Industry News
12 Month of iGaming: A Landscape Analysis
Given the recent circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the gaming and betting industry has seen a huge influx of traffic and attention from consumers, new and old, that are now settling into home-based ways of working.
For the savvy gaming companies that have been making improvements to their sites over the last 12 months, now is a time to thrive. Leaders in this area have used this time to take advantage of scope to attract new customers with innovative marketing tactics, fantastic offers, and an energetic brand. For others however, the next months will likely be a struggle unless they take the necessary steps to amp up their efforts.
In uncertain times, player acquisition remains a vital priority and those who have invested time, energy, money and expertise into this area will likely reap the rewards 10-fold. Given the relevance, we’ve conducted a substantial analysis of the top 50 organic keywords in the UK for the four main sectors of iGaming – Slots, Roulette, Casino, and Poker – to better understand the sites that have seen the biggest improvements over the last 12 months, how they’ve done it, and what their next steps are likely to be over the coming months.
Additionally, through conducting an in-depth situational analysis of the current landscape we are able to better understand the activity that has been rewarded by Google over the last 12 months, while better differentiating between successful strategies and those that will likely deliver underwhelming results.
Slots
The websites that have seen the biggest swing in overall organic visibility over the last 12 months have been increasing their games library but more importantly; increasing the crawlable copy of game pages.
For slot sites that are usually quite Javascript heavy, ensuring all copy is clear and crawlable gives search engines something to work with at first pass and can improve performance long term.
Leading the pack, Admiral Casino has a larger than average amount of text on its game pages and is clearly reaping the rewards with significant uplifts in traffic Y/Y straight into game URLs.
It should also be mentioned that all of these sites were active with link building and typically saw a lead time of about 6 months between starting to build links and seeing serious gains in organic visibility.
Once these improvements began, however, the growth seen in the first six months was again repeated in the subsequent 3 months.
Roulette
The biggest 12-month swings in the Roulette sector has been for sites that have kept a tight focus on the Roulette topic area and supported commercial pages with informational content to grow awareness of their brands.
Leading sites such as Liveroulette.com and 888casino.com can be praised for the informative content and extensive guides targeted towards both first-time depositors and seasoned players.
In addition, leaders in this market must ensure they consider the user journey and are present throughout the conversion funnel, not just at the high-volume terms close to conversion. Focusing on terms such as “how to play” and exploratory informational queries is crucial to nailing that focused topical relevance.
Finally, it is important to note that these are established domains with sizable link profiles with the quality of the most recent links becoming the key differentiating factor. Newcomers looking to succeed in this sector must be both aggressive and smart with their link building strategies to ensure they’re in a position to compete as quickly as possible. Do not be afraid to break the mould with your PR to generate buzz and links that will get the site off to a great start.
Casino
PinkCasino.co.uk has seen a significant level of visibility growth over the last 12 months due to an increase in the number of landing pages on the site but more importantly the copy on game pages has had an overhaul.
Historically, one of the biggest technical challenges in the gaming space is the use of JavaScript and search engines inability to render the content. Useful HTML based web copy has worked as well for Pink Casino, as it has Admiral Casino, previously mentioned. The site is also benefiting from improved internal linking and a streamlining of the site structure.
Some of the domains on this list have also had expired domains with link equity redirected into them. Whilst this can sometimes be used as an effective tactic, it is important to remember that it can also raise flags with Google and should be used sparingly.
Poker
As with Roulette, focus and relevance are key in the Poker rankings. How to play type content and guides perform incredibly well when paired with effective internal and external link strategy.
Partypoker.com has this area nailed down and so it is no surprise to see them growing over 230% in 12 months.
Cardchat.com has also put a significant level of effort into producing content and guides and as a result are visible for nearly twice the number of keywords as pokerstars.com according to SEMrush data. The next step for them, and sites in similar predicaments, is to improve their visibility through good quality link acquisition.
In Conclusion
The gaming and betting markets continue to be one of the most competitive and varied SERPS to operative in.
From our analysis, we see a significant shift from black hat tactics to informative content and PR-led campaigns, which for many sites, is the driving factor behind and increase in strong coverage, brand awareness and long-term rankings.
The future of iGaming is looking quite bright and as the current surge in traffic continues, it is no doubt that current timings favour acquisition. For those looking to capitalise and increase their conversion rates, keep in mind that increased traffic lends itself incredibly well to different forms of testing. Now is a great time to catch and convert as many of those new visits as you can with short test cycles.
From the analysis conducted, the key takeaways for competing in iGaming SERPs in 2020 are as follows:
- Sites that are spending the time and money on creating well written, informative, and user-friendly content are currently reaping the rewards.
- Rather than focusing solely on the high-volume terms, it is crucial for sites in the noted sectors to ensure they’re considering the full user journey and conversion funnel.
- Links remain important but the quality will always trump quantity over time.
With over 13 years of experience in the iGaming and Betting industry, the Blueclaw team are always happy to talk search. For a more focused analysis, or to discuss anything mentioned above, please feel free to get in touch with one of our experts.
Author: Andrew Parker, Performance Director at Blueclaw Media Ltd
Contact: [email protected]
TipRanks, a leading financial research platform with more than 9 million monthly active users, has announced a strategic sponsorship with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, a 5-time US Chess Champion who is currently ranked 2nd in the world. Powered by a new set of AI tools, the partnership is designed to help investors make better, data-driven decisions through the combination of TipRanks’ cutting-edge tools and Nakamura’s strategic mindset.
