Online gamblers could be the most lucrative segment for brick-and-mortar brands. The research — the result of state-of-the-art data-mining of responses from a recent AlixPartners’ consumer gaming survey — finds that what the firm dubs “online enthusiasts,” defined as gamblers who play online as well as in casinos, visit brick-and-mortar casinos almost as frequently as “consistent members,” gamblers with the highest casino-visitation rates among all customer segments studied.

Further, the analysis finds that the average theoretical, the estimated dollar amount a player is worth to a casino, could be as much as 10% higher for online enthusiasts than for those who only frequent brick-and-mortar casinos. The research finds that the online gaming customer typically has an average daily gaming budget 30% higher than “destination tourists,” the customer segment with the next-highest average daily gaming budget.

“This in-depth analysis suggests that the Online Enthusiast segment has the attributes that all brick-and-mortar casinos should cherish: higher consumer gaming budgets, higher theos and more frequent casino visits,” said John Bonno, a director at AlixPartners and a member of the firm’s Gaming Practice. “The research also suggests that casinos that can tie online gaming activities to casino visitation through loyalty points or other means can create competitive advantage. The key, though, will be knowing which kind of customers to target, and when.”