Streaming is nothing new in iGaming, but its rising popularity among players calls for a more strategic approach from providers. With the global video streaming market expected to grow from $129.6B in 2024 to $416.8B by 2030, it’s clear that live content is booming, and in iGaming, it’s an easy and engaging way to stay close to players.
We’ll unpack how streaming helps providers connect more deeply with iGamers, joined by virtuosos Daffyd Jones from Lucky Devils Slots and Josh Green from Fruity Slots, alongside Diana Larina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay.
The psychology behind the stream
Players don’t want to feel hunted – they want to belong, to be part of the fun. Live game streaming in iGaming satisfies both needs, helping to build that emotional connection and sense of community.
Notably, live streaming platforms already account for 27.7% of global weekly video content consumption – a clear sign of how strongly this format resonates with audiences, including iGamers.
And, as Head of Marketing at Evoplay, Diana Larina says, “Streaming is one of the best ways to show a product to the target audience right away, reveal the features of its use, collect players’ feedback, and engage”.
But what makes people tune in, stay, communicate, and respond? There’s no single reason. Multiple forces are at play:
- the authority of popular streamers;
- the emotional comfort of belonging to a group;
- a wish to be heard, and seeing how their ideas have an impact;
- psychological factors explained by Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.
Albert Bandura, a Canadian-American psychologist, proposed a simple idea:
People tend to imitate others, especially when they see them succeed or be rewarded.
In iGaming, when viewers watch a streamer win – or simply enjoy a game – they’re far more likely to try it themselves.
The engagement triangle: shaping long-term player loyalty
This brings us to a broader transformation in iGaming. Once led primarily by casino-driven initiatives, streaming is now evolving into a strategic tool for game providers to build deeper, more emotional, and long-term connections with players.
As Diana Larina explains:
To better understand how engagement works today and why streaming is such a brilliant tool to support it, consider the following model:
This isn’t a one-way journey. The process flows in both directions, reflecting how players might:
- discover a game through a streamer;
- get motivated by a promo to try a demo or jump straight into playing;
- fall in love with the gameplay, then dive into streams or community chats.
Each element taps into different motivational drivers: casino promo tools primarily spark reward-driven behaviour, while live streaming content fuels fun-driven engagement and a sense of belonging within the iGaming community.
Diana Larina highlighted streaming’s evolution into a stable and scalable channel for providers to connect with both new and existing audiences, making it especially interesting for Evoplay:
“It’s become a fully integrated part of Evoplay’s marketing mix – helping us engage around new releases and reignite interest in earlier titles. We’ll continue scaling these campaigns, testing new formats, and launching engaging activities not just for players during streaming, but between streamers too”.
And while the outcome is clear – higher engagement and stronger player bonds – what does it take behind the scenes to make it all work? Let’s hear from the streamers who collaborate with Evoplay.
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Streaming through the eyes of streamers
As Evoplay sees streaming as a reliable way to build lasting connections with players, the question is no longer “Why?”, but “Who?” – the choice of the right partners.
“We’ll keep scaling the format of campaigns with casinos and streamers, adding new streamers, launching creative activations, and testing fresh promo tools”, says Diana Larina.
Among Evoplay’s partners, the Fruity Slots streamer team, known for their emotionally charged live streams, supports these ambitions. From their point of view, brand recognition among a direct audience remains the missing piece of the puzzle for many game providers.
By simply doing what they do best, creators use their streams to showcase and explain how a game works – all within a relaxed, open atmosphere. After seeing the game in action and feeling emotionally engaged, players often search for it themselves and may go on to explore other titles from the same provider or check out the casino hosting the stream.
Josh Green from the Fruity Slots team summed up:
From the provider’s perspective, Diana Larina highlights the value of these live sessions not only as entertainment but as a way to educate players about the game’s rules, features, and mechanics, helping them better understand and enjoy the experience. She also emphasises that player feedback is invaluable for improving games, whether it’s refining the visuals, mathematics, or mechanics.
Meanwhile, Daffyd Jones from Lucky Devils Slots also underscores streaming’s analytical potential, offering a real-time snapshot of player sentiment: “By directly asking viewers for their thoughts on games, whether it’s improvements, favourite features, or suggested changes, we can gather invaluable insights. This direct feedback empowers providers to implement player-driven enhancements in future releases”.
