When PPC performance dips in iGaming/sports betting, a systematic approach is crucial.
Player Profile Issues
First, analyse if your attracted player profile has shifted (demographics, device, behaviour), as platform changes can subtly alter audience composition.
CRM Changes
Next, review your CRM and bonus structure for recent changes affecting user engagement post-click. Examine product updates (sign-up, interface, deposits) for potential conversion friction.
Semantic Keyword Matching Messing Things Up
Scrutinise search term reports for irrelevant queries due to evolving semantic matching. Assess ad creative and messaging for unintended audience shifts (e.g., bonus-focused adverts attracting low-value players).
The Competitive Landscape
Lastly, analyse the competitive landscape for new offers or improved user experiences. Performance drops are usually multi-faceted, involving user behaviour, product, creative, and competition. A methodical review of each area is key to diagnosis and swift resolution.
In the iGaming and sports betting sectors, customer retention is paramount. It’s the cornerstone of building a profitable business model and overcoming high acquisition and promotional costs.
Tier 1 operators begin from a different position than Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators. Their scale allows them the freedom to run ATL (above-the-line) awareness campaigns and still see positive revenue. However, the situation is markedly different for smaller operators. Too often, Tier 2 and 3 operators overlook the retention element within their direct response channels and miss opportunities to increase revenue by focusing on lower-cost conversions and transaction-level marketing.
Let’s explore how Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators can improve their marketing approach holistically.
How Tier 1 Betting Operators View ATL Marketing
Tier 1 operators invest heavily in ATL campaigns—TV, radio, sponsorship, and outdoor advertising—to build share of mind during key betting periods. They often spend tens of millions of pounds on brand awareness, which in turn drives direct-to-site and branded search traffic.
Although acquisitions do result from these campaigns, that is not the primary objective. The main goal is market share. Step one is to gain share of mind; step two is to convert that into share of wallet.
Once a Tier 1 brand’s app is installed and a user has accounts with 5-6 other bookmakers, CRM alone can only go so far. ATL campaigns help ensure the brand is front-of-mind when betting decisions are made.
Because Tier 1 brands have extensive customer databases and long-term media investments, the improved retention and increased net gaming revenue (NGR) can justify major ATL spend.
Tier 2 and 3 Bookmakers: A Different Approach
Smaller operators face a significant hurdle: brand recognition and the high-friction registration process. These factors make full-scale ATL campaigns difficult to justify.
Instead, most Tier 2 and 3 operators focus primarily on new customer acquisition via direct response channels like PPC, paid social, and affiliate marketing. As a result, campaigns are heavily skewed towards acquisition and often lack a retention strategy.
A major reason for this imbalance lies in tracking limitations. Many operators use their affiliate platforms to track paid media, but these systems are designed primarily for new customer acquisition via revenue share. As a result, operators don’t adequately track the value of reactivated or returning users.
This market saturation led to situations where platforms like Oddschecker began charging operators after realising many of the customers being referred were existing users. Some operators lacked the ability to reward for reactivations or to track the ROI of placements from a retention perspective.
What Should Tier 2 and 3 Operators Do?
Here are actionable steps smaller operators should take:
Track sessions and referrer sources for every visit to understand how customers are returning.
Separate acquisition and reactivation campaigns and assign distinct KPIs to each.
Break out conversions into new vs. returning users.
Feed both conversion types into AI bidding tools to improve campaign optimisation.
Test everything from targeting to messaging.
Monitor and evaluate the net benefit of each campaign, not just initial acquisition.
The Marketing Tech Gap: You Must Resolve It
A key challenge is the “martech gap.” If you can’t store a tag when someone is reactivated, you’re losing critical data. This requires a separate field in your database or CRM platform.
You may not have Google Analytics set up to capture bet and session-level data, or you may lack a properly structured data layer.
Many affiliate platforms cannot handle secondary tags. For example, while a b_tag might capture a registration, a c_tag could capture a bet or login—yet some platforms aren’t equipped to store that information. If they are, this data can unlock a comprehensive view of marketing performance.
App attribution is another crucial component, especially if you’re running paid app install or deep-linking campaigns on social. Tools like AppsFlyer and Kochava are essential to push conversion data back into ad platforms for optimisation.
Conclusion
To evaluate the true performance of your campaigns, you must consider retention. Relying solely on acquisition metrics can lead to skewed marketing decisions and, ultimately, poor ROI.
Understanding what happens during each session and the value of those sessions is vital to building a complete view of the customer journey. Since this journey is influenced by organic, owned and paid media, allocating spend and resources correctly is essential for sustainable growth and profitability.
If you would like to find out more about customer tracking and MarTech in igaming and sports betting then let us know.
In the fiercely competitive world of online sports betting and casino gaming, data-driven decision-making is paramount. A well-structured data layer forms the backbone of digital marketing efforts, enabling accurate Google Analytics tracking, bet amount monitoring, deposit tracking, and transaction ID tracking. Without a properly configured data layer, operators face significant disadvantages in campaign performance, conversion optimisation, and compliance.
Essentially, the more effectively a marketing team leverages its data layer, the better it can scale core KPIs.
