Connect with us

Canada

iOS Users Spent $1 Billion in Social Casino Apps Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Says New Report from Liftoff and GameRefinery

Published

on

 

The report also shows a 10% spike in cost-per-install on iOS following Apple’s IDFA privacy regulations

Liftoff, one of the world’s largest independent and privacy-friendly platforms fueling the entire mobile app growth cycle across user acquisition, engagement, monetization, and analytics, along with GameRefinery, a mobile games insight and analytics platform, today released its mobile social casino apps report, revealing unique trends in the mobile market. The report reveals record spend in social casino during the height of the pandemic, as well as shifts in platform engagement following Apple’s privacy regulations and key insights into the value of global regions. 

This data draws on more than 83 billion ad impressions and 1.1 billion clicks across 12 million installs and 239 apps between August 1, 2020 and August 1, 2021, to find:

iOS users spent nearly $1 billion on casino apps during the peak of the pandemic

As the pandemic drove a decrease in foot traffic to in-person casinos, social casino titles hit the jackpot. Many consumers took to a new habit of online social casino games, which offer a gambling-like experience without the stakes. According to the report, iOS users in the U.S. spent a record $990 million in social casino apps during the height of the pandemic, Q3 2020 to Q2 2021. Even as vaccinations increased in the U.S. and real casinos in key states were already reopened, the success of social casino didn’t slow down. By Q2 2021, quarterly profits reached a new high of more than $260 million — a particular feat, as the category’s U.S. market share had dropped year-over-year, from 19.43% in Q3 2020 to 18.89% in Q2 2021.

Interestingly, social casino users are older than every other gaming genre — more than half are over 45. The user base is also split about 50/50 men and women, showing that the gaming category has broad appeal. 

“As we examine the effects the pandemic has had on gaming, it’s no surprise casino apps are soaring in popularity around the globe,” said Joel Julkunen, Head of Game Analytics of GameRefinery. “Since we are seeing more movement in this market, it’s vital for mobile marketers and developers in this vertical to use these insights to inform long-term strategies.” 

Apple kills the IDFA, leading Android to win this round of the “Platform Wars”

Amid Apple’s recent IDFA policy changes, the report sees Android edging out iOS as the leading platform for casino apps. As marketers adjusting to the post-IDFA landscape shifted their ad spend habits, cost-per-install (CPI) on iOS increased to 9.9% year-over-year, up to $11.09. Meanwhile, Android CPIs dropped 13.7% between August 2020 and August 2021, widening the affordability gap for Android — iOS install costs are now 122% higher than that of Android, compared to 2020’s 74%. 

The report also shows Android edging out the competition in return-on-ad-spend (ROAS). While iOS takes the early lead over Android, Android pulls ahead 1.9% by Day 30.

Regional: Bet Big, Win Big

While North America (NAR) shows great engagement, reaching those engaged users comes at a cost. At $10.37, CPIs are the highest of all global regions. Asia-Pacific (APAC), meanwhile, offers a CPI half that of NAR, at $5.68. The regions aren’t far off on 30-day ROAS, with NAR (26.47%) only slightly outperforming APAC (21.8%). Marketers looking for great value may want to consider expanding their sights to gamers in APAC, as the up-and-coming market shows great promise. 

For more details on Liftoff+Vungle and to download the full report, visit LINK

 

Methodology

The 2021 Social Casino Report draws from Liftoff+Vungle and GameRefinery’s internal data from August 1, 2020 and August 1, 2021 — which spans 83 billion ad impressions, 1.1 billion clicks across 239 different apps, 12 million installs and 39 million events to deliver ad performance insights to show how marketers can get the most out of their games.

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Brightstar Lottery PLC

Brightstar Lottery Delivers Industry-Leading Sales Force Automation Solution to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

Published

on

brightstar-lottery-delivers-industry-leading-sales-force-automation-solution-to-ontario-lottery-and-gaming-corporation

Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that it has deployed its Sales Wizard salesforce automation tool to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Brightstar’s powerful, cloud-based Sales Wizard easily integrates with OLG’s central system and equips sales representatives with actionable insights and compelling data to identify lottery retail opportunities and make every retail visit more effective.

“Brightstar’s Sales Wizard is enabling OLG’s sales force with digital access to actionable data while unlocking operational efficiencies so that our sales representatives can make the best use of every retail visit. Sales Wizard is highly configurable so OLG can leverage this product in a variety of ways to meet our evolving business needs,” said Vanessa Theoret, OLG Sr. Director Retail Sales & Account Management.

“OLG joins 24 other lotteries in using Brightstar’s Sales Wizard to help responsibly grow sales. Sales Wizard was designed to be a flexible, convenient tool for lottery sales representatives to work strategically with retailers, providing data, reports, and insights to understand sales trends and optimize as needed,” said Scott Gunn, Brightstar Chief Operating Officer North America Lottery.