As part of the partnership, Nakamura will create and manage a Stream Portfolio on TipRanks. Viewers and fans of Hikaru will be able to track his investment research in real time on his widely followed video channels and social media — plus share ideas in the stream chat to help shape the portfolio’s holdings. Working with TipRanks’ award-winning platform, Nakamura will showcase how he evaluates opportunities, while emphasizing that all content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Nakamura’s dominance in chess stems from his ability to absorb vast amounts of information, analyze multiple outcomes and make decisive moves under pressure—skills that closely mirror successful investing.
“TipRanks offers a wide variety of insights on thousands of stocks and equities, helping me to think strategically about all of my investments. Just like in chess, beating the market depends on making wise, fully informed decisions. Harnessing data to think several moves ahead is second nature to me,” said Nakamura.
“While other investing websites might sponsor more popular spectator sports such as soccer, our partnership with a chess champion is pitch perfect. We are tailor-made for investors who seek to act strategically, just like Hikaru does,” said Uri Gruenbaum, Founder and CEO of TipRanks.
The post TipRanks to Become Official Sponsor of 5-Time U.S. Chess Champion Hikaru Nakamura appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PENN Entertainment has officially opened the doors of its new Hollywood Casino Joliet on Monday, August 11.
The $185 million state-of-the-art casino replaces the former riverboat property that operated on the shores of the Des Plaines River since 1992.
Legislators and area dignitaries, Illinois Gaming Board officials, Chicago Bears executives and NFL legend and Joliet native Tom Thayer joined the PENN team members for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Hollywood Casino Joliet then opened to the public at 4:00 p.m. and welcomed guests to experience approximately 1000 of the newest slot machines, 43 table games, a retail ESPN BET sportsbook, upscale national and Chicagoland celebrity-led dining and, above all, a premier guest experience.
“We would like to officially welcome players and guests to the all-new Hollywood Casino Joliet. After approximately 20 months of construction, we are thrilled to open the doors to this land-based entertainment destination. We are proud of our 30-year history in Will County and are committed to continuing our investment in the community by creating new jobs, providing important tax revenue, and serving as a new attraction to bring even more visitors to the area,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment.
“This opening marks an exciting new era of entertainment in Joliet. We’re grateful for the support from the city of Joliet, the Illinois Gaming Board, and our business and community partners who contributed to the successful development of this new property. We look forward to delivering an elevated experience with world class dining, entertainment, and gaming options for patrons across the region,” said Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations for PENN.
The roughly 189,000 square foot entertainment destination employs approximately 600 team members and generated around 450 construction jobs. Open seven days a week and 24 hours a day, the fun and excitement will continue 365 days a year.
The post PENN Entertainment Celebrates Grand Opening of Hollywood Casino Joliet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
SA Gaming has announced that its game portfolio and Remote Gaming Server have officially obtained Gaming Laboratories International certifications in Brazil. This milestone underscores SA Gaming’s commitment to delivering premium gaming experiences, with a particular focus on the Brazilian market. The regulated Brazilian online gaming market, which launched on January 1, 2025, is projected to become the largest in Latin America. Under the new framework, only licensed operators are legally permitted to offer online gaming and betting services.
The National Indian Gaming Commission announced Gross Gaming Revenues of $43.9B for fiscal year 2024. This historic figure reflects a $2.0 billion increase over FY 2023, representing an overall growth of 4.6% across the Indian gaming industry. The GGR figure is calculated from independently audited financial statements from 532 independently audited gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognised tribes across 29 states. Two NIGC regions, Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C., reported double-digit growth over the previous fiscal year.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued cease-and-desist letters to six unlicensed online gambling platforms attempting to target Michigan residents without state authorisation. The action underscores the MGCB’s relentless, ongoing efforts to shut down illegal gambling operations and protect Michigan consumers from financial risk, identity theft and unfair play. The targeted sites—Crypto Slots, NitroBetting, NewVegas, Las Vegas USA Casino, Grand Rush Casino and Slotgard Casino—were found to be operating in violation of Michigan laws that require licensure for internet gaming and sports betting. This enforcement action is part of the MGCB’s larger crackdown on illegal online gambling platforms.
Partnerships
Table Trac Inc announced that a new Nevada casino partner is installing the CasinoTrac CMS system, and a long-time customer is upgrading from its classic system to the latest comprehensive technology stack featuring enhanced capabilities for Loyalty, Bonusing, & Operations. Barton’s Club 93 Casino Hotel, under new ownership, GLM Gaming, as part of a significant property remodel and renovation is upgrading the slot system to CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, which drives player engagement through the programmatic, custom SlotSUITE platform while turbocharging efficiency and time on device with SelfPAY. Border Inn Casino will deploy CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, NV Tech Standard 3-compliant accounting and CTLoyalty for Patron & Club Management, powered by CasinoTrac’s bonusing, auto-tiering and reflexive rewards functions.
Caesars Entertainment Inc announced it is the first in the industry to launch IGT’s newest installment of its beloved slot title, Kitty Glitter Grand. The game is now live across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Ontario. It’s also available at Caesars Rewards destinations in Atlantic City, including Caesars and Harrah’s, with Tropicana set to join the lineup soon, subject to final regulatory approval. This debut marks IGT’s first simultaneous exclusive launch of a game both online and in casinos in the US. As a result, Caesars is currently the only place where fans of the Kitty Glitter franchise can experience this latest installment, whether in person or online.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 4-10 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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