Why a Data Layer is Essential for Digital Marketing
A data layer acts as a structured repository of essential information, feeding analytics tools like Google Analytics and platforms like Google Tag Manager (GTM). This facilitates improved tracking and optimisation of marketing efforts, particularly for transactions such as deposits and wagers.
Key benefits include:
Accurate Google Analytics Tracking: Ensures critical user interactions—including bets placed, deposits made, and transaction IDs—are captured accurately for analysis and optimisation.
Bet Amount Tracking: Crucial for understanding customer behaviour, adjusting marketing strategies, and ensuring responsible gaming compliance.
Deposit Tracking: Enables the measurement of conversion rates from marketing campaigns and assists in optimising promotions and bonus offers.
Transaction ID Tracking: Allows precise attribution of revenue to specific marketing efforts, improving ROI calculations and campaign efficiency.
These benefits can be expanded based on the marketing team’s tracking needs. However, the advantages extend beyond mere tracking.
Data Layer Example
Most operators do not use a data layer to it’s full capacity. However, a great example of effective use of a data layer is paddypower.com. They are the OGs of the data layer in betting.
Here is a small sample of what they record on the data layer.
Automating Title and Meta Descriptions for Dynamic Market and Event Pages
For large sports betting and casino sites with dynamically created market and event pages, manual SEO management is nearly impossible. A data layer, leveraged through Google Tag Manager, can automate title and meta description generation based on:
Market Names (e.g., “Premier League Winner 2025”)
Game Names (e.g., “Roulette Live VIP”)
Event Names (e.g., “Champions League Final Betting”)
By dynamically inserting these variables into metadata, operators can ensure their pages are SEO-optimised at scale, improving organic search visibility and reducing manual workload.
This is essential for both casino and sports sites, as slot game pages can also benefit from a properly structured and set-up data layer, just like specific market and event pages.
The Data Layer and Structure Data (Schema.org)
In addition to SEO titles and meta descriptions, the Data Layer can be used to build out schema.org structured data for “event” and “game,” among other elements. This can help expand your search real estate and add relevant information to SERPs.
The Disadvantages of Not Having a Properly Configured Data Layer
Operators that neglect to implement a robust data layer face numerous challenges:
Limited Analytics Accuracy: Without structured data collection, reporting and campaign analysis are compromised.
Suboptimal Marketing Campaigns: Ineffective tracking leads to wasted ad spend and lower ROI.
SEO Inefficiencies: Without automated metadata, search engine visibility suffers.
In 2025, operational limitations should not impede a marketing team’s ability to leverage data.
Sites that utilise a data layer gain a compounding competitive advantage over time.
A Marketing Tech-Focused Brand Must Prioritise Data Layer Implementation
For operators serious about growth and efficiency, implementing a sophisticated data layer should be a primary focus. This extends beyond marketing, impacting every aspect of the business, from compliance to customer experience.
Common Data Layer Elements in Sports Betting and Online Casino Contexts
Example Data Layer Elements for a Sports Betting Site:
eventCategory: ‘Sports Betting’
eventAction: ‘Place Bet’
eventLabel: ‘Premier League’
betAmount: ‘50’
betOutcome: ‘Win/Lose’
odds: ‘2.5’
transactionID: ‘123456789’
userID: ‘98765’
sessionID: ‘abcdefg’
Example Data Layer Elements for an Online Casino:
eventCategory: ‘Casino Gaming’
eventAction: ‘Spin’
eventLabel: ‘Mega Moolah’
wagerAmount: ‘5’
winAmount: ‘20’
gameID: ‘mm123’
bonusUsed: ‘Yes/No’
depositAmount: ‘100’
transactionID: ‘987654321’
Other Benefits of a Data Layer
Beyond tracking and SEO automation, a properly structured data layer provides:
Personalised Marketing: Enables dynamic remarketing and personalised promotions.
A/B Testing & CRO: Facilitates better testing of website elements and conversion rate optimisation.
Improved Fraud Detection: Helps track anomalies in betting and deposits.
Enhanced User Experience: Supports real-time content adjustments based on user behaviour.
Conclusion
A data layer is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for any serious sports betting or casino operator. Without it, brands risk losing marketing efficiency, analytics accuracy, and compliance readiness. As industry competition intensifies, those with a properly configured data layer will gain a decisive advantage, optimising user experience, ad spend, and overall profitability.
If you would like to find out more about designing, setting up and using a data layer for your online sportsbook or casino let us know via the form below.
Prediction markets in the United States, particularly platforms like Kalshi, are rapidly gaining traction as an alternative to traditional sports betting sites. Unlike platforms such as DraftKings and FanDuel, prediction markets operate under the regulatory oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), not state gaming commissions.
This crucial distinction allows them to offer financial instruments based on real-world events, including political outcomes, economic indicators, and even sports results. However, as these prediction sites expand, they face increasing scrutiny regarding their potential overlap with traditional sports betting.
In mature betting markets where matched betting arbitrage has flourished, betting exchanges are integral. Prediction markets could potentially replace betting exchanges in the US, creating new avenues for matched betting arbitrage. This is a crucial consideration for traditional sportsbooks.
How Prediction Markets Compare to Betting Exchanges
Traditional betting exchanges, such as Betfair, enable users to both back and lay bets, facilitating a peer-to-peer wagering system. This model allows traders to hedge bets and capitalise on market inefficiencies, similar to prediction markets. However, prediction markets are framed as financial exchanges rather than gambling platforms, operating in a regulatory grey area.
