Social Casino Gaming Apps
Download PDFOct, 2021 Social Casino Gaming Apps Report
Social Casino
Gaming Apps
Report
MOBILE CASINO IS ON A ROLL
2021
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Contents
01
Competitive
Landscape
02
Acquisition
Trends
04
Motivation
Framework
05
Author
Takeaways
03
App Feature
Insights
06
Report
Notes
Page 5
Page 9
Page 16
Page 23
Page 27
Page 29
Contents
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Introduction
Social distancing measures worldwide paved the way for social casino games to rise in popularity–and revenues. In
the U.S., where the pandemic pushed almost 1,000 casinos to close their doors, social casino titles hit the jackpot,
according to market research firm Statista. Total global gross gaming revenue (GGR) of the social casino segment
amounted to
$6.2 billion in 2020
. It forecasts this figure will increase to $7.5 billion by 2026.
Top titles in this genre can win big. But winning big spenders is bound to get harder in the next 12 months. The
market is seeing more movement—and competition—as traditional gambling and casino companies join the market.
Fortunately, marketing isn’t a game of chance. Marketers can harness market data to inform long-term strategies
and
campaigns to turn every session into an opportunity to drive usage and boost loyalty. They can also experiment with
mechanics and features to provide players bonuses that deepen engagement and drive in-app purchases.
That’s where this report uniquely provides insights to help social casino companies optimize campaigns and
product. Liftoff draws from 83 billion impressions and 12 million installs to deliver ad performance insights alongside
GameRefinery, who
share
unique feature data and metrics to show how marketers can get the most out of their
games.
Introduction
3
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Report highlights
Revenue
Social Casino apps generated nearly $1B on iOS in the
US alone for the forecast period. Despite the run of
success, Social Casino’s share of the app gaming
market dipped slightly, coming in 1 point less than the
previous year.
Cost Metrics
Cost-per-Install (CPI) averaged $7.21, with the highest
price point in November 2020 ($7.63). At $5, Android
offered the best value, coming in over 2x less than
iOS.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
Return-on-Ad-Spend (ROAS)
Day 7 and Day 30 ROAS averaged 11.12% and 25.18%,
respectively. Platform performance was close: iOS D7
compares favorably to Android, but by D30 Android
performs better.
In-App Features
An analysis of the hottest in-game mechanics reveals
that Album Collectibles is the most popular feature,
utilized by 74 of the top 100 ranking games. Other
features with notable impact include Piggy Banks and
Battle Passes.
Report Highlights
4
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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The Competitive
Landscape
When the chips are down, which apps come
out on top?
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Social Casino Revenue and Market Share
Social Casino apps raked in revenue throughout 2021, but not
enough to lead the pack. Market share in the US dipped even
as revenue peaked.
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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Market Landscape Grid
Winning Social Casino games that make the big time tend to stay there for a long time. Barrier to entry is tough, no
new social casino title has reached the top 200 in the past year.
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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
New entrants face difficulty scaling in a saturated market.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Saikala Sultanova
Senior Director of UA & Growth
“
Players are spoilt for choice when it comes to
high-quality content and the ability to consume it
on high-end devices, which ups their expectations.
UA teams need to match user demands by
producing top-quality creatives that could tie to a
story.
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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Quote from Saikala Sultanova
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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User Acquisition
Trends
Finding the users that pay out requires more
than just luck.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Social Casino CPI
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USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
Social Casino CPI, 2020 – 2021
2020 was a costly year for installs, but in 2021 prices fell, on
average. In April, CPIs reached a low ($6.25), but by July the figure
returned to above-average levels ($7.31).
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Return-on-Ad-Spend
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Social Casino ROAS, 2019 to 2021
ROAS tests marketers mettle, though it still delivers strong
performance with D7 at 11.12% and D30 at 25.18%.
USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
CPI per Platform
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Prices overall have increased and the gap
between platforms has widened, with CPIs on
iOS 122% higher than Android. In 2020, the gap
between the platforms was less at 74%.
●
The cost of an install on Android decreased
13.7% to $5 as marketers took advantage of the
difference in price.
