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Influencers are key to the next stage of US betting growth
With Callum Broxton, Head of US Operations, Checkd Group
Those who remember wired house phones and floppy disks might be left cold by the term “influencer,” which may evoke perceptions of young digital natives clambering for their 15 minutes of fame by any means.
However, in the world of igaming, influencer marketing, via professional sports betting tipsters, or “Cappers,” has become a critical driver when it comes to retention and reactivation of customers, and is fast becoming a cornerstone of growth for the nascent North American industry.
Social media influencers, with their large and engaged followings, provide an ideal medium for operators to promote their platforms, and for affiliates to keep discerning bettors informed and entertained. As new states open up, and tier-one operators battle for market share, we are seeing the ways in which influencer marketing is becoming a true value proposition in the strategy to reach a wider audience.
Why should operators and affiliate brands dedicate a significant part of their respective marketing budget to sports betting influencers? In short, our tried-and-tested experience shows that they boost retention rates and they encourage acquisition by leveraging their existing audiences. They also effectively promote your brand from a position of authority while humanizing a brand, offering a tangible relationship and a welcoming gateway to your sign-up page.
The best Cappers are highly informed communicators. They keep detailed empirical statistical models, they study the signals and external factors affecting any given sporting event, and they even factor the intangibles of human psychology into their tips.
They are, in essence, a trusted source of information — regarded as more trustworthy and independent than in-house talent — to whom customers will often turn before placing a bet. Recent studies suggest two thirds of bettors wagering between $51–100 per month will spend between 15 minutes and an hour researching their picks. An endorsement from a reliable influencer takes much of the legwork out of this research, while positively reinforcing the decision-making process.
The FlashPicks app places Cappers front and center in the user journey, in order to offer the customer informed opinion, while leveraging the significant built-in audiences with whom they already resonate. The app spotlights a team of influencers, many of whom boast six-figure follower numbers across Twitter, TikTok and Twitch: social forums where a diverse cross section of online bettors are seeking information.
By proxy of an influencer’s trusted followers, operators and affiliates can drive conversions from key growth demographics, and retain their custom by positioning the influencers within the user journey.
Influencer marketing also provides brand promotion outside of the brand’s own ecosystem, and within the context of creative and engaging content. By the nature of their trade, Cappers understand the kinds of content their audience is interested in, the bet types that will appeal to them, and the kind of offers that will see them bring their business to a new operator. At once, they are a brand promotion tool, creative editorial content provider, a hotbed for backlinks and a market research tool.
The cost of influencer marketing may vary, depending on their level of notoriety and followership, but it typically provides superior added value and utility in comparison to traditional paid marketing options.
The sports betting industry is, and will continue to, embrace significant technological shifts in the coming years, with artificial intelligence already being used for SEO, content creation and the next generation of user interfaces. As the industry, and the world at large, shifts towards a reliance on faceless-but-functional technology, there will inevitably be a desire for the human touch. At its core, influencer marketing is about building relationships. This is exactly what an operator or affiliate brand wants to achieve with its customer base, and this is exactly the kind of interface that an influencer provides.
The rise of the influencer in the United States is tracking harmoniously with the rise of its sports betting handle. They will continue to develop in harmony, as more brands open up to the virtues of using Cappers as an ambassadorial marketing function.
Truckee Gaming has selected Centennial Gaming’s MOCHA suite to enhance Loyalty, Slot Operations, and the overall Customer Experience across their gaming enterprise of ten casinos throughout the state of Nevada.
Centennial Gaming Systems today announced Truckee Gaming has selected MOCHA® for its burgeoning gaming enterprise. MOCHA (MObile Customer Hospitality Assistance) is Centennial’s native, industry-leading operations enhancement application. The initial installation was completed at Rail City Casino in Sparks, Nevada, and will soon begin rolling out across all Truckee-managed locations. Together, the companies will roll out MOCHA’s powerful club enhancement capabilities, newly released slot dispatch, slot maintenance tracking, and jackpot celebration features.
“We’ve chosen Centennial Gaming and MOCHA because of their cutting-edge technologies, driving efficient operations and great player service experiences within our operations. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Centennial Gaming team,” said Szymon Padkowski, Director of Marketing for Truckee Gaming LLC.
“We are thrilled to engage with Truckee Gaming,” said Darryll Pleasant, Owner of Centennial Gaming Systems. “Szymon and the Truckee team are innovative and forward-thinking. We are excited to work together and create new and exciting features and capabilities.”
