SlotsWizard
Dormant account
- Joined
- May 11, 2006
- Location
- North of Antarctica
Okay, so it's not really a letter, but I decided to put together a list of things I love, things I hate, and things I would like to see, when it comes to gambling online.
CHAPTER 1: CASINO SOFTWARE
1. Full Screen Mode - Make the option available, but do not make full screen mode the default option after installation. It's a pain in the neck having to wait for it to switch screen sizes and dink around (slowly, because it's loading and doing other things), only to have to switch it back.
2. Sound - When I select "No Sound", I actually want NO SOUND! Several software brands (including Microgaming) still play sounds even when the sound option is turned off.
3. Casino-launch and game-launch movies - I see you put a lot of work into them and they're real cute and all, but could you either eliminate them or add an option to disable them? I don't like waiting the extra 30 seconds it takes to load the movie before loading the casino lobby or game.
4. Gratuitous win sounds and congratulatory messages - Please do not make a gigantic fanfare which would be better suited for a jackpot win, on pathetically small wins. I could also live without the "WHAT A FANTASTIC SPIN!" messages at the top when I hit three 9s. Did you know that these are actually considered insulting on small wins? On the flipside, however, I prefer these types of things on large wins for 3 reasons: (1) to have enough time to realize what I just won, (2) to prolong the glory of having hit a large win, and (3) to delay the game (if AutoPlay is on or if I'm click-happy) so that I can take a screenshot.
5. Bonuses, wagering requirements, restricted games - Just make the software force the player to comply with the terms and conditions of the bonus they are playing. You and I both know that it can be done with a little extra programming. Just think of all the time and headaches you would save for yourselves, your customers, casino watchdogs, gambling community members, etc. It would also be nice to see the remaining wagering requirement in smaller (but legible) print below the balance itself.
CHAPTER 2: CUSTOMER SERVICE
1. 24/7 Support - If you accept deposits and wagers at 2:54 AM on a Sunday night/Monday morning your local time, you should also have staff available to help your customers. This should go without saying if you have customers spread across multiple time zones.
2. Read the entire email - Don't stop reading a customer's email as soon as you have pieced together the first part of what they are talking about, and then reply only to that part without reading the rest. In situations where a customer is replying to another staff member, forward the email to the original staff member if possible; otherwise, read the chain of emails - from the bottom up - in their entirety so that you can grasp what is going on before you reply to the customer.
3. Live chat - Always a plus. It's better than email, and your chat software should be programmed to automatically email the customer the transcript when the chat is finished. Don't ask them if they want it emailed to them, just send it - and keep it on record with their account so they can access it from the web site at a later date too.
CHAPTER 3: BANKING
1. Reverse withdrawals - Let the player choose whether or not to have a reverse-withdrawal period, and if so, how long (1 - 24 hours only). Again, with a little programming effort, you can retain a lot of loyal customers that way.
2. Forward withdrawals - Pick up the pace. Deposits are instant. While most withdrawal methods cannot possibly be instant, they can certainly be processed quicker. Several casinos have met the ideal threshold, but there are still others that just don't seem to get it.
3. Transaction history - I can't think of any casino that doesn't offer this, but the banking history functionality is limited in most software brands. A search feature should be made available using date, time, method and amount. Ideally, the user should be able to access any and all transaction records - even if they go back 11 years or more.
CHAPTER 4: KEEPING TABS
1. Problem gambling - A link to Gamblers Anonymous and the occasional small donation to a charity does nothing to help problem gamblers. When I got a little carried away and blew my $20,000 in winnings several months ago - at an eCogra casino - I didn't even receive an email saying "Thanks for giving it all back." I consider myself lucky because I learned a VERY valuable lesson and moved on, but I worry about those who could be getting themselves into a lot of trouble while the casinos they are supporting do nothing to stop or help them. A claim of being aware of and helpful to problem gamblers should be backed up with a little action - even if it's just an email saying "Are you okay?". Yes, everything is ultimately the player's responsibility, but for all the casinos who claim to have state-of-the-art controls in place to detect and prevent problem gambling, where is the proof of these controls in action?
2. Game payouts - All casinos should have these, for every game category, updated on a monthly basis. I understand the reports will take quite a while to run, but it's good information for your current and future players.
3. Win/Loss statements - Either a monthly email or an option in the software/web site should allow the user to see their net win/loss for any given time period.
4. Game logs - Should always be accessible from within the software/web site, and available in more than one format. Excel, text and CSV formats should be made available, in a summary or detail level.