●
iOS CPIs increased by 9.9% in a year to $11.09,
clearly linked to a shift in ad spend habits as
marketers learn to work with Apple’s App
Tracking Transparency framework (ATT).
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Social Casino CPI by Platform, 2020 vs. 2021
The cost to acquire an iOS user is over 2x more expensive than
Android.
USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
ROAS per Platform
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Social Casino ROAS by Platform, 2020 – 2021
On Day 7, iOS ROAS beat Android by 5.32%. But by Day 30,
Android outperforms iOS by 1.9%.
USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
CPI and ROAS per Region
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Social Casino CPI and ROAS by Region
Users are a steal in LATAM, with CPIs averaging $1.43. But strong
ROAS performance in North America suggests better returns for
those willing to spend.
USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Wayne Qin
Co-Founder
“
High-quality users usually means a higher
price. When you acquire users, do not
solely focus on cost. Instead, have more
patience during the learning period. More
time will give you better results.
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Quote from Wayne Qin
USER ACQUISITION TRENDS
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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App Feature
Insights
App publishers are betting big on rich
feature-sets that keep users coming back.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Feature Popularity
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
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Feature Appearance per Top 100 Social Casino Apps Over Time
Data reveals the five distinguishing characteristics of winning Social
Casino games. These mechanics ring in the revenues for the top
100 titles.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Album Collectibles
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
Album Collectibles is the most popular (appearing in 74% of top apps) and fastest-growing (39 point increase) of all five
features. With collectibles, users get additional rewards for completing collections while earning bragging rights for finding
rare items. They don’t affect the core game experience and are a flexible way of increasing the feeling of progression.
Slotomania – Season Albums
Jackpot Party – All Stars
Cash Frenzy – Around the World
Texas Hold’em Poker: Pokerist
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SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Special Side-Modes
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
Special Side-Modes bring an extra level of
content to single-dimensional games. Usually,
Special Side-Modes are tied to the “main” core
gameplay loop through currencies or resources
which are acquired by, for example, spinning
slots. Players use those resources to advance
the Side-Mode.
With the introduction of Special Side-Modes,
Social Casino games take a big step towards
becoming a much more complex ecosystem of
rich narrative and gameplay. More and more
games are adding Special Side-Modes, 71 of
the top 100—up from 40 in 2020.
DoubleDown Casino – World Traveler
House of Fun – Adventure Emily
DoubleU Casino – Casino City Challenge
Caesars Slots – Fortune Palace
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The recent boom of Special Side-Modes and events has changed the nature of slots and bingo games from simple
core titles focused on grinding to diverse, meta-driven experiences.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Piggy Bank systems are effective monetization and engagement tools. Users fill up a piggy bank by playing the game.
Once the bank is full, you can purchase its contents with real money at a bargain price.
There is not much variety in the implementation of Piggy Bank systems across Social Casino games. But this simplicity is an
advantage. Piggy Banks are also popular, present in 70 of the top 100 games.
Piggy Banks
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
Huuuge Casino Slots – Huuuge Vault
Cashman Casino Slots – Piggy Bank
Heart of Vegas Casino Slots –
My Piggy Bank
Jackpot World – Kitty Bag
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SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Guild Mechanics
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
As Social Casino games gear more towards casual players, guild mechanics don’t
have to be as complex as mid-core titles. Instead, guilds exist to increase social
engagement, giving players the chance to play together and chat with others.
Guilds are the foundation of other social features,
such as co-op tasks, team competitions, and more.
Almost all Casino game guilds give their members
the chance to ask for help from one another and
chat in a closed setting. These are the “minimum
requirements” when introducing guilds to a casino
game the first time, featured in 42 of the top 100
games.
Many top titles have expanded their guild mechanics
further. Guild events, communal tasks, competitions,
and unique playing modes take advantage of the
co-op elements and social aspects that guilds can
offer players.
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Lotsa Slots – Clans
Bingo Blitz – Bingo Teams
Coin Master – Teams
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Battle Passes increase session-to-session progression while giving players a sense of completion. They aren’t present in
as many games—36% in total, though this has grown tremendously from 5% of games in 2020.
