MGM Resorts is a dominant player in the casino gaming industry. They operate 11 of the most iconic resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, along with an impressive portfolio of regional and international properties. That said, this forward-looking hospitality company isn’t really in the casino business—or the hotel or restaurant business, for that matter. They’re in what they like to call the “holy s@#!” business—a bold claim that reframes their collection of offerings and speaks to a deeply human need for breathtaking experiences. It makes sense then, that even with their beloved reputation and market-defining brands, MGM Resorts is constantly on the hunt for innovative ways to evolve their offerings and inspire current and future guests.

It’s no secret that a brand as recognizable as MGM Resorts has all of the necessary marketing resources (and then some) to keep their experiences top-of-mind for customers. But that didn’t stop them from seeking new and innovative ways to amplify and extend their message. And that’s exactly where playAWARDS came in. MGM’s seasoned leadership knew that featuring its brands and promotional offers on the playAWARDS platform represented the exact type of fresh, exciting, and—most importantly—rewarding opportunity they were seeking.

The playAWARDS team engaged with marketing leaders at each of the company’s Las Vegas resorts, along with the corporate marketing team. Together, they developed a program to create a comprehensive, gamified expression of the MGM portfolio. This program included themed slot machines, in-game challenges, and a curated collection of promotional offers designed to help MGM properties take advantage of surplus resort capacity and drive consumption of perishable inventory. Because players earn these awards through an investment of time and energy playing a game, the value of these offerings elevate the MGM brands. By contrast, dumping discounted inventory diminishes their perceived value.

With the program up and running, the playAWARDS team and MGM business analysts began to track its performance. What they discovered was that MGM Resorts was able to drive new incremental revenue and capture a meaningful return over and above the cost of their offers.

In addition, MGM found that the playAWARDS program was not only attracting a new audience but was helping them engage more deeply with existing customers while reactivating lapsed or dormant customers. The end result delivered on the playAWARDS promise—giving MGM Resorts a fresh, exciting, and highly efficient way to extend their market leadership.