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The Impact of Regulatory Changes on Media Buying in iGaming
How legislative shifts influence media buying strategies and adaptation in a rapidly evolving industry
The iGaming industry is one of the most heavily regulated digital sectors, constantly adapting to new compliance frameworks worldwide. Regulatory changes affect not only operators but also media buyers, who must rethink their advertising strategies, creatives, and audience engagement approaches. While regulation enhances player safety, it also fosters challenges such as increased costs, creative limitations, and the rise of unlicensed operators.
Experts from the media buying agency RockApp have conducted an in-depth analysis of how regulatory changes impact the entire iGaming ecosystem.
How Regulations Shape Ad Creatives in iGaming
One of the most immediate effects of regulation is the restriction on advertising creatives. The UK, for instance, is one of the most tightly regulated markets, where media buyers must comply with strict guidelines:
- No mention of currency in ads: According to the UK Advertising Codes regulated by the ASA, there is no direct ban on the use of currency in gambling advertisements. However, advertisers must adhere to strict guidelines to ensure they do not mislead customers regarding potential winnings.
- No misleading claims or exaggerated expectations: Ads should not mislead users by exaggerating the chances of winning or implying that gambling can be a solution to financial concerns.
- No streamers or influencers with significant underage audiences: Featuring individuals who are, or appear to be, under 25 years old is prohibited. Additionally, using celebrities or influencers who have a strong appeal to under-18s is not allowed.
- Strict moderation of creatives before approval
- Social Responsibility: Advertisements must not portray gambling as indispensable or as a way to achieve financial security. They should not suggest that solitary gambling is preferable to social gambling.
These regulations necessitate careful consideration during the creation of advertising content. For instance, the prohibition on content that strongly appeals to under-18s means avoiding the use of animated characters, certain color schemes, or themes associated with youth culture. Additionally, the restriction on featuring individuals under 25 limits the selection of brand ambassadors and influencers, requiring brands to choose representatives who not only resonate with the target audience but also comply with age-related guidelines.
According to AppsFlyer’s “State of Gaming App Marketing – 2024 Edition,” global app user acquisition ad spend grew by 5% in 2024 to $65 billion, with a significant portion allocated to gaming apps. This increase underscores the importance of adhering to advertising regulations to ensure that marketing efforts are both effective and compliant.
In summary, the UK and other regulated countries’ stringent advertising regulations significantly influence the development of ad creatives in the iGaming industry. Advertisers must navigate these rules carefully to create content that is engaging yet compliant, ensuring that their marketing strategies uphold the principles of social responsibility and consumer protection.
Licensed media buying agencies can effectively adapt by integrating disclaimers and legal notices without compromising user engagement. While these additions reduce creative space, they don’t hinder performance significantly.
The Paradox: Regulation Enhances Safety but Fuels the Gray Market
Regulation is designed to protect players, but in some markets, it has also led to a surge in unlicensed casinos. For example, France, Poland, and the Netherlands have all experienced an influx of offshore operators who can acquire players at lower costs compared to licensed brands.
In Poland alone, nearly 50% of the gambling market operates in a gray zone, leading to an estimated annual tax loss of over $247 million. In 2023, transactions through unlicensed platforms reached $8.6 billion, prompting industry experts to call for urgent regulatory reforms by 2026 to curb further market deterioration.
Why does this happen? Strict regulations often limit marketing avenues for legal operators, making it difficult for them to compete with unlicensed platforms that operate without restrictions. As a result, players may turn to black-market casinos that offer more aggressive promotions, unrestricted gameplay, and fewer account verification hurdles.
For media buyers, this creates a complex landscape – navigating between compliance, profitability, and market demand.
The Value and Strategic Advantage of Media Buying in Regulated Markets
Operating under a license means adhering to an extensive list of requirements:
- Adhering to jurisdiction-specific advertising laws
- Complying with responsible gambling policies
- Avoiding blacklisted traffic sources
- Implementing strict user verification processes
While these regulations add complexity, they also bring long-term benefits. Running campaigns in a legally compliant manner allows for sustainable business growth, fostering trust among players and partners. Although user acquisition costs in regulated markets are higher, the quality of users significantly improves due to the absence of low-quality creatives with miss-promises, exaggerated expectations, and outright scams, which are prevalent in unregulated markets.
Advertisers appreciate this shift, as the traffic quality far exceeds expectations. This, in turn, improves lifetime value (LTV) and fosters long-term relationships between brands and agencies. Here’s a comment from a representative of HighRoller Casino, one of RockApp’s key clients:
“Stricter regulations in the iGaming industry have significantly increased operational demands and social responsibility for businesses. While compliance creates a more structured and reliable market, it also adds layers of complexity that companies must navigate. There are both advantages and challenges. On the one hand, licensed operators benefit from greater stability and credibility; on the other, the regulatory burden requires continuous adaptation. Finding the right balance is key to ensuring sustainable growth without restricting innovation.“– HighRoller Casino, CEO.
