The newest partner in the InfiGifts player rewards program greatly multiplies ways for operators and customers alike to personalize their offers.
The company’s just-announced partnership with Blackhawk Network, operator of the world’s largest network of “branded payments” such as gift cards, is a consequential step in the evolution of casino gifting strategy, InfiGifts founder and CEO Azam Husain said.
“There is a sea change that’s happening now, where operators are more comfortable using digital form factors to get players to claim their rewards, and, more importantly, players themselves are a lot more comfortable in receiving gift rewards in a digital way,” he said.
Blackhawk offers gift cards for more than 1,000 brands and distributes them in 28 countries.
American Place Casino in Waukegan, Ill., north of Chicago, this month is debuting the “InfiGifts Digital Gift Card,” which offers access to Blackhawk’s catalog of offerings.
Because gift cards cover such a broad range of options, including popular dining, retail, travel, entertainment, and digital service companies, “we’re allowing players to choose the brands they value most,” Husain said. “You’ll be able to split rewards across multiple gift cards, and receive those rewards instantly.” For example, a player who receives a $50 reward could get a $25 restaurant card and $25 retailer card.
“Through this integration, casino operators will now have the ability to create this very seamless, very personalized, very on-demand type of gifting experience,” Husain said. Customers will be able to receive InfiGifts digital cards at the casino through their mobile device, a casino kiosk, or with the help of an attendant using the InfiGifts portal on a tablet or players club computer.
Blackhawk research underscores the popularity and usage of gift cards, finding:
- Digital gift cards will account for almost 43 percent of total gift card spending by 2028.
- 58 percent of customers are willing to spend more than the value on their gift card – as much as five times more.
- Younger consumers are participating in loyalty programs more than in recent years, and some are redeeming loyalty points for gift cards. Brands strategically integrating gift cards into loyalty programs can effectively drive repeat visits and customer engagement.
Jared Bodnar, head of enterprise marketing for Blackhawk Network, said his company is proud to partner with InfiGifts to bring real-time digital gifting to casinos. “This solution empowers operators to engage players instantly, personalize promotions, and eliminate the hassles of physical rewards — all in a way that aligns with the industry’s shift to cashless operations,” he added.
Husain noted that many casinos already buy physical gift cards to distribute through their players rewards programs. The InfiGifts-Blackhawk partnership gives operators “a digital avenue” to distribute such rewards at significant scale. “All they need to do is turn it on in their app or in their kiosk, or the attendant-claimed experience. It’s easier for them to operationally fund these rewards,” and players can choose the rewards and brands they want, he said. Operators also can choose to spotlight businesses or brands that are especially popular in their region. That flexibility makes player rewards “hyper-personalized to the way they shop.”
Husain said operators should use gift cards as “another piece of the overall gifting puzzle.” Sometimes an operator might prefer awarding physical gifts picked up at the casino or shipped directly to a player’s home, and a digital reward might be more appealing at another time. “We want to provide gifting solutions on the casino’s terms,” he said.
Even with all the options digital gift cards offer, the primary goal remains rewarding loyal players. “The mechanics of gifting really don’t change when you’re doing it in a digital form,” Husain said. “If you have a physical gift, you’re using that to drive a trip. If you have a digital gift, you’re doing the exact same thing.”
