Localisation in iGaming: Full guide

According to Grand View Research (you can read their report here) the iGaming industry is worth around $63.53 billion and is expected to grow another 17% by 2030. This means that we have to be prepared as more and more people are joining the “fun”.

That’s why we wrote a massive guide with literally everything a localisation manager needs to know in order to get prepared. We assure you that by the end of the article you will be fully educated on localisation in the iGaming industry.

First things first. What is localisation and why is it important? Here’s a good definition.

Localization is the process of adapting a product or service to meet the language, cultural, and other specific requirements of a particular country or region. It involves adapting elements such as language, graphics, content, user interface, currency, and date and time formats to meet the specific needs of the target market. The ultimate goal of localization is to make a product or service more accessible, user-friendly, and culturally appropriate for the local audience.

Is localisation important for iGaming in particular?

If you said yes, then you just made a great guess! Localization is extremely important in the iGaming industry because it will improve all your KPIs.

First, it increases engagement and retention by providing a more enjoyable user experience that is more personalised and culturally relevant.

Second, it creates strong customer relationships by demonstrating a commitment to serving the local market. Customers of iGaming products tend to rely a lot on intuition and having a flawless product will make them feel welcomed.

Third, revenue will likely increase as new markets will be explored.

Last and certainly not least is the successful compliance with local regulations. It is known that the iGaming industry is heavily regulated therefore it is important for iGaming companies to comply with local laws and regulations. As more and more countries are accepting gambling localization helps ensure that products and services meet local regulatory requirements.

Now that you know why localisation for iGaming is important and you have some solid reasons to finally present to your VP or CEO why it is an opportunity, let’s discuss further what we can do to be successful in localisation in the iGaming industry. It is important to note here that localisation needs a strategy and it should not be thought of as a simple task. The company will likely have to employ some of its resources and of course time is another big bet. 

While every company might have different strategies there are certain challenges and best practices for localising iGaming products and services that all companies in the iGaming industry share and we will discuss them now.

But before we do that, it is important to have a look at the segments of the iGaming market (of course if you already know them feel free to skip this part). Why is that important? Because, every segment comes with completely different target audiences and what you might already know is that differentiation on an extreme level is most of the time needed. 

In short, the iGaming market is divided into 8 big segments (there are more than 8 but we want to keep it simple).

1. Online Casino: This segment includes online versions of traditional casino games such as slots, roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

2. Sports Betting: This segment encompasses online betting on sporting events, including live betting and pre-match betting.

3. Poker: This segment includes online poker rooms and tournaments.

4. Bingo: This segment includes online bingo games and networks.

5. Social Gaming: This segment encompasses casual games, such as social slots, that are played for fun rather than for real money.

6. Esports Betting: This segment includes betting on competitive video gaming events and tournaments.

7. Virtual Sports: This segment includes simulated sporting events, such as virtual horse racing, that can be bet on in a similar way to real-world sports events.

8. Lotteries: This segment includes online lottery games and draws.

Challenges in Localising iGaming Products and Services

While localisation of iGaming products/services opens an infinite number of doors when it comes to entering international markets, it also comes with some great challenges that localisation managers need to be aware of. Localising an iGaming product/service has 

1. cultural challenges, 

2. compliance with local laws and regulations challenges, 

3. payment/currency challenges, technical challenges, 

4. marketing challenges and 

5. translation challenges. 

Let’s dig deeper into each one to shed light on those “dark” areas.

Exploring cultural differences is a big pillar of the localisation process. iGaming products and services need to be adapted to local cultural norms and customs in order to be appealing and relevant to local audiences. For example, certain themes or symbols that are popular in one culture may be completely inappropriate in another. Also, local attitudes towards gambling and online gaming can vary widely, and it is of utmost importance to take these into account when developing marketing and advertising strategies.

In Babel translations we take pride in having the expertise on culture exploration, so send us your request now to start building your localisation strategy together.