And a perspective from Soft2Bet:
“Choosing the right traffic partner is crucial in today’s iGaming landscape. RockApp has proven to be a reliable partner, delivering high-quality traffic and seamlessly adapting to the regulated market with the right approach. They don’t just follow trends – they anticipate changes and optimize processes to ensure outstanding results. The strategies that worked in the past are no longer effective, but RockApp excels at evolving, refining, and elevating performance to an entirely new level.” – Soft2Bet, CEO.
In contrast, grey and black market operators often have lower operational costs since they bypass licensing fees and may evade taxes. This cost advantage allows them to offer more attractive odds or bonuses to players. However, these operators face significant risks, including legal actions, lack of access to reputable payment processors, and challenges in establishing trust with players due to the absence of regulatory oversight.
A 2024 report by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) highlighted concerns that overly stringent regulations in some European countries are inadvertently driving players towards black market operators.
This trend is further reflected in Sweden, where a report by AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) revealed that traffic to unlicensed gambling operators has increased tenfold since 2019. The study estimates that the gross gaming revenue (GGR) of illegal operators now reaches 13 billion SEK ($13.64 billion) annually, with users reportedly spending 10-20 times more in unlicensed online casinos. ATG’s CEO has criticized Sweden’s current gambling laws, stating that excessive restrictions on licensed operators are creating an unfair playing field and driving users toward unregulated alternatives.
While licensed operations bring stability and quality assurance, excessively restrictive regulations can inadvertently push players and advertisers toward unregulated markets. This paradox is evident in markets like Sweden and Poland, where overly stringent policies have led to a surge in black-market activity. Thus, the key lies in finding a balance – ensuring robust consumer protection without stifling the competitive landscape for licensed operators.
In summary, while operating in the white market entails higher compliance costs, it ensures legal security and fosters player trust. Conversely, grey and black market operations may offer short-term financial gains but come with significant legal and reputational risks.
For media buying agencies, working within legal frameworks unlocks significant advantages:
- Access to bigger clients: Major iGaming brands prefer licensed agencies.
- Better partnerships: Large ad networks and platforms favor advertisers that comply with regulations.
- Higher-quality traffic: Compliance reduces fraud, improving traffic efficiency.
Many traffic sources, including Google, Facebook, and premium programmatic platforms, enforce strict iGaming policies. This means agencies that operate in compliance gain preferential access, while black-market operators struggle with bans and restrictions.
In contrast, working with unlicensed brands often leads to short-term gains but long-term instability. Black-hat media buying comes with high risk, including frequent account shutdowns, payment delays, and loss of advertiser relationships.
The Impact of Regulations on Influencer and Streaming Marketing
Strict regulations have also affected influencer marketing. In countries with tight restrictions, streamers can no longer serve as direct brand ambassadors for casinos. For example, while streamers in Tier 3 markets (regions with lax regulations) aggressively promote gambling to younger audiences, this is strictly forbidden in Tier 1 markets like the UK and France.
To adapt, agencies have found creative solutions:
- Using AI and deepfake technology to modify streamer appearances
- Replacing copyrighted music with royalty-free alternatives
- Carefully curating influencer partnerships to avoid compliance risks
These strategies help agencies continue leveraging influencer marketing without violating legal guidelines.
Conclusion
Regulation is an unavoidable reality in iGaming media buying. While it presents challenges, it also creates opportunities for agencies that know how to navigate the landscape effectively.
For media buyers, working within legal frameworks is no longer an option – it’s a necessity. The future belongs to those who can play by the rules while still outperforming the competition. Recently, RockApp has secured licenses in all regulated states across the United States, further solidifying its commitment to compliance and long-term growth in the iGaming industry.
The post The Impact of Regulatory Changes on Media Buying in iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The iGaming industry has evolved far beyond spinning reels and flashy win screens. Today, it’s a rapidly shifting space where player expectations define innovation. Creativity, data, and emotional design have become central to building not just games — but experiences.
We sat down with Gabor, Chief Product Officer at DreamPlay, to discuss what modern slot development really means, how ideas transform into products, and why the future belongs not to games that are simply entertaining — but to those that resonate.
What makes a slot competitive today — math, visuals, gameplay, or a combination of factors? And which matters most?
Gabor: A great game is like an orchestra: you need every instrument playing in harmony or the whole thing falls apart.
The math and design are the heart and soul of every game — without them, even the best art is just a pretty face. Today’s players also expect to be entertained: strong pacing, polished audiovisuals, and features that feel meaningful, not gimmicky.
