Digital advancement has greatly altered the way businesses are run, and gambling is no different. The new dynamic of gambling online has forced companies to completely change their perspectives and has offered huge opportunities for growth. According to Statista, "In the Online Gambling market, the number of users is expected to amount to 233.7m users by 2027." 

Given these changes, operators have been forced to ensure quality content delivery and  understanding and analyzing the right metrics can significantly impact user engagement, experience, and, ultimately, revenue. This article will guide you through the key video metrics that are crucial for online gambling.

1. Latency: The Make-or-Break Metric

Latency is one of the metrics that affects real-time gaming experiences. The term refers to the amount of time it takes for a data packet to go from one place to another. If the latency is too long, it can detrimentally affect live streams by causing a delay between when something happens and when players see it, making the online experience less than satisfactory. Low latency is essential for real-time decision-making in live betting or gambling scenarios given that one delay may completely alter the player's decision-making process and ultimately  the outcome of the game. Even a five second delay can completely alter the scenarios. In order to monitor the latency, operators must include solutions such as video analytics platforms tailored to the needs of the online gambling industry in order to guarantee a seamless transmission. 

2. Buffering Ratio: Keeping Engagement Alive

The buffering ratio refers to the amount of time spent buffering (or loading) as compared to the actual gaming or viewing time. Frequent buffering can lead to a poor experience, potentially causing the player to lose money due to the delays that may be caused by loading videos. High buffering ratios, even more so in gambling, can lead to a loss of engagement and eventually revenue since players will not trust the operator and will choose to look for other operators.  

This is why it is important to keep in mind that the lower the buffering ratio, the better the streaming experience for your gamblers. Today gamblers expect the games to be fast paced and seamless. In order to provide real time insights into buffering issues, we suggest including advanced analytics dashboards that provide real-time information and can assist you in making insitu decisions to improve the live stream. 

3. Video Quality and Bitrate: Retaining High Rollers

Also, it is important to understand metrics related to video quality, such as resolution and bitrate. On one hand, resolution refers to the total number of pixels in a given video frame. The higher the number of pixels the better the quality of the video. On the other hand, the bit rate is tied to the quality of both video and audio and shows the volume of data handled within the video stream over a specific timeframe. 

When bitrates are too low, it can result in subpar video quality, while excessively high bitrates may trigger buffering problems.  A well-optimized bit rate guarantees smooth, high-quality streaming with little to no buffering issues. Finding the right balance will ensure a positive Quality of Experience (QoE) in the games.  These insights are things that must be taken into account given that having high-quality video can enhance user experience, especially for VIP gamblers or high-stake games. We suggest using tools that can measure and adjust video quality in real-time in order to ensure an optimal experience.

4. Scalability Metrics: Preparing for Peak Traffic

Scalability metrics are metrics that indicate the system’s ability to handle multiple users without degrading video quality. The need to scale efficiently during high-traffic events like major sporting events, tournaments is important, but for online gambling, this is non-negotiable.  

Regardless of the number of players, the online gaming session should offer a smooth, engaging, and quick-paced gaming experience. This is why operators should have tools that allow them to monitor the capacity to manage all requests and expand as more players need to be accommodated.

5. Security Metrics: Safeguarding Trust and Compliance

Additionally, security metrics are essential for safeguarding trust and ensuring compliance in the world of video streaming. Security key performance indicators (KPIs) focus on the safety aspects of streaming, such as encrypted data transmission. For operators it directly impacts user trust and can hence end up affecting revenue. To ensure security, regular security audits and real-time monitoring play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the video stream, assuring viewers and in this case, players, that their data is protected. 

Taking these metrics into account, we encourage you to invest in advanced analytics tools tailored for the gambling industry and to regularly review your performance metrics and guarantee an excellent experience for your customers. Operators should not view these metrics in isolation but rather should integrate them into a complete analytics dashboard for a broader view. To learn how we can help you achieve this, click here