Sales Wizard is the industry-leading sales force automation tool that provides sales teams with timely, relevant information and is available in user-friendly mobile apps for greater efficiency in the field. Currently supporting more than 148,000 retailers globally, Sales Wizard provides data and insights on sales, instant ticket inventory, instant ticket facings, point-of-sale equipment and signage, and much more.

Brightstar serves nearly 90 lottery customers and their players on six continents.

The post Brightstar Lottery Delivers Industry-Leading Sales Force Automation Solution to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Canada

ComeOn Launches New Marketing Campaign in Ontario

Published

on

comeon-launches-new-marketing-campaign-in-ontario

 

ComeOn Group has launched its new marketing campaign in Ontario. The campaign underscores ComeOn Group’s long-term commitment to sustainable expansion – powered by ComeOn’s proprietary technology and a clear focus on delivering standout, personalized entertainment experiences at scale.

Since entering Ontario in 2022 with its licensed online casino offering, ComeOn Group has steadily built its presence in one of North America’s most competitive regulated markets. In late 2024, the Group reached a major strategic milestone with the launch of its full proprietary sportsbook in the province, expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its position as a full-suite iGaming operator.

The addition of sportsbook enables ComeOn to offer both casino and sports betting within a unified entertainment ecosystem. This expansion aligns with the Group’s broader global strategy to accelerate sportsbook growth, leveraging its in-house platform, trading capabilities, and risk management expertise to scale efficiently across regulated jurisdictions.

To support this next phase of growth in Ontario, ComeOn Group has shifted to an independent media planning model, activating a bold, high-frequency presence across Linear TV, Connected TV (CTV), and Digital channels. This approach reflects the Group’s product-led philosophy- pairing increased brand visibility with a seamless, personalized player journey powered by a robust, in-house technology stack built for performance and scale.

At the centre of the campaign is a series of premium television commercials starring Jeremy Piven, a long-standing ComeOn brand ambassador. Piven’s high-energy presence and authentic connection to sports reinforce the brand’s entertainment-first positioning, bringing ComeOn’s sportsbook experience to life across TV and digital. Produced by ComeOn Group’s internal creative hub, the campaign provides a cohesive creative platform that clearly differentiates the brand in a crowded market.

Efi Peleg, Chief Commercial Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “Ontario is a critical and highly competitive market for us. By shifting to independent media planning and activating a true 360-degree marketing mix, we’re not just increasing awareness – we’re demonstrating the strength of our proprietary platform and our ability to deliver a superior, personalised player experience. Our headline campaign, led by Jeremy Piven, brings our entertainment-first proposition to life and reflects our broader strategy of driving sustainable growth in key regulated markets through differentiated products and data-driven execution.”

The post ComeOn Launches New Marketing Campaign in Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Brooke Hilton Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada

Ezugi and PointsBet join forces to bring expanded live gaming to Ontario

Published

on

ezugi-and-pointsbet-join-forces-to-bring-expanded-live-gaming-to-ontario

Ezugi is excited to unveil a new collaboration with PointsBet, a leading iGaming operator in Canada.

As a division of Evolution since 2018, Ezugi keeps enhancing its foothold in the live gaming sector. This partnership will see Ezugi’s localized and unique live-dealer games incorporated into PointsBet’s online casino in Ontario through Evolution’s One Stop Shop (OSS) platform.

Established in Australia in 2015 and later branching into North America, PointsBet has quickly emerged as one of Ontario’s most rapidly expanding iGaming companies. Known for its cutting-edge sportsbook and growing casino offerings, PointsBet is committed to delivering an outstanding player experience, prioritizing Responsible Gaming to create a safe and secure space for every user.

Through this partnership, PointsBet Ontario customers will access Ezugi’s innovative live casino offerings, which include popular games like Canada Blackjack, EZ Baccarat, and Ultimate Roulette. These titles effortlessly integrate reliable, real-time live gaming with engaging digital elements that greatly attract North American players.

Brooke Hilton, Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada, said: “We’re excited to partner with Ezugi to bring their innovative live-dealer games to our Ontario players. This integration via Evolution’s platform enhances our casino offerings with dynamic, localised titles like Canada Blackjack and Ultimate Roulette, ensuring a premium, responsible gaming experience that aligns with our commitment to player safety and enjoyment.”

James Smith, Commercial Strategy Manager at Ezugi, said: “We are thrilled to team up with PointsBet in Ontario. We recognise Ontario as a key growth region and this partnership with a top tier operator marks an important step in our mission to bring Ezugi’s unique & exciting live casino content to the forefront for players in North America.”

The post Ezugi and PointsBet join forces to bring expanded live gaming to Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania