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Movers and Shakers: The future of player acquisition
“Movers and Shakers” is a dynamic monthly column dedicated to exploring the latest trends, developments, and influential voices in the iGaming industry. Powered by GameOn and supported by HIPTHER, this op-ed series delves into the key players, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes shaping the future of online gaming. Each month, industry experts offer their insights and perspectives, providing readers with in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary on what’s driving the iGaming world forward. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the scene, “Movers and Shakers” is your go-to source for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.
Allan Petrilli, Managing Director at Acquire.Bet, talks about paid media and the trends shaping customer acquisition in the regulated North American market
Paid media is very much the future of player acquisition in the regulated North American market, but running successful campaigns is not without its challenges.
More than ever, operators and marketers need to nail not only their creatives and messaging but also the measurement and tracking of campaigns.
Paid channels control much of the campaign and ad targeting, but with stricter privacy rules in play, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to target directly based on a user’s preferences.
Creative fatigue is as real as it is prevalent, so operators and marketers need to achieve creative iteration at scale, not only in terms of volume but also creative types and formats.
Just as important is having measurement dialed in and being able to inform the platforms of what is working – this means having a ton of actionable data at your fingertips so you can quickly decide where to spend your ad dollars.
Then there’s incrementality and uplift, which can’t be ignored, either.
The platforms themselves are starting to take more “credit” for conversions, so being able to zoom out and understand multitouch is key to making the marketing budget go further and perform better.
The great SEO slowdown
Paid media is becoming increasingly important in player acquisition efforts because there is a clear SEO slowdown. This, combined with advancements in generative AI in search, means brands are going to have to rely more on communities for growth.
Influencer marketing is no longer just getting some with a decent following to promote your brand, with micro influencers becoming a very important piece of the puzzle.
It’s also worth highlighting Discord here as it’s starting to play a significant role, especially in sports betting. This channel is all about community and trust, and we are seeing some really smart partnerships play out across the platform.
Regardless of platform and channel, operators must understand the power of their brand and that by aligning with influencers and communities that match their values, they can supercharge growth.
The only caveat here is that these partnerships need to be authentic.
Market maturation brings new challenges
As the North American market matures, we see the establishment of standard success KPIs, but it’s important that each brand really understands its own LTV and CAC data so that it can drive towards hitting its own success metrics and not just “industry” standard KPIs.
Why? Because those industry standard KPIs are often skewed by the power players that have spent big to get to where they are today, and won’t be reflective of smaller operations and brands.
It’s also important to focus on incremental growth as the market matures, understand the power of multi-touch and how each channel supports the overall acquisition strategy. Operating in silos is a recipe for disaster.
In addition to this, operators need to have a clear view of their runway – those with considerable cash can operate in more aggressive ways than brands that are relying on quick growth to fund future spend.
Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s why operators must focus on their own metrics for success and not industry-standard KPIs. They also need to remember that while being nimble is key, being relentlessly focused on data is what will allow them to win.
Regulations do influence player acquisition strategies, but everyone plays the same game
A lot of times, operators will focus on regulation and compliance to make excuses as to why they market one way or another, but the reality is that everyone is playing in the same sandbox and under the same rules.
How marketers push those boundaries, and to the extent they are willing to get creative, is what separates those who succeed and those who don’t.
Take Ontario, for example. You can’t promote the welcome bonus, so brands are having to engage players in other ways – those with kick-ass product marketing campaigns or that offer something truly unique are winning right now.
Of course, paid media is the perfect channel through which to communicate their epic product and unique player experience.
NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.
As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.
This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.
Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”
Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”
This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) has announced Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, as its new Board Chair for SIGA’s Board of Directors.
SIGA is a non-profit First Nation gaming operator for seven land-based casinos and the online gaming platform PlayNow.com in Saskatchewan.
Chief Cook-Searson first joined SIGA’s Board of Directors in 2018 and has been a regular SIGA Board member as well as a member of SIGA’s Audit & Finance Committee.
She is serving in her 20th year as Chief of Lac La Ronge Indian Band and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and a graduate diploma in management from Athabasca University. She also holds honorary degrees from the University of Regina, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Chief Cook-Searson replaces outgoing Board Chair former Chief of Muskowekwan First Nation Reginald Bellerose, who has held the Board Chair position since February 4, 2015.
SCCG Management has announced a strategic partnership with Applift, the world’s top performance App Store Optimization (ASO) agency. This partnership will introduce Applift’s proprietary ASO technology and advanced growth strategies to gaming companies worldwide, leveraging SCCG’s unmatched distribution capabilities and expansive gaming ecosystem of 120+ client partners.
Applift has earned a reputation as the gold standard in app growth by delivering data-driven ASO strategies powered by proprietary AI tools and the most comprehensive keyword intelligence system in the industry. Their work drives top keyword rankings, scalable user acquisition, and real business impact – increasing FTDs, improving retention, and maximizing LTV for some of the world’s most successful gaming, finance, utility, and AI apps.
Through this partnership, SCCG will activate its global network — with offices in every major gaming market across North America, LATAM, Europe, Africa, and Asia — to bring Applift’s breakthrough ASO technology to gambling companies seeking to scale user acquisition, boost visibility, and outperform the competition in app stores.
“At SCCG, we identify and scale the technologies that shape the future of gambling,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management.
“Applift’s ASO platform is a game-changer. Our partnership gives gaming companies a proven solution to turn mobile visibility into performance at scale — and our global presence ensures the right operators and platforms benefit from this innovation.”
“At Applift, we’ve helped top gaming apps dominate the app stores, turning visibility into performance and installs into high-value users — all through our unmatched ASO technology and data-driven approach. Partnering with SCCG is a natural step forward. Their strategic footprint in the gaming world perfectly complements our ability to scale app growth at the highest level. Together, we’re not just optimizing – we’re redefining how gaming brands win in the app stores. I couldn’t be more confident in what we’ll achieve,” said Bar Nakash, CEO of Applift.
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