Monday 27 January 2020

Looking Beyond the Psychology of 'Free' Casino Promotions


Every time we visit an online casino, it’s hard to argue with the fact that the iGaming industry has lent heavily on other areas of commerce. Browsing around at all the latest sign-up and bonus offers available, all you need to do is look through a list of sites and count how many times the word “free” appears.

Interestingly, there’s actually far more to “free” than meets the eye. In a 2015 article published by Huffpost, they explained some aspects behind the psychology of discounts, promotions and free offers. One of the core principals was that people can often be swayed into buying something when they otherwise might not have considered doing so once pulled through the door by what they perceive to be a good promotion. 


In the same article, they highlighted the work of behavioural scientist Dan Ariely, professor and author of ‘Predictably Irrational’, a New York Times bestseller, which delves into the choices people make when presented with offers and promotions. Through the course of his studies and experiments, Ariely has found that people often value something for “free” more, compared to something heavily discounted or which might actually be more useful. 

Akin to high-street retailers or alternative shopping destinations we might peruse via the internet these days, online casinos are increasingly deploying the same kinds of psychological methods to attract new custom. This is why “free” is attached to so many promotions because they know it will attract your attention, stop you in your tracks and make you look. It’s also fair to say that far too many players don’t look beyond the “free” spins, cash or credits on offer. 

For those of us who enjoy gambling, be it wagering on sports or playing casino games and slots, there’s arguably nothing quite like a good promotion. Something that makes us feel confident we’re depositing funds at the right location and that we’ll benefit in some way for doing so. However, we should also train ourselves to look past the latest “free” something an online casino is offering. 

What we should be looking for is the quality of the overall service at an online casino. This means ensuring payment and withdrawal are convenient, that the site is fully licensed and regulated by reputable gaming commissions, has the eCOGRA logo as an assurance of fairness, and the variety of games we want to play. Yukon Gold is a great example, a full review from BonusFinder here, which details what to look for at a quality online casino, beyond the 125 “free” spins available for Immortal Romance slots. 

The lesson here is that nothing in life is completely free. There are usually some strings attached, and in the case of online casinos, many promotions are usually tied to the size of the initial deposit you make, which games you can play and can be accompanied by certain specific wagering requirements. We want to play and the casinos want us to play with them, which means finding the right balance that suits ourselves best of all, selecting to play at those offering something both appealing and practically beneficial.


This is why checking through casino comparison and review sites is always great advice. Every offer we look at will have some appeal and tug at our desire to get something for free, though we should always pause and check what they entail, looking for any tangible benefits we can make the most of.