Like betting exchanges, leveraging odds discrepancies between prediction markets and traditional sportsbooks could become increasingly common.
Background: Growth Potential for Matched Betting and Arbitrage
Arbitrage betting (arbing) and matched betting have long been popular strategies in traditional sports betting. By exploiting free bet promotions, price discrepancies, and market inefficiencies, bettors can secure guaranteed profits regardless of event outcomes.
In the UK, specialised sites like Outplayed (formerly Profit Accumulator) have facilitated matched betting for years. While “picks” sites have been popular in the US, the emergence of prediction markets introduces a new dynamic.
In the context of US prediction markets, this could manifest in two ways:
Arbitraging between sportsbooks and prediction markets: If a sportsbook offers odds on an event and a prediction market lists a corresponding contract, bettors could hedge positions for risk-free profits. This is more likely to occur if there are promotional price boosts etc.
Matched betting using sportsbook promotions: Free bets, deposit bonuses, and odds boosts from sites like DraftKings and FanDuel could be used to secure guaranteed wins on Kalshi by backing opposing outcomes across platforms.
Impact of Prediction Market Sites on Marketing Teams at US Sportsbooks
If arbitrage betting between sportsbooks and prediction markets becomes widespread, major US brands like DraftKings and FanDuel will face significant challenges, including:
Increased Bonus Abuse: Matched bettors exploiting free bets for risk-free profits will force sportsbooks to reassess promotional strategies.
Tighter Restrictions and Account Limitations: Sportsbooks may implement more stringent monitoring to detect and limit sharp bettors.
Regulatory Scrutiny: Increased arbitrage activity could lead to greater regulatory oversight.
Will the US See a Free Bet Arbing Boom?
In European markets, free bet arbing has significantly impacted sportsbooks. While the US sports betting industry is still developing, a similar trend is likely.
However, the US has fewer sportsbooks than markets like the UK, limiting free bet welcome offers. If offshore and crypto sites are factored in, more assistive tools and platforms might emerge.
As sportsbooks expand promotions, bettors will capitalise on arbitrage opportunities. Once sportsbooks detect abuse, they will implement stricter customer profiling and wagering limits. Prediction markets could become hubs for bettors seeking hedging strategies.
Legal Risks and the Future of Prediction Markets
Despite their current legal standing under the CFTC, prediction markets remain vulnerable to regulatory challenges. If state gaming commissions or federal agencies deem these platforms too similar to sportsbooks, they could face restrictions or bans.
There are currently cease and desist orders and counter legal suits ongoing.
The long-term viability of prediction markets depends on their ability to differentiate themselves from betting exchanges in the eyes of the regulators.
Conclusion
The intersection of prediction markets, sports betting, and arbitrage betting presents both opportunities and challenges. While Kalshi and similar platforms may not yet be mainstream targets for professional bettors, the potential for bonus abuse and risk-free arbing is significant. Sportsbooks will adapt their promotions and policies, and regulatory bodies may intervene.
Marketing teams must factor this into their promotions and collaborate with trading to identify matched betting and arbing customers. Robust KPIs that exclude these customers are essential.
Recommended Actions for Sports Betting Marketing Teams:
Structure KPIs to exclude matched betting/arbing customers.
Maintain regular communication with risk and trading departments.
Generate reports on restricted customers and their traffic sources.
Monitor prices and offers on prediction markets, exchanges, offshore, and regulated sportsbooks.
Include a promo abuse section in weekly and monthly reports.
The relatively low number of sportsbooks in the US market means this issue will be less significant than in mature markets like the UK. However, the outcome of Kalshi’s case against Nevada and New Jersey could lead to a rapid increase in federally regulated prediction market sites. Regulated sportsbooks must closely monitor this development.
Horse racing betting presents unique SEO challenges compared to other sports, primarily due to the fact that its main attraction is betting itself.
This opens up opportunities through long-tail keywords related to racecourses, fixtures, and odds, which can be leveraged to acquire new customers or reactivate dormant ones. However, these opportunities require a robust SEO strategy to navigate the complexities involved in ranking for relevant searches.
The Long Tail Challenge: SEO vs. Paid Search
Long-tail keywords, while offering high intent and potential conversions, can be difficult to target effectively through paid search due to competition and cost. However, a well-executed SEO strategy can drive consistent revenue by ranking for these terms organically. This makes SEO a crucial component of any horse racing betting acquisition strategy.
Technical SEO Challenges for Horse Racing Betting Sites
Many betting platforms suffer from structural SEO deficiencies, making it difficult to rank effectively. Some of the most common technical issues include:
Non-SEO Friendly URLs: Racecard pages often lack clean, structured URLs that aid search engine indexing.
Missing SEO Tags & On-Page Content: Essential meta descriptions, title tags, and on-page content are often absent, reducing the likelihood of ranking.
Temporary URLs: Many platforms generate temporary URLs for racecourse name terms, preventing the accumulation of SEO authority over time.
Client-Side Rendering (CSR) Issues: Betting platforms built on JavaScript frameworks like React often rely on client-side rendering. This creates a major challenge because search engines may not process JavaScript-rendered content in time, especially for short-lived race information(after declarations). Add to this issues with core web vitals.
