The Secret Weapon of Winning Casinos? Smarter Research

In a professional focus group with a neutral moderator, players from a casino openly discussed frustrations with a recent rewards program change – issues they had never mentioned during on-property interactions with staff they knew personally.

Internal Politics

Data interpretation becomes influenced by departmental priorities and existing power structures rather than objective analysis.

Real-world examples: A food and beverage director dismissed survey results suggesting menu improvements were needed, attributing negative feedback to “players who just want cheaper comps.” A general manager refused to believe the negative comments they were receiving on their buffet because he always saw it full of diners. The problem was that was the ONLY place to use comps and points. Without neutral analysis, the legitimate guest concerns were ignored.

Best Practices for In-House Research

While professional research partners offer significant advantages, budget constraints or other factors may require handling research in-house. After observing dozens of casino research initiatives, I’ve identified key practices that separate effective DIY research from the flawed approaches that lead to costly mistakes. If you must conduct research internally, implementing these foundational strategies will dramatically improve your results:

Survey Design Fundamentals

Poor survey design is the number one reason casino research fails to deliver actionable insights. Well-crafted questions elicit meaningful responses, while poorly designed ones produce misleading data, leading to expensive mistakes. Follow these principles to create surveys that work:

• Ask specific, actionable questions – Not “Did you enjoy your visit?” but “What specifically would have improved your experience today?”
• Use rating scales consistently – Stick with the same scale (1-5, 1-10) throughout all surveys for valid comparisons.
• Include open-ended questions – “What’s one thing we could change that would make you visit more often?”
• Test your survey with a small group before full deployment to catch confusing questions.
• Keep surveys focused and concise – Limit each survey to one clear objective with 10-15 questions maximum to improve completion rates and generate actionable data.

Sampling Strategies

Even the best survey questions will yield misleading results if you’re asking the wrong people. I’ve seen casinos make decisions based on feedback from just 2% of their player base—often the most vocal or highest-tier players who don’t represent most of your most profitable players. Implement these sampling approaches to ensure you’re capturing the complete picture:

• Segment your database into key player categories (frequency, spend, demographics) and ensure proportional representation.
• Include both satisfied and dissatisfied guests – intentionally reach out to lapsed players.
• Sample across different days and times to capture diverse visitor types.
• Conduct surveys in consistent waves. Tracking quarterly or monthly allows you to identify trends and measure the impact of changes rather than getting isolated snapshots.

Execution Tips

The implementation phase is where most in-house research falls apart. When your team manages both the research process and the operations being evaluated, conflicts of interest arise. These strategies help maintain objectivity and ensure your findings influence decisions:

• Consider anonymous collection methods where appropriate to encourage honesty
• Train staff to avoid leading questions and defensive responses to negative feedback
• Create standardized analysis procedures to minimize interpretation bias
• Benchmark results against previous findings and industry standards when available

While these practices can improve in-house research, they still can’t fully address the inherent limitations of DIY approaches.

The Professional Research Advantage

Professional casino research partners bring critical advantages that transform research from a periodic data collection exercise into a strategic competitive edge:

Neutrality That Unlocks Honest Feedback

When a professional research firm conducted employee focus groups for a regional casino, team members shared candid thoughts about operational issues, management practices, and guest service barriers they had never mentioned in staff meetings or to their supervisors. The neutral setting and professional moderation created a space where employees felt comfortable expressing concerns without fear of repercussions. These insights led to operational changes that improved both employee satisfaction and guest service scores within months.

Methodological Expertise

Professional researchers understand the nuances of:

• Question framing that eliminates bias
• Sampling techniques that ensure representation across player segments
• Moderating discussions to prevent dominant voices from skewing results
• Statistical analysis that reveals meaningful patterns and correlations

Cross-Industry Insight

External partners bring perspective from working across multiple properties and markets. This broader view helps contextualize findings and identify industry trends before they become apparent.

A research partner helped a casino recognize the early signs of a demographic shift that had already impacted properties in neighboring states. This advanced warning allowed the casino to adjust its marketing strategy proactively rather than reactively.

Activation-Focused Deliverables

Rather than simply providing raw data, professional research partners deliver actionable insights and specific recommendations.

