OPR Q&A: Christena Garduno On Marketing Online Gambling To Gen Z

Christena Garduno is CEO of Media Culture, a multichannel brand response media agency. She believes that online gambling operators should target Gen Z bettors. The median age of current online gamblers is 34, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. For retail gambers, the median is 44, and for lottery players, 47. For Gen X gamers, median ages are 47, while for retail casino gamblers it's 44.

Christena Garduno advises online gambling operators to focus on Gen Z-centric marketing. She believes that being more engaged with the Gen Y crowd is the path to success. She also believes a form of gamification should always be considered.

Segmentation in gaming has had a consistent presence since the onset of PC and mobile gaming. Personas play a role, along with those deeper touch points within the gamification funnel.

Researching the most dominant channels to reach the target audience is a good practice for online gambling marketers. Cross-sectional studies around reward systems within the games can reveal deeper ways to engage the audience within most used channels.

Christena Garduno is a marketing expert on online gambling. She explains the plurality of age groups and generations that are interested in online gaming.

Online gambling operators are using influencers as brand ambassadors. Charles Barkley, Jordan Spieth, Roger Federer and Anthony Alfredo are some of the celebrities who have been used as such ambassadors in the past.

Christena Garduno is a marketing expert on online gambling to Gen Z. Gen Y wants education and coaching within the games.

Gen Z online gambling audience has similar skews as the older gambling audiences in regard to gender. Most of them have less disposable income but aspire to acquire more through their gaming efforts.

Online gambling is a global affair that is lead by regions with less restrictions than in the US. Taking cues from successful marketing tactics from other regions is an effective way to kick start your marketing discussions state-side.