I always say that one of the challenges of creating great slots is that you have to be able to tell a whole story just through a push of the button — making them feel exciting while being simple and smooth for the player, but this means a lot of complexity for the creator.
So the real magic happens when everything clicks together. The best slots feel effortless, but behind that effortlessness is a very deliberate balance of math, flow, visuals, and just the right level of innovation.”
When working on a new release, what helps you shape the product vision before development even begins?
Gabor: Ideas can come from anywhere – a family vacation, a conversation, a movie, a meme, pretty much anything you can think of.
Creativity thrives when everyone on the team can chip in with their own ideas – we actively encourage that.
But inspiration alone isn’t enough. Every game needs a clear purpose. Is it pushing boundaries? Refreshing a classic theme? Continuing a successful series? We always start by defining the ‘why.’
Then we let data and experience meet in the middle. When the numbers support the idea and our collective instincts say ‘yes, this will work,’ that’s when a concept becomes a vision worth building.”
Do you see potential for an even closer integration of video games and slots, or are they still two different markets?
Gabor:There’s definitely potential — and honestly, the two worlds have been borrowing from each other for years. iGaming has embraced progression systems, more complex storytelling, achievements… while video games picked up loot boxes and other elements from gambling.
They will never fully merge, because the motivations and regulations are different, but there is clearly much more overlap than 10–15 years ago when these two industries were completely different. Today’s players grew up with games that blend entertainment, challenge, psychology, and reward, and they
expect a different form of entertainment than previous generations.
So we’re moving from ‘old-school gambling’ toward ‘interactive entertainment with a gambling core.’ And that trend will only continue.
Is the industry truly ready for bold experimentation, or does it still prefer playing safe?
Gabor: This is where it gets interesting. The industry loves talking about innovation and bold ideas – but in reality, the audience is still quite conservative. Most players enjoy evolution, not revolution.
We’ve seen a few big hits like Megaways and crash games, but they didn’t throw the core DNA of gambling out the window. These mechanics are mainly focused on enhanced entertainment value and presentation.
So yes, there’s room to experiment, but true format-breaking innovations tend to become niche and usually struggle to gain wider traction. The sweet spot is pushing boundaries without losing the essence of why players show up in the first place.”
What was your first step in iGaming, and when did you realize this was your industry?
Gabor: My start was completely unplanned. I moved to Israel from Hungary at 26, didn’t speak Hebrew yet, and was looking for any English-speaking job. A friend worked at an online casino, said they were hiring, and I thought, ‘Perfect, something temporary to help me get settled, I will find a proper job once my Hebrew improves.”
I have never even tried finding a ‘proper job’ afterward. That ‘temporary’ role turned into a 15+ year career across multiple countries, teams, and roles across casino management and game production — and I’ve loved every minute of it.
This industry is fast, sometimes (often) chaotic, but full of brilliant people and challenges that keep you sharp. Even after all these years, I still wake up excited about what we’re building. It’s hard to imagine doing anything else at this point.”
Final Takeaway
The iGaming industry continues its transformation — not just technologically, but emotionally. As Gabor pointed out throughout our conversation, the future belongs not to those who release the most games, but to those who understand what players truly feel.
We’re seeing a shift toward more immersive, meaningful experiences — where design, psychology, and data work together to create lasting engagement.
And it’s leaders like Gabor — and companies like DreamPlay — who are moving the industry forward, proving that innovation isn’t just about features or mechanics… it’s about connection.
Dream Play’s most recent releases and upcoming products here:
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Have you ever seen a banana and an ostrich fused together to form the ultimate creature? In Nolimit City’s latest release, Bizarre, peek into the window of Dr. Bizarre’s wild experiments. This slot falls under the eccentric category of Nolimit City slots such as Munchies, Outsourced and Ugliest Catch.
Reel Area
The farm has been… busy. Bizarre plays out on a 4-4-4-4-4 layout across 5 reels, with a number of variations of xSplit® that can land as either a single symbol or as a 4-row-high symbol, which may appear partially or fully visible. When it lands it splits all symbols on the same row, doubles its size and acts as a Wild symbol after doing so.
Chimera Spins
Dr. Bizarre’s breakthrough experiments begin here. Landing 3 Scatter Symbols will trigger 3 Chimera Spins where a scatter on the middle of the reel will transform into a Wild that remains sticky throughout the feature.
Before the bonus round begins, the middle reels spin individually. During this spin Wild symbols, extra spin symbols or empty symbols can land. When Wild or extra spin symbols land then it stays on its position and a respin is awarded. This continues until new extra spin or Wild symbols land.
