G2E Highlights AI’s Role in Reducing Friction and Improving Retention

United States.- 7 October 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Artificial intelligence and real-time behavioural analysis can help iGaming operators reduce friction, improve player experience and identify potential risk more quickly.

That was one of the central messages from the “Beyond the Click: Using Behavioral Data to Grow Player Value, Reduce Risk, and Stay Compliant” panel at Global Gaming Expo, G2E.

Data Through the Player’s Eyes

Brad Jaehn, senior consultant at SEI specialising in product strategy, digital transformation, AI and customer experience, said operators should analyse their platforms from the player’s perspective.

The goal is to identify the elements that genuinely affect retention, customer value and continued engagement.

An Underused Data Gold Mine

Stuart Nelson, client services director and co-founder of LeanConvert, said online operators are sitting on large volumes of data that remain underused.

In a market where customers can easily move between platforms, quickly identifying frustration and barriers can be a significant competitive advantage.

AI Can Analyse Sessions in Seconds

Gaming sessions can last for hours and generate large amounts of behavioural information.

AI can rapidly summarise that activity and identify potential friction points without requiring teams to manually review entire sessions.

Context Matters

Jaehn warned that data still requires industry-specific interpretation.

One example is the concept of “rage clicks”, rapid taps or clicks usually associated with frustration caused by an unresponsive application.

In an online casino, however, similar behaviour could simply reflect a customer playing a slot or moving quickly through a game carousel.

Automated analysis therefore needs to be supported by an understanding of actual player behaviour.

Real-Time Intervention

Nelson said high-value customers can quickly abandon a platform when they encounter obstacles.

Real-time behavioural data can allow operators to intervene before that happens.

He cited an operator that limits the size of online deposits but permits larger transactions to be completed over the phone.

When a player attempts to exceed the online limit, staff can be notified immediately and proactively contact that customer.

Connected Systems

Nelson said this type of response is no longer theoretical.

The key is connecting different systems so they can react collectively to a specific customer action.

Responsible Gambling

The same capabilities can also support player protection.

If a system detects potentially harmful behaviour, it can generate immediate triggers allowing the operator to respond rather than waiting for retrospective analysis.

Speed can therefore have value from both commercial and responsible gambling perspectives.

Define the Problem First

Nelson cautioned against adopting technology simply because it uses artificial intelligence.

Operators should first establish:

• Which problem they are trying to solve.
• Which KPI they want to improve.
• Which behaviour they need to identify.
• Which intervention they want to trigger.

Only then should they select the technology best suited to the task.

Responsiveness as Differentiation

With many operators offering increasingly similar products, Nelson argued that responsiveness can become a key differentiator.

The advantage lies not only in knowing what a customer did yesterday or last week, but in understanding what they are doing in the last few seconds.

Responsible Use of AI

Jaehn described the industry’s growing AI capabilities as bringing significant responsibility alongside their potential.

He encouraged operators to remain critical when adopting AI and focus on applications that create clear value and improve the player journey.

Reducing Dependence on VIPs

The panel also discussed changing approaches to customer segmentation.

Some operators are reducing their focus on a relatively small group of VIPs and seeking a more balanced customer base.

The objective is to avoid business models where a small number of players account for a disproportionate share of revenue.

More Dynamic Segmentation

Jaehn predicted that traditional segmentation based mainly on wagering totals or customer value could gradually give way to more dynamic behavioural models.

A player’s category could change according to behaviour and lifecycle stage rather than remaining fixed over long periods.

Next Steps or Impact

AI gives operators the ability to move from retrospective analysis towards near-instant decision-making.

The challenge will be using that speed to reduce friction, improve experiences and detect risk without misinterpreting behavioural signals or automating decisions without sufficient context.

The G2E discussion suggested that competitive advantage will increasingly depend not simply on possessing data, but on turning it into useful and responsible action in real time.

Editó: @fonta