Learn about all the ways casinos can harness the power of gift cards to boost customer loyalty
January 2026 | PerfectGift Experts | 5 minute read
Main image courtesy of Computer Bild.
Gaming and gambling has exploded over the past couple of years, and now it seems there’s all kinds of options available. Whether you want to have a sports gaming app on your phone, or join an online poker game, this trend shows no signs of stopping. One of the most popular ways to game for a lot of people is by visiting a casino, where they’re able to play all their favorite table games and slots all under one roof. Not to mention enjoy first-class dining and entertainment options while they’re there!
As much as 53% of Americans visited a casino in 2024, as they’re located all across the country now. If you’re in the casino business and looking for ways to increase customer retention and boost spending, then we have a game changer for you: gift cards.
There are so many ways gift cards can help out casinos, and we’ll be discussing them all including:
- Why gift cards are the way to go in order to build brand loyalty
- How casinos use gift cards to drive customer retention
- The only thing you need to launch your own organized gift card loyalty campaign
Why gift cards are the way for businesses to build loyalty
Companies that leverage gift cards see more customer retention
Savvy business owners know that gift card reward programs are a fantastic way to build brand awareness, loyalty, and increase customer satisfaction. Image courtesy of Grand Casino.
It’s not just casinos that can benefit from implementing a gift card program, as all kinds of businesses can boost their bottom line with proper use. There are very few rewards or perks a company can use that are so appealing to a variety of demographics. Companies of all sizes want to see both their customer base grow, as well as increase retention among their current customers. Gift card programs are one of the best ways they can do just that. But why? Gift cards offer a variety of benefits including:
- Gift cards are flexible. There is no other gift that people of all walks of life actually want besides a gift card. Gift cards are incredibly flexible, and they have a high value for lots of different folks. It is a universal gift that they can use on exactly what they want. In addition, the recipient also gets to choose when they’ll redeem the gift card, giving them the choice to use it immediately, or save it for a high value purchase. Gift cards typically don’t expire, and can be used in the store just like cash.
- They feel personalized. When a business utilizes gift cards as rewards for customers, it feels like a personal thank you. This goes a very long way in promoting customer and brand loyalty, not to mention growth. When customers are pleased with how they’re treated, they’re more likely to leave good reviews or mention the business to friends and colleagues. Gift cards are a way to keep your customers loyal, and to keep them coming back for more.
- Gift cards increase brand awareness. Gift cards are also a very cost-effective way to increase a brand’s awareness. If you want to go with plastic gift cards, you can easily include the brand name and logo of the company on the card, that way when it’s used, the customer will think of your business. You can also easily do this with e-gift cards as well.
- Encourages higher spending. People tend to see gift cards as free money, which is why they’re one of the most sought-after gifts for all kinds of occasions. When you have a gift card in hand, it’s much easier to go over the limit and spend over the dollar amount of the card. This is a great way to encourage higher spending thresholds.
- They’re easy to distribute. Another way that gift cards give businesses a boost in customer loyalty is because they are easy to distribute. You don’t have to spend a whole lot to create an effective gift card campaign, and when you go with a trusted source like PerfectGift Corporate, you’re getting expert guidance and seamless delivery.
Gift cards are a great way for companies of all sizes to show their continued appreciation to current customers, onboard new ones, and see a significant increase in the amount customers spend in store.
How casinos can use gift cards to drive retention (and spending)
Gift cards are a great option for casinos who really want to encourage loyalty and increase spending of customers
Casinos that use gift cards to drive customer retention and spending are the ones who are going to continue to see success in the years to come. Image courtesy of Chumash Casino.
So how does all this relate to the casino industry? Like other major sectors, casinos can leverage the power of gift cards to give their customer loyalty programs a boost. There are all kinds of casinos out there for potential customers to choose from, as the market has been growing steadily. One of the best ways for casino management to retain customers and drive spending is by investing in good loyalty/rewards programs. Casinos that work to stand out from the others are the ones that will see an increase in spending, and gift cards are one of the best ways to do just that.
Casino reward programs revolve around incentives, which are given to guests when they meet certain criteria. And gift cards can easily be incorporated into this type of program in a variety of ways.
