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PR-fueled iGaming strategies lead to 30% higher conversion post-privacy shift
With third-party cookies on their way out and user-level tracking becoming less reliable by the month, iGaming marketers are being forced to rethink how they build performance.
The shift has exposed deep cracks in traditional acquisition strategies. Attribution models are fading. CACs are climbing. And data-driven targeting no longer works the way it used to. As a result, one trend is taking center stage: performance works better when awareness comes first.
Across the iGaming industry, growth teams are rediscovering that PR, media buying, and brand-building aren’t vanity plays. They’re clean, compliant, and increasingly essential levers that drive real conversion – especially when user-level data is off the table.
At RockApp, we’ve seen this shift play out across multiple markets and verticals.
Performance Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum
The traditional approach to iGaming performance marketing is ruthlessly optimized: creatives A/B tested down to pixel placement, traffic sources ranked by ROI, and every conversion event tracked. But in today’s data-fragmented ecosystem, even the best-optimized campaign can stall if users don’t recognize or trust the brand behind the offer.
That’s where earned media – and strategic media buying – start pulling their weight in new ways.
According to Think with Google, users exposed to both brand-building ads and performance campaigns are 2x more likely to convert than those who see only one or the other. In our experience, the effect is even more pronounced in privacy-restricted environments, where brand trust becomes a conversion lever, not just a UX concern.
The Awareness-Conversion Loop
In multiple campaigns RockApp has supported for iGaming brands entering new markets, we’ve observed a consistent pattern: strategic media exposure – whether through earned coverage, sponsored content, or thought leadership – primes audiences and lifts downstream performance.
To validate this trend, we recently conducted an internal study comparing two iGaming operators – Brand A and Brand B – both entering the same market with near-identical user flows: similar registration forms, interface logic, site structure, and acquisition funnels.
Brand A had active media presence in the region: ongoing PR coverage in vertical media, sports sponsorship deals with local clubs, and participation in relevant offline events. Brand B, although an established name in other regions, had no media activity or brand presence in the local market at the time of launch.
The performance delta was striking.
- Brand A achieved a registration-to-deposit (reg2dep) conversion rate of 48%
- Brand B reached just 26% – almost half
The only significant difference: Brand A was visible, trusted, and familiar to the audience – Brand B wasn’t.
“We consistently see that performance campaigns supported by active PR in the target region outperform standalone campaigns by at least 30%,” says Khanikian Dmitriy, CMO at RockApp. “This becomes especially evident in mid-funnel metrics like reg2dep, where user hesitation can make or break profitability. When users recognize the brand – because they’ve seen it in the media or associated with local sports – they convert faster and with more confidence.”
Sports sponsorships in particular proved to be a powerful lever. By aligning with culturally relevant teams and events, Brand A tapped into existing emotional loyalty, which translated into commercial action. These touchpoints created a steady flow of earned impressions that enhanced performance media, rather than competing with it.
Additionally, PR-led visibility drove a measurable increase in organic traffic. Branded search queries and direct visits rose during campaign peaks, indicating that users were not only clicking on paid ads – but also actively seeking out the brand. This broadens top-of-funnel reach and reduces dependency on high-cost user acquisition channels.
The takeaway: media exposure isn’t just about awareness – it’s an input into conversion.
From Vanity to Utility: Rethinking Media Buys in a Cookieless World
A common misconception is that media buying is just about impressions. In truth, when layered with performance goals, it becomes a strategic asset, especially in a world where deterministic tracking is fading.
Smart buys in content networks, programmatic placements in relevant environments, and even native sponsorships act as pre-conversion touchpoints. They reach users early, before they enter the performance funnel, and shape perception at moments attribution platforms can’t see.
A 2023 study by Pathmatics showed that iGaming brands investing consistently in upper-funnel media saw a 1.5x higher ROAS on performance campaigns compared to those that didn’t.
In a privacy-first market, the logic is simple: you may not be able to track every step, but you can influence every outcome.
What This Means for iGaming Marketers
As user-level tracking degrades and campaign measurement becomes less reliable, growth teams need to think beyond the click. PR and media exposure are no longer peripheral – they’re central to performance strategy.
