Supplier News

UK – YouGov and TrueLayer research reveals five trends shaping the future of iGaming payments

By Lewis - 2 December 2020

TrueLayer has revealed the results of its latest research produced in association with YouGov into the future of iGaming payments.

The research surveyed over 3,000 regular online gamblers across European markets including the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, examining attitudes and experiences within iGaming, and the impact of payment options on player onboarding, retention and safeguards.

The research revealed five significant trends:

1). Players want fast payments: Rapid deposits and payouts consistently topped the list of player priorities, with eight out of 10 players rating fast payments as important – and they choose their gaming operators accordingly. The survey shows that, in five out of six markets surveyed, players consider fast withdrawals to be in their top two priorities.

2). Instant withdrawals improve brand trust: Instant withdrawals increase deposits, while slow or problematic withdrawals are a key source of frustration, complaints, bad reviews – and ultimately churn. Almost two thirds of respondents said they were more likely to trust a gaming service that offered withdrawals and deposits (64 per cent). While more than half (55 per cent) said they were likely to switch to an online gaming service that offered instant withdrawals.

3). Players want to pay by bank transfer: In the UK, Germany and the Nordics around seven in 10 players use bank transfer to pay into a gaming service. Pan-European gaming brands to be mindful of the fact differing cultural preferences across the continent, as card payments still dominate in France, Italy and Spain.

4). Onboarding needs to be fast and simple: For all online services, the onboarding challenge is simple, the customer has not yet experienced your service, so they are easier to lose. The trend is towards seamless and frictionless signups. In total, around two thirds of respondents (65 per cent) said they would not tolerate a signup process which lasted more than five minutes.

5). Players choose operators that support responsible gambling: The research shows that online gaming operators who promote responsible gambling by including tools like spending caps are more popular than those without sophisticated limits. Around two thirds (65 per cent) of players across are likely to use a site that promotes responsible gambling by setting spending caps and limits.

“The research findings clearly show that improved payment options are a key driver for players, whether they are choosing a new gaming provider, allocating deposits or deciding to move on. It delivers a clear message to operators that as players experience seamless digital services in other aspects of their lives, their expectations for iGaming are also changing,” commented George Davis, Product Lead for Payments at TrueLayer.

“iGaming providers that offer instant bank payment capabilities and couple their service with responsible gambling initiatives will drive trust, higher usage and higher player stickiness,” added Davis. “Open banking is also a positive move for responsible and sustainable gambling, since banks can control their limit allowance, and any interactions via open banking APIs will enforce those allowances.”