Tiered loyalty
One of the best ways that casinos like to leverage gift cards is by including them in their tiered loyalty programs. Not every customer to your casino qualifies as a VIP (and that’s okay! It’s why the loyalty programs are typically tiered so they can offer the right gifts at the right level). Casinos can track the amount of times guests visit and what amount they typically spend. This divides customers into a couple of tiers, and you can send out appropriate gift card amounts to each level, showing your appreciation. Customers may not even be expecting to receive a gift card with your casino logo on it, making it even more meaningful.
Gift cards don’t even need to be in high denominations for them to have an impact. You can save the higher amounts for the VIP guests, ensuring they’re going to continue to visit your casino. You may even see an uptick in the amount each guest spends because the gift card allows them to feel like they’ve gotten free money!
Engagement incentives
Another way to use gift cards is by rewarding your customers for the amount of visits they make, how many different games they try, or for using services like a hotel room or eating at the restaurant. You want to encourage your guests to continually find new ways to engage with what’s offered at the casino, and giving them a gift card for trying all the amenities will go a long way. Not only does it reward them for their past behavior, but it increases the chance they’ll continue to do it in the future because they know it will generate a reward.
Reaching milestones
One of the biggest ways that casinos can boost their customer loyalty and encourage more spending is by rewarding guests with gift cards for reaching certain milestones. You can determine which milestones make the most sense for your casino, whether it’s a certain number of games played each month, the amount of days they visit each week/month, or for spending a certain amount at the games or in the restaurant.
Guests who are rewarded for spending time and money in the casino are likely to continue to do so, especially when the incentive is a Visa gift card.
Personal celebrations
Knowing your guests’ data makes it incredibly easy to send them a reward for their personal celebrations. This could include sending a gift card for their birthday, or on the anniversary of them joining the casino rewards program. Getting a little extra something on a special day can make all the difference in the world, and will definitely increase their brand loyalty.
Additional ways to include gift cards in your marketing strategy
In addition to using gift cards as a part of your customer incentive program, you could also include them in a few other ways to boost retention and sales.
- Use gift cards to encourage visits and spending during a particular season or holiday, such as the summertime or Christmas.
- Have more than one casino? You can also offer gift card incentives to all the casinos that are included under your brand.
- Branch out from the games and reward customers for booking meals or accommodation, or for reserving their trip using an app. There are also ways to reward them for booking a certain amount of months in advance, and including specific additions or itineraries to their trip.
Use PerfectGift Corporate for your casino customer loyalty needs
When you go with PerfectGift Corporate, you’re making it easy for your casino to boost retention and sales
If you’re looking for an easy way to manage your gift card incentive program for your casino, look no further than PerfectGift Corporate. This is your one stop shop for customized Visa gift cards that are at the top of your customers’ wish lists. Who doesn’t want to have access to a gift card that can be used almost anywhere? Using Visa gift cards as a part of your casino incentive strategy just makes sense, and is a proven way to build loyalty amongst your customers, and increase the likelihood that they will spend more.
But why go with PerfectGift?
- Our Visa gift cards are fully customizable, meaning you can easily add your name and logo to the gift card, which we know builds brand awareness and helps with emotional attachment to the gift.
- If you want to go with physical gift cards, we have in-house printing that can get them printed and shipped the same day if you order before 4pm Monday thru Saturday. Not a lot of vendors can deal with such a quick turn around!
- Alternatively, it’s equally easy to set up digital delivery to email addresses or phone numbers.
- You’ll be set up with a client portal that makes it easy to track campaigns, as well as managing the ordering process.
- PerfectGift Corporate offers customers 24/7 U.S.-based customer support.
Our team has experience running large gift card campaigns, and is there to answer your questions and help you learn the process along the way. Your customers are going to appreciate their Visa reward cards, and you get to reap the rewards of listening to their needs!
Will you leverage the power of gift cards to boost customers and spending in your casino?
People love going to casinos, and the number of folks who will visit one each year seems to keep on growing. Create more loyal customers with an effective gift card reward program, and you’ll see an increase in loyalty as well as spending. PerfectGift Corporate makes it easy to run gift card reward campaigns to boost sales and retention!