In addition to real-time feedback, streamers help build emotional connection and player loyalty through small but powerful tools like live giveaways. These moments, also supported by Evoplay in selected streams, often spark excitement and strengthen the bond between viewers, the game, and the brand.
Giveaways can also be an effective way to gather player feedback, but only if the provider is genuinely open to hearing it. “Not every game resonates universally, and players are often more than willing to articulate their dislikes and suggest improvements if genuinely prompted via a giveaway format”, stressed Daffyd Jones.
Beyond entertainment, streamers also promote responsible gaming and highlight trustworthy games and operators, making streaming a consistently engaging and credible space for players.
Balancing entertainment and responsibility
Streaming in the iGaming space brings a unique set of challenges, along with responsibilities that go beyond simply being entertaining, shares Josh Green. “Unlike general content creation, iGaming streaming requires a heightened level of care, particularly around safeguarding viewers and promoting responsible messaging“.
So streamers highlight that while it’s a hugely rewarding space to work in, navigating regulation, prioritising player protection, and leading by example to build trust through transparency and responsibility, all while remaining engaging, can be a delicate balance. Yet it’s this balance that makes streaming a trusted and enjoyable space for players.
Emotional power of streams
Streaming works not just because people make independent choices, but because we’re also shaped by emotions, behaviour, and the world around us. That’s why top streamers don’t just play – they share the emotional highs and lows of the gameplay, turning each session into a shared experience.
As Daffyd Jones puts it:
Another reason streaming resonates is the natural pull to follow what others enjoy. When streamers show genuine interest in a game, it sparks curiosity in viewers.
Daffyd Jones adds, “I have a real passion for iGaming, and that’s what makes my streams feel natural. I love exploring new titles, diving into the mechanics, and sharing those moments. I hope that energy comes through and helps build a community that’s just as excited about it as I am.“
What makes a game stream-worthy
Any game can be worthy of streaming, as long as you recognise and capitalise on its individual strengths, from Josh Green’ point of view. “When streaming titles like Young Buffalo Song, Cat’s Blessing, or Lava Burst, we focus both on visuals that resonate with our audience and on the bonus features, especially something they all share: jackpot prizes”.
Yet, with new studios launching games more easily via aggregation platforms, the influx of titles is huge. Streamers emphasise that in iGaming’s crowded market, standing out is harder, which makes recognising a game’s unique streaming potential even more important. That’s where streaming truly shines: “Streamers can bring games to life, showing how they feel, play, and excel in ways static marketing methods cannot”, Josh Green explains.
Ultimately, a stream-worthy game is one that strikes the right balance between eye-catching visuals and immersive mechanics – the kind that resonates both on screen and with real audiences. As Daffyd Jones puts it: “My audience serves as a clear microcosm of the broader player base, and while a captivating theme initially grabs their attention, it’s unequivocally the underlying mechanics that secure their sustained engagement well beyond a slot’s launch window”.
Streaming’s future in iGaming
Given the forecasts for streaming in general and for the iGaming industry, which reflect the continued demand for live, authentic content, the future of live sessions is definitely in scaling and transformation. But how successful it will be depends on the ability of all parties involved – streamers, casino providers and others – to remain interesting against the backdrop of increasing competition for players.
“We think the future of streaming is bright. There is promising potential for continued growth. We think that the industry will continue to evolve, and that streams will become an even more vital channel for discovery,” says Josh Green.
Speaking about innovations like AI, which can impact future streaming, Daffyd Jones adds, “While AI holds immense potential, it still feels like it’s in its early stages, especially when it comes to truly understanding the nuances of player behaviour“.
Streamers explain that while AI can certainly provide valuable data points, like medians and averages, which offer a quantitative overview, these statistics often lack the qualitative depth that comes from direct human interaction.
This personal connection remains central to streams and influences how streamers grow into trusted ambassadors. Diana Larina highlights that their role is set to evolve, from entertainers to responsible voices whose every word carries weight and meaning.
As live content continues to advance, experts agree that it’s this blend of tech-driven innovation and human authenticity that will define its future, keeping content engaging, communities strong, and players at the heart of it all.
Conclusion
Streaming has grown from an add-on into a powerful marketing tool, making communication with players today more efficient, open, and closer. Evoplay and its streaming partners believe that those who make live content a continuous marketing practice, rather than occasional promos, will be the ones making a difference.
Is streaming already part of your game plan?
