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Rising Bonus Abuse in Sports Betting: Fraudsters Leveraging Hidden AI Powered Bots
As digitalisation sweeps through the industry, the sports betting market has flourished. Taking betting online has made the experience more accessible, convenient, and interactive than ever. Artificial intelligence (AI) has made a big splash in recent years, giving sportsbooks access to more detailed data analytics. AI doesn’t only benefit sportsbooks however, as fraudsters have taken advantage of the technology for more malicious purposes. If sportsbooks don’t take action now, they face rapid losses to their budgets.
Sportsbooks frequently invest in pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns to drive first-time depositors (FTDs), using promotions such as bonuses to attract new users. However, these bonuses are a prime target for fraudsters, who leverage advances in AI to exploit them—driving fake sign-ups that drain budgets without delivering genuine new players.
To accomplish this, bad actors program AI-powered bots to rapidly create new accounts and take advantage of promotions without ever generating a conversion on the site. Bot networks like this are detrimental to advertising budgets, being responsible for nearly 40% of click fraud according to FraudLogix.
Most sportsbooks have fraud management systems in place to intercept and block these bad actors during the sign-up process. However, this does not prevent bots from clicking on paid search ads in the first place, driving up costs and draining marketing budgets before fraud can even be detected.
Sportsbooks need to take it upon themselves to develop a proactive strategy to identify fraudulent engagement. Without a strategy in place, sportsbooks risk significant profit loss and distorted campaign metrics.
Evolving Fraud tactics
Sportsbooks have been reaping the rewards of digitalisation, but this increased success comes with a hidden cost. The success of the industry has drawn the attention of bad actors, and with AI they pose a bigger threat than ever. Bad actors can now program AI bots to convincingly behave as a human user would. Bots can then carry out repetitive tasks repeatedly, allowing fraudsters to create floods of them to interfere with campaigns.
The PPC campaigns utilised by sportsbooks are often targeted by bots which repeatedly click on these paid ads. This drives up ad revenue for the publisher drastically, as bots increase the overall customer acquisition costs (CACs).
To carry out an attack, fraudsters use hosting servers. These servers can be used to store large amounts of data. From here, bad actors can then disguise themselves using a residential Internet Service Provider (ISP) to blend in with other users. Bad actors can mask their real location by routing their connection through a different server. This is typically carried out by using a residential IP address through a residential proxy, making the fraudster appear like a legitimate user to trick systems.
Fraudsters are experts at covering their tracks, as they can program bots to delete their information and cookies after clicking on a paid ad. Bots can then carry out the task on repeat by switching to a different device to appear as a new user. Fraudulent clicks from bots increase market expenditure without leading to a legitimate conversion, draining resources, and diluting return on investment (ROI). The problem is plaguing the industry as bots are responsible for approximately 24% of all clicks according to Imperva, and the risk is only increasing.
Bots Taking Advantage of Paid Promotions
A great way for sportsbooks to capture a new audience is through one-time special promotions. Bonuses like these are a popular hook, and encourage players to keep betting, even after the bonus funds are used up. Most of these promotions are offered once per account, but fraudsters can use bots to manipulate the system. These bots are programmed to generate multiple fake accounts and abuse the bonus repeatedly. Funds intended to drive FTDs are then diverted by bots without delivering genuine value, significantly draining resources.
Fraudulent traffic negatively impacts future campaigns as bot activity skews metrics. An influx of bot activity provides marketers with false positive results. Sportsbooks will then mistakenly direct more funds to these campaigns, setting them up for future losses and more bot activity.
Legacy fraud tools typically concentrate on the sign-up stage, targeting and blocking fraud there. However, this tactic doesn’t stop bots from siphoning media spend beforehand. Differentiating between sophisticated bots and legitimate traffic is difficult for these tools, allowing fraudsters to act before they can be identified. Attacks are on the rise, and if sportsbooks fail to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against fraudulent clicks, they face considerable losses.
Utilising Transparency to Tackle Fraud
To ensure marketing efforts aren’t wasted and first-time depositors can be reached, sportsbooks need a strategy in place to combat fraud. Sportsbooks should be analysing their traffic for any sign of potential bot activity before they suffer multiple losses.
