A few weeks ago, I attended a conference where Catalyst Marketing shared highlights from a survey they commissioned of 5,000 players across Indian casinos nationwide.
Mark Astone and Josh Williams walked a room full of casino executives through the topline findings. The data was compelling, and it fueled more than a few hallway and cocktail conversations over the following days.
I happened to sit next to Josh at dinner, and he hinted there was one particular stat I’d appreciate. He didn’t disappoint: 79% of players said they prefer to receive offers via email over any other channel.
That’s a big number, and it carries weight for several reasons.
Why 79% Matters for Casino Marketing Strategy
First, and I’ll admit my bias here, email being the preferred channel is meaningful. We operate an Email Service Provider, so yes, this is the kind of insight that makes us want to shout it from the rooftops.
Platforms like iPost make it incredibly easy for casinos to deliver player offers, rewards, continuity programs, and events from a single hub, especially when paired with a modern approach to casino email solutions.
Second, and more broadly, the data confirms something many of us have long suspected: email is far from dead.
In fact, it remains one of the strongest and most trusted communication channels in the casino marketing toolkit, right alongside everything you’d expect in a modern program as outlined in Casino Marketing 101: What Is Casino Marketing?
Email as Headliner, Not Just a Supporting Channel
Third, email doesn’t live in isolation. It works best alongside print mailers, mobile apps, and SMS. Historically, most of us (myself included) have framed email as the supporting player to those channels. But with 79% of players raising their hands for email, it may be time to reconsider the hierarchy.
Maybe, just maybe, email isn’t the supporting act.
Maybe it’s the headliner, with other channels playing key supporting roles.
When you look at programs that truly maximize revenue from the database, they tend to pair strong inbox strategy with the kind of integrated thinking discussed in Maximizing Email Marketing for the Casino and Gambling Industry and The Art of Casino Marketing.
Meeting Players Where They Are: The Casino Inbox
Regardless of where you land regarding email in the pecking order, the real takeaway is this: smart marketers meet players where they are.
The channels aren’t competing; they’re collaborating to create more meaningful touchpoints across every phase of the player journey.
Email is often the connective tissue between:
- Direct mail offers and on-property redemptions
- Digital ads and players club signups
- Event invitations and actual butts-in-seats, especially when you build structured campaigns like
- How to Build a Casino Event Email Sequence That Sells Out Your Floor
And right now, it just so happens that a whole lot of players are hanging out in their inbox.
Source
Source: Catalyst National Study of Tribal Casino Guest, 2026 (n=5000, ±1.6%, 95% confidence). Study commissioned by Catalyst Marketing.
