5 Tips for Marketing Your Casino to Appeal to Japanese Gamblers

Japan’s culture is interesting, to say the least, but it can also be quite confusing for foreigners. Everyone knows the Japanese take pride in their professionalism and etiquette rules, but they are also the ones that dictate trends when it comes to cool technology, quirky entertainment, and unusual fashion.

Their preferences can be quiet and this translates into the online casino market as well, but one thing is for sure: if the Japanese are set on an industry, that particular market is about to explode. For a long time, all types of gambling activities were banned in Japan. And, while you still can’t gamble at a land-based Japanese casino, people in the country have a great ally that allows them to enjoy their favorite games – the internet.

In the past few years, more and more gambling platforms have started editing their websites to accommodate Japanese players and it works. Many online casinos are now translated into Japanese as well or provide games that appeal to the Japanese players, which results in more and more people in the country taking an interest in gambling. 

If you are looking to develop an online casino that is popular with Japanese people, you have come to the right place. Below are a few tips that should help promote your online casino on the Japanese market, so continue reading to find out more. 

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Start by researching the market

The first thing you want to do if you are planning to develop a marketing strategy is to study the market. This includes trends, customer behavior, and competitors. With your target audience in mind – Japanese gamblers – it’s time to learn as much as you can about how and what they like to play. 

Japan is known for its pachinko parlors – venues packed with pachinko machines where people like to come and play. If you are not familiar with what pachinko machines are, you need to stop what you are doing and start researching, because they play a very big role dictating the market trends of gambling in Japan. 

Pachinko machines are a bit similar to slots, but they maintain anime-inspired themes that Japanese love so much. If you want to bring slot games that Japanese players will enjoy, you need to look for options that are inspired by Pachinko, anime, manga, and other similar themes. 

Make sure your website works properly

You can plan the best marketing strategy in the world, but if your website does not deliver, you have no product to market. This is why it is important that you make sure your online platforms work seamlessly and players can enjoy their favorite games without interruption. 

Focus on a feature-rich website with great scalability, engaging user experience design, and clear navigation. Consider including drop-down menus, as they are well-received by most audiences and make it easier to navigate a website. 

Place all essential information, such as events, incoming bonuses, and new games close to the top of the webpage, as it is where users focus their attention most. Make sure to also include an About page, where you tell the story of your casino and let people know you. Translating your website into Japanese is not mandatory, but it will surely be well-received by Japanese players. 

Consider a casino-related blog

If you do a bit of research online, you’ll see most information you find on gambling and online casinos is questionable. This is why you need to step in and provide your players with valuable advice that will establish you as an authority in the field. 

Blogs are great for marketing and are one of the cheapest ways to promote your casino. You can post advice, important news, details about new products, and any other casino-related information you find important. This will help you capture the attention of casino enthusiasts and your content is much more likely to get shared among people. 

If you want to go the extra mile and ensure you have an online casino that is popular with Japanese people, you can include content that is related to Japan’s gambling market, such as the history of Pachinko, types of games that are popular in the country, and news about the legislation. 

Develop an email marketing campaign

Email campaigns are another cost-effective addition to your marketing strategy. Your greatest effort here is to build an email database, which you can easily do by offering perks to those who register to your email list. By entering your newsletter campaign, players can receive discounts, free spins, or other types of bonuses to motivate them to give you their email address. 

Once you have a solid database, you can start tailoring your newsletter campaign. When casinos send out a newsletter, they include information about new games, special offers, incoming events, discounts, and basically anything interesting that happens on the platform. 

Make sure all your newsletters include a catchy subject line, to get the user’s attention, an overview of the big news you want to share, as well as a button or link that acts as a call to action. 

Offer special deals and don’t hesitate to show them off

One of the greatest advantages online casinos have over land-based casinos is the bonus system. Online casinos offer plenty of bonuses for users, including:

  • Welcome bonuses
  • Free spins
  • Deposit bonuses
  • Cashback bonuses
  • Exclusive bonuses 

If you do offer these bonuses, make sure people know about them. Making social media posts announcing these bonuses, including them in blog posts, and commissioning other websites to write about your perks are just a few of the ways you can promote your offers. 

Some casinos also offer huge jackpots that can be won by players. If you do this and someone wins, make sure you let the world know about this. Of course, ensure you are not disclosing personal data about the winner, as you may run into legal trouble.