A Premium Membership Experience
AboutOverview
The ALL IN CLUB membership is an exclusive program designed to elevate the experience of poker players by offering premium benefits, increased rewards, and a distinguished presence within the gaming community.
Objective
High-value players were the backbone of PokerBaazi’s ecosystem - contributing 70% of overall revenue despite being only 15-20% of the active base . However churn rates were high after short-term promotions or bonuses expired.
The objective was to design a membership program (ALL-IN CLUB) that:
Retains high-value players longer.
Create a differentiated experience that builds long-term engagement.
Deliver a premium identity while generating sustainable recurring revenue.
Creates recognition and exclusivity.
Research JourneyData Analysis
The ALL IN CLUB membership is an exclusive program designed to elevate the experience of poker players by offering premium benefits, increased rewards, and a distinguished presence within the gaming community.
Objective
High-value players were the backbone of PokerBaazi’s ecosystem - contributing 70% of overall revenue despite being only 15-20% of the active base . However churn rates were high after short-term promotions or bonuses expired.
The objective was to design a membership program (ALL-IN CLUB) that:
Retains high-value players longer.
Create a differentiated experience that builds long-term engagement.
Deliver a premium identity while generating sustainable recurring revenue.
Creates recognition and exclusivity.
Research
The Research Journey
Data Analysis
We analyzed behavioral patterns across 350K+ active users, with a focus on high-value players.
Revenue Contribution
High-value players ( ~15% of base ) contributed ~70% of revenue.
Engagement Decline
In the first month , high-value players averaged 5 sessions/week.
By the second month , this dropped to 3 sessions/week.
~ 40% decline in engagement over time.
Tournament Behavior
High-value players engaged more with tournaments than cash games - indicating tournaments were a natural retention lever.
Competitive Benchmarking
Study other poker platforms and comparable digital memberships for their features, pricing, and visual identity.
Key Observations
Most programs focused heavily on monetary rewards (cashback, rakeback, discounts)
Visual identity of status (badges, exclusive avatars) was either missing or limited to high-tier VIPs.
📌 Insight: There was an opportunity to differentiate AIC by blending luxury branding with tangible rewards, making it feel like an exclusive lifestyle membership rather than just a cashback mechanic.
User Interviews & Feedback
We conducted qualitative discussions with high-value players and surveyed regular users.
Customization Enhances Engagement:
Providing access to exclusive customization options such as emojis, throwables, and avatars is well received and strengthens emotional connection to the membership.
Strong upgrade triggers:
The top motivators for joining were discounted tournament entries and hassle-free withdrawals, which aligned with their core gameplay needs.
Recognition drives pride
Players wanted their status to be visible on the game table through badges, avatars, or subtle animations — something that sets them apart instantly.
Strategy
Our research showed that high-value players needed more than transactional bonuses - they wanted status recognition and progression.
To structure our design, we mapped AIC features to the octalysis framework to ensure both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations were addressed.
Identity & Ownership
Core to long-term engagement → Players feel they’re part of an elite inner circle.
The Gold Card + AIC Badge creates identity-based loyalty that keeps them proud to stay.
Development & Accomplishment
Long-term engagement comes from progressive rewards: cashback accumulation, tournament discounts, and Power-Ups.
Ownership & Possession
Players build a portfolio of exclusives (badges, avatars, emojis and throwables).
The gold card feels collectible — they don’t want to lose it.
Social Influence & Relatedness
Long-term engagement comes from social comparison — non-members aspire to it, while members maintain it to protect status.
Position AIC as a club, not just a promotion - creating a sense of exclusivity and community.
Mapping the User Journey
To understand the full experience, I mapped the entire user journey — from pre-purchase to purchase and beyond. This included every step a user takes: discovering the game, exploring features, evaluating membership benefits, making a purchase, and engaging with rewards and power-ups.
By mapping this end-to-end journey, I identified key moments of friction, hesitation, and delight across different touchpoints. This helped uncover opportunities to improve clarity, increase motivation, and ensure that membership and power-up features felt seamless, valuable, and integrated throughout the user experience.
Explorations & Iterations
We explored multiple concepts before finalizing the AIC experience.
Price Visibility
Exploration
Show the price upfront vs reveal it later in the flow.
Decision
Chose not to show price upfront. In testing, showing cost early triggered drop-offs before users understand value. By first framing benefits, exclusivity and rewards playders were more receptive and had higher conversion intent.
Benefit Communication
Exploration
One condensed summary vs big, bold, multi-section benefits callouts.
Decision
We choose the bold, benefits-first approach to create a premium feel. This helped justify the higher price and made the offering clearer and more motivating.
Visual Language
Exploration
We explored lot of themes for AIC - Black and Gold , Black and Blue , White and Gold
Decision
Finalized on Black and Gold to balance PokerBaazi’s visual system with a distinct premium identity.
Visual Design Exploration
Trade-offs & Constraints
Invite-only vs Open Access
Initial Idea: Launch AIC as invite-only to build hype and exclusivity.
Constraint: Business prioritized scale and revenue at launch.
Trade-off: We opened AIC to everyone. This unlocked and renewal flows transparent to establish trust.
Eligibility Criteria
Exploration: Direct purchase vs earning through coins/hands.
Decision: Launch with purchase-only for clear revenue , though gameplay based unlock remain a future iteration.
Gifting Membership
Exploration: Allow players to gift AIC memberships to friends or peers.
Trade-off: We deprioritized gifting at MVP to focus on direct purchase adoption, but noted it as a future growth lever for social stickiness.
Visuals
Designs
We experimented with multiple visual directions before arriving at a gold and white theme. Gold brought in the sense of prestige and exclusivity, while white introduced openness, clarity, and a modern premium feel.
Together, they created a luxury aesthetic that felt aspirational yet clean, making ALL IN CLUB instantly stand out from regular gameplay.
AIC Benefits
The membership page highlights all AIC benefits in one place — from cashback and discounts to exclusive game-table privileges. A clean layout makes it easy for players to understand the value instantly.
AIC Dashboard
The dashboard acts as the command center for members. Users can track savings, access perks, and see their membership status at a glance, reinforcing ongoing value.
Gametable Power-Up
When players activate an AIC power-up, a subtle animation provides instant feedback, making the action feel rewarding without disrupting gameplay.
Buying Journey
On joining AIC, users are welcomed with a gratification screen featuring their personalized gold card. This celebratory moment marks the start of their premium journey and cements the feeling of exclusivity.
Impact
Outcomes and Success
The launch of the ALL-IN CLUB membership created measurable improvements in retention, engagement, and revenue for high-value players on PokerBaazi.
Retention Uplift
At 30 days , AIC members retained at 50% , compared to 30% for non-members ( 67% higher retention rate)
At 60 days , AIC members retained at 35% , compared to 18% for non-members ( 94% higher retention rate)
Engagement Increase
AIC members showed 35% increase in average sessions per week
Participation in tournaments grew by 28% among AIC members , showcasing strong product stickiness.
Revenue Growth
AIC members showed a 1.5x increase in ARPU compared to non-members.
PokerBaazi generated 100M+ in direct recurring revenue solely through membership fees.
Impact
Future Opportunities
Tiered membership (Silver, Gold and Platinum)
Exclusive VIP-only tournaments and other benefits.
Coin and Hand Criteria to get a membership.