At RockApp, we’ve adjusted our UA approach to integrate upstream planning with media and PR teams. The results: lower CAC, higher retention, and more resilient campaign performance across regulated and privacy-conscious markets.
So what can iGaming marketers do right now?
- Map your funnel touchpoints beyond attribution. Awareness matters even when you can’t track it.
- Align media buying and PR efforts with performance goals – not after the fact, but during planning.
- Invest in brand signals like sports sponsorships, thought leadership, and earned media. They work when pixels can’t.
In a privacy-first world, performance doesn’t start with a click – it starts with trust.
And trust is built upstream.
The post PR-fueled iGaming strategies lead to 30% higher conversion post-privacy shift appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children send strong message on inclusion through continued partnership
The Kaizen Foundation participates in UEFA Foundation for Children’s 10th Anniversary celebration, supporting amputee football and raising awareness about inclusion through sport. The partnership will expand into the summer through the “Legacy for the Future” project.
Kaizen Foundation, the Social Purpose Foundation funded exclusively by Kaizen Gaming, is announcing its participation in the 10th Anniversary celebrations of the UEFA Foundation for Children. During the celebrations, the Kaizen Foundation will be sponsoring a showcase match of two amputee teams with players from Greece, England and Poland at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon on April 28th at 15:30-16:45 CEST. This will be followed by a dedicated cup ceremony.
The focus of the celebrations – held in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation’s partners Football Is More and the European Amputee Football Federation – is inclusion in sports. The amputee football match offers a unique opportunity to witness the incredible spirit and talent of amputee athletes as they compete for the trophy. Highlighting the importance of inclusion in football, the game is guaranteed to captivate the audience and showcase football’s unifying power.
In addition, the Kaizen Foundation will be supporting a Conference on Inclusion to discuss football’s role in social responsibility and inclusion. Happening at the Chateau de Bossey, scheduled to take place earlier on the same day at 11.00 – 12.30 CEST, the conference will feature high-profile guests, including Prof. Dr. Jürgen Buschmann from the German Sports University of Cologne.
Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children expand their partnership into the “Legacy for the Future” project
Excitingly, the Kaizen Foundation is also announcing the expansion of its successful partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children by supporting the “Legacy for the Future” project, aiming to leave a lasting legacy which fosters the empowerment of girls and women in countries from the UEFA participating national associations.
Within the framework of this partnership, Kaizen Foundation shall support initiatives undertaken by Τhe UEFA Foundation for Children across Portugal, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. The initiatives aim to empower girls and women to dismantle barriers in football and beyond, namely in education, legal rights and access to sport. Said initiatives will be associated with the respective women’s national teams, in order to enhance visibility and promote collective social responsibility.
This builds on the Kaizen Foundation’s inaugural partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children to support the “10,000 Smiles” project, which provided 10,000 UEFA EURO 2024™ match tickets to associations working with vulnerable children. As part of the expansion of this partnership, Kaizen Foundation shall donate €300,000 to further aid the UEFA Foundation for Children’s aims and ambitions.
“It’s a great honour to be part of the UEFA Foundation for Children’s 10th Anniversary celebrations,” said Panos Konstantopoulos, President of the Kaizen Foundation. “By championing inclusion through the amputee match, we hope to inspire clubs and communities across Europe and the globe to take meaningful steps toward breaking down barriers. The UEFA Foundation for Children does extraordinary work, and we are thrilled to expand our partnership into the Legacy for the Future project, supporting local charities with the mission to dismantle barriers for girls in and out of sports. Our joint initiatives are a powerful reminder that nothing should stand in the way of what people can achieve, regardless of who they are or where they come from.”
“Football has an extraordinary power to bring everybody together. Partnering with organisations like the Kaizen Foundation is key to building a movement that drives real impact and leaves a lasting legacy,” said Carine N’koué, General Secretary of UEFA Foundation for Children. “Not only are we celebrating our 10th Anniversary together, but by deepening our collaboration with the Legacy for the Future project, we can continue to build on our mission to use the power of football to unite and bring joy to millions of disadvantaged children around the world.”