If Wild symbols land then it will remain sticky throughout the feature. If a Wild is split by an xSplit® symbol then it gets a multiplier that also remains sticky for the entire feature.
Super Chimera Spins
Funding groundbreaking monstrosities isn’t cheap. Landing 2 Scatter Symbols and a Super Scatter in the base game will trigger 3 Super Chimera. In addition to Chimera Spins features, all Scatter Symbols will transform into Wild symbols and will remain sticky throughout the Super Chimera Spins.
Coinage
To take his experiments to the next level Dr. Bizarre needs to collect some coins. In Coinage, only coins with the multiplier values and special symbols can land. If any positions are empty after a spin then a respin is awarded. When the feature ends, the sum of all the multiplier values are added before multiplying the base bet. The coin values are: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000.
Special symbols can land during Coinage:
- Collector – Collects the total value of all visible coins and removes them. The used Collector remains on the reel and if another Collector lands it will also collect the value of the previous Collector.
- xSplit® – Splits all coins and Collectors on its row and doubles their values.
- Scatters – When 3 Scatters are collected, it triggers Chimera Spins after the Coinage feature ends. If one of the 3 Scatters is a Super Scatter, it will trigger Super Chimera Spins.
Extra Spin
Extra Spin is back! When Chimera Spins or Super Chimera Spins are triggered, players might get the opportunity to purchase an additional spin at the end of the round. The additional spin will keep the Wild symbol along with its multiplier value of the previous spin. The cost of the spin will be calculated based on the Wild symbol multipliers. If the cost of the Extra Spin is less than or equal to the total win, then the Extra Spin opportunity will be presented.
Nolimit Boosters
The final phase of Dr. Bizarre’s experiments are quite the sight to behold, especially with these Nolimit Boosters:
- xBoost – guaranteed a Scatter symbol on the second reel. The guaranteed Scatter might be a Super Scatter. (3 times more likely to hit Chimera/ Super Chimera Spins).
- Bonus Hunt – 49 times more likely to activate Chimera Spins/Super Chimera Spins. During this mode, only Scatters or empty symbols can land with a maximum of 1 Super Scatter.
The monsters are now Dr. Bizarre’s rise to fame. Bizarre has a maximum payout of 20,000x the base bet. Bizarre is rated as “Extremely Volatile” delivering the thrilling high-stakes gameplay that Nolimit City fans know and love.
Per Lindheimer, Head of Product at Nolimit City, said: “Mixing animals with fruits is something we like to talk about on a daily basis at Nolimit City. Dr. Bizarre is a crazy mofo with ambitions of fame and power. Chimera Spins and Coinage are features we’ve developed specifically for this game and hope that players will enjoy these freaky experiments”
‘Bizarre’ will be available to all Nolimit City partners on November 18th, 2025.
The post Nolimit City breaks into the lab of a mad scientist in its latest release, Bizarre appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AOGGAB
EGT is an official partner of the prestigious “Gaming Industry Gala Dinner”, organized by AOGGAB
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EGT is proud to announce that it is an official partner of the “Gaming Industry Gala Dinner”, organized by the Association of Organizers of Gambling Games and Activities in Bulgaria (AOGGAB) with the support of EUROMAT. The event will be held on November 25 and for the third consecutive year will bring together leading companies and figures from Bulgaria and abroad.
The motto of the gala dinner will be “Together in Europe” and will focus on European integration, professional collaboration, and a shared vision for a sustainable future of the industry.
Traditionally, the “Golden Spade’s” Awards will also be presented during the event. The prizes honor the greatest innovations and the most significant achievements in the sector over the past 12 months. EGT is among the finalists in the competition and will compete for the accolade in the “Most Successful Bulgarian Company Abroad of the Year” and “Slot Machine of the Year” categories.
EGT received the nomination for “Most Successful Bulgarian Company Abroad of the Year” as it is the biggest gaming equipment manufacturer in Bulgaria with 28 international offices on 5 continents. In 2025, it made a large number of installations and substantially increased its footprint in a number of markets. Currently, EGT’s products are present in over 100 jurisdictions around the world.
The company is also a contender for the “Slot Machine of the Year” award. It was shortlisted because of its latest series of slot cabinets Supreme, including 4 models – S 32-32 UP, S 32-32 ST, S 55 S ST, and S 55 V ST. They immediately received high praise from both operators and players for the perfect combination of attractive design, exceptional convenience provided by their numerous ergonomic features, and compatibility with some of the most popular and beloved games from EGT’s portfolio. Supreme slot cabinets have already been installed in a number of gaming venues globally, where they continue to demonstrate excellent results and remain among customers’ favorites.
The post EGT is an official partner of the prestigious “Gaming Industry Gala Dinner”, organized by AOGGAB appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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