The popularity of freemium games is on the rise, and it’s a fact that operators and social games developers cannot afford to ignore.

Last year, King’s casual game Candy Crush Saga raked in an estimated $682 million, Bloomberg Business reported. For casino games developer Spigo, this is a proof that casual gamers, who are willing to spend money on in-app purchases for mobile games, “have the ability to stake that money and make returns on it.”

“It’s been widely mentioned in the media for a while now, but the move from casinos in Las Vegas to provide more skill-based, monetized casual games instead of traditional slots products in a bid to entice more younger players is indicative of the future for the casino environment,” Spigo CEO Kasper Kau told CalvinAyre.com.

The Danish company is already poised to surf that “wave of opportunity.” But what does it really take for one to actually appeal to the younger players in a market already filled with so many gaming products?