User interface in casinos: The in-depth guide and successful tips

Any website relies on its content to elaborate on its services and products and cement brand authority. That is why web development professionals want to focus on working on the user interface (UI) so people can easily explore and digest the site’s content. 

This goes beyond graphic design because UI design focuses more on the user experience. For any iGaming platform in the casino industry, they want to have an attractive design that entices people to play their games or check out their services. 

With this QWERTYLABS user interface guide, learn more about working on your casino site’s UI and maximise its potential to become an easy-to-navigate platform and a top brand in the industry. 

What is User Experience?

The user experience (UX) is what the players feel when navigating the platform. For a platform to achieve this, it should provide a smooth browsing experience free of stutters and bugs. 

UX design is the process that UI designers use to create their output that gives users a smooth and meaningful experience. The information architecture is the structure sites use to relay the info without issues. Hiccups can happen here because some designers dump a lot of information on one page, causing people to be put off by the page and, in turn, the brand itself. 

What is User Interface?

The user interface is the overall website you are navigating. This involves the overall layout and the visual elements you see. It must be designed well and concisely to see the content at once. 

Every web page has a UI, but there is a fine line between good and bad UI. Online casinos struggle with this due to the amount of content crammed in there. Finding the right balance between it looking good with smooth UX can be difficult, but possible. 

User Interface vs User Experience

UI and UX are connected but have marked differences. The biggest of them all is UI’s focus on aesthetics. UI design is primarily how the icons, menu bars, click buttons, and more are shown on the site. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing considered for web designers.

UX focuses on how the site feels and encompasses the smoothness of the navigation to how the buttons and menu bars help with the process of playing games there. The user flows are the paths the UI gives users to navigate the site.

All the components are the same but function differently based on what side is present. UI and UX influence each other, so they’re always involved in the design process.

User interface: Elements in casinos

Any application software or casino website needs elements to maximise navigation while having a good aesthetic design. Remember that the website does not function without a good UI because the website is bricked if there is none present. In this sense, you need to know the most important UI elements to add to your brand: 

Navigation

Navigation is vital in any site since it ensures the brand’s products or services properly appear to its users. This can be seen with buttons and menus that users can click to browse the site properly. Take note though that every page needs to be organised in a proper hierarchy so users will find it easier to navigate the site.

Every icon added to the site should look good and function correctly, leading to another part of the site. To make it easier for you, here are usually the UI elements added in the navigation for most sites:

• Menu design: A menu is used to showcase the subpages of the site. Most online casinos have what’s called a ‘hamburger’ menu icon in the top-left, where you see all the games you can play and access the other features on the site like promotions page, terms and conditions, and more. 
• Search and filter options: The search bar helps players look for anything on the site. Usually, web designers include the predictive text here so all content related to what a user searches will appear. 
• Breadcrumb and hierarchy: Breadcrumbs are a secondary navigation aid that can help users understand the relationship between the current page and the higher-ranking pages on the rest of the site. There should always be a way to return to the primary page; just use the hyperlink to get interactions to another page.
• Clear and intuitive navigation: All the buttons and menus on the casino should be clear and easy to navigate. 
• CTA placement and design: Calls to action are found everywhere to convince users to check other site pages or lead them to sign up, buy, or more. Similar to other navigation elements, the design and placement of CTAs should visually appeal to the users to quickly persuade them to click the CTAs.

Visual Design

UI designers have to consider the UX and the visual elements of the site at the same time. The current visual design principles dictate that the site should be clean so context is maximised. They use graphics to showcase the casino’s biggest strengths.