Battle Pass
APP FEATURE INSIGHTS
Battle Passes in top casino games tends to look and
feel similar: all offer the dazzling opportunity to win
extra prizes while playing the game, adding speedy
progression for players wanting to increase their
stats quickly.
Monetization takes place in two ways:
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Direct
monetization takes place when you
purchase the pass to unlock higher-tier
rewards. It resembles a subscription—every
season comes with a new pass.
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Indirect
monetization happens through
increased engagement and playtime as
users are exposed to other offers.
Cash Tornado Slots – Season Pass
Slotomania – DashMax
Cash Frenzy Casino Slots – Mission Pass
Hit It Rich Casino Slots – Rich Pass
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SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Revealing
the Cards
Utilize GameRefinery’s Motivation Framework
to see why players enjoy social casino games.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Why do players enjoy Social Casino games?
GameRefinery tracks and analyzes 12 Motivational Drivers that reveal why.
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The Motivational Drivers define and
measure the reasons why players enjoy
playing games.
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The framework, built with a survey of over
7,000 people spread across
English-speaking countries, uses a model
of twelve different Motivational Drivers.
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The Motivational Drivers are grouped
based on nature to form pairs or
“motivational groups.” For example,
Improving Skills and Completing
Milestones fall under Mastery.
MOTIVATION FRAMEWORK
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Social – Working With Others
Expression – Role-playing & Emotions
Social – Competing Against Others
Expression – Customization & Decoration
Mastery – Improving Skills
Exploration – Discovering New Worlds
Mastery – Completing Milestones
Exploration – Collecting Treasure
Management – Strategic Planning
Escapism – Thinking & Solving
Management – Resource Optimization
Escapism – Excitement & Thrill
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
Deconstructing the Player Persona
GameRefinery profiles the most engaged Social Casino users.
MOTIVATION FRAMEWORK
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Players love thrilling gameplay and the
possibility of collecting treasure.
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Players enjoy competition—especially in
card games.
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User demographics are evenly split
between men and women.
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Users are older than other genres—nearly
half of players are over the age of 45.
Score 5 = very important, 1 = not important
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
(Basil) Yunong Zhang
CTO & Social Casino Lead
“
Machine learning is growing rapidly. It is crucial
for marketers to efficiently produce creative
assets to maximize automated asset selection
through machine learning.
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Quote from Basil, Yunong Zhang
MOTIVATION FRAMEWORK
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Author
Takeaways
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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AUTHOR TAKEAWAYS
James Haslam
Senior Marketing Insights Manager
James Haslam
“
Revenue is up for the social casino genre,
but the level of competition and state of
app marketing has made it harder for
games to pay out. To hit the jackpot,
marketers and product teams need to
deliver excitement from the ad to the
in-app experience.
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Notes on the Report
SOCIAL CASINO GAMING APPS REPORT
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Methodology
NOTES ON THE REPORT
Date range:
August 1, 2020–August 01, 2021
239
Apps
83 B
Impressions
1.1 B
Clicks
39M
Events
12 M
Installs
Liftoff Methodology
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WHO IS LIFTOFF?
Liftoff is a complete mobile app marketing platform
that helps companies acquire and retain high-quality
app users at scale. We use unbiased ML to find all
the best users for your app, creative tech to deliver
the most engaging ad experience, and a unique cost
per revenue model to optimize for your LTV goals.
Liftoff is proud to be a long-term partner to leading
brand advertisers and app publishers since 2012.
Headquartered in Redwood City, Liftoff has a global
presence with offices in New York, Berlin, London,
Paris, Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo.
www.liftoff.io
WHO IS GAMEREFINERY?
GameRefinery by Vungle is the leading provider of
feature-level data in the mobile games market, with
an ever-growing database covering hundreds of
thousands of games. GameRefinery’s customers
include leading mobile games companies such as
Zynga, Wargaming, King, and FunPlus.
The GameRefinery platform uses unique algorithms
and a team of expert analysts to help developers,
investors, and publishers delve into the very building
blocks of mobile games to uncover the drivers
behind success, to understand why games are
successful, and how to achieve the same from
pre-production to LiveOps.
www.gamerefinery.com
