The iGaming industry is constantly evolving, driven by fierce competition and a relentless pursuit of player engagement. In this dynamic landscape, gamification has emerged as a cornerstone strategy, transforming traditional online casino and betting experiences into captivating, interactive journeys. Beyond mere points and leaderboards, providers are now deploying sophisticated promotional tools and products to foster deeper player connections and cultivate lasting loyalty.

In the concluding portion of our latest two-part special, discussions are centred around the crucial role of gamification in game developers’ offerings and future developments driven by technology and player psychology.

Reda Vosyliute, Marketing Manager and Adam Lahouiri, Head of Product at BetGames, Alex Naspe, Head of Marketing Intelligence at Blueprint Gaming, Dr. Eyal Loz, Chief Product Officer at RubyPlay, Andrzej Hyla, CEO of Wazdan, and Katarzyna Pysz, Head of Gamification at 3 Oaks Gaming, continue the conversation.

iGaming Expert: Considering the increasing competition and evolving player expectations, how critical is gamification to a game developer’s overall offering and competitive differentiation in the current iGaming landscape?

Reda Vosyliute, Marketing Manager at BetGames.

Reda Vosyliute: It’s an important part of building a stronger relationship with our players and equipping our partners with tools to develop and engage with the player.

As we expand our product range and introduce more innovative offerings into the market, it is vital to enable players to enjoy BetGames products safely. We see this as a key requirement and recognise that as players grow, their expectations naturally rise.

Alex Naspe: I’ve always believed that you are only as good as your product. A game provider with the finest supplementary offerings in the world simply won’t succeed if the core content doesn’t compel players to launch it and give it a few spins. At Blueprint, we are fortunate to have a product team that develops such engaging content year after year.

Competitive differentiation clearly helps to enhance or refine the player experience, but realistically, I wouldn’t see it as essential. That said, we still aim to be the most innovative solutions provider in the market.

Dr Eyal Loz, Chief Product Officer at RubyPlay

Dr. Eyal Loz: The days where game developers were able to compete by supplying high quality core slot content are long over. Game developer must either innovate and create gamification tools or engage with 3rd party vendors who create such tools. There are many challenges with both approaches.

When innovating and creating original gamification layers for the product offering, game developers must educate operators and players else the features will fail to even get adopted. On the other hand, if keeping too close to well established gamification designs or use of 3rd party tools, there is very little competitive advantage. It all becomes a commodity and gives very little business value beyond pricing.

Andrzej Hyla: Gamification is no longer a nice-to-have additional concept; it has become a cornerstone of any developer’s competitive edge. Wazdan sees gamification as the foundation of our offering.

Our ‘Online Gaining’ philosophy centres on the idea that player expectations are higher than ever. Today’s players seek immersive, rewarding, and dynamic experiences, and that is exactly what our gamified tools deliver.

In an increasingly saturated market, features like Volatility Levels, Collect to Infinity, and themed network promotions powered by Mystery Drop help both our games and our operator partners stand out. By offering deeper personalisation and consistent engagement, gamification becomes a strategic differentiator.

Katarzyna Pysz, Head of Gamification at 3 Oaks Gaming.

Katarzyna Pysz: Gamification is prevalent in our daily lives, often influencing our choices without us even realising it. For instance, we tend to shop at places where we can earn loyalty points or receive discounts – this is a form of gamification.

Today, users can customise their experiences across various platforms and applications. Consequently, players have come to expect personalisation in their gaming experiences as well. To enhance this customisation, 3 Oaks has developed three distinct types of jackpots within the Must Drop JACKPOT family, enabling players to tailor their experiences while enjoying their favourite games. 

The first game, Must Drop JACKPOT Hot Fire Fruits, features a fixed jackpot amount that must be awarded before the timer expires. The second, Must Drop JACKPOT 777 Fruity Classic, includes a progressive jackpot that will drop a prize before reaching the maximum amount.

The third, Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits, offers a time-progressive jackpot, creating heightened excitement with a dynamically moving timer and jackpot amount. This approach exemplifies what we refer to as competitive differentiation.

iGX: Looking ahead, what technological advancements and psychological insights are poised to drive the next significant developments in iGaming gamification, and what challenges might they present?

Alex Naspe, Head of Marketing Intelligence at Blueprint Gaming.

AN: At Blueprint, we feel strongly that efficiencies in real time player rewards and advancements in surprise and delight rewards will play a significant part in the future.

Machine learning and AI will help to improve the quality of impactful campaigns, tempered by ever changing regulations and a deep desire from us to be a responsible provider. 

DEL: ‘Players play to play, not to win!’ This seemingly controversial statement drives our philosophy when creating the RubyPlay gamification vision. Our Awarded Feature is just the beginning of our gamification journey.

We are building an ecosystem where specific experiences and flows in our core slot products will drive awarding gamified experiences. The technologies needed are complex and take time to develop and certify.

This is also the challenge – with more complex tools, the scale and complexity of the technology grows exponentially, and with it, the ability to answer the simplest question – what does the end player experience when playing our games?

Andrzej Hyla, CEO of Wazdan.

AH: In 2025, we’re continuing to push the boundaries of personalisation and player-driven experiences, all while maintaining a strong focus on responsible gaming. We proactively address the challenge of emotional overstimulation with tools that give players full control, such as Volatility Levels and Energy Saving Mode, which enhance the gaming experience without overwhelming users.

Launched in 2023, Jackpot Rain has matured into a proven, progressive jackpot promotion tool that continues to evolve, delivering excitement, flexibility, and compliance in equal measure.

As gamification becomes even more embedded in player engagement strategies, developers must continue to innovate, but do so responsibly.

KP: Many companies are incorporating gamification into their product offerings, which may soon overwhelm users with an abundance of new features and promotions.

A few years ago, people often enabled notifications from numerous apps on their mobile phones to ensure they did not miss anything important. However, that has changed; now, many only receive notifications from two applications, one for work communication and another for close family. Everything else can wait.

Adam Lahouiri, Head of Product at BetGames.

At 3 Oaks, we believe a similar trend will emerge with the integration of gamification in slot games. It is essential to give players control over the number of offers they engage with. Implementing opt-out options or providing both standard and gamified versions of a product can help achieve this balance.

AL: The elephant in the room – artificial intelligence – will keep playing a key role in the new technologies shaping our world, including iGaming gamification. AI will help our tools adapt and personalise offers and rewards based on individual player behaviour.

However, innovation brings challenges. While we aim to keep players engaged, it’s important not to over-complicate gamification in ways that feel overwhelming or artificial. Most importantly, we must continue to uphold strong responsible gambling standards to keep players safe.

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