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How European Tax Changes Are Reshaping iGaming Media Budgets in 2025

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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.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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INCENTIVE GAMES AND GOLDBET LAUNCH NEW FREE-TO-PLAY GAME ‘WINNING5’

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Incentive Games, a leading B2B games provider, has partnered with Goldbet, part of the Lottomatica Group Italy’s leading name in online gaming, to launch a new free to play weekly football game, Winning5.

The game gives football fans a chance to visit the Goldbet app each weekday to ‘collect’ a different Seria A team, selected at random, with play bonus slot, spots bonus, and a €2,000 shared jackpot up for grabs depending on how many of their teams win over the weekend.

The more winning teams players collect, the bigger the prize. From smaller wins for two correct results, to the ultimate reward for collecting all five teams, Winning5 offers players an engaging and free way to add fun to the weeks matches.

On game day, players can track their progress through real-time updates, powered by Incentive Games’ specialised data and analytics to deliver a seamless, engaging experience.

This is the first collaboration between Goldbet and Incentive Games as part of the company’s partnership with Lottomatica.

John Gordon, CEO and co-founder of Incentive Games, said, “Winning5 is designed to bring the thrill of weekend football to life, but in a way that’s free-to-play and accessible. We’re thrilled to partner with Goldbet, one of Italy’s most respected gaming brands, to deliver a product that keeps fans engaged and entertained from kick-off to the final whistle.”

Simone Occhiuzzi, Lottomatica Digital & i-Gaming Director, said, “Our objective is to ensure an ever-expanding for-fun offering for our customers. We are proud to have broadened our engagement bouquet with the introduction of Winning5, further enriching our customers’ for-fun experience.”

The game is now live for all eligible Goldbet customers in Italy.

The post INCENTIVE GAMES AND GOLDBET LAUNCH NEW FREE-TO-PLAY GAME ‘WINNING5’ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Future-Ready iGaming: Denis Kosinsky, COO of NuxGame, Discusses AI, Innovation, and Scalable Growth

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Denis Kosinsky, Chief Operating Officer at NuxGame, joins us for an exclusive conversation ahead of HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025.

NuxGame, a leader in delivering powerful B2B iGaming solutions from turnkey casinos and sportsbooks to crypto gaming and modular aggregation, is a General Sponsor of this year’s Congress. With expertise spanning AI personalization, blockchain integration, and real-time analytics, Denis will bring his insights to the EGC panel “Leveraging AI for Competitive Advantage.”

 

Denis, as COO of NuxGame, you coordinate strategic growth and product innovation. What do you see as the most urgent priorities for iGaming operators today?

From our daily work with operators, we see personalization as one of the most urgent priorities in iGaming today. Players expect the same tailored experience they get from platforms like Netflix or Spotify, where everything feels made just for them the moment they log in. We work closely with our operators to make that possible. Whether it’s helping a slot-focused brand surface the right providers or enabling personalized campaigns by player behavior, our goal is to shorten the path from idea to go-live. With access to more than 16,500 games from over 130 providers, integrated loyalty and tier systems, and advanced analytics, operators can test, optimize, and launch personalized experiences quickly without heavy development cycles. This speed to market is critical. When operators can react fast and deliver relevant content at the right time, players stay engaged, retention grows, and brand loyalty follows naturally. That’s exactly where we focus on helping our partners move fast, personalize smarter, and scale sustainably.

NuxGame offers a multitude of solutions: casino, sportsbook, crypto integration, game aggregator. How do you make sure that your platform stays modular and scalable, and still manage to provide a stable experience for operators and players?

Our platform is built on a modular architecture that allows each business unit such as sportsbook, casino, payments, and back office to operate independently while remaining fully connected within a unified ecosystem. This structure ensures a stable and consistent experience for both players and operators, even when new features are introduced or updates are deployed. Each module can be developed, scaled, or maintained separately, which improves reliability and reduces the risk of system-wide issues. Through standardized APIs and controlled data flows, the business units collaborate efficiently while maintaining autonomy, ensuring high performance and a seamless experience across all platform components.

You’ll be joining the panel on AI in iGaming. How do you see artificial intelligence transforming the industry in the next few years – particularly in areas like player personalization, fraud detection, and operational efficiency?

AI is already reshaping iGaming in powerful ways. In fraud detection, it can uncover complex behavior patterns that traditional monitoring often misses, such as linked accounts or unusual bonus activity. These systems continuously learn from platform data, helping operators reduce losses and improve security. Predictive models are also becoming key in decision-making. They forecast player lifetime value, churn risk, and engagement potential, allowing operators to act early with targeted campaigns or retention offers. The same technology supports smarter CRM and marketing, helping teams focus on the players who matter most. Operationally, AI is improving efficiency through automated KYC verification, odds monitoring, and compliance checks. New AI agents now assist with platform configuration and content generation, enabling faster creation of campaigns, layouts, and recommendations. For players, AI brings true personalization. Instead of hundreds of random games, they see the few most relevant titles, offers, and providers. Operators who apply these capabilities effectively will build deeper engagement, trust, and long-term loyalty.

Gamification and blockchain are big parts of the NuxGame strategy. Could you share how these technologies are boosting engagement and retention for your clients?

