4 ms·

> "Whales" (as a fishing metaphor) You probably already know this, but for those that don't, this phrase was borrowed from the casino community. Seems apt, no?

by sosborn 11y ago

iaw 11y ago
I actually didn't know that, thank you! Completely makes sense. I know it created some friction after a while when the company realized that calling users a synonym for fat, even if internally only and without that intent, was a bad idea (their game also targeted girls making it worse).
Animats 11y ago
Note that it refers to gamblers who are big losers. Casinos have other terms to refer to players who regularly leave with more than they brought in.
- nostromo 11y ago
  Don't leave us hanging. What's the term?
  - RevHaze 11y ago
    Sharks, in poker at least.
    - ntumlin 11y ago
      And "banned", in the case of blackjack.
  - jdietrich 11y ago
    The industry calls them "advantage players", usually in the context of identifying and banning them.
Splines 11y ago
I think the gambling industry could probably start taking tips from the mobile gaming industry now. Free video-slots that give you "Casino Coins" (CC) that you can redeem for drinks/food. The free games will be very, very basic (no multiplay or bonus features), and you might earn enough over a few hours for 1 free drink. Limit free game spins to a certain rate per hour. Pay into the game and you'll get better unlocks. Pay continually and you'll increase a "combo meter" that will tilt things even more in your favor. Pay small extras that let you customize the video slot interface with your favorite characters, hats, sounds, etc. that are tied to your casino account rewards card. Urgh.
- nkrisc 11y ago
  Don't forget the social network integration to broadcast their jackpots to their networks. Also, the cosmetic rewards should affect the outward display of the machine, so their status can be easily ascertained by others.
  - Splines 11y ago
    You could also have a mechanic where Casino Coins are earned automatically for your for a few days automatically, depending on your participation level. Visit the casino again and play some games to "wake" things up and get them going again.
- iaw 11y ago
  You just came up with a great idea, I think there's only two or three casino game manufacturers in the world, one of them may want to pursue this. (Better than Big Bang Theory and Sex in the City)
- icelancer 11y ago
  A lot of this stuff is slowly being integrated done with points cards and the like, but laws on the books in the NGC prevent some of the more egregious stuff from occurring that violate privacy things.
- ac29 11y ago
  How would the casino business stay afloat if 99% of its customers didn't spend money?

> "Whales" (as a fishing metaphor) You probably already know this, but for those that don't, this phrase was borrowed from the casino community. Seems apt, no?

by sosborn 11y ago

> "Whales" (as a fishing metaphor) You probably already know this, but for those that don't, this phrase was borrowed from the casino community. Seems apt, no?

iaw 11y ago

I actually didn't know that, thank you! Completely makes sense. I know it created some friction after a while when the company realized that calling users a synonym for fat, even if internally only and without that intent, was a bad idea (their game also targeted girls making it worse).

Animats 11y ago

Note that it refers to gamblers who are big losers. Casinos have other terms to refer to players who regularly leave with more than they brought in.

nostromo 11y ago
Don't leave us hanging. What's the term?
- RevHaze 11y ago
  Sharks, in poker at least.
  - ntumlin 11y ago
    And "banned", in the case of blackjack.
- jdietrich 11y ago
  The industry calls them "advantage players", usually in the context of identifying and banning them.

Splines 11y ago

I think the gambling industry could probably start taking tips from the mobile gaming industry now. Free video-slots that give you "Casino Coins" (CC) that you can redeem for drinks/food. The free games will be very, very basic (no multiplay or bonus features), and you might earn enough over a few hours for 1 free drink. Limit free game spins to a certain rate per hour. Pay into the game and you'll get better unlocks. Pay continually and you'll increase a "combo meter" that will tilt things even more in your favor. Pay small extras that let you customize the video slot interface with your favorite characters, hats, sounds, etc. that are tied to your casino account rewards card. Urgh.

nkrisc 11y ago
Don't forget the social network integration to broadcast their jackpots to their networks. Also, the cosmetic rewards should affect the outward display of the machine, so their status can be easily ascertained by others.
- Splines 11y ago
  You could also have a mechanic where Casino Coins are earned automatically for your for a few days automatically, depending on your participation level. Visit the casino again and play some games to "wake" things up and get them going again.
iaw 11y ago
You just came up with a great idea, I think there's only two or three casino game manufacturers in the world, one of them may want to pursue this. (Better than Big Bang Theory and Sex in the City)
icelancer 11y ago
A lot of this stuff is slowly being integrated done with points cards and the like, but laws on the books in the NGC prevent some of the more egregious stuff from occurring that violate privacy things.
ac29 11y ago
How would the casino business stay afloat if 99% of its customers didn't spend money?