Is personalisation making iGaming smarter or more addictive?
The iGaming industry is riding a wave of hyper-personalisation, leveraging AI, machine learning, and player data to create tailored experiences that engage users. What begins as a connection can morph into control. Engagement is just the first mask.
In an exclusive interview with SiGMA News, Christian Hodges (Head of Partnerships, Lift), Alexis Wicen (CEO, Unibo), and Adam Mateja (Co-Founder and CEO, Blurify) explored the future of personalisation in iGaming. We discussed their opinions on the biggest question: Is personalisation a game-changer or a ticking time bomb?
How far is too far in personalisation?
Christian set the tone early.
“If personalisation means knowing my football team and recommending relevant bets, great. If it means tracking my betting history and nudging me to gamble more, then we have a problem.”
For him, the test is simple: “Would you be comfortable saying it out loud in a pub? If not, maybe your AI shouldn’t say it either.”
This raises a crucial debate. Where do we draw the line between personalisation and predatory practices?
AI-driven tools can identify sudden changes in risk behaviour. For example, a player shifting from £30 bets three times a week to £300 bets ten times a week. On the downside, AI also enables hyper-targeted nudges, enticing a high-value player to bet more, even if they’re already exceeding normal limits.
Many operators are still wrestling with where that boundary lies. With so much data on player habits, the challenge remains: how do you use it to protect, not exploit? Regulators worldwide are already asking these same questions. In markets like Sweden and Germany, overly aggressive personalisation tactics have led to tighter restrictions on bonuses and advertising. The UK’s upcoming affordability checks will challenge how deeply operators can personalise player engagement without crossing ethical lines.
Push too hard, and someone pushes back. Several markets have already handed out fines and suspensions. If operators don’t rethink personalisation soon, regulators surely will. From a player’s perspective, how do they feel about highly tailored promotions? Are they aware of how much operators track their behaviour?
There’s a growing belief that personalisation needs clearer frameworks. Leaving it entirely up to individual operators might not be enough.
Alexis shared a cautionary tale from Sweden, “During COVID, Sweden had a 5,000 SEK (€450) deposit limit per week. 바카라ers opened accounts with multiple operators and ended up receiving even more marketing, ultimately losing control. It backfired.”
Is iGaming personalisation lagging behind other industries?
E-commerce, streaming, and mobile gaming are miles ahead in AI-driven recommendations. Can iGaming keep up? Alexis put it bluntly,
“Netflix keeps you clicking. Amazon keeps you buying. iGaming? We’re still figuring it out.”
If the tech exists, why hasn’t iGaming caught up?
In streaming, users tend to stick to specific genres. In iGaming, players switch between games for emotional satisfaction, social interaction, or simply instinct. Mobile gaming logs every interaction. Tiny gestures become data points, fuelling increasingly tailored experiences. iGaming is still a step behind when it comes to that kind of behavioural precision.
Some companies are already using AI to link player preferences with game mechanics. Adam raised an important point that too much personalisation might stifle discovery, “If players only see what they already like, they might never explore new types of games. That’s a major issue in iGaming.”
Christian pointed out that other industries are using direct messaging tools to achieve stronger conversions. He said, “I’ve seen businesses using WhatsApp or Telegram to follow up directly with users post-registration. We could do something similar through AI agents, especially where traditional channels fail to convert.”
Is iGaming too focused on retention over exploration?
The panel agreed if Netflix only showed users the same content they’d already watched, the engagement would eventually stagnate. Could the same be happening in the iGaming industry? Adam warned that a lack of experimentation and discovery pushes players into repetitive loops.
“We should still offer players 20 percent of new content they haven’t seen or tried. It’s not about only giving them what they already like. It’s about helping them explore what they might love.” Adam also championed testing over assumptions.
“AI should leave room for surprise. Don’t just serve what’s safe. You might miss what really connects.”
So, what’s stopping operators from improving personalisation? Is it technical limitations, regulatory fear, or simply outdated thinking? These aren’t minor hurdles. They are critical roadblocks standing in the way of smarter iGaming personalisation that puts discovery and choice first.
Is real-time AI the data goldmine or a dangerous tool?
And here’s where it gets murky. Are we approaching a grey area where AI-driven nudges make gambling more addictive than ever? Could AI overstep its bounds? What happens when real-time betting recommendations start to anticipate emotions and mood swings? Everyone loves a buzzword, but is real-time personalisation just hype dressed as progress?