The visuals must consider many factors when inserting new changes to the website’s overall look. These features should be prioritised: 

• Colour psychology and schemes: Colour affects people’s psyche in whatever they do. That’s why most online casinos use striking colours to entice people to visit and enjoy their websites. While all colours look good, not all fit professional and high-quality branding. Considering that, there are only a limited number of colours regularly used for most brands, whether it’s an online casino or not. Here are some of the most regularly used colours:
  • Blue: In general, this colour creates a sense of trust. Blue is usually seen as a positive colour associated with familiarity and security, like the sky and water.
  • Green: Green symbolises lush life, which you can see with trees, bushes, and more. In short, this colour allows people to relax and be comfortable when they see it.
  • Orange: Since orange is bright and vibrant, it’s deemed a great colour if you want your users to have more fun on your site.
• Typography and readability: Typography goes beyond the font choices because they need to show clear readability with the text background and how it fits the overall theme. Another aspect to consider is the font size since making the text too small or big can largely impact the user experience on your site.
• Graphic design principles: Any visual designer needs to know and follow the basic design principles to the letter. All of this should be present in a website because if one is out of whack, it can put off site users. While all design principles matter, here are some that you need to prioritise:
  • Contrast
  • Hierarchy
  • Alignment
  • Balance
  • Emphasis.
• Use of animations, videos, and sound effects: Any animation or video can entice players to keep playing or impress visitors enough so they keep coming back. The sound effects in a game or product allow players to be more immersed when they play or check the site. However, make sure to use sound effects that aren’t too distracting or loud; otherwise, it will deter them from playing or checking out other areas of the site.
• Consistent branding and visual design: Casinos, and brands in general, should have consistent branding from the images to the colour theory. When they do, the brand looks more professional and credible to its users. Moreover, it properly cements the group of colours and designs it uses for its users, making it more memorable.

Content

Any UI should have web content to establish the brand and its services and products properly. The blog post, page, or other text on the site should prioritise the following for a better user experience:

• Clarity and conciseness: Content, in general, should be clear and to the point. The site's information, services, products, and more should always be succinct so users can quickly understand what the site offers.
• Tone and voice: When it comes to content, it should always follow one writing style and voice. After all, if this is followed on all pages, it quickly establishes the brand identity, which helps users be more loyal to the brand.
• Information architecture and organisation: The best thing to keep in mind when creating and designing how content appears on a page is that it should be organised. From start to finish, the most important information should be shown first until the minute details. There, it will make it easier for the users and readers to know what’s happening and lessen the risks of misunderstanding.

Performance and Functionality

Performance and functionality focus on UI design where you maximise the user experience. You can see this across different parts of the website, ranging from the homepage to the customer service section. The site’s performance needs to be strong, and it can be present with these factors:

• Fast loading speed: Any functional website should prioritise loading speed. The website should not feel like it’s a chore to browse. It is up to the UI designers to work with the programmers to implement proper optimisation and make the application run smoothly without a pop-up ad interfering.
• Error prevention and recovery: While most of this is on the programmer, the UI should indicate that people are making a mistake and send an error indicator. An example is when you put the wrong details when you log in, and it shows you made a mistake. 
• Personalisation and customisation options: Most online casinos have design principles that follow their branding, but that shouldn’t limit the user experience. In this case, the user interface should include an option for users to customise their site. It can be something like allowing a light or dark mode on the site, where you make the background for the entire site, either the former or the latter. 
• Provide customer support: The UI should have a readily available icon where users can quickly contact customer support. Online casinos often place a floating icon for this in the lower right with a live chat feature for the support staff.

User-Centred Design

Every UI designer needs to make sure the website focuses on the users and what they’ll experience browsing the site. Most designers can do so by profiling the devices because they can cater to what kind of changes they can make. Here is a checklist to ensure your site is user-centred:

• User research and testing: Web designers need to check their site’s user profiles to know their feedback, as well as what they like, dislike, and what can be improved on the site’s user interface.
• Persona creation: This makes the user seem more real, which keeps the designers making realistic ideas for their users during the design process. Creating design aspects is crucial for any UI pro, so determining and creating user behaviour is good prior to the website being launched and updating it once it’s live.
• User journey mapping: A journey map is a diagram visually illustrating a user’s journey throughout the site. This means UI designers must create or replicate this because a coherent model can produce good results, fitting their users and representing the brand and services properly.
• User flow analysis: With the model, you should analyse it before implementing it into the UI. The mapping dictates how users can use the website and how the designers can make adjustments.
• Accessibility and inclusivity: Accessible and inclusive design focus on the idea that people with disabilities can have an easy time navigating the site. Casinos usually have many elements on their site, but they should be clear enough to be accessible to people who have visual impairments. 
• Responsive design for different devices: The desktop version is not the only platform people play on because many users prefer mobile casinos due to their convenience.