The post Kaizen Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children send strong message on inclusion through continued partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Fanatics Sportsbook Is the Fastest Growing Sportsbook in America – and Is Expanding Its FanCash and Fair Play Initiatives
Awarded $750k in FanCash last Week and Extended Fair Play Protection to First Half for NBA Playoffs |
Since its inception, Fanatics Sportsbook has been able to set itself apart from the competition with customer-first initiatives like FanCash Drops and Fair Play. Fanatics Sportsbook has expanded those efforts with the launch of the brand-new FanCash Drop game and an exclusive extension of the Fair Play policy from the first quarter to the first half for all games throughout the NBA Playoffs. Fanatics Sportsbook, now the fastest growing sportsbook in America*, recently debuted FanCash Drop, a new game giving customers the chance to win up to $10k in FanCash.** Last week, Fanatics Sportsbook awarded more than $750k in FanCash as part of the new FanCash Drop game. With 75% of sportsbook customers using FanCash and up to 10% of FanCash being redeemed each month on Fanatics.com and the Fanatics app, FanCash has become a major reason for customers to choose Fanatics Sportsbook. FanCash Drop will be available to sportsbook customers every Friday, and prizing will vary each week. Fanatics Sportsbook customers have enjoyed more than $6 million in winning payouts thanks to Fair Play since the start of the football season. Every year during the NBA playoffs, the game’s brightest stars rise to meet the moment, so it’s only fitting that Fanatics Sportsbook does the same, with an exclusive Fair Play protection extension from the first quarter to the first half for the entire NBA Playoffs. Fair Play will kick in whether it’s a straight, parlay or Same Game Parlay (SGP). In addition, Fanatics Sportsbook will introduce the Fair Play Hub in the app, where customers can track live player news and Fair Play payouts. Customers can download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on iOS and Android and for up to date news and information on Fair Play follow the Fanatics Sportsbook social channels on X @FanaticsBook and on Instagram @FanaticsSportsbook.
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Vixio’s Chief Analyst James Kilsby Honored As Silver Stevie® Award Winner In 2025 American Business Awards®
Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, is proud to announce that James Kilsby, Chief Analyst, has been named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Thought Leader of the Year – Business category in the 23rd Annual American Business Awards®. The American Business Awards are the United States’ premier business awards program.
Kilsby was honored for his impactful leadership in providing intelligence on regulatory and compliance trends affecting the global gambling industry, particularly in emerging markets like Brazil. In an industry where compliance monitoring is cumbersome, his analysis, forecasts, and deep expertise help take the complexity out of compliance. His work in 2024 included in-depth analysis of the new regulated Brazilian gambling market and the launch of Vixio’s Technical Compliance Tool.
Roseanne Spagnuolo, Chief Research & Data Officer, Vixio, said: “James’ contributions to the gambling industry and to Vixio are significant. Some of the world’s biggest brands trust Vixio to monitor regulatory developments affecting their licences and identify new market and product opportunities. James’ expertise, especially in emerging markets in the Americas such as Brazil, is a significant contributor to those efforts.”
“I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from the American Business Awards,” said James Kilsby, Chief Analyst, Vixio. “This award is a reflection of the trust our clients place in us and the incredible team at Vixio that brings clarity to such a complex and fast-moving global industry. As jurisdictions like Brazil evolve, our mission remains the same: to empower organizations with the intelligence they need to navigate compliance challenges confidently and responsibly.”
Stevie® judges praised Kilsby’s clear and actionable insights in an often opaque industry. One judge said: “James Kilsby has demonstrated exceptional thought leadership in the gambling compliance sector. His deep expertise in gambling regulations, particularly in emerging markets like Brazil, has positioned him as a key industry voice. His contributions include high-impact research, frequent media appearances, and direct influence on product innovation, notably with Vixio’s Technical Compliance Tool.”
Another judge added: “The gambling industry is often an opaque field where it is hard to understand what is and what is not allowed. James’s ability to provide clarity in this area and use that to support compliance and responsible gambling are commendable.”
More than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories.
“Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. “The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work. We congratulate all of the winners in the 2025 ABAs and look forward to celebrating their achievements during our June 10 gala event in New York.”
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 10.
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2025 Stevie winners are available at StevieAwards.com/ABA.
To learn more about simplifying compliance management with Vixio’s award-winning regulatory intelligence solutions, visit vixio.com.
The post Vixio’s Chief Analyst James Kilsby Honored As Silver Stevie® Award Winner In 2025 American Business Awards® appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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