Q&A: PlayStar pursues differentiation in the crowded US igaming market
Newly appointed CMO Jon Bowden tells EGR about PlayStar’s ambitions to offer US players a new online gaming experience and how he is well positioned to help the operator achieve its goals
The online igaming operator PlayStar is hellbent on success. In April, it appointed experienced industry marketer Jon Bowden to the position of CMO to promote the brand and assist with its pending launch in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and other states set to follow. EGR Marketing finds out about the company’s ambitious plans to deliver US players a new online gaming experience.
EGR Marketing: You’ve recently joined as CMO, what’s your mission for PlayStar?
Jon Bowden (JB): When I looked at the opportunity to join PlayStar, two things really struck me. First, the fantastic team, and second, the strategy. I could see the potential in PlayStar’s ambitions. It’s now my job to take the product and deliver it to our future players. Also, from a marketing perspective, I want to make sure that PlayStar’s mission of striving to be different stays within the company long term. Our vision revolves around the player’s engagement and enjoyment.
EGR Marketing: How has the PlayStar brand come together?
JB: PlayStar has all the great content you’d expect from an igaming online operator, as well as a host of unique experiences that will make us stand out in the US market. We’ve taken some of the best talent from the UK and European markets and we’ve focused on building up player experiences and engagement. For us, the player is front and centre of all our decisions and we focus heavily on personalisation and treating every single player as a VIP. Our offering to US players is something different to what they’re used to and what they’re currently getting. It’s very exciting and we can’t wait to go live.
EGR Marketing: PlayStar is launching in New Jersey and Pennsylvania this year. Do you have plans to launch in other states soon?
JB: We’re not live yet but everything’s in place and exactly as it should be. We have strong ambitions for the US market and I’m sure there will be further states launching over the next 18 months. But, for these two states we’re ready and we’re fully focused on making them a huge success.
EGR Marketing: How will your partnerships with Symplify and Intelitics help with your plans?
JB: At PlayStar we’re starting from scratch. We’ve no legacy hanging around us around in terms of tools and products to fulfil our strategic ambition. When we look for potential partnerships, our paramount consideration is always what will be best for the player. Through taking the best in market tech and products available, our partnerships help us achieve our strategy.
EGR Marketing: How does PlayStar differentiate in a very busy marketplace?
JB: We’ve examined the US market and taken the best in tried-and-tested market strategies from other jurisdictions and brought them to the US. Players will get the great content they expect from an igaming and online casino business but PlayStar’s USP will be our focus on personalisation, creating unique customer experiences not offered by any other operator in the market.
EGR Marketing: What challenges do you anticipate facing?
JB: There are always bumps in the road and lessons learned but PlayStar has decades of gaming and casino experience within the team and that will stand the test of time. So, areas that some might see as challenges, we see as opportunities. I’m looking forward to facing challenges head on.
EGR Marketing: Do you have a marketing strategy in place ahead of your New Jersey debut?
JB: Yes, we do. We’re following a focused acquisition strategy where we’re highly targeted, making sure everything’s trackable and yielding a strong return of investment. And then, when we get players in, we’ll focus heavily on driving loyalty within the player base by delivering an experience that’s not available elsewhere. We see PlayStar as becoming the US player’s go to brand.
EGR Marketing: What can we expect to see from PlayStar in the next 12 months and what are its long-term ambitions?
JB: Obviously, the big thing now is to go live in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The team is raring to go and it’s all hands-on deck to deliver on our goals. The most exciting thing along the way will be responding to our players’ needs and demands. We will constantly think about the product but the player will always be our main driver, making sure we deliver a unique, tailored and engaging experience. We want to deserve our customer loyalty.
Jon Bowden is CMO at PlayStar. Bowden has amassed over a decade’s worth of experience managing and developing igaming brands. He has a proven track record of launching and reinventing brands in the sector and overseeing aggressive market share and revenue growth. Before joining PlayStar, Bowden was responsible for the Gala and Foxy suite of brands at Entain, where he delivered record revenue and led the brands to success.