Horse Racing SEO – Page Hierarchy
Page hierarchy is key to horse racing SEO for betting sites. Using evergreen URLs, along with vanity URLs where appropriate, helps transform meaningless and ever-changing URLs into SEO-friendly, quasi-evergreen URLs—both essential site structure strategies.
The Untapped Potential of Horse Name Odds Searches
One of the biggest missed opportunities in horse racing betting SEO is optimising for horse name odds searches. These searches are highly relevant and can be particularly valuable in ante-post markets. Operators who tap into this niche can drive significant organic traffic from punters actively searching for specific horse odds.
An example of a book/exchange that has this on point is Betfair.
Usable race descriptionsWhen it comes to Horse Racing pages. You should leverage structured data for SportsEvent. However, inorder to this this you need to have two key items in place.
A dataLayer
Usable race descriptions
Example of structured data for SportsEvent:
The Future of SEO for Horse Racing Betting
With the rise of AI-generated content, affiliates may see a decline in their influence. However, sites where bets can be placed directly will benefit significantly. This makes it even more crucial for operators to double down on SEO, ensuring that they capture high-intent traffic directly rather than relying on affiliates.
Addressing Client-Side Rendering Issues
To overcome client-side rendering challenges, operators can adopt one of the following approaches:
Use Next.js: This framework offers server-side rendering (SSR) capabilities, ensuring that race information is indexed properly by search engines.
Implement Edge SEO: Leveraging technologies like Cloudflare Workers or other edge computing solutions can help serve pre-rendered content efficiently.
Build a Static Content Horse Racing Site: Creating a separate static content section (e.g., using odds feeds) attached to the main domain can help logged-out users access SEO-friendly content. This method has been proven to work effectively when SSR is not feasible.
Why Now is the Time to Invest in Horse Racing SEO
Horse racing SEO might not be as trendy as other betting sports or igaming products, but it presents a massive opportunity to build a pipeline of high-value punters. By addressing technical deficiencies and implementing a strategic SEO approach, operators can position their brands effectively for major events like Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, while also capturing frequent bettors year-round.
At tentenseven, we specialise in guiding operators through the intricacies of horse racing SEO. By making SEO a core part of your acquisition strategy, you can gain a competitive edge in the market and drive long-term success.
Get in touch with us today to start optimising your horse racing betting product for sustainable growth.
A PPC audit for iGaming and sports betting has some unique quirks that go well beyond a standard audit for other sectors.
The core reason is that, unlike in eCommerce—where there is a defined price and order value—in iGaming and sports betting, customer value varies significantly. Additionally, some winning customers may have a negative lifetime value.
As a marketing team, you also work closely with your trading team for sports and the casino product team for gaming.
Because of these complexities, an industry-specific approach is essential.
Key to Success – Paid Search iGaming
With semantic keyword matching and automated AI bidding and targeting, organising your off-platform data is critical for success.
This involves player analysis and linking players back to clicks from search ad platforms.
Note:All images are taken from our PPC Audit Deck. If you want the full deck, just message us using the contact forms on the side or at the bottom of this post.
Time and ROI Metrics
Surprisingly, outside of a few top-level PPC teams, time-based (annualised return) and ROI metrics—such as the NPV of projected lifetime value—are underutilised.
From experience, this can often be the deciding factor when allocating budgets between casino and sports campaigns.
It is also imperative to use theoretical hold and sports margin when analysing performance.
Additionally, you must consider commercial agreements with platform and game providers, as well as region-specific tax obligations.
Failing to factor in all costs could lead to misjudgments when comparing products and jurisdictions for budget planning.
Fraud and Stake-Factored Customers – PPC Audit for iGaming and Sports Betting
A key part of any PPC audit for sports betting is stake factor analysis of acquired bettors.
The quality of a channel can often be quickly assessed by reviewing the extent of stake factoring with your trading team.
However, as a marketing team, you must also evaluate the customer journey holistically, considering their value across casino and games products.
You may need to highlight excessive stake factoring on sports bettors who are high-value casino players. While this issue was more common in the past, today, sports traders and risk analysts assess customer activity across all products before aggressively applying stake factors. It is still worth keeping an eye on.
This is one of the most important industry-specific tasks in a PPC audit.
The same must also be done for problem gambling and AML markers.
Using VIP Tiers or More Qualified Customers for Bidding than FTD
There are two alternative approaches to basic FTD bidding that you should consider:
VIP tiering with a defined average CLV per tier.
Using a value amount for each click ID. (The challenge here is that cookies, GCLIDs, or MSCLKIDs can expire.)
You must balance consensus definitions across multiple teams while ensuring the approach aligns with the capabilities of ad platforms.
Yes, conducting a PPC audit requires cross-team collaboration.
Lower Click-Through Rates and Quality Score May Be Better for Profitability
In most industries, improving quality scores is a priority. However, in iGaming and sports betting, the primary driver of click-through rate (CTR) is the offer itself.
The key to profitability in paid search is avoiding clicks from non-converters or low-value customers.
An aggressive offer might attract bonus abusers, resulting in a high-quality score but a negative financial return.
On the other hand, a conservative offer will have a lower CTR (leading to lower quality score) but attract customers more likely to stay engaged, increasing your chances of long-term profitability.
