Joonas Karhu, Bojoko: “Live casino is incredibly competitive for operators and affiliates”

Live dealer games are hugely popular with players. Any operator that does not have a strong live casino offering will suffer as a result. Interestingly, this is a fairly recent trend. Just a few years ago a casino could stand out with just a handful of live games, with many simply not bothering to offer live gaming at all. We sat down with Joonas Karhu from the award-winning affiliate Bojoko to find out how the market has changed, and the challenges and opportunities this has created for operators and affiliates.

Are live dealer games now a must-have for online casino brands in the UK market?

In a word, yes. Only a few years ago an operator stocking live dealer titles in its lobby would be considered a unique selling point. Today, live casino games are available at practically all online casinos and the quality of the offering is what allows operators to stand out from their rivals. This is a major change in a relatively short period of time and shows just how popular live gaming has become.

It is quite telling that all the keywords that relate to live casino tend to generate the highest bids on search engines, making it a competitive and costly space for operators to market their live casino offerings. That is why Bojoko’s live casino page is one of the most sought-after. It ranks highly for key terms relating to live casino and the brands that are listed on the page enjoy meaningful traffic to their live dealer lobbies for a fraction of the cost of waging a PPC war with their competitors.

Has this always been the case? If not, when did it become so important?

The rise in popularity of live gaming aligns with how the product has developed in recent years and the huge strides forward that game providers have made when it comes to offering players an engaging, authentic experience.

This has only been made possible due to next-generation streaming technologies hitting the market, and providers enhancing their studios and bringing new and exciting game formats to the table. Live content has gone from covering standard table games to TV gameshow formats and even games run by popular celebrities.

Operators started to focus on their live dealer offerings when they realised just how valuable live casino players are. While they are not necessarily high rollers, they are loyal, casual players that return to the casino time and again, making them the perfect customer.

Why do you think more players want to play live dealer titles? What makes them so entertaining?

The social aspect of the experience is a major driver of its popularity. If you are a casual player with a budget of say £50 per month, playing games where you can chat with the dealer and other players can be far more enjoyable than spinning the reels of a slot on your own.

Another reason why live casino has become so popular is that more and more land-based players are moving online. Live dealer games are the closest to the land-based experience, and thus a perfect way to make this transition.

Is live casino now a vertical in its own right? How can operators stand out from their rivals with their live offering?

That’s an interesting question. I think for Bojoko and other affiliates, it has been considered a standalone vertical for some time now – in the same way that casino, sports and bingo are.

This means investing significant resources in creating dedicated pages for live casino packed with up-to- date information, and working with partner brands that offer a standout experience to players, is essential.

If an operator wishes to stand out, their live casino section should be a key priority. They need to be able to provide something special if they are to draw players away from rival brands and/or keep existing players loyal. This means stocking games from a wide range of providers, especially those that are bringing new live experiences to the market. They also need to ensure that they keep their affiliate partners up to speed on any new content they add so that we can keep our audiences informed. Of course, the effort is worth the reward – this is a big market that is only getting bigger.

Is it important for operators to offer dedicated live dealer promotions and bonuses?

Live casino is incredibly competitive for operators and affiliates. At Bojoko, we go to great lengths to ensure that our pages provide more insight and information than our rivals and that we work with a wide selection of quality operator brands.

Being able to offer our players unique live bonuses is a powerful way to differentiate us, as well as drive engagement and traffic to our casino partners. Given the huge opportunity that live casino presents, operators really should be offering dedicated bonuses for these players and, if possible, working with affiliates such as Bojoko on special promotions to entice players to their brands. Those that do will be in a very strong position to claim the lion’s share of the market.

What will the next generation of live-dealer games/experiences look like?

I’m curious to see how VR headsets like the one that Apple has just rolled will change live casino products. Personally, I think there is still a long way to go when it comes to the quality of the experience VR products can offer consumers. I’m sure this will be improved over time, and that ultimately it could bring a new dimension to the live casino experience.

However, looking at the near future, I think providers will be more focused on ensuring their games are smooth and seamless, rather than bringing something truly game-changing and innovative to the market.