Industry News
How European Tax Changes Are Reshaping iGaming Media Budgets in 2025
Throughout 2025, European iGaming markets have faced a new layer of complexity: shifting tax and licensing rules that directly impact marketing costs. Governments continue to increase gross gaming revenue (GGR) tax rates and impose stricter reporting standards.
As of July 2025, these changes have become a critical factor in how operators and agencies plan, distribute, and optimize user acquisition budgets. RockApp analysis indicates that tax policy is fundamentally reshaping the planning process for performance marketing across Europe.
European Tax Environment in 2025
Several major European markets have introduced or expanded gambling tax rules over the last 18 months:
- Germany: GGR tax increased from 5.3% to 7% in mid-2024. By Q2 2025, operators are recalibrating CPA targets and revising bonus strategies to preserve margin.
- Netherlands: New compliance requirements implemented in January 2025 include enhanced KYC/AML reporting, adding operational costs and slowing onboarding funnels.
- Eastern Europe: Romania and Poland are reviewing GGR tax bands, with planned 1–2% increases included in government budgets for H2 2025.
These changes raise per-user acquisition costs and reduce flexibility on pricing incentives. Media buyers now need to plan budgets and creative strategy with greater precision to maintain efficiency.
RockApp data, drawn from over 120 active campaigns in 2025, demonstrates how these pressures translate into real shifts in buying behavior and budget allocation.
Budget Impact on Media Buying Strategies
Analysis of campaign performance in 2025 reveals several clear trends:
- Shift to Tier-2 GEOs: Markets with lower tax pressure (such as CIS, Balkans, and LATAM) are seeing 30-40% more acquisition budget allocation compared to 2023.
- CPA Adjustments: Average first-time-depositor CPA in regulated Western European markets has risen from ~€120 in 2023 to €145–160 in 2025, driven by increased taxation and competitive auction dynamics.
- Creative Cost Pressures: Bonus-focused creatives now demand tighter payout modeling to balance user appeal with higher GGR liabilities.
As a result, buying strategies have moved away from broad, high-volume campaigns toward segmented, CPA-focused plans with more granular GEO targeting.
Budget Impact on Media Buying Strategies
Tax policy changes don’t just influence operator balance sheets. They force a recalibration of the entire media buying strategy.
RockApp data from over 120 active campaigns in 2025 shows clear budget trends:
- Shift to Tier-2 GEOs: Markets with lower tax pressure (e.g., CIS, Balkans, LATAM) now see 30-40% more acquisition budget allocation compared to 2023.
- CPA Adjustment: Average first-time-depositor CPA in regulated Western Europe has climbed from €120 in 2023 to €145-160 in 2025, driven by both taxation and competitive auction prices.
- Creative Cost Pressure: Bonus-focused creatives need tighter payout modelling, balancing marketing appeal with GGR realities.
For media teams, the result is a move away from broad, high-volume campaigns toward precisely segmented, CPA-optimized buying with robust GEO-targeting logic.
GEO Diversification as Strategic Response
For many brands, geo diversification has become the simplest and most effective hedge against rising tax costs.
According to Appsflyer’s mid-2025 install cost benchmarks, CPIs in markets such as Brazil, India, and select African countries remain stable or are falling – averaging $0.60–$1.20 per pre-install, compared to $3+ in Western Europe.
RockApp’s planning data shows clear reallocation trends:
- LATAM budgets up ~35% year over year.
- Eastern Europe spending stable, with modest CPA increases.
- Western Europe budgets flattening or declining, with more investment going toward targeted retargeting and high-value lookalike segments.
Diversifying GEO strategy is emerging as a necessary planning approach to balance premium Tier-1 acquisition costs with Tier-2 scale opportunities.
Tactical Media Buying Adjustments in 2025
In response to new taxation and compliance demands, advertisers are refining their acquisition tactics. Effective strategies seen across European campaigns this year include:
- Hyper-segmentation: Adapting CPA targets at the micro-GEO, channel, and audience level.
- Creative Flexibility: Developing multiple bonus tiers and transparent CTAs designed for localized regulations.
- Source Tiering: Prioritizing verified, high-retention traffic sources over pure volume channels.
- Automated Bidding Rules: Aligning bid pacing and budget allocation with region-specific margin goals and user lifetime value curves.
RockApp analysis suggests that these shifts are helping operators maintain acquisition efficiency in the face of rising costs and regulatory complexity.
Advice for Q3 and Q4 Planning
With peak acquisition season approaching, several planning considerations stand out:
- Leverage Q3’s traditionally lower competition to test new channels and creative variations cost-effectively.
- Prepare Q4 budgets for elevated CPA levels, using segmented bidding strategies and clear ROI targets.
- Integrate compliance checks and fraud-control measures early in creative production to avoid approval delays and wasted spend.
RockApp data indicates that campaigns investing in upfront planning and testing see more stable CPA performance even in high-demand periods.
Conclusion
European tax changes have become a defining variable in iGaming growth strategy. These aren’t simply operational details – they now shape how marketing teams approach channel selection, creative design, and budget allocation at the most fundamental level.
RockApp continues to monitor these shifts across campaigns and regions, helping operators and agencies adapt media buying systems to maintain acquisition efficiency in a more complex regulatory environment.
The post How European Tax Changes Are Reshaping iGaming Media Budgets in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Booming Games
Booming Games Strengthens Leadership with Appointment of New CFO
Booming Games has elevated Luke Sammut to the newly established position of Chief Financial Officer effective immediately.
