign that person? If you assumed them to be male, then you have assumed correctly. Once again, however, the split between males and females is likely closer than you realise. Increasingly women are engaging in gambling activities. In 2017, 48% of all men participate in some form of gambling, but women are not far behind with 41% participating. Removing the national lottery tightens the gap slightly to 34% for men and 29% for women.

Part of this shift may be due to the engaging nature of many of today’s online casino games. The Gambling Commission also tracks the availability and prevalence of online gambling-style games where no money is at stake. These games are played simply for fun, and in this category of game, women actually led men as of the 2017 data, with 34% of all women participating and men at only 32%. While ‘softer games like bingo remain most popular with the ladies, operators and suppliers are now offering games across igaming genres, designed with the female player in mind.

Motivations for Gambling

Who doesn’t love winning? As you might have guessed, the chance of winning is the driving factor for roughly half of all gamblers. Once again, those participating in the national lottery draws skew the data a bit, as they are more likely to play to win compared with other gamblers. But you might be surprised that roughly a third of all gamblers are simply looking for fun and enjoyment. After that driving factors include the opportunity to socialise and finding it relaxing.

Conclusion

Gambling audiences represent a much more diverse audience than most people would imagine. Men and women across age groups all participate in large numbers. This diversity is one of the reasons onload{media} has chosen to work with gambling networks. The vigorously age-verified audience can be intelligently targeted, regardless of the audience you are trying to reach. As we now understand, they are not simply driven to win. Many chose gambling as a fun, leisure activity so taking otherwise idol time and filling it with relevant advertising provides optimal impact and opportunity for conversion.

Originally posted in OnloadMedia.com

The post Breaking ‘ Online Gambling Audience’ Stereotypes appeared first on lancelotmedialondon.com.

The post ONLOAD{MEDIA} LAUNCH AD NETWORK FOR RIGOROUSLY VERIFIED, OVER-18 AUDIENCES appeared first on lancelotmedialondon.com.