Gamification and blockchain are redefining how operators drive engagement and retention, and at NuxGame we focus on turning every interaction into a reason for players to stay active. Our Achievements system rewards players for meaningful actions such as first deposits, login streaks, or consistent gameplay, while event-based notifications deliver these rewards at the right moment to sustain excitement. We extend engagement even further with loyalty programs, leaderboards, and platform chat that connects players directly within the gaming environment. Players can celebrate live wins, share achievements, and compete in real time, creating a social layer that strengthens the overall experience. Another popular feature is Spin Wheel, where operators can offer customized rewards ranging from free spins to bonus credits or unique prizes. It adds instant gratification and keeps players returning for another chance to win. Blockchain technology completes this ecosystem by powering fast, secure Web3 wallet onboarding and transparent crypto transactions, building player confidence from the very first interaction. Together, these features create a seamless, rewarding, and community-driven experience that keeps players engaged and operators growing.

With over 16,500+ games from 130+ providers on your platform, content aggregation is obviously your strength. How do you build partnerships that keep your portfolio diverse, compliant, and competitive?

Our goal at NuxGame is to provide operators with the same experience they would have if they integrated directly with each individual game provider, while delivering a much higher level of efficiency, automation, and control. What makes us different is not only the scale of our portfolio, with more than 16,500 games from over 130 providers, but the quality and depth of data we deliver for every game. We go beyond simple content aggregation by sending complete and enriched game metadata through our API. This includes detailed information such as bonus exposure, available provider promotions, tournament participation, and automated big-win checks. Most providers do not share this level of data, which makes it a key advantage for our partners. By providing it through the API, we eliminate a large amount of manual work for operators, simplify campaign management, and allow instant personalization and reporting. It is not just about having a large and diverse game portfolio. It is about giving operators the tools and real-time data they need to create dynamic, localized player experiences and make smarter business decisions. This is the foundation of our approach at NuxGame and what defines us as a true technology partner rather than just an aggregator.

NuxGame has been a pioneer in cryptocurrency integration. How do you balance the opportunities of Web3 with the obstacles of regulation, security, and user adoption in gaming?

Crypto and Web3 offer huge opportunities for iGaming, but success depends on security, compliance, and user experience. At NuxGame, we built our crypto solution to feel familiar to users of leading exchange platforms, with seamless wallet connections, real-time balances, and instant transactions. The system supports BTC, ETH, USDT, and other major assets, with Web3 wallet integration and direct crypto purchases for fast onboarding. For operators, it delivers built-in fraud prevention, risk monitoring, and compliance-ready reporting. This combination of trust, speed, and intuitive UX makes crypto adoption easy for players and expansion safe for operators.

So what’s next for NuxGame? Are there particular markets or partnerships you’re most excited about as you continue to expand?

We are putting a strong focus on the US market, particularly on enabling operators to launch faster within the sweepstakes model. This segment is growing rapidly but comes with complex regulatory and technical requirements. NuxGame is fully prepared for it with dual-currency logic, built-in compliance automation, and a complete payment orchestration layer that eliminates the typical setup delays operators face. Our platform provides a ready-made, legally tested foundation, so clients can go live without spending months on integrations or legal reviews. Combined with affiliate management, engagement tools, and modular scalability, operators can focus on growth rather than setup. The sweepstakes model is a major opportunity in the US, and our goal is to make NuxGame the go-to solution for fast, compliant, and profitable entry into that market.

Thank you, Denis, for sharing your vision and perspective on how technology is shaping the future of iGaming. We’re excited to hear more from you live on stage at the European Gaming Congress 2025!

Join us at the European Gaming Congress 2025 | 30–31 October | Warsaw

Secure your spot, connect with NuxGame, and discover how leading innovators are redefining the industry.

The post Future-Ready iGaming: Denis Kosinsky, COO of NuxGame, Discusses AI, Innovation, and Scalable Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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KingMidas Games and SpinOro Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand Global Reach

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KingMidas Games, a leading iGaming provider, has announced a strategic partnership with SpinOro, a trusted and innovative content aggregator and game provider. The collaboration will see SpinOro take up KingMidas Games’ portfolio of high-quality and cutting-edge titles, and distribute them to operators across Europe, Latin America, and other key markets worldwide.

Through this partnership, operators connected to SpinOro’s aggregation platform will gain access to KingMidas Games’ diverse catalogue of immersive experiences, ranging from next-gen titles and exclusive IP-driven content to classic and feature-rich slot offerings. The integration is expected to go live in late 2025.

“This partnership with SpinOro reflects our shared ambition to connect global operators with premium and differentiated gaming experiences,” commented Sean Auret, Global Head at KingMidas Games. “SpinOro’s reputation for trust, reliability, and innovation makes them an ideal partner as we continue expanding our presence across key markets. Together, we’re creating opportunities for operators to deliver content that speaks to local audiences while maintaining global appeal.”

Jeff Letlat, COO, SpinOro, added: “KingMidas Games’ reputation for bold ideas and next-generation creativity complements our own commitment to bringing operators a portfolio that feels both innovative and commercially impactful. By adding their unique style and forward-thinking titles, we’re not only enriching the variety available to our partners but also ensuring players gain access to experiences designed for the digital-native generation. It’s exactly the kind of collaboration that keeps our platform fresh, diverse, and future-ready.”

The collaboration highlights both companies’ dedication to quality, innovation, and growth in an increasingly competitive iGaming landscape. By combining KingMidas Games’ creative game development with SpinOro’s extensive distribution network and technical expertise, the partnership aims to bring players around the world closer to the next generation of entertainment experiences.

The post KingMidas Games and SpinOro Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand Global Reach appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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