It’s actually no surprise that the online casino market now peaks at $17.13 billion, according to Grand View Research, and is expected to grow by a CAGR of 12.4%. The industry, which was once niche, has not stopped expanding, given its continued innovations. Beyond relying on things like tech improvements to engage players, the sector has also been looking for new avenues to grow its audience.
And if you’re wondering whether Scottish football can really help online casinos advance, you have just come to the right place. Here, we will answer this question while highlighting the various opportunities in Scottish football that online casinos like Kinghills Casino can take advantage of to stay ahead. So, without wasting any more time, let’s set off.
Engaging the loyal fans
Do you actually know that, according to Statista, the club with the highest average attendance in the Scottish Premiership attracted over 59,000 individuals in the 2023/24 season? To make it even more serious, the 2022 turnover of the Scottish Football Association resulted in about 41.4 million British pounds.
Another report by BBC claimed that Scottish football had the highest match attendance per capita in Europe, which was about 21.3 attendees per 1,000 people. All these statistics are to show you that football is a loved sport in this country. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that more fans attend top-flight football matches in Scotland than in any other European country as a fraction of the population.
These statistics present a good opportunity for online casinos to engage with an already existing market. Amongst the many ways these platforms can engage these fans include:
- Creating exclusive offers like Matchday promos – these can include free bets or bonuses based on gamers’ team performances
- Club-specific games – These ones often have thematic depictions of the history and culture of specific clubs to deeply connect with fans
Also, don’t forget that dedicated fans often engage with each other on social media platforms by discussing things like matches, transfers and other club news. Imagine the benefits you could reap as an operator by taking advantage of this enthusiasm to sponsor content like pre-match analyses, live updates and so on. Organising events like viewing parties or collaborating with clubs for charity fundraisers can also be great opportunities to engage these loyal fans.
Using sponsorship opportunities
Running a professional football club is not a walk in the park. Actually, just last year (2024), Dumbarton FC, one of Scotland’s oldest clubs, plunged into administration after the directors confirmed that they were no longer able to pay their players and staff.
Remember, for a team to be competitive, it must hire top talent, who can sometimes be very expensive. But that can be challenging, especially for smaller teams. A good example would be Connor Goldson, who, according to Salary Sport, is paid £37,000 per week.
Good enough, most of these teams are usually open to sponsorship deals from other sectors like casinos. Casinos can partner with football teams through branding on uniforms, billboards and online advertisements. These partnerships can financially benefit both the casino and the football club. Let’s see how.
Brand visibility
As you may know, how customers view your brand really determines whether or not they will transact with it. In fact, studies by WiserNotify show that more than eight in ten must be able to trust your brand before they can purchase from it. As if that were not enough, 46% of consumers may actually spend more if they trust your brand.
And now that Scottish football teams attract thousands of fans, you can imagine the branding benefits you can reap from partnering with them. In the first place, you have the opportunity to present yourself right before the eyes of targeted audiences. Let’s take a team like Celtic, for instance. This team has previously ranked 16th worldwide amongst teams that welcome the largest crowds in the stadiums.
Therefore, partnering with them allows you to present your brand to these crowds, which might potentially result in increased conversion rates. Plus, collaborating with such teams can improve brand trust. It’s like a brand that has been referred by a trusted friend. Just that you trust your friend, high chances are that you’ll automatically consider the brand to be reliable.
And for online casinos, which are usually met with stiff competition from competitors, such opportunities can be very handy. Remember, acquiring new players is actually becoming more expensive. In fact, some experts approximate that you might need at least five times more resources to get new customers than retain existing ones. And this could drive online casinos to actually partner with Scottish football teams.
Have we even highlighted the global followership these teams enjoy? Celtic, for instance, had over nine million fans globally about two decades ago. Can you imagine how many people could be supporting it now that the team has become even more famous? For a casino platform targeting global marketing, partnering with such a team can really be a great move.
What is our final word?
Well, as you can see, football has a special place among Scottish residents and collaborating with different teams can really benefit online casinos. Providing exclusive offers like free bets can help engage loyal fans and attract new audiences. This is without mentioning the improved brand perception that comes with such collaborations.