BetMGM Kiosk
BetMGM Kiosk
Enhancing the self-service betting experience in Las Vegas Casinos
Overview
The BetMGM Kiosk is a self-service machine for placing sports and casino bets in the U.S. Despite its essential role in sportsbooks, the kiosk faced critical usability challenges that hindered adoption and engagement.
As a designer on this 8-month project, I spearheaded efforts to redesign core features like the sports menu, navigation, betslip, search, and betting rules.
This redesign was aimed at addressing usability issues, aligning the kiosk experience with industry standards, and creating consistency across BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms.
The BetMGM Kiosk is a self-service machine for placing sports and casino bets in the U.S. Despite its essential role in sportsbooks, the kiosk faced critical usability challenges that hindered adoption and engagement.
As a designer on this 8-month project, I spearheaded efforts to redesign core features like the sports menu, navigation, betslip, search, and betting rules.
This redesign was aimed at addressing usability issues, aligning the kiosk experience with industry standards, and creating consistency across BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms.
The BetMGM Kiosk is a self-service machine for placing sports and casino bets in the U.S. Despite its essential role in sportsbooks, the kiosk faced critical usability challenges that hindered adoption and engagement.
As a designer on this 8-month project, I spearheaded efforts to redesign core features like the sports menu, navigation, betslip, search, and betting rules.
This redesign was aimed at addressing usability issues, aligning the kiosk experience with industry standards, and creating consistency across BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms.
The problem
Confusing navigation: Users struggled with the interface due to the clunky, outdated layout.
Inconsistent experience: The kiosk experience was disconnected from BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, causing frustration.
Inefficient betting flow: Users found it challenging to place bets, especially when trying to manage multiple sport types of bets in one transaction.
Accessibility issues: The interface lacked key accessibility features, making it harder for users with disabilities or limited technical experience.
Confusing navigation: Users struggled with the interface due to the clunky, outdated layout.
Inconsistent experience: The kiosk experience was disconnected from BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, causing frustration.
Inefficient betting flow: Users found it challenging to place bets, especially when trying to manage multiple sport types of bets in one transaction.
Accessibility issues: The interface lacked key accessibility features, making it harder for users with disabilities or limited technical experience.
Confusing navigation: Users struggled with the interface due to the clunky, outdated layout.
Inconsistent experience: The kiosk experience was disconnected from BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, causing frustration.
Inefficient betting flow: Users found it challenging to place bets, especially when trying to manage multiple sport types of bets in one transaction.
Accessibility issues: The interface lacked key accessibility features, making it harder for users with disabilities or limited technical experience.
Kiosk before redesign
Phase 1: Reskin
In Phase 1 I reskinned the sports page, betslip and race area.
Due to resource and time constraints, I was unable to make any UX changes. I am aware that this was not the right decision, but sometimes we as designers have to compromise.
To improve the experience I used the brand colours, added league logos/icons and made the main CTA more prominent.
In Phase 1 I reskinned the sports page, betslip and race area.
Due to resource and time constraints, I was unable to make any UX changes. I am aware that this was not the right decision, but sometimes we as designers have to compromise.
To improve the experience I used the brand colours, added league logos/icons and made the main CTA more prominent.
In Phase 1 I reskinned the sports page, betslip and race area.
Due to resource and time constraints, I was unable to make any UX changes. I am aware that this was not the right decision, but sometimes we as designers have to compromise.
To improve the experience I used the brand colours, added league logos/icons and made the main CTA more prominent.
Example of the Sports Page
Discovering the User’s World
I began by immersing myself in the world of sports betting, leading research with a Senior Designer to uncover the user’s pain points and expectations.
Despite COVID restrictions preventing on-site visits, we conducted:
Remote Stakeholder Interviews: To align on goals and constraints.
User Persona Development: Mapping out the motivations and frustrations of three key user types: novice, experienced, and high-stakes bettors.
Competitor Analysis: Diving deep into best practices from competitors like DraftKings and William Hill to understand industry standards.
One pivotal moment came when a teammate based in the U.S., visited a Las Vegas casino. Her findings painted a vivid picture of the chaotic, high-pressure environment where users needed simplicity and speed, not complexity.
I began by immersing myself in the world of sports betting, leading research with a Senior Designer to uncover the user’s pain points and expectations.
Despite COVID restrictions preventing on-site visits, we conducted:
Remote Stakeholder Interviews: To align on goals and constraints.
User Persona Development: Mapping out the motivations and frustrations of three key user types: novice, experienced, and high-stakes bettors.
Competitor Analysis: Diving deep into best practices from competitors like DraftKings and William Hill to understand industry standards.
One pivotal moment came when a teammate based in the U.S., visited a Las Vegas casino. Her findings painted a vivid picture of the chaotic, high-pressure environment where users needed simplicity and speed, not complexity.