Don’t Forget the Housekeeping Audit – PPC Audit for iGaming and Sports Betting
In addition to customer analysis and tracking reviews, you should also run a standard PPC housekeeping audit.
However, it’s important to integrate this with the industry-specific elements mentioned above.
If you would like a full rundown of our PPC audit process simply contact us below:
The UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) latest regulations introduce strict limits on online slot stakes, with a maximum of £5 per game cycle for players aged 25 and over and £2 for those aged 18-24. These changes will have significant implications for PPC strategies across the iGaming industry, requiring recalibration across automated bidding channels, CRM, and cross-sell strategies. Here’s how operators should adapt their paid search approach to stay competitive and maintain profitability.
As a paid search manager, your first priority should be gathering data from your casino team. You need to match the average spin amount with the acquisition keyword, allowing you to assess the potential impact of the UKGC changes on your paid search KPIs.
1. Automated Bidding Adjustments Across Casino and Sports Terms
Automated bidding models will require major adjustments, not only for casino-related terms but also for sports betting, particularly football. Given that under-25s are a key demographic for football betting, the reduced cross-sell potential into online slots needs to be factored in.
The £5 game cycle limit will also impact older players and in some higher-value players reduce the likelihood that they will continue to play.
Operators should:
Adjust automated bidding strategies to account for lower potential value from younger customers.
Monitor football-related terms more closely to evaluate shifts in player behaviour. They are likely to skew younger than horse racing.
Implement bid adjustments based on age-related segments (manual campaign experiment).
2. Table Games & Live Casino Considerations
While the new regulations directly impact slot play, table games and live casino games may also be impacted.
Spin limits reduce play across all games
Slot players may be open to try other games more frequently.
It’s crucial to:
Analyse search term data to see if players shift from slots to alternative products.
Adjust PPC strategies to optimise for high-value table game and live casino players.
Identify opportunities for retention marketing to engage affected slot players.
3. Impact on Bonuses, Offers & CRM
Bonuses and offers will likely see a knock-on effect due to changes in slot play behaviour. With lower stake limits reducing overall player value, CRM teams need to reassess retention and engagement strategies:
Refine promotional strategies to maximise lifetime value (LTV) under the new rules.
Consider targeted bonuses for high-value players who may shift preferences to Live Casino.
Evaluate the impact on loyalty programs and tailor messaging accordingly.
4. Demographic Targeting Reassessment
For example, high-value female slot players represent a significant segment that will be impacted by these stake limits.
To mitigate risks:
Operators should run 50/50 campaign experiments with manual targeting and bidding.
Allocate 50% of the budget to manual bidding while allowing automation to adjust over time.
Closely analyse performance to determine the most effective bidding strategy for different demographics.
5. Recalibrating Conversion Tracking
With shifting player behaviours, conversion tracking needs an overhaul. Additional conversion points should be integrated to capture meaningful engagement signals, such as:
Time spent on site and session depth.
Engagement with alternative casino products.
Deposit behaviours following slot play.
6. Adjusting Projections to Reflect the New Landscape
Operators must revise revenue and player value projections to reflect these changes. Key actions include:
Updating LTV models to accommodate lower stakes per game cycle.
Adjusting CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) benchmarks based on new player value calculations.
Refining budget allocation between acquisition and retention campaigns.
7. Conducting Competitor Analysis
To stay ahead of the competition, it’s essential to analyse how other operators are adjusting to the UKGC’s new regulations:
Monitor ad copy changes to detect shifts in promotional messaging.
Track competitors’ keyword strategies and bid adjustments.
Benchmark performance data to identify emerging trends in player behaviour.
Conclusion
The UKGC’s stake limit regulations will fundamentally alter the UK iGaming market, requiring a complete re-evaluation of paid search strategies.
By recalibrating automated bidding, adjusting KPIs, refining conversion tracking, and closely monitoring market trends, operators can navigate these changes effectively.
A proactive approach will ensure sustained profitability and long-term growth in an evolving regulatory landscape.
We can help with our detailed igaming and sports betting paid search audit service.
Find Out More About Our Detailed iGaming & Sports Betting PPC Audit
When launching a sweepstakes casino, it’s hugely beneficial to get your ducks in a row from the start.
Doing so will help you gain traction post-launch and position you to scale more quickly.
In this post, we’ll look at the core areas you need to consider when launching a sweepstakes casino.
Introduction Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos have seen explosive growth in the United States, achieving an estimated 75% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2019 to 2024, and reaching a market valuation of approximately $4 billion. This surge is largely attributed to their innovative business model, which allows players to enjoy casino-style games without direct real-money wagering, effectively navigating complex gambling regulations. Prominent brands in this thriving sector include Stake.us, WOW Vegas, High 5 Casino, and Luckyland Slots.
The appeal of sweepstakes casinos lies in their ability to offer legal, risk-free gaming entertainment, coupled with the potential to win real prizes through sweepstakes entries.
Concurrently, real money gaming (RMG) arcade competitions and social casinos are also experiencing increased popularity. Social casinos provide free-to-play games where players can purchase in-game currency without any real-world monetary value, delivering an engaging gaming experience devoid of financial risk. These platforms often incorporate arcade-style features, such as daily bonuses, tournaments, and competitive leaderboards, to enhance player engagement and retention.
