Introduction: About the Industry and Our Guest
An iGaming industry, which includes betting, gaming, lottery and a few sub-niches, is something everyone speaks about, but surely not everyone leverages to his maximum potential.
What do we know about this vertical (besides the fact that its market volume reached $90 billion in 2024, according to Vasilii Gamov, CEO of Peaky Ads)? Here are a few key facts:
- The global online gambling and betting industry was valued at $85.62 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $133.59 billion by 2029 (Statista report).
- In 2024, Brazil established its sports betting regulation system, becoming the leader in the LatAm iGaming market. Similarly, Peru and other LatAm countries are pushing for the legalization of iGaming businesses. More and more tier-1 countries (e.g., Germany, where around 10% of adults claim to bet on sports monthly, and the U.S., where iGaming is legal in seven states) are prompting the industry to shift toward white-hat operations.
- 2025 looks even more promising for iGaming, with expected advancements aimed at enhancing user experiences on online casino and betting platforms. These include personalized offers powered by AI, the development of engaging new games, and more secure payment systems using blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies.
As you can see, iGaming is worth doing. So, why don’t do it well? Read the full article, where we collected all major insights about the industry: how iGaming market evolved for the past few years, what will happen in the nearest future, and what you can do now to maximize your ad profits.
Please, welcome Roman, Business Development Manager at HilltopAds and Vasilii Gamov, the CEO of Peaky Ads.
PeakyAds is a digital full-cycle marketing agency specializing in industries such as iGaming, FinTech, e-commerce, and others. The company covers any needs you may have: from consulting and copywriting to SEO and Sales. The PeakyAds team has expertise and knowledge in any industry that they are ready to share with you.
How the Industry Transformed Over the Years
If one were to summarize the industry’s development in a few words, it would be: “From black to white.” (or at least to grey area). Yes, taking a look back at the times when iGaming were doing its first steps (which happened in early 90s), there weren’t any law framework that would describe what is allowed, and what is forbidden to advertise. Nowadays, the market dynamically grows, influenced by expansion of regulatory of iGaming all over the world.
With the trend on a legalisation of the industry, more affiliates and marketers, as well as big companies are ready to invest in iGaming products. The trend for becoming grey and white hat niche will be continued, opening its wide doors for newcomers in the future.
What Works the Best for iGaming Offers
The successful launch of iGaming ad campaign depends on many factors. Including the right choice of the ad format and traffic channels. Let’s find out what’re the key points about has been covered within the podcast.
Popunder – your key to success
Disclaimer: Depending on your advertising strategy and product, the best ad format may vary. However, in general, we can surely say that Popunder outperforms other ad formats, delivering the most conversions. Why? First, it allows you to receive large volumes of quality traffic, even in highly competitive regions (e.g., Indonesia, Vietnam) in a short time. Additionally, running Popunder ad campaigns doesn’t require as much flexibility to avoid legal restrictions, unlike Google and Facebook ads. So, whether you’re new to this niche and just trying to understand the basics, or a professional looking to scale your campaigns, Popunder is the way to go format for you.
Not without its flaws..
No ad format is perfect, and Popunder has its own specifics to know about before implementing into your workflow.
Landing page load speed plays a crucial role in the success of Popunder ad campaigns. Optimize both pre-landing and landing pages for faster load times. A good benchmark is a page that loads in under one second and is less than 200 kilobytes.
Another important factor to watch out for is bot traffic (which isn’t an issue when you run ads with HilltopAds ad network but can affect your results elsewhere). To counter this, we recommend using anti-fraud filters and JavaScript features like countdown timers or social proof notifications.
Finding a way to handle this challenges might be a turning point to unlock a full potential of iGaming sector.
What are the hottest GEOs for iGaming ads right now?
Depending on how progressively country implementes law regulations, you can evaluate its prospect for iGaming ad campaigns.
Key regions for iGaming in 2025:
- Latam (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile);
- South Africa (Gauteng, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Eastern Cape);
- Asia;
- Nordics (these countries have a smaller population but a highly active audience willing to play right away).
Note: Don’t forget to pay attention to the regulatory landscape of targeted GEO, because for now they can vary even between different regions within the same country.
What is the future of iGaming?
Looking ahead to the bright future of iGaming, we highlighted several major trends that stand out the most.
Companies will increasingly utilize AI technologies, focusing on personalized player experiences and delivering marketing offers exactly when they’re needed to maximize user engagement and LTV for a company.
Another raising trend is the implementation of secure and transparent payment solutions using blockchain and cryptocurrency.
The shift toward grey and white-hat areas continues as regulations evolve. New laws will offer players a clearer understanding of what they’re signing up for, opening iGaming more responsible gambling.
Speaking of responsible gambling, some companies have already implemented systems to detect signs of addiction in player’s behavior and encourage them to take breaks instead of take emotionally driven decisions. Such approach can enhance player loyalty, ultimately increasing company’s revenue.
Finally, mobile traffic will dominate the market, with 80-90% of users accessing iGaming platforms via mobile devices. So, make sure you adapt your creative and landing page for mobiles as well.
Watch the full podcast and learn everything to succeed in iGaming straight from the source!
Curious about the results you can achieve in iGaming with HilltopAds? Check out our latest case study!
Let your income grow like the popularity of iGaming—launch ad campaigns with HilltopAds!
