Marketing the Game: How iGaming Brands Win Players and Partners in 2025

At EvenBet Gaming, we see firsthand how the marketing landscape is changing. Insights from our iGaming Future 2026 report show that in 2025, success comes from connection, not noise.

As regulations tighten, acquisition costs rise, and audiences scatter across platforms, the brands that win are those that blend precision with personality. Today’s players and partners expect authenticity over aggression and storytelling over sales pitches. Campaigns are no longer about mass impressions but about micro-moments – tailored, data-driven interactions that feel personal, even at scale.

The winners listen first, analyze second, and act third – turning insight into engagement. In this landscape, connection is the foundation of sustainable growth.

The Split Game: B2B vs. B2C

In B2B, the battleground is trust. CEOs and decision-makers are drowning in noise – from events to endless newsletters. What cuts through? Case studies that show ROI, product demos that feel real, and personal networks built at ICE or SiGMA. Social media remains the undisputed king here: 49% of iGaming executives use it as their primary info source, followed by in-person networking and industry events. Long-form content still works – when it’s insightful, not promotional. To stand out in B2B marketing, brands should focus on:

• Building thought leadership through expert commentary and research-backed insights that prove credibility;
• Nurturing long-term relationships via community-led webinars, roundtables, and co-marketing projects that drive collaboration;
• Leveraging data storytelling – turning complex metrics into simple, visual narratives that help decision-makers act fast.

B2C, by contrast, is all about emotion and immediacy – but with a sharper distinction between markets and business models. The latest EvenBet Gaming Social Media Report shows that while short-form and community-driven content remains key, the dominance of platforms differs markedly. In Europe – LinkedIn leads the way as a professional and networking hub, reflecting a B2B-oriented focus on authority building, lead generation, and industry-specific engagement. In Asia – Facebook and Instagram dominate, highlighting a strategy centered on community connection, targeted advertising, and broad audience engagement, with Telegram also playing a significant role. For B2C operators – visual storytelling and entertainment-led platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok continue to drive emotional engagement, while for B2B providers – LinkedIn holds an undisputed lead, supported by Instagram and Telegram as complementary channels. The formula, therefore, is not simply to be social-first, but to be strategically social – prioritizing community and visual impact in B2C, and credibility and professional engagement in B2B.

AI and Automation – The New Marketers

According to EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026 report, AI has moved from buzzword to backbone – redefining how brands attract, convert, and retain players. Predictive analytics now segment audiences before login, while machine learning powers adaptive CRM systems that personalize offers and retention bonuses in real time. In marketing operations, AI delivers measurable impact through:

• Dynamic pricing and bonus optimization – adjusting rewards by player value and engagement;
• Content intelligence – automating localization and campaign creation, cutting production time by up to 60%;
• Ad fraud prevention – identifying fake traffic before it drains budgets;
• Predictive churn analysis – triggering personalized retention actions;
• Voice and visual recognition – tracking live reactions and sentiment to optimize creative on the fly.

In B2B, AI turns marketing from broadcast to conversation – analyzing partner behavior, flagging high-value leads, and automating follow-ups. The brands that master real-time data interpretation lead the race. In iGaming, AI doesn’t just predict behavior – it shapes it.

Social Channels – The Real Arena

Social platforms have evolved far beyond advertising spaces. They’ve become the central nervous system of iGaming marketing. In 2025, social media is a living ecosystem where customer acquisition, brand positioning, community building, and market research all merge. Every platform has its rhythm and audience psychology; successful brands know how to play them like instruments in the same orchestra.

Whether a B2B partnership or a B2C retention campaign, the rule is simple: go where your audience lives, speak their language, and deliver value before the pitch. How each key platform shapes the iGaming marketing mix? Read here.

LinkedIn – the B2B Heartbeat

This is where credibility is built and deals are born. For iGaming providers, affiliates, and tech companies, LinkedIn serves as the top channel for partnerships, thought leadership, and lead generation. Sharing industry insights, case studies, and event takeaways reinforces authority and keeps brands visible among decision-makers. Paid targeting tools also allow for pinpoint precision, ensuring that every ad or article reaches the right vertical – from operators to regulators.

YouTube & Twitch – Where Entertainment Meets Education

As highlighted in EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026 report, streaming has become a key growth channel for iGaming brands. YouTube anchors long-form storytelling – developer insights, product demos, and CEO interviews that build credibility. According to the EvenBet Gaming Social Media Report, YouTube accounts for 14% in Europe and 15% in Asia, showing near-equal relevance across regions and reinforcing its universal value for both markets.

