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Taking the gamble out of Accelerating Growth: Maximising Your Marketing in New Sportsbetting Markets
By: Kalen Bushe VP Customer Growth at TrafficGuard
Too many sportsbooks are wasting their marketing dollars. As new markets open, they have to make every dollar count when it comes to winning to new players. Regions like the Middle East and Latin America (LATAM) are opening, and it is critical that sportsbooks optimise their marketing to win market share.
These emerging markets present sportsbooks with a golden ticket to expand into a new region and increase profits. These opportunities are being matched with new complexities in their digital marketing activities. Invalid traffic (IVT) is as a barrier to expansion by draining digital advertising budgets and reducing ROI without sportsbooks recognising it.
IVT encompasses any activity originating from sources lacking genuine user interest, including ad fraud, bots or returning users. While invalid traffic goes unchecked, sportsbooks won’t see the full value of their digital advertising campaigns and lose a competitive edge in new markets.
70% of surveyed iGaming operators reported to be expanding into online gaming markets in Central and South America in the next three years according to a GBG survey. This means there’s a lot to win by getting marketing right and not wasting advertising spend on attracting the wrong audiences, fraud or bots.
They key is to understand potential opportunities and recognise risks in digital marketing. Every sportsbook needs to maximise ROI on every dollar they are spending, and it becomes even more crucial when trying to gain critical mass in newly opened markets.
Bots, Timewasters, Fakers and Fraud
Legislation is loosening worldwide, over the past few years North America has seen numerous states legalise sports betting. Similar changes have happened in Brazil, where online gambling regulations were passed in late 2023. These changes have paved the way for sportsbooks to explore exciting new markets.
However, sportsbooks are being fed inaccurate campaign data by IVT. This inflates impressions and impacts future ad campaigns as sportsbooks funnel ad spend into projects that aren’t performing as well as it would seem, giving competitors the chance to take the lead in new markets.
IVT includes non-human traffic which typically takes the form of bots powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Bots can create a multitude of fake accounts and use them to exploit promotions undetected. Despite the implementation of rigorous registration verification checks by many operators to combat this issue, it remains a significant challenge. This poses a hurdle for sportsbooks seeking to attract users and carve out a presence in new markets, especially with bonuses, which can lead to a drain on their campaign resources. On average, around 5-7% of sports betting campaigns suffer from this form of media loss.
Bots aren’t the sole concern for sportsbooks in safeguarding against inauthentic engagement. Navigational traffic stemming from returning users, who are already part of the customer base, also poses a significant challenge as they unintentionally deplete budgets. When these users try to reach a site via search engines, they inadvertently click on paid brand advertisements, consequently inflating customer acquisition costs (CACs) without contributing to conversions, thereby causing losses for the sportsbook. Without an effective strategy to manage returning users, optimising campaign value becomes considerably more difficult.
Taking Down Barriers to Growth
For sportsbooks to flourish in emerging markets, the first step is to counter IVT. IVT damages budgets by remaining undetected, therefore it’s crucial that sportsbooks maintain visibility into their traffic.
Monitoring traffic as it passes through systems is key. Through this, sportsbooks can identify any irregularities, such as traffic from an unknown origin. This could be an indicator of IVT, which can then be identified and dealt with before the campaign can be interfered with.
The increasing frequency of non-genuine engagement is difficult for teams to monitor unaided. An ad verification platform can fill in the gaps and accurately pinpoint any threats and mitigate them directly. These platforms work to validate traffic in real-time, determining the origin of traffic and blocking it from entering systems if it’s suspicious to proactively protect budgets.
It is also possible to control the number of times returning users interact with your campaigns without risking damaging the relationship they have with sportsbooks. Setting custom verification rules is an effective method of limiting the number of times an ad can be clicked on by a certain user. Once the user reaches the threshold for clicks, they’re prevented from seeing it, which significantly reduces cost-per-click (CPC) rates.
This can be further expanded upon by deploying shadow campaigns. These are an effective way of maintaining optimal engagement by duplicating current campaigns set up with lower CPC. This funnels returning users away and prevents them from driving up costs. The budget saved can then be committed to growth in new regions.
Winning Big in New Markets
The sports betting industry is opening doors worldwide for sportsbooks to gain audiences in places they never could before. Excelling in newly legalised markets against a multitude of competitors is a difficult task, only being made harder by the interference of IVT.
By tackling non-genuine engagement, sportsbooks give themselves the advantage back over competitors. With full visibility and control over campaigns, their full potential can be realised to ensure sportsbooks can focus on global expansion.
The online gaming industry has experienced exponential growth, especially in Latin America, fueled by increased internet access, progressive regulatory frameworks, and the widespread adoption of mobile gaming. At the helm of this surge is Nexus International, guided by Gurhan Kiziloz, which manages Megaposta, an online gaming platform seeing remarkable revenue growth.