Booming Games, a top supplier of high-quality gaming content, has today enhanced its C-suite by promoting Luke Sammut to the newly established position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective immediately. This comes after a series of recent high-level promotions at Booming Games, including the announcement of a new Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff last month.
Luke Sammut has dedicated more than eight years to Booming Games in multiple senior finance positions, most recently as the Director of Finance and Accounting. Having a solid foundation in accountancy and a strong enthusiasm for the iGaming sector, he contributes a vast amount of experience and industry expertise to the team. Located in Malta, Luke will be accountable for steering the company’s international financial strategy and managing reporting across various jurisdictions.
The establishment of the CFO position signifies a new phase in the company’s development and highlights a strong dedication to attracting and developing exceptional talent. With the company aiming to achieve ambitious growth goals and enhance its global reach this year, the timing of the appointment is quite promising. Focusing on customers in game development, Booming Games is consistently aiming to innovate and broaden its portfolio, with intentions to substantially boost the frequency of game releases this year.
Booming Games has a solid history of investing in its workforce, with the number of employees recently exceeding 200. In the future, the expanding C-suite will guarantee that the company keeps evolving and is positioned to handle the upcoming phase of its growth.
Max Niehusen, Founder of Booming Games, said: “We are delighted to announce Luke’s promotion, in what is a landmark moment for Booming Games as we appoint our first Chief Financial Officer. Over the past eight years, he has made an immense contribution to the business, playing an important role in our success during a key growth phase.
“I look forward to continuing working closely with him as we look to break new ground this year. As CFO, Luke’s experience will be critical as we expand our operations, with the aim of being regulated in every major market within the next five years.”
Luke Sammut, Chief Financial Officer at Booming Games, said: “With ambitious growth targets, Booming Games’ rapid expansion shows no sign of slowing. I am proud to be taking up the position of CFO, helping to shape the next phase of our financial strategy, at such a pivotal moment for the business. With clear direction from a strong leadership team, Booming Games is well placed to build on its strong financial foundations and seize the opportunity to further cement its reputation for market-leading innovation.”
The post Booming Games Strengthens Leadership with Appointment of New CFO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Flashscore
State of Mobile 2026: Flashscore Claims “Double Crown” as World’s #1 Sports App Globally and Dominates Key Markets in Brazil, France, and Italy
In a year defined by unprecedented digital sports consumption, Flashscore has cemented its status as the undisputed “second screen” for sports fans worldwide.
The prestigious State of Mobile 2026 report by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower has ranked Flashscore as the #1 Sports App globally for both Monthly Active Users (MAU) and MAU Growth, as well as #5 in sports app downloads.
The report validates that 2025 was a year of exceptional success for Flashscore. The platform shattered its own records, surpassing 125 million monthly active users globally in October – breaking the previous high (116 million MAU) set during the 2022 World Cup.
Regional Powerhouses: The “Big Three” Performance
While the global metrics are headline news, the Sensor Tower report reveals Flashscore’s overwhelming leadership in the world’s most passionate sporting nations:
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Brazil: Flashscore has achieved absolute dominance in Latin America’s biggest market, ranking #1 in MAU and #1 in MAU Growth, while also securing the #2 spot in Downloads.
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France: The platform achieved a clean sweep in engagement metrics, ranking #1 in MAU and #1 in MAU Growth, proving its essential status in the French market.
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Italy: Operating under the historic brand Diretta, the app is the fastest-growing sports platform in the country, ranked #1 for MAU Growth, and holds a strong podium position at #3 for Total MAU.
Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “The State of Mobile 2026 report confirms what we see in our raw data: sports fans are increasingly demanding speed and depth over simple content. “This dual achievement highlights a rare dominance in the mobile ecosystem: Flashscore is not only maintaining the largest global audience but is also acquiring new users faster than any competitor in the sector. “For the betting and sports marketing industries, these numbers represent a massive, highly engaged audience that relies on Flashscore for instant data, making it a critical touchpoint for real-time sports consumption.”
The post State of Mobile 2026: Flashscore Claims “Double Crown” as World’s #1 Sports App Globally and Dominates Key Markets in Brazil, France, and Italy appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gamblers Connect
Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world
Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming media and affiliate platform, is proud to announce the official launch of the iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world.
The iHub exclusively features companies that have an official partnership or verified collaboration with Gamblers Connect, ensuring that every listing meets our editorial, commercial, and quality standards. To achieve this feat, we have successfully organized the complex web of the iGaming industry into a single, centralized location.
The sole purpose of the iHub is to function as a comprehensive database that allows anyone in iGaming, whether it is affiliates, operators, or players, to find the right solutions in one place. Unlike open directories, the iHub is a curated environment, only trusted, officially partnered companies are included, with no self-submissions or automated listings. The iHub, just as the industry itself, is built upon four essential pillars that cover every facet of the iGaming realm, including Affiliates, Game Providers, B2B Providers and Payment Solutions.
Every company featured within the iHub is manually reviewed and onboarded through an official partnership with Gamblers Connect, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and long-term value for the industry.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “The launch of the iHub perfectly reflects our goal to be the most transparent source of information in the iGaming world. It marks a new milestone in our history, as it represents a step forward in our ongoing mission to bring clarity to the industry. By launching the iHub, we unite the four essential pillars in a transparent and centralised manner, giving our community the ultimate resources to navigate the iGaming landscape.”
The post Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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