The lines between RMG and social gaming are increasingly blurred, as operators explore strategic partnerships to integrate real-money elements into social gaming experiences. This convergence aims to attract a wider audience and foster greater player loyalty.
So, it is understandable that sweepstakes casinos are one of the most popular discussion points at igaming conferences.
Many people from both the mobile gaming and igaming spaces are looking to establish their own sweepstakes casino.
Here is an overview of this, especially focused on the marketing planning side of your launch.
Platform and Games
Selecting the right platform and games for a social or sweepstakes casino in the U.S. requires careful planning, market research, and regulatory considerations. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the right choice:
1. Understand Regulatory Compliance
Sweepstakes casinos operate under unique legal frameworks, often using “sweepstakes” models to allow players to participate without direct gambling. To ensure compliance:
Research state laws on sweepstakes gaming.
Choose a platform that adheres to legal requirements (e.g., offering free entry methods).
Consult legal professionals for compliance verification.
2. Choose the Right Platform Provider
Selecting a platform provider is crucial for backend functionality, security, and scalability. When evaluating providers, consider:
Customization & Branding – Can you white-label the platform to fit your brand?
User Experience (UX) – Is the interface intuitive, mobile-friendly, and engaging?
Game Variety – Does the platform support a diverse range of games?
Security & Payments – Secure transactions and compliance with sweepstakes cash redemption models.
Marketing & CRM Tools – Loyalty programs, referral bonuses, and analytics to retain players.
Scalability – Can it handle growth as your user base expands?
iOS and Android Apps – This makes both user acquisition and retention much easier and increases your chances to grow rapidly.
Top platform providers for sweepstakes casinos include:
Pragmatic Solutions (iGaming platform for social and sweepstakes casinos)
SoftSwiss (known for crypto and sweepstakes gaming solutions)
White Hat Gaming (offering turnkey casino solutions)
BetConstruct (supports virtual casino and sweepstakes models)
If you want to learn more about which platform is best for you, we are happy to have a discussion.
3. Select High-Quality Game Providers
Offering popular and engaging games is key to user retention. Look for providers that specialize in social and sweepstakes gaming. Key criteria include:
4. Define Your Game Mix
Slot Games: Players expect a strong slot selection with various themes and bonus features.
Table Games: Blackjack, roulette, and poker add variety.
Live Casino Games: High engagement and interactive experience.
Arcade & Crash Games: Increasingly popular, especially for younger demographics.
5. Test & Optimize Before Launch
Conduct beta testing to ensure smooth gameplay.
Gather user feedback and refine the platform.
Implement a robust customer support system.
It is key to do your preparation work in order to avoid issues down the line.
Marketing Your Sweepstakes Casino
So, you have your sweepstakes casino live now you just need to market it. Well, it’s not that simple. Your marketing preparation should have started before you launched. There are two key areas that you should have started before launch.
They are:
Marketing Tech and reporting integration
SEO audit and technical set-up
Marketing Tech and Reporting Integration for Sweepstakes Casinos
1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System A CRM is vital for tracking user behavior, automating engagement, and personalizing experiences.
Your CRM Platform Should Have:
Automated email and SMS marketing
Player segmentation (VIPs, frequent players, inactive users)
You should consider a platform like Xtremepush, Optimove, Customer.io or Symplify.
We can give you some pointers based on your unique requirements. Just drop us a note and we will respond to start the conversation.
2. App Attribution Platform
This is overlooked by so many new sweepstakes casinos. Basically, in order to optimize your app ad campaigns you need a fully integrated app attribution platform.
Examples are AppsFlyer or Kochava. In 2025 these should be non-negotiables.
3. Full API integration with Ad platforms and Reporting Dashboards
In reality, in today’s environment optimizing outside the ad platform is just as important as optimizing on the ad platform. As a result, integrating conversions across the marketing mix is essential. You need to have a clear picture to assess ROI and make campaign decisions.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your Sweepstake Casino
SEO is a massive opportunity for sweepstakes casinos. Especially considering ad policy across networks. Ranking well on a state by state basis can deliver significant growth alone.
So, before you launch, you should complete a technical SEO audit, as well as begin building out your site structure and the number of crawled and indexed pages.
Each platform has a different policy across each state for sweepstakes casinos. As a result, you should ensure compliance in order to get accounts/ads approved and live. In some cases, you should consider a number of online ad networks, depending on state-level policy.
For example:
Meta/X
Google Ads
Microsoft Ads
Apple Search Ads
Programmatic
Native
The key to success is ensuring best practice MarTech and reporting is put in place. This is essential as AI targeting and creative continue to increase in prominence.
So, if your MarTech is not up to scratch you are at a serious disadvantage.
Again your approach will depend on how your redemptions are set up, the type of games you offer and if you are 100% skill based or not (so not a true sweepstakes casino, there is a different approach for 100% skill-based arcade sites).
Conclusion – Launching Sweepstakes Casino
Building a thriving sweepstakes casino in the U.S. demands a meticulous blend of regulatory adherence, strategic marketing, engaging player experiences, and cutting-edge technology.