Twitch, mentioned in iGaming Future 2026 alongside YouTube Live and Kick, plays a pivotal role in real-time engagement – driving live gameplay, poker tournaments, and influencer collaborations that enhance transparency and community connection. While no percentage data is provided for Twitch, the report emphasizes streaming as a natural fit for gambling content and audience interaction.

Together, these platforms turn audiences into participants – transforming content from promotion into experience.

TikTok & Instagram – Short, Raw, and Honest

Authenticity wins here. These platforms thrive on short-form, story-driven content that prioritizes emotion over polish. According to the EvenBet Gaming Social Media Report (p. 58), Instagram ranks second in both regions – 22% in Europe and 20% in Asia – while TikTok shows stronger traction in Asia (9%) than in Europe (5%), underscoring its growing influence among younger, mobile-first audiences.

Behind-the-scenes clips, quick tips, and relatable humor consistently outperform corporate messaging. Interactive ad formats like reels and hashtag challenges help iGaming brands spark viral loops, amplify influencer reach, and turn curiosity into action.

In a mobile-first world, these platforms don’t just advertise – they convert. The brands that master them know one truth: social is the marketplace, the focus group, and the loyalty engine all at once.

Customer Access and Personalization

Today’s players expect the brand to recognize them before signing in. The data backs it up: operators using personalized onboarding see up to 37% higher retention. Hybrid campaigns – connecting online and live play – are rising fast. A push notification might lead to an app bonus, unlocking a live event seat. That seamless loop is where loyalty lives. For iGaming operators, personalization now stretches far beyond “Hello, [Name]”:

• Behavioral segmentation uses AI to analyze time-of-day habits, game preferences, and betting velocity – letting brands tailor every interaction, from welcome bonuses to tournament invites;
• Cross-channel identity mapping ensures players get a consistent experience across web, app, email, and live venues – no duplicate offers, no irrelevant messages;
• Progressive profiling builds player personas gradually through engagement, balancing data collection with trust. This creates a 360° view without overwhelming the user with long forms;
• Experience-based incentives are replacing static bonuses. For example, completing a “10-hand challenge” online could unlock real-world prizes or exclusive event tickets.

What Next?

As highlighted in EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026 report, the next phase of iGaming marketing – especially in B2B – is built on access, insight, and shared growth. Partners no longer want to be sold to; they want to collaborate, learn, and co-create. Loyalty now comes from ecosystems of mutual value, not discounts or outreach volume. Next-gen B2B engagement revolves around:

• Micro-communities on Slack, Discord, or LinkedIn – invite-only spaces where suppliers, affiliates, and operators exchange insights and form strategic alliances;
• Account-based marketing (ABM) powered by AI – integrating CRM and social data to tailor outreach, improving conversion rates by up to 50%;
• Virtual demos and co-branded webinars – frictionless entry points for collaboration that combine live interaction with analytics-driven follow-up;
• Shared data dashboards – transparency as the new trust currency, providing partners with real-time access to KPIs and campaign metrics.

In both B2C and B2B, the rule holds: the closer you get to your audience or partner, the harder it is for them to leave.

Innovation: Beyond Buzzwords

Gamification has become the universal language of engagement – missions, badges, leaderboards, loyalty loops. AI adds the adaptive layer; players evolve in real time. This same logic applies in marketing: adaptive storytelling that shifts with user behavior. The future? Predictive personalization. The line between “targeting” and “understanding” is getting thinner, and the best marketers are crossing it first. The new generation of gamified marketing goes beyond points and badges – it builds ecosystems of continuous engagement:

Ultimately, gamification in iGaming marketing has shifted from “adding fun” to engineering motivation. It’s about designing systems where engagement becomes the most natural move. When rewards, progress, and storytelling align seamlessly with user behavior, participation stops feeling like marketing and starts feeling like entertainment. The brands that master this balance turn every interaction into a self-sustaining loop of curiosity, reward, and loyalty – where players don’t just play the game, they live inside it.

Final Hand

In 2025, iGaming marketing is a blend of human intuition and machine precision. The era of mass messaging is over – success now means balancing data with emotion and automation with authenticity. In B2B, growth comes from trust, transparency, and measurable ROI rather than lead volume. In B2C, players expect instant personalization, dynamic engagement, and brands that speak their language – making AI-driven personalization and social-first storytelling essentials, not extras.

The strongest brands will merge both worlds, using AI to amplify empathy and data to sharpen creativity. In a market flooded with content, relevance is survival – and trust is the true currency of differentiation.