CHAPTER 1: CASINO SOFTWARE
1. Full Screen Mode - Make the option available, but do not make full screen mode the default option after installation. It's a pain in the neck having to wait for it to switch screen sizes and dink around (slowly, because it's loading and doing other things), only to have to switch it back.
2. Sound - When I select "No Sound", I actually want NO SOUND! Several software brands (including Microgaming) still play sounds even when the sound option is turned off.
3. Casino-launch and game-launch movies - I see you put a lot of work into them and they're real cute and all, but could you either eliminate them or add an option to disable them? I don't like waiting the extra 30 seconds it takes to load the movie before loading the casino lobby or game.
4. Gratuitous win sounds and congratulatory messages - Please do not make a gigantic fanfare which would be better suited for a jackpot win, on pathetically small wins. I could also live without the "WHAT A FANTASTIC SPIN!" messages at the top when I hit three 9s. Did you know that these are actually considered insulting on small wins? On the flipside, however, I prefer these types of things on large wins for 3 reasons: (1) to have enough time to realize what I just won, (2) to prolong the glory of having hit a large win, and (3) to delay the game (if AutoPlay is on or if I'm click-happy) so that I can take a screenshot.
5. Bonuses, wagering requirements, restricted games - Just make the software force the player to comply with the terms and conditions of the bonus they are playing. You and I both know that it can be done with a little extra programming. Just think of all the time and headaches you would save for yourselves, your customers, casino watchdogs, gambling community members, etc. It would also be nice to see the remaining wagering requirement in smaller (but legible) print below the balance itself.
CHAPTER 2: CUSTOMER SERVICE
1. 24/7 Support - If you accept deposits and wagers at 2:54 AM on a Sunday night/Monday morning your local time, you should also have staff available to help your customers. This should go without saying if you have customers spread across multiple time zones.
2. Read the entire email - Don't stop reading a customer's email as soon as you have pieced together the first part of what they are talking about, and then reply only to that part without reading the rest. In situations where a customer is replying to another staff member, forward the email to the original staff member if possible; otherwise, read the chain of emails - from the bottom up - in their entirety so that you can grasp what is going on before you reply to the customer.
3. Live chat - Always a plus. It's better than email, and your chat software should be programmed to automatically email the customer the transcript when the chat is finished. Don't ask them if they want it emailed to them, just send it - and keep it on record with their account so they can access it from the web site at a later date too.
CHAPTER 3: BANKING
1. Reverse withdrawals - Let the player choose whether or not to have a reverse-withdrawal period, and if so, how long (1 - 24 hours only). Again, with a little programming effort, you can retain a lot of loyal customers that way.
2. Forward withdrawals - Pick up the pace. Deposits are instant. While most withdrawal methods cannot possibly be instant, they can certainly be processed quicker. Several casinos have met the ideal threshold, but there are still others that just don't seem to get it.
3. Transaction history - I can't think of any casino that doesn't offer this, but the banking history functionality is limited in most software brands. A search feature should be made available using date, time, method and amount. Ideally, the user should be able to access any and all transaction records - even if they go back 11 years or more.
CHAPTER 4: KEEPING TABS
1. Problem gambling - A link to Gamblers Anonymous and the occasional small donation to a charity does nothing to help problem gamblers. When I got a little carried away and blew my $20,000 in winnings several months ago - at an eCogra casino - I didn't even receive an email saying "Thanks for giving it all back." I consider myself lucky because I learned a VERY valuable lesson and moved on, but I worry about those who could be getting themselves into a lot of trouble while the casinos they are supporting do nothing to stop or help them. A claim of being aware of and helpful to problem gamblers should be backed up with a little action - even if it's just an email saying "Are you okay?". Yes, everything is ultimately the player's responsibility, but for all the casinos who claim to have state-of-the-art controls in place to detect and prevent problem gambling, where is the proof of these controls in action?
2. Game payouts - All casinos should have these, for every game category, updated on a monthly basis. I understand the reports will take quite a while to run, but it's good information for your current and future players.
3. Win/Loss statements - Either a monthly email or an option in the software/web site should allow the user to see their net win/loss for any given time period.
4. Game logs - Should always be accessible from within the software/web site, and available in more than one format. Excel, text and CSV formats should be made available, in a summary or detail level.
You're forced to make a mad dash to turn the volume down or get the mouse to skip the movie. This is why I think it would be better if the movies adhered to the sound settings.
