Celebrity endorsement can make an online casino game seem more credible while creating an aura of glamour and sophistication that draws in new customers.
One in seven UK consumers believe celebrity endorsements for gambling products are effective, while slightly fewer do in Mexico, Germany and Spain.
Endorsements Help Casinos Attract New Customers
Careful selection of celebrity endorsers for casinos can be an effective marketing tool. Their image and reputation should reflect that of the casino, portraying gaming positively and inspiring trust from potential customers – this will lead to higher sales numbers. Conversely, choosing someone whose image conflicts with your brand could prove counterproductive and sales may suffer significantly.
Example: the UK National Lottery hired comedian Billy Connolly as their celebrity endorser, yet many Britons found his lottery ads so offensive that ticket sales decreased drastically. Such mistakes can have devastating repercussions for any company and should therefore be chosen with extreme care when hiring celebrity endorsers for casino products.
Many celebrities have been willing to lend their names and faces to online casinos. Soccer’s Lionel Messi, jockey Mike Tyson, tennis player Rafael Nadal and rapper Nicki Minaj have all appeared in gambling ads; the latter two serve as ambassadors for PokerStars while Rapper Nicki Minaj has collaborated with multiple brands including BetSports and MaximBet due to her huge social following; she makes for an ideal fit in advertising of casino games.
They Help Casinos Build Credibility
Celebrity endorsement is an effective way for casinos to build credibility and draw new customers in. When selecting celebrity endorsers, casinos should select those well-known for their gambling habits and who have an excellent reputation – this will ensure the casino remains legit without scandals or controversy being associated with it.
Many celebrities are well-known for their affinity for gambling, making it only natural that they would want to promote online casinos. From Paris Hilton and Verne Troyer (better known as Mini-Me from Austin Powers films) to Daniel Negreanu there are plenty of celebrities willing to promote any casino’s products or services.
Celebrity endorsements have also proven effective at drawing young people to online casinos. A recent study demonstrated that for every ten-unit increase in attractiveness, trustworthiness and familiarity of an endorser celebrity there was a six-fold increase in propensity to gamble through an online gambling application for minors.
Celebrity endorsement can help casinos foster responsible gaming initiatives and educate players on the risks of gambling. Celebrities’ support can also demonstrate that casinos are committed to responsible gambling – providing assurance to online gamblers they’re in safe hands when choosing online gaming.
They Help Casinos Attract New Customers
An iconic celebrity’s presence at a casino can draw players in, drawing attention to it while encouraging them to test out its games. This process, known as intrinsic association, plays an integral part of marketing.
Things can quickly go south when celebrities try their luck at casino card counting; actor Ben Affleck found himself mired in serious financial difficulty when trying his luck in Las Vegas casinos as a card counter, and casino sales can drop significantly if an image-damaging scandal like Vic Reeves’ drink-driving conviction hindered sales (e.g. Vic Reeves was promoted by an insurance company), for instance
Celebrities have always been integral parts of gambling marketing campaigns worldwide, unless advertising restrictions forbid it. Lionel Messi features in Hard Rock International betting ads for Hard Rock Betting International while both Mike Tyson and Frankie Dettori have endorsed online bookmakers.
As cryptocurrency products such as Bitcoin become increasingly popular, celebrities have taken on the role of cryptocurrency ambassadors to increase public understanding of them. Our data shows that global consumers 55 years or over are twice as likely to consider celebrity endorsements on gambling products than those between 18-24 years of age.