Christian argued that real-time data is crucial, “If your data is delayed by 24 hours, you’ve already lost the player.”
One industry example illustrates this well: if a player loses a significant amount quickly, real-time AI can trigger a bonus to keep them engaged. Without it, that player may simply vanish. This echoes findings from an earlier SiGMA News analysis of AI’s expanding role in real-time player engagement, where automation and agency clash in the fight to keep punters playing.
However, here’s the problem: AI personalisation can recover at-risk players before they leave, but it’s also open to manipulation. Could AI unintentionally encourage loss-chasing? The very nature of iGaming personalisation at this stage demands scrutiny, not just in how it functions, but in how quickly it adapts to moments of emotional vulnerability. Near-miss events can trigger the same reward centres as real wins, reinforcing gambling behaviours even without actual payouts. As highlighted by , this neurological response highlights the importance of ethical considerations in deploying AI-driven personalisation in iGaming.
Live sports betting already operates on this model, reacting instantly to in-game moments. Could 바카라 operators apply the same logic to slot gameplay, offering AI-driven challenges or bonus spins to maintain engagement?
While effective, AI offers a way to deliver similar engagement at speed and scale with no need for human intervention. Christian noted that real-time messaging isn’t just about speed. It’s also about timing. “Sometimes, just checking in 12 hours after a session can make the difference between a lost player and a retained one.”
Is AI replacing the human touch in VIP management?
One clear limitation of AI is the human touch. Christian agrees, “AI can assist VIP managers, but removing humans entirely would be a mistake.” Alexis added, “VIPs are spending big. They want real conversations, not just algorithms.”
Adam supported a hybrid approach: “Let AI help decide offers and timings, but people must build the relationship.”
A tiered approach could help. Early-stage VIPs might prefer digital-only contact, while higher-value players may expect real human interaction as standard.
Should some VIPs be able to opt out of human interaction and prefer only digital contact? While a minority of players may prefer full automation, the vast majority still want that human touch, especially when loyalty and high stakes are involved. Somewhere between a VIP champagne toast and a chatbot’s polite nudge lies the sweet spot of iGaming personalisation, if only the industry can tune into it.
On whether AI can replicate emotional intelligence, everyone agreed that AI may streamline some operations and suit hands-off customers, but it’s unlikely to replace genuine human connection. Nor should it aim to.
The future of iGaming personalisation
Where is personalisation heading in the next 3–5 years?
Here’s what could reshape the space in the next few years:
- AI that predicts bets before players even make them, based on behaviour trends.
- Web3-driven personalisation, using decentralised profiles and real-time data.
- Emotion-aware systems that adapt based on mood, voice tone, or stress levels if players opt in.
Adam claimed, “Within a few years, we’ll be tracking player emotions to personalise experiences. Emotion-aware AI won’t just personalise games,” he added. “It’ll change the tone of music, the pace of the lobby, maybe even the volatility.”
But does that cross the line? Alexis wasn’t convinced. “Regulators will struggle to keep up. If AI creates personalised slots on demand, how will licensing authorities even regulate that?”
One exciting avenue is the idea of decentralised player profiles using Web3. Combining real-time gameplay data with enhanced privacy tools could strike a valuable balance between personalisation and trust.
On operators getting it right, Stake.com has emerged as a frontrunner in this space, especially through its use of streaming platforms for acquisition and player loyalty. But as decentralised tools develop, iGaming personalisation could soon slip beyond oversight, raising the question of who really controls the player experience. SiGMA News recently explored the challenge of balancing autonomy and surveillance in iGaming personalisation.
Could AI personalise 바카라 environments in real time? Imagine a fully tailored lobby where each player receives customised games, bonuses, and even music. Is this the future, or is it too invasive? If AI can tailor a lobby in real time, how long before loyalty points feel outdated? Are we ready to replace the VIP ladder with a hyper-personalised on-ramp?
Despite the hype, it’s still unclear whether players even want Netflix-style personalisation. The widespread use of aliases in live 바카라 games suggests many still value anonymity over algorithmic intimacy.
Get it right, or risk the fallout
Personalisation is reshaping iGaming, but the big question remains: Is it genuinely enhancing player experiences, or is it just another tool to increase revenue?
With AI driving real-time betting, VIP automation, and predictive wagering, operators must strike a balance between engagement and responsibility.
As regulation struggles to keep up, the industry faces a pivotal moment: pushing personalisation too far risks backlash. Get it right, and it could transform player retention forever.