Another big challenge to consider when localising an iGaming product/service is the successful compliance with local laws and regulations. Different countries have different laws and regulations around gambling and online gaming, therefore it is crucial that your  iGaming products and services are fully compliant with these in order to legally offer them. We highly recommend that you keep an eye on the laws and regulations long before you decide to enter that market because it is one of those areas that can rapidly change so you need to keep on track. In general it is a complex and time-consuming process, as regulations can change frequently and are often subject to interpretation.

Third challenge is the payment/currency options. While it is pretty straightforward, this process is tough and involves integrating with local payment providers, supporting local currencies, and ensuring that prices are displayed in a manner that is understandable to local audiences. 

Technical considerations are also a key challenge when localising iGaming products/services. Successful adaptation to different technical environments, including devices, operating systems, and network infrastructure as well as successful optimisation for local network conditions, such as high latency or low bandwidth are required in order to provide an optimal user experience. Users’ expectations on technical issues vary from country to country.

Marketing and advertising localisation strategies are also important and have to be tailored for each target audience. To effectively develop strategies on this subject you will need to have a deep understanding of local preferences and cultural differences and of course keep an eye on the whole local landscape. Compliance with local laws and regulations applies to this subject too.

Finally, translation and localisation may be the most critical aspect of the whole localisation process. All texts and user interfaces have to be accurately translated and localised to meet the target language criteria. To accomplish that, you will need a deep understanding of the target culture and language, as well as the technical expertise to accurately translate and localise software and website content. That’s why it is extremely important to hire native speakers for your localisation process.

In Babel translations, we have a large network of native speakers to ensure that everything is optimally translated and localised. Get a quote now.

Best Practices for Localising iGaming Products and Services

  1. Do your research

Conduct market research to better understand the cultural norms, preferences and regulatory requirements. This will help you to make informed decisions on developing your localisation strategy.

  1. Find the right partners

Trying entering a market with no previous experience is not an easy task and you need to get the right partners onboard to help you on your mission. Partnering with experienced localization experts who have a deep understanding of the target culture, language, and market helps you to ensure that your localization efforts are accurate, effective, and culturally appropriate.

Partner with us now.

  1. UX is a must

The whole user experience should be at the forefront of your localization efforts. As it was stated earlier, make sure that all texts, user interfaces, and marketing materials are translated and localised in a manner that is user-friendly and culturally appropriate.

  1. Adhere to local laws and regulations

Make sure that your iGaming products/services are fully compliant with local laws and regulations. It is the most difficult task as it is not something you can forecast or control and it’s also very time consuming. Keep track of the laws, the trends, the political environment, everything that might give you a hint of what to expect long before you decide to go all in.

  1. Optimise payment and currency options

Make sure that you offer local payment and currency options so that users can easily and conveniently transact with your iGaming products and services.

  1. Tailor your local marketing and advertising strategies

Develop marketing and advertising strategies that are specifically tailored to the target market and that are compliant with local laws and regulations. 

  1. Always test your iGaming product/service

Before you launch your iGaming product/service to the market you need to thoroughly test everything be it texts, interface, functionality etc. 

  1. Optimise

After you launch your iGaming product/service to the market you need to monitor and optimise them by getting feedback from your customers while looking at the market trends.

TL;DR

Localisation for the iGaming industry is important for mainly 4 reasons: 

a) Increase of engagement and retention, 

b) cultivating strong customer relationships, 

c) revenue, 

d) technical issues. 

To form a localisation strategy you need to be aware of 5 challenges: 

a)  cultural challenges, 

b)  compliance with local laws and regulations challenges, 

c) payment/currency challenges, 

d)  technical challenges,

e) marketing challenges and 

f) translation challenges. 

The 8 best practices for iGaming localisation are:

a) research,

b) find the right partners, 

c) focus on UX, 

d) adhere to local laws and authorities, 

e) optimise payment and currency options, 

f) tailor your local marketing and advertising strategies, 

g) always test your iGaming product/service, and 

h) optimise your iGaming product or service.

Of course, the 9th best practice is to bookmark this guide and refer to it should you require information about localisation of your product/service.

Now you are ready for those foreign markets and some good revenue down the line.