Monitoring traffic allows sportsbooks to identify irregular engagement, such as high bounce or click rates, or traffic from suspicious locations. To identify bots before they can impact campaigns, sportsbooks should continuously monitor their traffic for anomalies like these so they can be dealt with.
Fake accounts run by bots are a growing problem for sportsbooks, therefore sportsbooks should deploy strong identity verification alongside a trusted partner. This prevents fraudsters from creating multiple accounts to exploit promotions by forcing them to prove their identity.
Sportsbooks can also set click frequency limits for users. Setting limits prevents a particular user from repeatedly clicking on the same paid ad campaign. Bots are especially vulnerable to this tactic, preventing them from driving up costs by blocking them with a click threshold.
Ending Bonus Abuse
Digitalisation has provided both opportunities and complex challenges for sportsbooks. The pivot towards online betting has presented sportsbooks with the chance to reach a whole new audience. However, sportsbooks can’t truly capitalise on this new opportunity as long as bots are draining budgets behind the scenes.
To protect their advertising investments, sportsbooks need to take action. Sportsbooks need to take control of their traffic and identify any bot activity before bad actors have the chance to take advantage. By taking an active role in their defence, sportsbooks can ensure their bonuses stay strictly in the hands of their real audience.
Article by Chad Kinlay, Chief Marketing Officer, TrafficGuard
A driven, open-minded, creative senior marketer with a strong sense of dedication and commitment. With over 15 years of progressive international experience in marketing and communications management, Kinlay has a credible history of commercial success.
The post Rising Bonus Abuse in Sports Betting: Fraudsters Leveraging Hidden AI Powered Bots appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, shares first takeaways from a Kantar-led qualitative study conducted at iGB L!VE London, showing that security, reliability and revenue-growth potential are the most influential criteria when selecting iGaming software partners. The findings also place SOFTSWISS first by Net Promoter Score (NPS) – the industry benchmark for client loyalty and advocacy.
Designed as an event-based, face-to-face qualitative survey, the Kantar study explored how operators, game providers, and iGaming tech companies make procurement and partnership decisions. Across the total sample, respondents most frequently ranked safety and security of operations as the number-one driver, followed by a reliable partner with a strong market reputation and the ability to open up new revenue opportunities. Close behind were stable, low-downtime infrastructure and a high level of client service – signalling that risk mitigation and dependable delivery are the baseline for partnership decisions, with growth enablement expected rather than optional.
The study revealed a clear divide in priorities between final decision-makers and decision influencers. Influencers place comparatively more weight on the “everyday assurances” of an iGaming platform, like:
- Security
- Client service
- Optimised service infrastructure
Final decision-makers look further out, prioritising:
- Stable infrastructure with minimal downtime
- Clear business-growth levers
- A reliable partner with a strong market reputation
For vendors, the takeaway is to address both sides: demonstrate service excellence to operational stakeholders and prove resilience, scalability and go-live readiness to executive sponsors.
Olga Resiga, Chief Business Development Officer at SOFTSWISS, said: “Security and reliability are now the non-negotiables of iGaming procurement. What Kantar’s work highlights is the two-lens buying logic: operational teams evaluate partners on day-to-day assurance – robust security, responsive support and efficient infrastructure – while final decision-makers judge long-term resilience, Tier-1 launch readiness and the capacity to unlock new revenues. Our roadmap is built for both: verifiable security and service benchmarks today, coupled with proven high-load performance and compliance for tomorrow’s growth.”
Net Promoter Score, calculated as the share of promoters minus detractors, is a widely used indicator of client loyalty. SOFTSWISS achieved the highest NPS in the evaluated set. In open responses, clients most often described SOFTSWISS as a “reputable company” and “most reliable”, repeatedly citing “reliability” as the key reason for high ratings. Beyond NPS, SOFTSWISS was most frequently associated with a broad range of strengths: safety and security, a reliable partner with strong market standing, stable and low-downtime tech infrastructure, and a high level of client service.
SOFTSWISS continues to share market-ready expertise with industry stakeholders. Recent resources include the Sportsbook Online Calculator and the iGaming in LatAm Report, both available on the SOFTSWISS website.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides certified software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Kantar Finds Security Driving iGaming, SOFTSWISS Leading Loyalty appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The ELA Games team is attending the event to demonstrate new developments
ELA Games, a dynamic game development studio, announces its attendance at SBC Lisbon, set to take place at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa & Meo Arena from 16 – 18 September.