Navigating the Regulatory Landscape:
Compliance is paramount. Operators must meticulously structure their platforms to align with sweepstakes laws, ensuring free entry methods and appropriate virtual currency frameworks. Seeking expert legal counsel and staying abreast of evolving regulations are crucial for avoiding costly legal pitfalls.
Driving Player Acquisition:
Effective advertising and acquisition strategies are vital for attracting a robust player base. While platforms like Meta and Google impose restrictions on traditional casino advertising, savvy operators leverage social media ads, app install campaigns, influencer collaborations, and affiliate marketing. Crafting compelling, compliant messaging that resonates with the target audience is key.
Enhancing Player Retention:
Retaining players is just as critical as acquiring them. Personalized promotions, VIP programs, push notifications, and gamification elements foster sustained engagement. A robust CRM system enables seamless segmentation, automation, and tailored experiences that maximize player lifetime value.
Leveraging MarTech for Success:
Integrating advanced analytics dashboards, chatbots, and automation tools provides invaluable insights and enhances the overall user experience.
SEO optimization is essential for organic discoverability. Targeting high-intent keywords, creating compelling content, and optimizing on-page elements drive long-term traffic, reducing reliance on paid advertising.
Ultimately, success in the U.S. sweepstakes casino market hinges on a data-driven approach, unwavering compliance, innovative marketing, and a laser focus on player retention. By executing a comprehensive and well-rounded strategy, operators can cultivate a sustainable and highly profitable gaming platform.
With regulations varying at both the country and state level, ad platforms have remained cautious about allowing sweepstakes casinos to advertise.
Traditional regulated online casinos are pressuring governments worldwide to ban sweepstakes casinos. As a result, running ads and promoting your brand can be challenging.
Recent actions in several U.S. states, most notably in Florida, have reinforced this trend.
SEO The Foundation of Sweepstakes Casino Marketing
However, as in most cases where approvals on traditional digital ad networks are dubious SEO provides the opportunity to build your customer base in specific geos.
SEO Tactics for Sweepstakes Casinos
There are several tactics you can use depending on your budget. However, at a minimum, you should ensure your website is optimized from a technical SEO standpoint.
SEO: Open Your Digital Front Door to New Customers
The first and most important objective is to get crawled and indexed. Many sweepstakes casinos are built on JavaScript frameworks like Angular and React.
These frameworks can be challenging for search engines to render and index. Unlike traditional HTML-based sites, JavaScript sites require multiple passes from web crawlers to fully process and index content. As a result, out-of-the-box JavaScript frameworks present inherent SEO challenges. Recently, we’ve observed an increase in crawling issues specifically affecting JavaScript sites.
Additionally, JavaScript-based websites often suffer from poor Core Web Vitals scores, a major ranking factor in 2025. This issue arises from client-side rendering, which increases load times on the first visit.
Since JavaScript frameworks render content on the client side rather than the server side, search engines must execute the JavaScript before processing the HTML. In contrast, server-side rendered sites offer a major SEO advantage because the HTML is pre-rendered on the web server, making it instantly accessible to search engines. This improves indexing, enhances performance, and strengthens SEO rankings.
Sweepstakes Casino SEO – HTML Rendering for Search Engines
When optimizing a sweepstakes casino website for SEO, you have two main options:
Render for SEO crawlers
Render HTML server-side
Render Your Site for SEO Crawlers
Rendering specifically for SEO bots is not the ideal solution, as it does not address Core Web Vitals issues that can impact rankings. However, if this is the only viable option or if a temporary solution is needed to get the site indexed, it can be used.
Tools such as Prerender.io and frameworks like Rendertron can help facilitate this process.
Render HTML Server-Side
We strongly recommend server-side rendering. This approach improves user experience metrics, enhances Core Web Vitals scores, and allows for faster indexation of changes while reducing the resources required for rendering by search engines.
To implement this effectively, planning is essential. If you have control over your platform, deciding on the best approach before launch ensures a smooth transition and optimal SEO setup.
Your options include:
Edge SEO
Running an HTML version of your site in parallel for logged-out users
Edge SEO for Sweepstakes Casinos
Ideally, this is the best solution. With Edge SEO, your site is rendered on Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), allowing you to modify the HTML directly at the CDN level. This means you can optimise title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword-focused content without altering the core platform.
Since sweepstakes casino sites are mostly static (unlike sportsbooks), this approach is highly effective.
Edge SEO Requirements
To implement Edge SEO, you need:
A CDN like Cloudflare or Amazon CloudFront
Serverless applications to modify HTML for technical SEO improvements
Tools like Cloudflare Workers to insert SEO-friendly copy, metadata, and structured data
Build a Server-Side Rendered HTML SEO Site in Parallel
Another approach is to build a separate server-rendered SEO site that runs in parallel with your sweepstakes casino. This is particularly useful if you are using a white-label provider.
By creating a site for logged-out users and search engines, you can implement effective SEO strategies while maintaining your platform’s existing structure. This method has been successfully used by traditional casino sites that faced technical SEO challenges due to platform restrictions.
If you are considering a white-label provider, we recommend consulting with us first to optimise your domain and URL structure.
Pros and Cons of This Approach
Pro: Easier to implement
Con: If hosted on a subdomain, it won’t be as powerful as Edge SEO, but it will still be effective in driving new customers across multiple regions
Content and Localisation for Sweepstakes Casinos
Proper localisation is critical for success. Your sweepstakes casino should be optimised for three levels:
Country
Language
State
Country and language targeting requires hreflang tags, while state or city targeting involves embedding location-based content in SEO tags and on-page copy.