I began by immersing myself in the world of sports betting, leading research with a Senior Designer to uncover the user’s pain points and expectations.
Despite COVID restrictions preventing on-site visits, we conducted:
Remote Stakeholder Interviews: To align on goals and constraints.
User Persona Development: Mapping out the motivations and frustrations of three key user types: novice, experienced, and high-stakes bettors.
Competitor Analysis: Diving deep into best practices from competitors like DraftKings and William Hill to understand industry standards.
One pivotal moment came when a teammate based in the U.S., visited a Las Vegas casino. Her findings painted a vivid picture of the chaotic, high-pressure environment where users needed simplicity and speed, not complexity.
User persona
Example of competitor analysis for betslip
Example of field research
Research findings summary
Turning insights into strategy
Alignment with the current betting standards
Switching between sports and horse racing without losing selection
Being able to place multiple types of bet in one transaction
Easy to use for experienced and inexperienced audience
Alignment with the current betting standards
Switching between sports and horse racing without losing selection
Being able to place multiple types of bet in one transaction
Easy to use for experienced and inexperienced audience
Alignment with the current betting standards
Switching between sports and horse racing without losing selection
Being able to place multiple types of bet in one transaction
Easy to use for experienced and inexperienced audience
Designing the solution
Working closely with the product team, I mapped out user flows and created low-fidelity wireframes for the sports menu, betslip, and top navigation. These served as discussion tools with stakeholders, fostering alignment early in the process.
Working closely with the product team, I mapped out user flows and created low-fidelity wireframes for the sports menu, betslip, and top navigation. These served as discussion tools with stakeholders, fostering alignment early in the process.
Working closely with the product team, I mapped out user flows and created low-fidelity wireframes for the sports menu, betslip, and top navigation. These served as discussion tools with stakeholders, fostering alignment early in the process.
Example of wireframes for top navigation, side menu and betslip (no selections).
Example of wireframes for top navigation, side menu and betslip (with selections).
Testing and iterating
I was responsible for preparing scenarios for betslip. I was aiming to cover all possible journeys including creation of multiple types of bets, editing stakes and removing selection.
I was responsible for preparing scenarios for betslip. I was aiming to cover all possible journeys including creation of multiple types of bets, editing stakes and removing selection.
I was responsible for preparing scenarios for betslip. I was aiming to cover all possible journeys including creation of multiple types of bets, editing stakes and removing selection.
Example of user profile
Example of betslip scenarios
User testing observations
"It was easy to remove the selection, but now I’m not sure what to do, shall I wait or tap the ‘Clear’ button?"
"I was expecting this message to disappear when I tap on the ‘remove’ button."
”Removing the selection is very straightforward, it’s great that I can undo my action if I remove something by mistake, but this message confuses me.”
"It was easy to remove the selection, but now I’m not sure what to do, shall I wait or tap the ‘Clear’ button?"
"I was expecting this message to disappear when I tap on the ‘remove’ button."
”Removing the selection is very straightforward, it’s great that I can undo my action if I remove something by mistake, but this message confuses me.”
"It was easy to remove the selection, but now I’m not sure what to do, shall I wait or tap the ‘Clear’ button?"
"I was expecting this message to disappear when I tap on the ‘remove’ button."
”Removing the selection is very straightforward, it’s great that I can undo my action if I remove something by mistake, but this message confuses me.”
Resolving the issue
The tests revealed several pain points in the bet removal process, which we addressed by adding a 5-second undo option to potentially improve the conversion of bets being placed.
The tests revealed several pain points in the bet removal process, which we addressed by adding a 5-second undo option to potentially improve the conversion of bets being placed.
The tests revealed several pain points in the bet removal process, which we addressed by adding a 5-second undo option to potentially improve the conversion of bets being placed.
Key learnings
Designing for a global audience
Localisation is critical—what works in one market may not translate to another.
Designing for a global audience
Localisation is critical—what works in one market may not translate to another.
Designing for a global audience
Localisation is critical—what works in one market may not translate to another.
Designing for a global audience
Localisation is critical—what works in one market may not translate to another.
Designing with flexibility
Design flexibility is essential for addressing unforeseen constraints during implementation.
Designing with flexibility
Design flexibility is essential for addressing unforeseen constraints during implementation.
Designing with flexibility
Design flexibility is essential for addressing unforeseen constraints during implementation.
Designing with flexibility
Design flexibility is essential for addressing unforeseen constraints during implementation.
Validating assumptions
Always validate assumptions through user testing to uncover hidden pain points.
Validating assumptions
Always validate assumptions through user testing to uncover hidden pain points.
Validating assumptions
Always validate assumptions through user testing to uncover hidden pain points.
Validating assumptions
Always validate assumptions through user testing to uncover hidden pain points.