The igaming landscape in Ontario is a busy one, as anyone who follows the market’s evolution knows. Licensed operators need any edge they can get.
DraftKings is betting on that with the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s Prize Engine in Ontario, part of IGT’s Engagement Platform suite of marketing tools. It offers a wide range of opportunities to craft tailored campaigns using any game on the IGT RGS and GAP platforms, allowing operators to reward players through personalized multi-level Cash Drop or Prize Drops.
This innovative player engagement is still new to the North American market (introduced in late 2023), but is already driving player retention and delivering personalized campaigns and custom promotions across the entire IGT slot portfolio.
Prize Engine has been successfully launched in various regulated jurisdictions in the U.S., including Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
CDC Gaming spoke with Gil Rotem, IGT PlayDigital president, about the Ontario launch:
Q: In your words, what is Prize Engine?
GR: For us, it’s a way to create another layer of engagement to support various aspects of the user journey, from enhancing the game and user experience to creating value and allowing operators to offer a more responsible interaction with the user.
For example, the solution helps operators offer each user the right level of offering and allows the operator to more effectively use their marketing spend. This also gives players a better experience.
Q: How unique is this in the marketplace? How is it going to change things?
GR: We separated the data and the visuals. With the data, algorithms run in the back office. Based on what the data reveals about game behavior, the solution gives tools to either identify players’ activity, change the marketing plan, or offer new games.
Operators can use it for responsible gambling as well. Our tool allows our customers to monitor gameplay activity, then take actions based on the data, independent of the visuals on the player’s screen.
We built a set of visuals for Prize Engine that allows operators to interact with their players during gameplay. For example, they can recommend games based on similar games that a player may like.
Again, we’re not directing someone from a table game to a slot and we don’t want players to move away from their game if they like Wheel of Fortune, for example. If someone likes this game, we offer the player the same type of game. The solution helps operators identify if someone likes a high-RTP low-volatility game, for example, and with Prize Engine, the operator can make game recommendations that align. Casinos can dynamically tailor their marketing while the user is playing.
The visuals can be tailored to the player, a specific game, different types of jackpots, segmentation, based on what the individual would like. With the visuals, we can interact with users via game recommendations, prize drops, different widgets, and different site games that can reward the player based on their activity.
Every person’s experience is very different. Even if we both bet a $5 spin, maybe I like high volatility, maybe you like low volatility. The fact that we both came out with, say, $100 and we bet $5, our expectation is completely different. Those widgets and tools, this data algorithm, will allow each individual user to get a better experience.
CDC: That high level of personalization, do you agree that that will be the differentiator in an igaming market as competitive as Ontario?
GR: I keep saying that. I spent 15 years with a big operator. It comes down to the real question: We want to help our customers create entertaining environments.
IGT’s tools are based on the data. We give our customers the tools; how they use them is up to them. But for us, the idea is that every player is different and every player will be interested in something different. For example, is it $10 or 10 free spins? What works better for each player? This is for the operator to determine.
Overall, Prize Engine is a suite of tools that allows operators to create a much safer, more rewarding and entertaining environment for the players, whether it’s cash, free spins, or jackpots. So it’s everything that makes a better journey for the player.
