Casinos have considerably evolved over the last two decades, mainly transitioning from brick-and-mortar establishments to online. In the past, the entire industry was associated most notably with high rollers walking into casinos with wands of cash. Nowadays, online gambling is associated with its vast entertainment portfolio, with thousands of games on various casino rosters.
An average casino nowadays has anywhere between 800 to 5,000 slots, giving players a wide selection. They are colorful and immersive and starkly contrast to the game machines of yesteryears. Their attractive display and video game-like playing experience sets up some entertaining content.
Recently, there has been a new trend of online casino streaming where prominent public figures such as celebrities and brand influencers spend money to play at casinos live. They stake and wager on various slots and table games, such as Poker, and stream the event live on different internet platforms such as Twitch or Discord.
The trend, which first gained traction in 2015, has set a precedent for today’s surge in casino streaming as a vital marketing tool in the online gaming market.
Most people ask if this is a form of promotion or entertainment. Well, it all depends on the perspective one is looking from. When celebrities put on a show on their Twitch, Youtube, Instagram, Discord, or even Twitter channels, it is most commonly viewed as entertainment. The assumption is that the celebrity who is a successful, full-time music artist or a film star is known to have a busy schedule.
They, therefore, only indulge in online gaming as a hobby or an entertainment activity for which they are also paid. It alludes that online gaming is simply entertainment, and by using celebrity status, it sells this point, particularly to amateur players who simply stake occasionally to test their luck.
However, when gaming companies and casinos use a brand influencer, particularly a professional gambler, it can be viewed as a promotion. Take, for instance, using a renowned Poker champion to market a specific casino or an up-and-coming tournament. Avid gaming enthusiasts who play casino games with the view of turning into pro gamblers will connect with the advert.
The way it works in this scenario is that the brand influencer might offer discounts and promo codes to use at specific casinos. Players registering at the casino might even get a promo bonus if they check in using the brand influencer’s voucher code. In this aspect, the brand influencer is either an affiliate or in a directly paid partnership with the casino.
They promote the casino via the codes or referral links, and in many cases, they stand to make a lot of money if the promo/voucher codes and referrals generate the intended traffic online. So, whether it is entertainment or a promo gimmick, online casino streaming creates many issues. The core reason is that there is always money involved.
When a celebrity endorses online gaming after they are paid lump sums, are they aware of what they are selling to their millions of followers? As for brand influencers, do they have the moral high ground to care for their followers and avoid leading them into making bad decisions?
There have been cases where celebrities unknowingly endorse scams while promoting them as harmless ventures. Brand influencers might promote casinos aggressively and knowingly normalize degenerate gambling habits.
Conclusion
Nonetheless, regardless of the promoter, online casino streaming is purely business. Therefore, as a media consumer, one must be aware of bias, especially when celebrities and brand influencers win large sums more than they lose.
Whether or not it is entertainment or promotion doesn’t matter because players must buy into the casino games to win money. Knowing that the house always wins means you must be critical in your spending and online gaming habits because it is not free entertainment or promotion.
1 comment
You just need self-control to prevent gambling addiction to online games. Great article, by the way!