While iGaming is an intensely competitive industry, understanding one’s position relative to competitors and identifying gaps/opportunities—or shortcomings—can skyrocket improvements.
Whether an operator is in an emerging market or a new entrant into a well-established one, gaining a real understanding of the competitive landscape greatly enhances the ability to improve strategically, play to strengths—and get ahead. It empowers operators to outmaneuver competitors by using data-driven insights, adapt swiftly to what players want, and drive growth through innovation.
TESTA’s benchmarking services use localized, real-world testing to reveal data-driven inefficiencies and opportunities that may otherwise go overlooked.
In this article, the focus is on two market analyses that demonstrate the potential of TESTA’s crowdsourced testing. First, a new one for 2024, the Washington, D.C. sportsbook market where TESTA compared onboarding processes at BetMGM and FanDuel; second is the more established Japanese online casino market, where TESTA benchmarked customer journey data for onboarding key processes and game play on both slots and live dealer.
Why benchmarking is vital to iGaming
Benchmarking empowers operators to outmaneuver competitors by utilizing data-driven insights, adapt swiftly to changing player preferences, and drive growth through innovation. This process not only identifies areas needing improvement but also highlights successful strategies, providing a blueprint for achieving competitive superiority.
Use crowdsourced testing to benchmark and outmaneuver competitors
TESTA's benchmarking methodology
TESTA’s benchmarking leverages real-time data to deliver actionable insights based on actual player behavior and market conditions. Through its global network of crowdsourced testers, known as the TESTA Qrowd, TESTA provides insights that help organizations identify performance gaps and emerging trends—giving them a competitive edge. This global insight is tailored to help businesses adapt to local player preferences and regulations, ensuring compliance and strategic advantage.
Crowdsourced testers
The TESTA Qrowd delivers QA and testing that’s hyper-localized, capturing the unique characteristics of each market. By leveraging diverse, real-world insights from this community, businesses gain valuable data that helps them stay ahead of trends and challenges specific to each region. This approach supports smarter decision-making, enhancing the ability of operators to maintain competitiveness.
Measuring reality
TESTA measures key metrics such as combined UX times, gameplay reliability, and payment flow efficiency, which are derived from its extensive collaboration with iGaming clients across the globe. This breadth of experience ensures the metrics are relevant and deeply rooted in the diverse realities of the iGaming industry:
- Combined UX Times track the complete user journey, identifying friction points that hinder player engagement. Reducing these times leads to smoother user experiences, thereby boosting retention.
- Gameplay reliability addresses issues like lag or crashes, providing providers with insights for rapid improvements essential for sustaining player engagement.
- Payment flow efficiency assesses the smoothness of transactions, a critical element in building player trust and conversion rates. Effective payment systems are vital for keeping players satisfied and reducing drop-offs.
Together, these metrics furnish clear insights that are instrumental in enhancing performance, minimizing friction, and elevating player satisfaction in iGaming, making them invaluable tools for operators aiming to refine their services based on proven, global user feedback.
Real-world case examples of benchmarking in action
TESTA’s benchmarking approach has produced demonstrable outcomes in real-world circumstances. One particularly interesting example is the BetMGM vs. FanDuel project in Washington, D.C. By comparing onboarding processes, TESTA discovered major discrepancies in app performance and registration flow. BetMGM’s quicker app loading times compared with FanDuel’s more efficient registration steps, allowing both to fine-tune their processes for improved user experience and conversion rates.
In Japan, TESTA benchmarked combined UX Times, which revealed inefficiencies in user journey patterns. This data enabled operators to identify friction points and make targeted adjustments.
These case studies demonstrate how TESTA’s real-time, data-driven insights enable operators and providers to make more informed decisions. Benchmarking is more than simply numbers; it is about delivering practical findings that promote growth and improve user experience.
Benchmarking onboarding efficiency between BetMGM and FanDuel in Washington, D.C.
TESTA’s benchmarking revealed significant gaps in performance between BetMGM and FanDuel during onboarding in Washington, D.C.
While BetMGM had the fastest app loading time (4 seconds on iPhone 15), its cumbersome 8-step registration process delayed user flow, creating a potential risk of drop-offs.
FanDuel’s four-step process was quicker and more efficient.
However, both platforms struggled with unclear SSN verification, causing user dissatisfaction.
