Hello, community! We have already told you about the CLV metric, which is almost the most important in gambling. This is a customer value indicator showing how much money a particular player leaves in the casino. The money they spend is profit: both for the casino and for us, who brought them there. 

Among a large number of players, some stand out the most, primarily by their average spend. While some deposit $20–30 a month, others won’t stop even at $20,000 a week. Such players are called high rollers.  

Casinos and affiliates are interested in keeping high rollers in one casino for as long as possible. But how can this be achieved? Let’s explore this in today’s article.  

What makes a high roller different from a regular player? 

A high roller is the most valuable client for any casino. Essentially, they are VIP players who are ready to pour in nearly thousands of dollars daily.  

It’s not hard to distinguish a high roller from a regular player. The main and most obvious criterion is the amount of money spent over a certain period. While a regular player usually deposits $100–200 a month, high rollers spend tens of thousands of dollars.  

The next aspect is how long a player is interested in a specific casino. Regular players rarely stick with one casino, often looking for advantages elsewhere, such as first deposit bonuses, free spins, etc. High rollers prefer playing in one casino and may remain loyal for years. 

Regular players don’t require extra retention efforts, as it would cost more in effort and investment than they could potentially bring. Hence, all casino retention efforts are focused solely on high rollers, offering them not just general but also personalized bonuses, invitations to exclusive events, and higher cashback rates. Essentially, the service is fully tailored to the player.  

For most casinos, it’s far more profitable to invest in retaining one high roller than to try to attract a dozen new players. However, making such a client stay long-term can sometimes be quite challenging, requiring dedicated VIP managers for working with these players. 

How to keep a high roller’s attention? 

One of the key strategies for casinos and affiliates to retain high rollers is the active use of retention marketing techniques.  

Retention marketing involves close interaction with customers to motivate them to make repeat purchases or continue using current services. 

In gambling, the entire set of tools and solutions aimed at retaining high rollers is also referred to as retention.  

A classic example of retention marketing for VIP players in gambling looks like this: 

  1. Focus on VIP players. This involves a set of solutions, including individual bonuses and promotions tailored to the needs of high rollers, meeting their key requirements, and encouraging them to continue playing in the casino;
  2. Personalized content. The goal is to make the player feel special. This can be achieved through communication channels within the casino or via email, messengers, and so on;
  3. VIP managers for VIP players. They should possess excellent communication skills and respond promptly to certain triggers. For example, if a player hasn’t been active for longer than usual, the manager should delicately communicate and find out why the player isn’t returning and how their decision can be influenced. The manager must essentially become a friend to the high roller to successfully retain them in the casino;
  4. Other traditional marketing methods, including newsjacking, which uses current news and events to maintain interest in the product.

Can an affiliate act as a VIP manager? It depends on which affiliate program you are working with. If you closely cooperate with the advertiser, and they allow you to offer players individual bonuses, you can also use retention marketing to keep the player engaged. After all, it’s just as important for you.  

How to identify a high roller early?  

The success of working with a VIP player depends on how quickly you identify them. 

The first thing to pay attention to is GEO. Most players spending substantial amounts of money in casinos come from wealthy regions like Switzerland, the UK, the United States, etc. Even the city matters—for instance, someone from Zurich, Switzerland, could be a potential “big fish.” 

If you know the player’s profession, you can also infer their potential spend. For example, a player from the IT sector or an entrepreneur is likely to have a much higher average spend.  

A premium account can also indicate a special client, although this can be difficult or impossible to identify in some cases. 

Next, monitor the player’s activity. If their sessions are regular, and they spend significant time gaming, this indicates a high roller, as do frequent deposits, even if they are for relatively small amounts.  

If a player uses bonuses, it doesn’t necessarily mean they lack funds. It could indicate a desire to maximize profits, suggesting they view the casino as a way to earn money (which we strongly advise against, as casinos are always a loss if you play instead of earning from them). 

Players might even show interest in the casino and take the initiative, such as requesting a personal bonus. The casino should accommodate such requests to retain the player, but ensure the amount the player plans to spend justifies the bonus. For instance, a high roller should only receive a substantial deposit bonus if they top up their account with $10,000 or more. 

In general, it’s essential to actively analyze all metrics contributing to CLV. If one player’s metrics significantly outperform others, there’s a high chance they are a high roller who should be retained at all costs! 

Conclusion 

Undoubtedly, it’s not always profitable to retain a high roller in a casino. This isn’t because they might beat the casino and make a profit—that’s nearly impossible.  

Sometimes VIP players “catch the star” and try to trick the casino, for example, by canceling payments, demanding refunds after using a bonus, and so on. 

However, these are exceptions, not the rule. VIP players remain the key profit generators for both affiliates and casinos.  

We also remind you that you can join the discussion of this and other topics in our Telegram community. There you’ll find everything: from useful information and job opportunities to colleagues and true friends!  

As always, with respect, your Geek!  

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