Styliana Kalogreadou, Head of Customer Success at iGATE, shared insights on player retention strategies at the SBC Summit Malta. She highlighted the shift from reactive to proactive, data-informed approaches, emphasizing the need for seamless user experiences and personalized engagement to stay competitive in a tech-driven landscape.
Kalogreadou emphasized the transformative role of technology in reshaping player retention strategies, saying: “Recently, all the tech advancements have allowed us to be not reactive, but proactive; to track player behaviours, understand their actions and even calculate what’s coming next based on the data we collect.
“This proactive approach enables teams to operationalize data, turning insights into immediate actions.”
She also addressed the growing competition within the digital attention economy, noting that iGaming must now vie with platforms like TikTok and Instagram: “Essentially, we are competing with all digital platforms for time and attention.
“We want the player to stay engaged, logged in and entertained for as long as possible.”
The panel discussion also delved into the importance of personalization and frictionless experiences. Kalogreadou emphasized: “If the user does not have a seamless experience – too many steps means too much friction – they will leave.
“We need to focus on product experience first, even before we reach out to the player. Simplicity is key: don’t make them click 20 times just to register.”
She pointed out that often-overlooked KPIs like session time and session days are critical to understanding genuine engagement: “Engagement data tells the real story. A player might take the bonus and leave, but if we see strong session days and session duration, it means that we are doing something right.”
Kalogreadou concluded by underlining the importance of aligning product design with user needs: “Everything ties back to the product. If the experience isn’t seamless, we lose the player.
“Our focus must be on continuously enhancing what we offer; not just reaching out to the user but giving them reasons to stay from the first interaction.”
The Player Retention Panel was a highlight of SBC Summit Malta, offering actionable insights for operators on rethinking customer retention strategies for 2025 and beyond.
iGATE, a B2B solutions provider, supports iGaming operators with data-driven growth and scalable services, aiming to enhance player engagement and retention.
