Dave & Buster’s Levels Up: Introducing Friendly Wagers in Arcade Gaming
By Nick Giangreco
Dave & Buster’s, a leader in the arcade and entertainment industry, is set to enhance the arcade experience by introducing a friendly social wagering feature through its app. This new functionality will allow customers to engage in small, friendly wagers, such as a $5 challenge on arcade favorites like Hot Shots basketball or Skee-Ball. This feature, expected to launch soon, aims to transform the casual arcade visit into a more interactive and competitive social outing.
Founded in 1982, Dave & Buster's has grown to over 222 venues across North America, becoming a staple for diverse entertainment options including bowling, laser tag, and virtual reality. The company has built a substantial following with five million loyalty members and thirty million annual visitors. With its stock up more than 50% over the past year, Dave & Buster’s is continuing to expand its entertainment offerings and innovate within the industry.
The introduction of social wagering is intended to mirror the increased engagement seen in sports betting, but within a friendly, non-monetary context. By allowing customers to wager points or credits via the Dave & Buster’s app, the company is tapping into the competitive spirit of gaming without involving real money stakes. This move is expected to increase the time and money customers spend in venues, enhancing their overall experience and engagement.
The technology behind this new feature comes from a partnership with Lucra, a software company specializing in gamification technology. Lucra, established by Stanford Graduate Business School alumni Dylan Robbins and Michael Madding, focuses on creating software that allows for competitive interactions among users in a non-gambling context. This partnership aligns with Dave & Buster’s goal to innovate customer interactions by introducing dynamic, cutting-edge technology into their entertainment offerings.
Lucra’s platform is designed for skill-based competitions that operate under a different set of regulations from traditional gambling, making it ideal for Dave & Buster's new friendly wagering feature. The platform will have a set limit on the size of wagers, although specific details have yet to be disclosed. Importantly, Lucra and Dave & Buster’s are careful to avoid using terms like "bet" or "wager" in the traditional sense, focusing instead on "real-money contests or challenges" that emphasize skill and friendly competition.
This strategic move by Dave & Buster's signifies a broader trend in the entertainment and gaming industries towards incorporating digital and interactive technologies to enhance traditional experiences. The integration of a social wagering feature is likely to influence how patrons interact with arcade games, potentially setting a new standard for engagement in entertainment venues.
As Dave & Buster’s rolls out this innovative feature, it will be fascinating to see how the addition of friendly social wagering will impact the arcade gaming scene and whether this approach will be adopted more widely across the industry. By blending technology with traditional arcade gaming, Dave & Buster's is paving the way for a new era of enriched, interactive entertainment experiences.