Selected research projects will generate new insights into how responsible gambling messages are delivered and perceived in the rapidly evolving sports media landscape
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute (IGI) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 ESPN Research Fellowships. This year’s cohort features a group of scholars whose proposals will advance understanding of responsible gambling messaging in sports media and its implications for consumer well-being.
Fellowships recipients include:
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Dr. Brandon Mastromartino, Director of the Institute on Sports Wagering and Gaming and Assistant Professor of Experiential Marketing at the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, San Diego State University. Dr. Mastromartino’s project will evaluate two of the NFL’s responsible gambling PSAs using a fan-centered marketing framework.
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Dr. Chris R. Noland, Assistant Professor of Advertising at the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications. Dr. Noland will examine the influence of celebrity endorsements and promotional inducements in Instagram advertisements on online sports betting behavior.
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Dr. Ramon Silva Leite, Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Management at Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dr. Silva’s project will investigate how responsible gambling messages are constructed and delivered through sports media, and how young sports bettors perceive and respond to them.
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Dr. Sarah Stokowski, Associate Professor of Athletic Leadership at Clemson University’s Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development. Dr. Stokowski will investigate how college student-athletes perceive and interact with sports betting content on social media.
These projects will provide important insights into practical strategies that policymakers and the industry can adopt to help safeguard the wellbeing of sports enthusiasts and the public at large.
“IGI is tremendously proud of the work our previous Fellowships produced. A key goal of this initiative is to support innovative and impactful research to better understand the rapidly changing global sports and betting environment,” said Dr. Kasra Ghaharian, Director of Research at IGI. “This research represents critical perspectives on how gambling is represented in sports media and holds important implications for all gambling stakeholders.”
“Responsible gaming continues to be a priority for ESPN, and we are proud to continue our collaboration with IGI to support research that delivers real-world impact,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “These new projects will provide valuable insights into how responsible gaming messages can be delivered effectively across sports media and help strengthen standards that protect fans everywhere.”
Each research fellowship lasts six months. Research results will be featured in an IGI webinar in 2026.
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ACR POKER’S HUGE ONLINE SUPER SERIES XL MAIN EVENTS KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND, AWARDING $4.25 MILLION GUARANTEED
Phase 1 of the $150,000 GTD Survivor Flips starts today and first Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight Day 2 gets underway this Sunday, September 21st
ACR Poker’s biggest-ever tournament series, Online Super Series (OSS) XL, is in full swing and this weekend the action really heats up with the colossal Main Events kicking off on Sunday, September 21st, offering $4.25 million total guaranteed.
Players can take their shot at the $2 million guaranteed ($2,650 buy-in), the $1.5 million guaranteed ($1,050 buy-in), and the $750,000 guaranteed ($215 buy-in) Main Events. Day 1A starts this Sunday, September 21st, Day 1B is on Sunday, September 28th, and Day 2 is on Monday, September 29th.
The flagship series boasts over $50 million in guarantees and runs until Tuesday, September 30th. It has a range of events catered to players of all bankrolls from as little as $0.55, which include the $0.55 Micro PKO, $6.60 Early Special, and $22 Euro Mini Special.
Adding further excitement is the high-energy Survivor Flips tourney ($130 buy-in), offering a $150,000 guarantee. Phase 1 and Steps Flips run from today (Wednesday, September 17th) to Sunday, September 21st at 3:00pm ET. Phase 2 is a regular tournament on September 21st at 3:05pm ET where all players start in the money.
There are also four Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight events, including two $500,000 GTD ($109 buy-in) events, with the first having its final flight and Day 2 this Sunday, September 21st. The $200,000 GTD ($33 buy-in) and $100,000 GTD ($5.50 buy-in) events have their final flight and Day 2 on Sunday, September 28th.
“OSS XL has already delivered incredible action, with huge fields, dramatic final tables, and amazing wins for players at every level but there’s still so much to come,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “The Main Events are always the highlight of the series, and this weekend promises to be the biggest stage yet for anyone looking to make their mark.”
Finally, to add further sweat, ACR Poker’s Leaderboard Contest is awarding $65,000 in cash and tourney tickets across three tiers. The High Stakes ($104.50 buy-ins and above) will award a $15,000 top prize, while the Mid Stakes ($16.50 to $88 buy-ins) and Low Stakes (under $15 buy-ins) will award $7,500 and $4,000, respectively.
For further details on OSS XL, read the ACR Poker blog or visit ACRPoker.eu.
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