Virtuals appeal to Millennial generation

Writing in eGR magazine this month, Jimmy Bone, Marketing and Client Executive at virtual sports provider Golden Race, says that products such as virtual sports, eSports, and Daily Fantasy Sports with their inherent technology focus are particularly engaging for the Millennial generation.

“When we look at the player demographics of eSports and Daily Fantasy, we see something important: 54% are aged between 18 and 34,” he writes. “These sectors in particular are engaging millennials. All these product types have three key strengths for the generation who are used to instant gratification: time-commitment is minimal, availability is on-demand, and they are all ubiquitously accessible.”

Bone points out that for the Millennial generation, technology is so integrated in their lives and so familiar that “it is easy to see why the popularity is there.”

“Video gaming is an established, normal, and accepted pastime in its own right. Youths grow up attached to mobile devices and computers,” he says. “For the industry, which has been pushing to engage millennials, all three sectors are making great headway, and for big casino operators for example, who have felt the downturn in punter-appeal of more traditional gaming, virtual options have provided a much-needed boost.”

Bone pointed out that Golden Race is concentrating on virtual sports for the obvious reason that the product is tried and tested in various markets globally. “As opposed to the increasingly constrictive legal concerns regarding the other areas of discussion, virtual sports regulations are enjoying a far more supportive legislative trend,” he said.

“We are, of course, not ignoring the key aspects which draw in this demographic, nor are we avoiding making use of the data to ensure our customers every success.”

He said the developments in daily fantasy were particularly interesting, however. “Our approach to take advantage of the appeal of the Daily Fantasy side, which is more in our wheelhouse than eSports, will involve adapting the Daily Fantasy concept, including the social and of course the mobile side, and making it available for more operators and more markets, and therefore meet demands of the most players. However, that particular project is still fairly hush-hush.”

Bone said the biggest appeal of virtual sports is that they provide so much variety and opportunity which otherwise does not exist, and a platform for players to bet fairly.

“For operators, virtual sports represent a real potential for increased profits and complete manageability,” Bone writes. “Operators cannot beat the value, and we also get them up and running and meeting local demand extremely quickly – they can provide exactly what their players want, and we get them the returns they need to do so viably.”

He added that virtual gaming allows operators to provide their players so many exciting gaming opportunities, at all hours of the day, all around the world.

“They can deliver real videos of real races, immersive 3D football with player-favourite teams in various formats, MMA fights in fantasy worlds, tennis, poker, roulette, keno… classics and innovative new games, all side by side, on a schedule that suits their needs.”

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