Gaming Intelligence Awards Archive

2018 Gaming Intelligence Operator Innovation Award

The stars reward programme has only been live since July 2017, but has allowed the operator to expand beyond its VIP programme for poker players, allowing it to cover all verticals.

Already, 85 percent of its active players have opted into the programme. Considering its wild success it’s easy to forget that launching the Stars Rewards programme was something of a gamble for The Stars Group.

Its original poker-focused programme, where players were rewarded for the volume of poker play, was particularly popular among skilled players who may have been turned off by the new, softer offering.

The fact that the operator has managed to balance retaining these players, as well as attracting new recreational customers, is an impressive feat. By awarding players chests – similar to loot boxes in video games – it is bringing in reward mechanics popular among a larger audience.

To date, industry loyalty programmes have mainly been a way to reward highspending players, but Stars Rewards is using it – as it should be – as a retention tool. It was a calculated risk, but it has paid off beautifully.

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