There are plenty of ways to promote gambling offers, including native ads, email campaigns, teasers, and other traffic sources that direct users to a pre-landing page. However, all these methods share one major issue — strict moderation and the constant need for workarounds, with the added risk of account bans.

To overcome such challenges, webmasters have increasingly turned to mobile apps, which can generate as many, if not more, leads than pre-landers. In this guide, the experts at 888STARZ Partners will delve into what affiliate apps are, the different types available, how to acquire them, and review the five best options for driving traffic to betting offers.

What are affiliate marketing apps?

In affiliate marketing, apps are mobile programs installed on users’ smartphones or tablets, specifically designed to promote gambling offers. These apps often function as fully operational casinos, enabling deposits, withdrawals, and offering mini-games such as slots, roulette, or poker. In some cases, they serve as promotional tools, embedding links to online casinos while offering extra features to engage users and drive traffic back to the main platform.

Types of apps for traffic generation

There are three primary types of mobile apps used to promote gambling offers: Native, Webview, and PWA. Each type differs in its implementation, development complexity, and conversion potential. Let’s dive deeper into each one.

Native applications  

Native apps are the classic mobile applications found on popular platforms like Google Play or the App Store. These apps don’t require an internet connection to function, allowing players to enjoy offline activities such as spinning slots, making sport bets, etc. However, an internet connection is still needed for account top-ups and website access.

Due to deeper integration with the device, these applications can access data such as geolocation and biometrics, and they can also be used to send push notifications directly to the player’s smartphone.

Native apps in Google Play to promote gambling offers. Source: Google Play.

Native apps tend to build more trust among users compared to PWAs or Webview apps. They load quickly, perform smoothly, and are generally well-optimized. However, developing a native app demands significant time and financial investment. Additionally, since they must pass App Store and Google Play moderation, techniques like cloaking cannot be used, making their approval challenging. And even when approved, native gambling apps are frequently removed, resulting in developer account bans.

Another challenge is that if the developer account isn’t properly warmed up before publishing, it will likely be blocked immediately after the app is taken down. Due to the high development costs and the inevitability of platform bans, native apps are rarely used for gambling promotion.

Webview applications  

Essentially, a Webview is a website embedded within a mobile application. Here’s how it works: once the app is installed through an official platform, all user actions are sent as requests either to an HTML file within the app or to a remote server. Webview apps have the advantage of easily bypassing moderation, thanks to their ability to use cloaking. As a result, they tend to remain on app marketplaces longer — often for weeks or even up to a month.

Webview apps can also be promoted on platforms with strict ad policies, like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other social networks. These apps offer the same benefits as native apps, but they’re less complex to develop, cost less, and can even be rented from specialized services.

However, running Webview campaigns requires “warming up” your account to avoid a block after the app is banned. Additionally, since Webview apps are always connected to a website, they need an internet connection and tend to load slower than native apps.

Harrah’s online casino webview app. Source: Apps.Apple.

PWA applications (Progressive Web App)

PWAs and Webview apps are quite similar in terms of implementation, as both are tied to websites. The key difference is that while Webview apps embed the website directly inside the app, PWAs are essentially links to a website, designed to look and feel like a mobile app. 

To set up a PWA, you’ll need to purchase a separate domain, as they can’t be uploaded to official app stores. Instead, you’ll have to find alternative platforms or fake app stores that mimic the App Store or Google Play. However, exercise caution when using these alternative platforms, as some are unreliable or even fraudulent, putting your app at risk of being permanently lost.

PWAs tend to generate less trust among users, are optimized only for Android, and have the lowest conversion rates compared to other app types. That said, they remain popular because they’re the easiest to create, cost the least, and are often offered for free by affiliate programs.

Example of a fake Google Play page with PWA app. Source: 66pwa.

Why are mobile apps so popular?

We’ve outlined the specifics of each app type, but beyond their unique pros and cons, all of them share common advantages that make them so popular for promoting gambling offers:

• Easier moderation:

Platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, TikTok, and Instagram typically prohibit online casino promotions, often blocking ads that link to gambling landing pages. However, when promoting gambling through mobile apps, these platforms tend to be more lenient, and ads are less likely to be banned. This removes the need for complex cloaking techniques or the use of anti-detect browsers.

• Mobile traffic popularity:

The share of mobile traffic in affiliate marketing has grown significantly over the past few years. Today, almost all users respond to ads and play online casinos from their smartphones. As a result, gamblers have shown increased interest in gambling apps due to their convenience and interactive elements.

• Push notification campaigns:

Mobile apps can integrate a feature to send push notifications to users’ smartphones, informing them about special offers, promotions, and other updates. This not only boosts first-deposit conversions but also helps retain players to casino and betting.

• Higher trust levels:

Users are familiar with how easy it is to create a landing page, and many of these landing pages are used to promote unreliable or even scammy products. Apps, on the other hand, are harder to create and often require a significant investment and professional expertise. As a result, there are far fewer spammy platforms operating through apps, which increases user trust.

How to obtain apps?

As we’ve seen, mobile apps are effective for promoting online casinos and betting sites, but the process of acquiring them can be more complex than simply setting up a landing page. Depending on the type of app, there are different methods for obtaining one, ranging from easy to more challenging. Here’s a breakdown of the main ways to acquire mobile apps:

• • Via affiliate programs.
    Many affiliate programs specializing in gambling and betting niches often provide webmasters with PWA apps as promotional materials for their offers. Apps from affiliate programs come optimized for specific GEOs and can include custom features upon request;

• App rentals. 

There are various services that allow you to rent mobile apps for gambling promotions. You can either choose from an available catalog or request a customized app. This method removes the need for development or ongoing maintenance. However, you’ll need to pay a one-time fee or a per-download fee (typically a few cents per download). Popular rental services include iRent, ZM Apps, Trident Rent, Wild Wild Apps, [FBM] Apps;

• App builders. 

If you prefer to create an app yourself, there are app builders that allow you to design gambling traffic apps using pre-made templates. While these platforms can generate high-quality apps in just a few days, they are expensive, with prices reaching thousands of dollars. The functionality of these apps may be more limited than custom-built apps but can still serve most purposes.

• Custom development. 

Custom development is the most expensive and time-consuming option for creating gambling apps. Freelancers typically charge high fees, and since apps are often removed from stores, you’ll need to commission new ones regularly, which can become costly. While larger teams may have in-house developers, most webmasters can’t afford to hire full-time professionals. Custom development is best suited for offers that require unique features or specifications.

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