A well-mapped geo-strategy ensures that your SEO content aligns with user search intent and improves visibility across multiple territories.
Off-Page SEO for Sweepstakes Casinos
Link building is a crucial element of iGaming SEO, including for sweepstakes casinos. However, with the increasing popularity of sweepstakes casinos, additional off-page tactics such as parasite SEO and domain acquisition have become essential strategies to consider.
Currently, affiliates have the advantage in off-page SEO. As an operator, studying the approaches used by the top-ranking sites in your target territories can provide valuable insights. In some cases, you may discover opportunities to grow your backlink profile quickly. However, when facing aggressive parasite SEO tactics, it may be challenging to outrank well-established sites. In such cases, Google’s ongoing trend of favoring operators in rankings could work to your advantage.
Sponsoring local sports teams and blogs can also help improve your SEO rankings, particularly for state-specific search terms. However, keep in mind that off-page SEO requires a dedicated budget. Start by auditing your backlink profile and identifying high-quality backlinks that can enhance your search engine rankings. Prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring a diverse yet relevant selection of domains. Avoid excessive link-building tactics that appear spammy, as this could result in a Google manual action penalty.
Sweepstakes Casino SEO – Conclusion
Some platforms are optimized for indexation and rendering, while others overlook these essential SEO factors. As a result, having a structured SEO plan is crucial.
Ensure your site is properly indexed and ranked.
Develop content focused on target keywords that drive conversions.
Track SEO-driven customers throughout the user journey and attribute cohorts to this channel.
Understand the off-page SEO requirements and choose the right approach based on your business model.
There are multiple strategies available to enhance your sweepstakes casino’s SEO. If you need guidance on the best approach for your business, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to point you in the right direction.
Today, Google opened up Meridian, their new Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) tool, to the general public. This is an interesting development, to say the least. It had been in closed beta for a while, so it’s great to finally see what’s under the hood.
As a former marketing student, I remember when Media or Marketing Mix Modeling was seen as something done by old-school agencies and marketing departments before the rise of the Internet.
However, the more practical experience you gain running campaigns, the more you see the need for a deeper understanding of performance. Simply put, attributing results to the “halo effect” is a lazy explanation.
According to Google’s documentation, “Meridian uses a Bayesian framework and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms to sample from the posterior distribution.”
So, why has Google built an MMM tool?
In summary, to make it easier for marketing teams to secure more budget for YouTube and Google ATL ad products.
Essentially, marketing teams must build a case for ad spend, which is particularly challenging for video and programmatic channels. The reason for this is that users typically view ads and convert at a later time.
Even in 2025, many financial decisions are still made based on measuring clicks, even though this does not account for the entire marketing mix. Marketers need more advanced tools to justify budgets for upper-funnel ATL campaigns.
Search and Other Google Owned Platforms
Some campaigns and sectors see research and upper-funnel terms deliver strong performance when modeled correctly. Even high-cost generic search terms can drive direct or in-store sales without registering conversions on the ad platform or online tracking tool.
The Problems with MMM and Regression Analysis
The core issue that typically arises is the age-old correlation versus causation question.
Additionally, measuring the long-term impact of advertising frequency combined with organic social marketing is extremely challenging.
For example, it could take five or more years of continuous campaigns to reach the critical mass needed to build a brand that generates significant conversions from direct website traffic or point-of-sale (POS).
In theory, using MMM data and incorporating correlation test groups could provide clearer insights into the effectiveness of each channel. However, in practice, the time horizon of marketing effectiveness will likely blur the results.
Advertising is a Subset of Marketing – Paid Media Is Only a Part of Marketing Success
A viral video, a founder with millions of followers, a brand with strong consumer trust that doesn’t advertise, organic marketing, SEO, and other non-paid strategies can sometimes be more impactful than paid media in the marketing mix.
MMM often struggles to account for these factors. There are countless case studies of brands driving revenue through non-paid media sources, but measuring their impact alongside paid media remains challenging.
As a result, MMM cannot provide a complete picture.
The Broad Marketing Mix – Self-Service Platforms
Real-time self-service platforms do require a degree of MMM, as it helps marketers get closer to the truth. The marketing mix available to most companies has never been this large.
Brands now have access to Spotify, YouTube, social media, programmatic ads, native ads, push and pop notifications, app install ads, VoD, TV, radio, search, and even outdoor advertising—all on demand. MMM is a valuable method for evaluating channels, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the be-all and end-all.
Ultimately, you are optimizing the thought process and emotions of your customer.
As experienced advertisers say: your product or service is not the product—your customer is.
Meridian from Google Conclusion
Hopefully, this will help marketers secure more budget for upper-funnel campaigns. However, if this works as intended in an ideal world, lower-funnel ad auctions on Google Search might become less competitive—though this is unlikely.
You can check out Meridian on Google’s developer site or GitHub.
Overall, because Meridian is backed by Google’s credibility, marketers can use it to justify decisions and request additional budget—even from the most risk-averse and cautious C-suites.
The kind of thing your CEO, CFO, and COO will appreciate.