This distinction demonstrates how a faster registration process significantly affects user experience. FanDuel’s streamlined approach led to faster sign-ups, probably boosting player retention.
Operators should prioritize reducing redundant steps and streamlining mobile registration to boost onboarding speed and player acquisition.
Japan UX benchmarking across five offshore iGaming operators
In Q2 2024, TESTA conducted a comprehensive UX benchmarking study on five offshore iGaming operators in Japan: Lucky Niki, Yuugado, Vera & John, Casitabi, and Stake. The emphasis was on the onboarding and gameplay experiences for slot and live dealer games. Yuugado has the fastest website load time (1.1 seconds) and game load speeds, establishing a high benchmark for seamless user experiences.
Vera & John excelled at website and registration page speed, whereas Stake overcame slower website load times (7.05 seconds) with swift registration and deposit processes.
Stake had a 0.9-second registration and deposit process, highlighting the importance of efficient operations. However, slower gameplay load times exposed irregularities that could degrade the overall experience.
Similarly, Lucky Niki’s registration page loaded in 0.2 seconds, the fastest among competitors, however its deposit page took more than 7 seconds, indicating room for improvement.
So to account for the variation in UX quality at different stages of the customer journey, TESTA’s Japan benchmarking also evaluated combined UX times, an indicator that assesses the complete user journey from login to bet placement. This comprehensive strategy identifies inefficiencies at every stage, providing operators with a clear road map for increasing player engagement and lowering drop-off rates. Read the full report to see the results of the combined UX times.
How benchmarking enhances TESTA’s use cases in iGaming
Benchmarking is an essential tool that TESTA utilizes to maximize the effectiveness of its various testing services in the iGaming industry. By comparing processes and outcomes across different platforms, TESTA can identify best practices and areas for improvement. Below, we explore how benchmarking is integrated into each of TESTA’s specific use cases:
Onboarding testing
For onboarding testing, benchmarking can be used to compare the effectiveness of different onboarding processes across various platforms. By analyzing performance metrics from multiple clients, TESTA can pinpoint best practices and common pitfalls, providing insights that lead to an optimized onboarding experience, ultimately improving conversion rates and boosting user satisfaction.
- Read more about onboarding testing
Payment testing
In payment testing, benchmarking across different platforms can help identify the most efficient and user-friendly payment processes. This comparison can highlight the most effective techniques for minimizing transaction times and errors.
- Learn more about payment testing
Bonus testing
Benchmarking in bonus testing involves comparing how different iGaming platforms handle promotions and bonuses. By understanding the most successful strategies for deploying bonuses that genuinely engage players and build trust, TESTA can offer tailored recommendations that help clients enhance player signups and retention.
- Explore TESTA’s approach to bonus testing
Performance testing
Performance testing benefits greatly from benchmarking, especially when analyzing data across high-traffic periods. TESTA can compare performance under similar conditions across various platforms to determine which configurations yield the best uptime and user experience.
- Read more about performance testing
Localization testing
Benchmarking different approaches to localization allows TESTA to advise on the most effective strategies for entering new markets. By comparing how well different platforms resonate with local audiences, TESTA can provide actionable insights that help operators tailor their offerings to meet the specific cultural and linguistic expectations of their target markets.
- Learn more about localization testing
KYC testing
In KYC testing, benchmarking the KYC processes of different platforms can provide insights into the most streamlined and user-friendly approaches. This helps TESTA recommend strategies that not only comply with regulatory requirements but also enhance user experience, minimizing friction and abandonment during the registration process.
- Discover more about KYC testing
Compatibility testing
Benchmarking is essential in compatibility testing to ensure that clients’ platforms perform consistently across all devices and operating systems. By analyzing performance data from a range of devices, TESTA can identify and help mitigate issues that could lead to inconsistencies in user experience.
- Understand more about TESTA compatibility testing
Conclusion
Is your iGaming platform optimized to stay ahead of the competition? Benchmarking is about identifying growth opportunities and staying ahead. TESTA’s approach helps operators pinpoint flaws, optimize operations, and deliver exceptional player experiences.
Ready to transform your platform? Explore
TESTA’s market research and benchmarking solutions
and take the first step toward a smarter, more efficient iGaming experience.
About the author
Ian McKinnon
TESTA Head of Marketing