High-RTP Category Lifted New Player Turnover by 8%

High-RTP Category Lifted New Player Turnover by 8%

A two-month A/B test explored what happens when a casino gives high-RTP games prime visibility for new players. The test moved a high-RTP category to the top of the homepage and highlighted it inside the slots lobby. Average turnover per new player rose by 8% in the test group.

How the Test Was Structured

New users entered the same core journey after a successful deposit, or after closing the cashier without depositing. On the homepage, the test group saw high-RTP games in the first row, while the category also received extra visibility in the slots lobby. The control group did not see a high-RTP category.

The category was built with a focus on hit rate, which is the frequency of wins. That matters because high hit rate games can give first-time users quicker positive feedback, even when payouts stay modest. For onboarding, that early sense of momentum can shape how long a player stays engaged in the first session.

What the Numbers Showed

The test group recorded 812 first-time depositors, while the control group recorded 789. The analysis compared each player's first gaming session, and one user with an unusually large win in the test group was removed from the sample to avoid distorting the result.

RTP in the test group reached 96.3%, against 95.9% in the control group. RTP, or return to player, is the theoretical share of stakes that a game pays back over time. Even a small RTP gap can influence session value, so that difference matters when reading the turnover uplift.

Player choice also shifted. In the test group, 44% selected a slot from the high-RTP category as their first game. In the control group, 34% started with a slot from the standard Top category. Among test-group users who returned within a week, 54% kept playing high-RTP slots through the homepage or lobby tab.

Why the Result Needs Careful Reading

The uplift is clear, but the cause is not singular. Higher visibility almost certainly redirected attention, and the stronger RTP profile may also have supported longer or more confident play. That means the gain cannot be credited to category placement alone, or to RTP alone.

This distinction matters for operators. Merchandising on the homepage can change behaviour quickly, but game mix still shapes the quality of the first session. A prominent category filled with titles that generate frequent small wins may improve onboarding more effectively than a generic top-games row.

Retention Could Be the Stronger Signal

The most important finding may sit beyond turnover. Next-day retention stayed 2 to 3% higher for the test group throughout the experiment. That points to a better early player experience, which is often more valuable than a short-lived revenue lift.

For casino teams, the lesson is practical. First-session design should be treated as a product lever, not just a content placement task. Category order, RTP profile, hit rate, and lobby highlighting can all influence whether a new player returns after day one.

Source: igamingceo Telegram