The reason is clear why casinos like it when their sportsbook customers create integrated accounts that also allow them to gamble on casino games.
In the wave of legality sweeping the nation, sports betting has casino operators lining up to open up books. Yet, in reality, sports betting revenue accounts for only a tiny percentage of a casino’s overall take. Slot machines — the penny slot, in particular — continue to dwarf all other means of play.
However, think of a casino like a coffee shop. The coffee itself earns very little for the owners.
While sports gaming isn’t exactly what’s called a loss-leader, as coffee often is, it functions in the same way. It brings in business that in turn taps into the other streams of revenue.
While sipping your coffee, you decide to order a pastry. Maybe you have a sandwich. And not everyone at the table likes coffee, so they other drinks. Perhaps a dessert.
After a customer lays down $20 on a football game, he has three or more hours to kill before learning if that bet paid off. He’ll have a few drinks, maybe something to eat. The casino might be right across from the book, so he’ll go and spend 30 minutes playing blackjack. And just like that, a $20 bet turns into an additional $80 for the casino.
If you run a loyalty rewards program that covers both casino games and sports betting, you naturally become familiar and comfortable with both — and you spend money on both.
Not surprisingly, casinos love that.
But the relationship between a casino and its customer is a two-way street. The casino benefits if you remain loyal, but you also benefit from the efforts to keep you loyal — most people who like to put money down on sports also like other forms of gaming. If you’re going to play both, you might as well do it under the same umbrella.
The biggest advantage is the benefits one receives from belonging to a rewards program. Perks can include:
- Free or discounted bets.
- Deals on hotel rooms attached to the casino.
- Airline miles and other transferable perks.
- Free points from all of your plays from sports and casino.
Anyone with airline status knows how different travel can be when you’re suddenly flying a new airline. You want that lounge access; you need that lounge access. Casino perks for frequent players can be just as enticing.
The other major advantage for a player is the consistency of the experience, especially when wagering online or on a mobile app. You own a single account, which is much easier to keep full. A winning bet in one area can help finance future bets in another.
With a shared wallet on your mobile account, you can take advantage of all of the different bonuses and rewards. As an example, when Betfair and FanDuel connected their apps via a shared wallet, FanDuel customers were offered $100 in free casino plays on Betfair.
With a single registration and only one account linked to a bank account. All your technical problems are solved by one customer service department. Switching back and forth between your sports bets and slot plays. In many cases, when the casino wins, it means you lose. But when it comes to having a shared casino and sportsbook account, both sides leave the table a winner.