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The rising popularity of online iGaming platforms is down to a variety of reasons, including consumer convenience and improved access. For many in the US, online betting regulations limit the markets available to bettors, and offshore betting sites have helped with this.
Regulations that prohibit operators from setting up in certain states don’t stretch to consumers accessing sites operating from external jurisdictions. Consumers on the hunt for the latest slot titles, who want access to the best casino table games, or are looking for where to play free online keno, can now enjoy a selection of sites.
While this has been great for consumers around the world, it has also made data collation a more straightforward task. For example, West Virginia is one of a handful of US states that currently offer licensed online casino betting alongside online sports betting markets, and they made it compulsory for operators to share betting data with the WVU (West Virginia University) Gaming Development and Research Centre.
The purpose of this work is to analyse gambling transaction data and carry out independent research into workforce development, regulation, and responsible play. This helps provide greater industry transparency and identifies areas that can be improved.
As well as providing valuable data to the industry and independent bodies, it could also be seen as a way forward for other states considering legislative change. These credible insights are of a standard that they can appear in peer-reviewed publications and improve regulations and player protections based on patterns of play.
Many attempts have been made in states without licensed iGaming industries to push through legislative change, and much of the information gathered can be used to support this. The opportunity for similar programs to run in other states could also give further assurances that consumers will be protected.
Data collection is an integral part of iGaming and lottery platforms, with the main role being to ensure players are of age to play and live in locations where it is permitted for operators to serve them.
Data collection and analysis can also be beneficial to consumers and operators from a security and marketing point of view, with machine learning (ML) and AI implementation improving services significantly.
The automation of data collection and analysis has helped operators improve security by identifying abnormal betting patterns or logins from accounts. This then enables them to lock the account and contact the account holder to make sure everything is ok.
From a marketing point of view, operators are now able to offer users tailored marketing campaigns and deals based on their playing preferences. Instead of sending out blanket offers to everyone in the hope that some might use them, they can analyse the playing data of their customers to provide deals relevant to the games they enjoy, improving retention rates. This is also great news for customers who are more likely to benefit from them.
Secure and transparent data collection can be a great thing for the industry, consumers, and operators when used correctly.