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My big predictions for 2025
Intelitics CEO Allan Stone talks sweepstakes, influencers and personalised player experiences
This is a fast-moving sector and over the next 12 months operators and suppliers will once again have to strap in for a roller-coaster ride. Ups and downs are guaranteed as they navigate the shifting sands of the global online gambling industry.
This makes predicting what the coming year has in store a tough task – player preferences can quickly change, regulations can suddenly update and innovations catch companies off guard. But I like a challenge, so here are big predictions for 2025 below.
The sweepstakes hype will become a reality
If 2024 was the hype year for sweepstakes, 2025 is the year they will become a reality despite the sector being under immense pressure. That said, most operators are staying the course with stakeholders at the state level duking it out over regulations and class action lawsuits.
This will bring changes in certain areas, but I think there will be a move away from heavy-handed measures and instead, the public markets will be left to figure things out – this will give good companies the room to grow and adapt.
We are already seeing established companies address problem areas by embracing best practices around areas such as player verification and responsible gambling which in turn is helping to legitimise their business and the wider sweepstakes vertical.
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Operators will become more strategic with their marketing efforts (and spend)
Sportsbook operators finally read the room in 2024 and understood that consumers were getting tired of seeing the same national TV ads over and over, especially in states where sports betting isn’t legal.
This saw many brands pull back on national campaigns amid diminishing returns on blanketing the airwaves with generic ads to become more strategic. This is a trend I expect to see continue in 2025.
This will mean more localised advertising with hyper-vigilance in spending – every ad dollar will be carefully allocated to ensure it delivers results. Expect refined top-of-funnel tactics with companies moving away from noisy, generic campaigns in favour of targeted consumer-first strategies.
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Don’t underestimate the power of Meta
Meta is the second-largest controller of digital ad inventory in the world and is arguably the best platform out there for targeting and segmenting specific audiences. But it’s important to play by their rules – if Meta bans you, you’re essentially removing yourself from the equation.
It’s next to impossible to come back from and we’ve seen this happen time and again with clients coming to use after a ban asking for a fix. The reality is, there isn’t one.
This is why it’s so important to take your time with Meta – taking a strategic approach and ensuring compliance with its rules means you don’t get burned when playing with what is one of the hottest marketing platforms in the world.
Personalised experiences will become mission-critical to operator success
The operators succeeding in sports betting right now understand that players want experiences tailored to them. This means ensuring they can quickly access the bets they want to place, whether that be for specific teams or players, and even the markets and bet types they prefer.
Personalisation is about adapting to how players bet, not the other way around. This helps operators and brands to build long-term engagement by tailoring the experience, which in turn keeps players coming back.
If operators can create something that feels personal and intuitive they don’t need to keep pushing heavy promotions or generic options.
Fanatics have proven how powerful this approach can be – they weren’t the first to market, but they filled gaps their competition left wide open and have achieved great success by doing so. Ultimately, operators need to remember to build for players and not for themselves.
Influencers will enter the marketing mix in a meaningful way
Influencers have proved to be an effective marketing tool but an influencer strategy without a strong way to measure attribution is useless, and two things you need to be extremely clear about with influencers is “can you actually send me players†and “how valuable are these players to me?â€.
These are easy questions to ask but much harder to answer.
This is why you need to test, track and iterate. I’d suggest starting with a promotion and closely monitoring data. You should also ask yourself things like:
How many people saw the promotion?
How many clicked?
Of those clicks, how many created accounts?
Are those accounts funded?
Are these new users actively playing over time?
But remember, influencers aren’t just an acquisition tool. They are a way to amplify your message to an audience you might already engage with but need help reaching consistently. This is hard to track, but with the right technology and attribution systems, it can be done.
Olympia Gaming, the developer of Casino Fandango in Carson City, NV and Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, NV and Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) today announced the rollout of mobile apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards. With this launch, Olympia Gaming becomes the first operator in Northern Nevada to deliver the QCI Player App, setting a new regional standard for real-time, mobile guest engagement.
Current Features (Now Available):
- Player Account Information – live tier status, point balance, free play, and comp dollars
- Offer Listing – view of current and upcoming offers including free play, dining and hotel
- Secure Tax Forms – digital retrieval of win/loss statements and tax documentations
- Push Notifications & Event Alerts – real-time updates tailored to guest preferences
Future Features (Coming Soon):
- Entertainment & Special Event Schedule – full calendar of concerts and events
- Host Chat & Service Requests – direct, secure messaging for concierge-level support
- Interactive Property Navigation – maps, parking guidance, and way-finding tools
- Interactive Prizes – in-app rewards that are redeemable at either casino
“Launching the QCI Player App is a milestone for both Casino Fandango and Legends Bay Casino,†said DeCourcy Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Olympia Gaming. “Our guests can now see their rewards, view exclusive offers, and even access tax forms—all from their mobile device, furthering the value of our rewards program. We are thrilled to pioneer this technology in Northern Nevada and elevate the guest experience across our properties.â€
With a combined focus on value and exceeding guest expectations, Olympia Gaming and QCI’s collaboration is delivering on a promise to set a new industry standard, offering capabilities that surpass current market offerings.
“Olympia Gaming challenged us to create an app that goes beyond basic account lookup and truly empowers the player,†said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at QCI. “This successful launch reflects a close collaboration between the Olympia team and QCI, and we are excited to see the QCI Player App drive deeper engagement and new revenue opportunities for both properties.â€
The LB Rewards and CF Rewards mobile apps are now available for download on Apple IOS and Google Play store.
New Hampshire Lottery enthusiasts wagered over $20 million on the NCAA basketball tournaments, experiencing a more than 10% increase in wagering from the previous year. Florida secured the men’s championship, while UConn emerged victorious on the women’s side.
Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director of New Hampshire Lottery, said: “What an incredible month of college hoops! We love seeing our players getting in on the sports betting action! Sports betting just adds a little extra excitement to the sports viewing experience, especially during March Madness when there are dozens of games throughout the month—not to mention an expanding variety of ways to bet.â€
McIntyre highlighted March Madness as a significant period for sports betting, contributing notably to funding New Hampshire’s public education. Alongside the excitement of March Madness, anticipation is building for the NHL and NBA Playoffs.
During the pre-tournament phase, local gamblers heavily backed Duke for the men’s category and strongly supported UConn for the women’s, with UConn delivering a favorable outcome. Conversely, Florida’s triumph in the men’s championship surprised many, as only 15% had initially placed their hopes on the team. However, by the championship game against Houston, two-thirds of bettors picked Florida, redeeming many bracket predictions.
Since its inception on December 30, 2019, mobile sports betting in New Hampshire has generated over $3.5 billion, benefiting public education by more than $140 million. Residents can place bets via the DraftKings Sportsbook app, available on iOS and Android, or online at Sportsbook.DraftKings.com. Responsible gaming is emphasized, with tools like My Stats Sheet, limit setting, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options available on the app.
Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.â€
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.â€
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