Attending the event will be:
- Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director
- Oleksii Shulhin, Head of ELA Games
- Yaroslav Soloshenko, Team Lead Business Development Manager
- Petr Vonarshenko, Business Development Manager
- Sadaf Ali, Senior Account Manager
SBC Lisbon is a key annual gathering in the online gaming and betting industry, welcoming over 30,000 delegates to experience innovations, cutting-edge products, and networking opportunities. The ELA Games team will take the global stage to connect with partners, demonstrate its casino-and-player-centric development approach, and reveal new roadmap developments.
At the event, ELA Games will highlight its diverse portfolio, including recent hits from the Winpot series (Joker Winpot, Zeus Winpot, Rabbit Winpot Deluxe), visually rich classics like Juicy Crystal and Flame Fruits Frenzy, and innovative new releases such as Shoot Happens. The team will also preview upcoming titles and discuss recent expansions into important growing markets like Denmark, Sweden, Greece, and more.
Adding to the studio’s momentum, the SBC Awards have nominated ELA Games in the “Innovation in Casino Entertainment (Supplier)” category. The award ceremony will take place on September 18 for a night celebrating excellence and forward-thinking solutions. This shortlisting highlights ELA Games’ ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of online gaming and create new experiences for both operators and players.
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented, “We’re always excited to attend SBC events as they’re one of the biggest gatherings of the year where we’re able to see many of our partners and make new meaningful connections. This year, ELA Games has plenty to show the world, as we’ve made numerous additions to our portfolio, developed new mechanics, and pushed ourselves creatively. The team is looking forward to sharing all we’ve been up to, and equally excited to attend the award ceremony!”
ELA Games invites all attendees to visit Stand B350 to chat with the team, explore creative solutions to bolster your content library, and find new ways to engage your player base.
📅 Dates: 16–18 September
📍 Location: Stand B350, Feira Internacional de Lisboa & Meo Arena
The post ELA Games at SBC Lisbon: New Games, Market Growth, and Awards Night appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
From September 1 to October 31, participants will compete for a pass to the Golden Boomerang Awards and other prizes.
Boomerang Partners, a rapidly growing global affiliate iGaming & Betting Marketing Agency, officially launches the first season of its new tournament, the Golden Boomerang League. All active affiliate partners of Boomerang are enrolled automatically. If you are a newcomer, register on the competition’s landing page.
Each participant has two months (from September 1 to October 31, 2025) to generate 20 sports FTDs on brands from Boomerang’s portfolio and make it to the finalists’ list. The winners will be announced on stage in a solemn atmosphere on the second day of SiGMA Rome, on November 5, 2025, and will receive well-deserved recognition.
What’s at stake
All participants of the Golden Boomerang League who generate 20 sports FTDs will automatically enter the prize draw. A grand prize is a unique, automatic qualification in the third season of the annual global traffic tournament for affiliate teams, the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026, bypassing the competition for the top 30 or inclusion in nominations. GBA is a landmark event for the industry, which not everyone can participate in. It allows Boomerang’s affiliate partners to demonstrate their expertise on a global level, compete for various awards, and attend a large-scale award ceremony at a top location. Additionally, the top performing participants can get “money can’t buy experiences”: participation in exclusive networking events with industry leaders, visits to the iconic San Siro Stadium in Milan, and meetings with AC Milan Legends, such as football icon Andrea Pirlo.
Also, as an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan, Boomerang Partners offers 2x AC Milan Experience. The winners will receive a complete package, including flight, accommodation, and attendance at an AC Milan match at the iconic San Siro Stadium in Milan.
By the way, participants who have qualified for the prize draw will receive a surprise. Keep an eye on the details on the website.
The race has started
There’s not much time – join the Golden Boomerang League, where legends are made, now. Demonstrate your expertise and win automatic access to the elite Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 tournament.
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards — a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Boomerang launched six new products in 2024, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.
Boomerang’s portfolio contains 18+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
The post Boomerang Partners officially launches Golden Boomerang League 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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