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Maximizing ROI in iGaming: A Deep Dive into Non-Standard Geo-Targeting Through Influencer Marketing (Part 2/2)

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2024

maximizing-roi-in-igaming:-a-deep-dive-into-non-standard-geo-targeting-through-influencer-marketing-(part-2/2)

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Previously, we have discussed how iGaming brands benefit from influencers, what the peculiarities of the iGaming industry and marketing are, and the differences between promoting iGaming products and services in countries from three different tiers. Now, let’s see how you can use the similarities and differences of the tiers to your profit when managing influencer marketing campaigns for iGaming brands.

Identifying Tier-2 Markets with Tier-1 Potential: A Language-Based Approach

In influencer marketing, targeting is often based on language. For instance, India and the USA both have English-speaking audiences, including influencers from India who create content in English, appealing to a broad audience.

Case Study: Brazilian/Portuguese Markets Dynamics

Brazil’s iGaming market boom is attributed not only to its government and influencers’ loyalty to iGaming brands but also to the Portuguese language. This language factor connects Brazil to Portugal, a more expensive market.

Here’s how to use strategic focus on linguistics for cost-effectiveness. By engaging Brazilian influencers at local rates, brands can effectively reach the Portuguese audience. The key is focusing on influencers whose content statistics show a significant following in Portugal. This approach allows for tapping into a Tier-1 audience (Portugal) at a Tier-2 cost (Brazil). For instance, CPM (cost per mile) in Portugal is at least $20 on average, while in Brazil it may be around $5-7.

Case Study: Leveraging the Moroccan Market to Reach the French Audience

Morocco, with its French-speaking audience, presents yet another unique opportunity. In France, strict regulations make promoting gambling especially challenging. However, Moroccan influencers who create content in French can inadvertently capture the attention of the French audience.

By partnering with French-speaking influencers in Morocco, brands can effectively reach potential customers in France. This approach allows tapping into a more regulated and expensive market (France) through a less regulated and more affordable channel (Morocco).

By understanding and leveraging the shared languages across different markets, iGaming businesses can identify Tier-2 markets with the potential to effectively reach Tier-1 audiences. This strategy offers a cost-effective way to expand reach and influence, particularly in linguistically connected regions.

Quick Tips for Choosing the Right Influencers to Bridge Geo-Cultural Gaps

Universal Content: Pick influencers who create content that appeals globally, not just locally. Look for themes or stories that resonate across borders.
European Collaborations: Favor influencers who have teamed up with European influencers, indicating their ability to connect with diverse audiences.
Brand Partnerships: Choose influencers experienced in working with well-known brands or competitors, showing their capability to handle professional and broad-reaching collaborations.
Language Skills: Opt for influencers fluent in multiple languages or those who use a widely understood language like English to widen their audience reach.
Cultural Sensitivity: Ensure the influencers are culturally aware and inclusive, key for appealing to and respecting diverse audiences.
Diverse Audience Base: Check if their followers are globally distributed, suggesting a wider appeal beyond their immediate region.
Consistent Quality: High-quality, aesthetically pleasing content often transcends cultural boundaries, making it appealing to a wider audience.

Crafting Geo-Targeted Content

When presenting your iGaming service or product – globally or not, for Tier-1 or Tier-2 countries – you have to do it with taste, making sure the quality of the presentation is high. Also it’s crucial to adapt and trust local expertise:

Valuing Influencer Insights: Embrace the knowledge of local influencers. If they have already established a Tier-1 audience, it’s a sign they know what works. Trust their recommendations to tailor your product’s presentation effectively in their region.
Leveraging Language for Broader Reach: If your brand is available in French, capitalize on this. You can target all French-speaking countries, leveraging the common language to connect with a diverse but linguistically unified audience. This approach broadens your reach while maintaining message consistency.

Measuring Success

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are crucial in influencer marketing as they provide insights into campaign performance, including audience engagement, brand awareness, website traffic, lead generation, sales, and ROI. Setting and measuring KPIs are essential for understanding the success of influencer marketing campaigns and making data-driven decisions. You have to select KPIs based on specific campaign goals (e.g., brand awareness, traffic, sales). Focus on a few critical KPIs that reflect your objectives for clarity and effectiveness.

