KPMG Research: The sustainable gaming customer

November 9, 2023 – Creating sustainable customer relationships is top of mind for the gaming industry. In our recent report, The sustainable gaming customer, we take a look at how operators can cultivate long-term customer relationships that lead to sustained business success by operating under these four tenets: trust, enjoyment, value, and protection.

“Building and maintaining long-term, trusted relationships with customers is easier said than done when an industry is expanding and transforming so quickly, but it is critical to sustained business success across the gaming ecosystem,” says KPMG US Gaming Leader, Rick Arpin. “Operators, suppliers, new entrants, and others involved in gaming can all take actions that bolster player protection, increase product quality, and enhance trust among customers.”

Insights into online, sports, and casino gambler preferences and needs include:

• At least half of gamblers trust operators to treat them fairly, make honest disclosures, provide prompt withdrawals and payouts, and protect their information. At the same time, tolerance for gambling advertising fell to 53 percent from 67 percent the prior year and could signal a shift in sentiment.
• More than 50 percent of gamblers select online games based on speed of play. One in five sports gamblers prefers in-play betting over betting on final outcomes.
• Sixty percent of US gamblers prioritize higher-value jackpots compared to 44 percent of UK gamblers. Big jackpots also tend to attract younger gamblers while older generations lean toward games with higher return-to-player (RTP) percentages.
• Ninety percent of gamblers have at least some awareness of common player protections—an increase from 82 percent last year. However, 38 percent of gamblers have never used these protections.

About the survey

KPMG US conducted an online consumer survey in August 2023 to better understand views regarding gaming, casino play, and sports betting. The survey collected more than 850 responses from consumers in the US and the UK. Respondents included both gamblers and nongamblers at a ratio of approximately 70 percent to 30 percent, respectively. For the purpose of this survey, gamblers are defined as those who day they have gambled within the last six months. Their activity was split approximately in half between online and land-based gaming. Respondents represented a wide mix of sociodemographic factors. For additional insights on KPMG’s gaming practice, visit our portal.

About KPMG LLP

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