In 2024, Megaposta celebrated $400 million in revenue, with forecasts predicting a rise to $1.45 billion by 2025. This substantial increase prompts a closer examination of the strategic, regulatory, and market dynamics propelling this growth, alongside a comparison with industry-wide trends.
Megaposta’s Strategic Market Positioning
Megaposta is making significant strides in the highly competitive iGaming sector, which encompasses online casinos, sports betting, and digital gaming platforms. It has primarily focused on Brazil, a market currently undergoing significant regulatory transformations, thus attracting a mix of domestic and international gaming enterprises. With the Brazilian gaming market projected to hit $2.6 billion by 2026, it remains a focal point for Megaposta’s expansion efforts.
Under the stewardship of Nexus International, Megaposta has notably amplified its marketing initiatives, enhanced its offline media footprint, and refined its strategies for acquiring users, which have all contributed to its growing market share. Though the revenue forecasts are promising, maintaining this growth trajectory will necessitate ongoing adjustments to both local regulations and evolving market competitions.
Crucial Drivers of Megaposta’s Revenue Growth
Several key factors underpin the anticipated revenue boom for Megaposta in 2025:
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Exploiting Regional Market Opportunities
Megaposta’s dedication to Latin America, particularly Brazil, mirrors larger industry trends. The country’s burgeoning mobile gaming scene and forthcoming regulatory approvals suggest a welcoming climate for more licensed gaming operations. Nexus International’s strategic focus in this region is a deliberate effort to leverage these regulatory developments.
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Enhancing Marketing & Brand Visibility
Kiziloz has prioritized marketing and brand visibility as central to Megaposta’s growth strategy. The company has invested heavily in offline media and sponsorships, employing a strategy akin to that of leading betting firms aiming to dominate in burgeoning markets. This focused approach is instrumental in expanding its user base and bolstering revenue forecasts.
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Strategic Leadership from Gurhan Kiziloz
Kiziloz, with his entrepreneurial prowess in fintech and gaming, has adopted a bold approach to business, characterized by high risks and potentially high rewards. After navigating financial downturns, including a 2022 bankruptcy, he strategically shifted towards online gaming—a sector with swift monetization opportunities in regions with dynamic regulatory environments. His leadership at Nexus International is centered on aggressive scaling, market expansion, and tapping into emerging trends.
Concluding Thoughts
Megaposta’s projected revenue of $1.45 billion by 2025 is in line with the ascending trends of the gaming industry in Latin America, especially Brazil. Under the aegis of Nexus International and Gurhan Kiziloz’s leadership, the company is sharply focused on expanding its market reach, intensifying marketing efforts, and strategically positioning itself within the industry. However, as the sector continues to evolve, adapting to regulatory shifts, intensifying competition, and changing consumer preferences will be essential.
While Megaposta’s current trajectory indicates significant growth potential, the upcoming years will be critical to determine if its aggressive expansion strategy can sustain success in an increasingly dynamic market landscape.
The ELA Games team is proud to announce it has been nominated for two categories at the prestigious SiGMA Americas Awards 2025. It has been shortlisted for the “Most Played Game 2025” and “Best Game Studio 2025” categories.
Joker Cashpot is a prime candidate for the “Most Played Game 2025” category, as it was well received by players and B2B partners, garnering widespread acclaim. Upon release, it quickly became one of the company’s most popular releases, with a margin of 27.7% in Gross Gaming Revenue within its first 30 days, ranking it second in Turnover for the company.
The studio has fostered a culture of creativity and experimentation, earning it a reputation for producing player-favourite games that encourage customer engagement and business growth for partners. ELA Games’ extensive portfolio of over 45 games and operator-friendly offerings has made it a frontrunner for the “Best Game Studio 2025” category.
Yaroslav Soloshenko, ELA Games’ Business Development Manager, commented on the nominations, “It’s an honour to be recognised for these prestigious accolades, as it’s a reflection of our team’s hard work and dedication to excellence. The nominations are for significant categories, showcasing our rapid growth into an influential figure in the iGaming industry. We look forward to attending the awards ceremony, connecting with our partners and meeting new faces.”
The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) issued the following statement regarding the announcement that the Atlantic City Airshow will be returning this summer:
“The Casino Association of New Jersey is thrilled to hear that the Atlantic City Airshow will be returning this summer. The airshow has always been a highlight during the summer season, and we look forward to celebrating this renowned event in July.
“Along with world-class gaming, exciting concerts, a replenished beach, delicious food, and an all-star lineup of entertainment options, Atlantic City is the place to be this summer.
“We want to thank New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, CRDA Executive Director Eric Scheffler and Visit Atlantic City President and CEO Gary Musich for their efforts to bring the airshow back.”
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