Key Aspects of Influencer Marketing KPIs

Engagement Metrics: Includes likes, shares, comments, saves, and mentions. High engagement indicates effective content.
Audience Growth: Tracks increase in brand’s social media followers or subscribers post-campaign.
Website Traffic: Monitors visitors directed to your site through campaigns, with metrics like new users, session counts, and referral traffic.
Lead Generation and Conversion Rates: Measures potential customers acquired and the percentage of leads completing a purchase.
CPA: The cost of acquiring a new customer through influencer-led campaigns.
ROI: Calculates profitability, comparing campaign costs against revenue generated.

When measuring influencer marketing KPIs:

Utilize social media analytics for engagement metrics.
Google Analytics helps track website traffic and user behavior.
Use affiliate links, promo codes, and UTM parameters for sales tracking.
Compare current campaign data with historical data to assess impact.

Effectively setting and measuring KPIs is vital for the success of influencer marketing campaigns. These metrics help align strategies with business goals, optimize efforts, and maximize ROI. For expert assistance, the Famesters influencer marketing agency offers comprehensive support: we calculate the sales funnel for our clients up to the first-time deposit (FTD), go from strategy development to KPI measurement.

Author: Anna Zhukova, Team Lead (iGaming) at Famesters

BetMGM

BetMGM and FashionTV Gaming Group Bring Luxury Lifestyle to North American iGaming

Published

18 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

betmgm-and-fashiontv-gaming-group-bring-luxury-lifestyle-to-north-american-igaming

BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, has officially partnered with FashionTV Gaming Group to launch a curated portfolio of luxury-branded games. This strategic collaboration marks the entry of FashionTV’s iconic aesthetic into the North American iGaming market, exclusively through BetMGM’s platforms.

The partnership merges FashionTV’s global prestige in the worlds of fashion and high-society entertainment with BetMGM’s award-winning digital casino infrastructure.

Immersive Luxury Table Games

The initial rollout features two high-gloss table games designed to provide players with an “immersive, lifestyle-driven” experience that mirrors the sophistication of the FashionTV brand.

FashionTV Blackjack: A premium take on the casino classic, featuring refined visual assets and high-end production values.
FashionTV Roulette: A sleek, stylized version of the iconic wheel, bringing a “fashion-forward” energy to every spin.

The titles are currently live in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, with a wider rollout planned for all jurisdictions where BetMGM Casino is active.

Strategic Vision and 2026 Roadmap

For BetMGM, the partnership is part of a broader “branded content” strategy that includes previous successes with major TV and movie franchises.

“At BetMGM, we have redefined what it means to deliver entertainment in iGaming,” said Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming at BetMGM. “By partnering with FashionTV Gaming Group, we’re creating experiences that go beyond gameplay and connect players to the brands they love.”

Moshe Cohen, Founder & President of FashionTV Gaming Group, added: “BetMGM’s leadership and scale make them the perfect partner to transform our vision into a North American success story.”

Looking ahead, BetMGM has confirmed that additional FashionTV-branded titles—including slots and potentially live dealer variants—will be released throughout 2026 as part of an expanding content pipeline.

The post BetMGM and FashionTV Gaming Group Bring Luxury Lifestyle to North American iGaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brazil Betting Law

2026 iGaming Regulatory Roadmap: Key Compliance Deadlines

Published

21 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

2026-igaming-regulatory-roadmap:-key-compliance-deadlines

As the industry gathers for ICE Barcelona 2026, the regulatory landscape has shifted into a high-execution phase. The following roadmap outlines the critical compliance dates for three of the most influential markets currently undergoing major transitions: the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the Philippines.

Date	Jurisdiction	Regulatory Milestone	Action Required for Operators/Suppliers
Jan 19, 2026	United Kingdom	LCCP Social Responsibility Code 5.1.1 Update	Ban on Mixed-Product Incentives: Offers like “Bet £10, get 20 free spins” are now prohibited. Wagering Caps: Bonus wagering is capped at a maximum of 10x.
Jan 19-21, 2026	Global / EMEA	ICE Barcelona 2026	Flagship event for showcasing 2026 compliance technology and real-time auditing solutions.
Mar 19, 2026	United Kingdom	LCCP Condition 15.2.1 Reporting	Key Event Reporting: Threshold for reporting operator status/shareholder changes raised from 3% to 5%. All loans must be reported regardless of written agreements.
Mar 31, 2026	Philippines	PAGCOR B2B Accreditation Deadline	Final Compliance Date: All B2B providers (studios, aggregators, affiliates) must be accredited. Unaccredited foreign content will be blocked from licensed platforms.
Apr 6, 2026	United Kingdom	DMCC Act 2024 Alignment	Fair & Transparent Terms: Consumer Protection regulations replaced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Terms must align with new definitions of “misleading actions.”
June 30, 2026	United Kingdom	RTS 12 (Financial Limits)	Technical changes to Remote Technical Standards (RTS) regarding how customers set and view financial limits on their accounts.
H2 2026	Brazil	Betting Deposit Tax Vote	Proposed 15% tax on gambling deposits is expected to return to the Senate for a final vote after being pushed back in late 2025.