Why is user interface important for online casino brands?

Brand recognition and customer satisfaction are major factors that website owners should consider when understanding the importance of UI. The quality contributes to helping drive website traffic, increasing brand awareness, and improving the conversion rate from non-players to regulars. Moreover, a great user interface increases user retention, which overall helps the brand.

Across the online gambling industry, having an appealing UI benefits the website by earning its future users' trust. People want a reason to return to a user-friendly online casino platform. Creating a better user experience can also result in more gamblers finding their way to playing games more often and showing loyalty to the platform.

Most people will point to the site’s Google ranking as the metric to measure online presence. However, users should see from the site’s design and features that the brand prioritises security  in terms of user data and the services it offers. Besides that, a great user interface increases user engagement, whether that’s checking site features, playing games, or betting on the different sports they want.

Essential tips to improve user experience in casinos

UI designers need to know some of the best UI design tips to live up to the expectations of their users. This includes prioritising accessibility, usability, and other site features. Here are some of the essential tips to improve user experience on your site:

• Simplify the pages: While casinos have tons of information on their websites, UI designers need to know simplicity and consistency in their pages should always be prioritised. In this way, its pages and the website as a whole won’t look cluttered.
• Pay attention to feedback: Casinos have passionate users, meaning people have a lot to say about their experience while using the site. If and when they give feedback, UI designers need to pay attention to these and make the necessary adjustments.
• Improve the website speed: Any user wants to have a good time when playing in a casino. That’s why there shouldn’t be any delays in navigating each page on the site, on top of it having a responsive design. 
• Cater to players: When conducting a casino audit, personalisation is important to ensure that your site properly caters to your players. This includes keeping on top of site and design trends and ensuring solutions to potential and current issues on the site are solved quickly. Doing so will help your players feel comfortable and happy when using your site.
• Use whitespace properly: Some people feel that whitespace feels empty, but there are good uses for it. It spaces out elements well, making the site look spacious, even if there are tons of elements included in a page like you would usually find in online casinos. It also improves visibility and accessibility for people who struggle reading games and features available on the site if the information is too close together.
• Distinct design is vital: It can be tough to be unique in the casino industry, but with proper testing and checking data, UI designers can make a site design that will still stand out. Depending on the brand, the casino site can look luxurious, fun, or interactive without being too similar to other sites. Just make sure to consider what your brand is and how it should appear in the site design to make it stand out.

User interface: Design guidelines to consider 

The top websites in the online casino industry all have recognisable UI because they have worked hard to design the best site possible. The experience they have accrued through the years has shown they have mastered the UI design best practices while also following their personal website user interface guidelines to ensure the site is distinctive and memorable.

UI professionals also work with webmasters to design the best casino site. Aside from the people in the backend, SEO experts are also valuable since they help research content and keyword strategies for the UI. Ensuring gamification is included in site pages also helps reach a bigger audience.

UI designers need to know simplicity is their friend. Of course, it should not be the crutch they stand on because high-quality sites have a good balance of proper placement of visual elements and integration of graphics. Analysis of other platforms can also work with a/b testing and adjusting the design and user experience with different techniques available to ensure the best user interface in a casino is developed. 

Some designers can even use data from heatmaps so the user can understand what parts of the site are used according to the metrics. If there are buttons in the cold zones, that might be a point of improvement for them. 

Making the most out of proper UI for your website

Your website should always have a proper UI to make the most of your services. The end result of a great user interface might look sleek and simple, but it takes a lot of time to ensure all UI elements work together to create the best UX on your site. 

While the process of improving the UI can be challenging, it’s a worthwhile project to take on since a good casino UI design will help your players have a great time in your casino in the long run. SEO experts from QWERTYLABS can handle expanding your site’s reach and ensuring you rank in Google, but you have to make it presentable to players. If you need help improving your website, reach out to us at QWERTYLABS so we can make suggestions on which areas of the site need improvement.