Instead of a generic finding like “guests want better food options,” a professional research report might specify: “Players aged 35-50 strongly prefer fast-casual dining options with healthy choices available until midnight. Current late-night offerings are missing this opportunity, particularly on weekends when this demographic increases by 37%.”

Research Methodologies That Drive Casino Success

Effective casino research isn’t one-size-fits-all. Professional research firms employ multiple methodologies to create a comprehensive understanding of player preferences and behavior:

1. Surveys: The Quantitative Foundation

Surveys provide statistical validity and trackable metrics over time. Professional surveys go beyond superficial satisfaction measures to uncover:

• Competitive vulnerability – Which player segments are at the highest risk of defection?
• Reinvestment effectiveness – Which offers drive incremental visits vs. rewarding existing behavior?
• Amenity performance – Which services enhance property value vs. merely checking a box?

Professionally designed surveys use sophisticated branching logic to deliver personalized question paths based on player segment, behavior patterns, and previous responses – creating more relevant insights without survey fatigue.

2. Focus Groups: The Qualitative Deep Dive

Focus groups provide a rich, nuanced understanding of player motivations and perceptions. Professional moderators:

• Create environments where participants feel safe sharing honest opinions
• Prevent dominant personalities from controlling the discussion
• Use specialized techniques to get beyond surface-level responses
• Identify hidden pain points and unmet needs

A focus group for a regional casino revealed that players weren’t utilizing a newly launched app because the authentication process was confusing – a simple fix that immediately improved adoption rates significantly.

3. Blue Ribbon Panels: The VIP Insight Engine

Blue Ribbon Panels are curated groups of high-value players who provide ongoing feedback. Professionally managed panels:

• Create exclusivity that strengthens relationships with top players
• Provide early warning of competitive threats to VIP loyalty
• Identify specific enhancements that drive increased play
• Test concepts before full deployment

4. Competitive Research: The Market Positioning Tool

Professional competitive research moves beyond surface observations to provide actionable intelligence:

• Mystery shopping that quantifies the competitive experience
• Promotional analysis that reveals competitor reinvestment strategies
• Amenity comparisons that identify market gaps and opportunities
• Perception mapping that shows how players view your property vs. competitors

Competitive research helped a casino identify its main competitor’s vulnerability in the targeted segment (due to recent amenity changes). A campaign designed around these insights generated measurable incremental revenue over six months.

From Insights to Action: Implementing Research Findings

The true value of professional research emerges during implementation. Unlike DIY approaches where findings often sit in reports without clear next steps, professional partners facilitate activation:

Translating Data into Strategy

Research professionals work with marketing teams to convert findings into specific strategies with clear KPIs and success metrics.

Cross-Departmental Alignment

External research partners can present findings in ways that build consensus across departments, reducing the internal politics that often derail data-driven initiatives.

Implementation Roadmaps

Professional research deliverables include prioritized recommendation timelines for operational realities and potential quick wins.

Measurement Frameworks

Research partners establish ongoing measurement procedures to track the impact of changes and create a culture of continuous improvement.

Making Research Your Competitive Advantage

Whether you’re a marketing director with limited resources, a VP weighing research investment, or a General Manager focused on overall property performance, professional research delivers value that DIY approaches cannot match:

• For Marketing Directors: Gain confidence in your recommendations with data that stands up to leadership scrutiny
• For Marketing VPs: Demonstrate clear ROI on marketing investments with research-backed strategies
• For General Managers: Make capital and operational decisions based on what truly drives player value

Key Takeaways: Smarter Casino Research for Smarter Decisions

• Flawed Research is Costly – An investment based on flawed research can lead to flat revenue, declining guest satisfaction, and wasted resources.
• DIY Research is Full of Pitfalls – Selection bias, confirmation bias, survey fatigue, and internal politics often distort data, leading to misguided decisions.
• Casinos Must Go Beyond Surface-Level Insights – Relying on anecdotal feedback, generic surveys, or gut instincts creates the illusion of informed decision-making but lacks real substance.
• Professional Research Unlocks Competitive Advantage – Expert methodologies provide neutrality, accurate sampling, and actionable insights that drive revenue, guest loyalty, and strategic reinvestment.
• Make Research Work for You – Whether conducting in-house research or working with a research firm, casinos must ensure clear objectives, unbiased data collection, and actionable results.

Your casino’s success depends on making informed, data-driven decisions—not guesswork.