Regional Deep Dive: Strategic Compliance

1. United Kingdom: The “Safety & Simplicity” Era

The UKGC’s January 19th update is the most immediate challenge for marketing teams. By decoupling sports betting from casino bonuses, the regulator aims to reduce “cross-product friction” that could lead to unintended gambling harm.

Strategy: Pivot toward product-specific loyalty programs (e.g., “Bet £10 on Football, Get a £5 Free Bet”) to maintain compliance while driving retention.

2. Brazil: Sustaining the .bet.br Ecosystem

Following the January 1, 2025 launch of the regulated market, 2026 is about operational maturity. The focus has shifted to the mandatory use of the .bet.br domain and rigorous AML/KYC reporting to the Secretariat of Awards and Betting (SPA).

Strategy: Ensure all advertising features the mandatory license logo and that all protagonists in marketing materials are visibly over 21 years of age.

3. Philippines: The B2B Supply Chain Lockdown

PAGCOR’s new framework is a move to professionalize the region, mirroring the supplier-licensing models seen in Ontario and Malta.

Strategy: Foreign studios that missed the December 2025 “early bird” three-year accreditation window must expedite their applications before March 31st to avoid a total blackout on Filipino-facing sites.

The post 2026 iGaming Regulatory Roadmap: Key Compliance Deadlines appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI in Gambling

2026 iGaming Outlook: Regulation, AI Personalization, and the Return of “Originals”

Published

21 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

2026-igaming-outlook:-regulation,-ai-personalization,-and-the-return-of-“originals”

The iGaming industry has officially entered a new era of discipline. As we move through the first quarter of 2026, the “wild west” growth of previous years has been replaced by a focus on sustainability, hyper-localization, and AI-driven player protection. From the finalization of the PROGA framework in India to the massive turnover records set by World Pool, the market is no longer just growing—it is maturing.

The Rise of “Explainable AI” in Player Retention

In 2026, AI has moved beyond simple game recommendations. Leading operators are now utilizing “Explainable AI” (XAI) to bridge the gap between engagement and compliance. Unlike traditional “black box” algorithms, XAI allows operators to understand why a player is being flagged for risky behavior or why a specific loyalty nudge was triggered.

This transparency is critical for maintaining trust in highly regulated markets like the UK and Ontario, where the UKGC’s 2026 Social Responsibility updates now demand more rigorous evidence of proactive player interaction.

“Originals” and the Rebirth of Video Poker

While high-volatility slots like Joker’s Jewels Hold & Spin continue to dominate headlines, a significant shift is occurring in the “non-slots” vertical.

The PowerPoker Revolution: Strategic partnerships, such as the recent QTech Games and Speedy Tomatoes deal, are revitalizing video poker. By adding features like “Swap-A-Card,” these games are capturing high-value player segments who prioritize skill and strategy.
Branded Originals: Platforms like MINT are proving that “Originals” (Mines, Crash, and Plinko) are no longer secondary products. Fully brandable house games are now a core foundation for crypto-first and Web3 operators, driving session frequency through provably fair mechanics.

Brazil and Ontario: The Battle for Market Supremacy

The geographic focus for 2026 remains firmly on Brazil and Ontario.

Brazil’s Advertising Evolution: With the newly regulated market in full swing, groups like Esportes Gaming Brasil joining IAB Brasil signal a shift toward responsible communication. Advertising is now a tool for helping consumers identify licensed platforms, moving away from aggressive acquisition tactics.
Ontario’s Content War: The region has become North America’s most dynamic hub. Agreements like the Peter & Sons and Casino Time deal highlight the demand for “indie-inspired” content that stands out in a saturated market.

Conclusion: The “Champion Mindset” for 2026

Success this year isn’t about volume; it’s about coherence. As highlighted by GR8 Tech’s “Champions Club” initiative for ICE Barcelona, the operators winning in 2026 are those who treat technology as a performance ecosystem. By aligning real-time data with compliant storytelling, brands are finding that “trust” is the most valuable currency in the modern iGaming world.

The post 2026 iGaming Outlook: Regulation, AI Personalization, and the Return of “Originals” appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.