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European Gaming Q3 Meetup: B2B Social Media Strategy & Future-proofing Casino Products

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Social media success – Creating a successful B2B Strategy

Social media is now a key channel for brand visibility. But what makes a social media strategy successful for a B2B company in the iGaming sector? Which platforms are essential? Should your approach be strictly corporate, or is there room for a lighter touch? Who’s leading the way?

These and more were the burning questions that the panelists discussed in the European Gaming Q3 Virtual Meetup 2024, debating content, style, and channels for the optimal iGaming B2B social media strategy.

Moderator and HIPTHER Co-founder, Zoltán Tűndik, welcomed experts Dorota Gruszka – Marketing Manager at Booming Games, Tereza Melicharkova – Head of Marketing at Swintt, and Katya Machuganova – Gaming Product & Partnership Manager at Silverback Gaming, to discuss social media strategies for B2B companies, focusing on engagement, brand exposure, and the potential impact of emerging technologies.

Social Media Strategies for B2B iGaming Companies

The panelists highlighted the importance of engagement, brand exposure, clear objectives, and meaningful success metrics beyond vanity metrics.

Dorota Gruszka emphasized the importance of setting clear goals from the start to measure success. While engagement is key, the real magic happens when you evoke emotions that make your audience remember you.

For Tereza Melicharkova, the success of a campaign is reflected in the Word-of-Mouth factor – when people talk about it even beyond social media.

Katya Machuganova explained that a winning campaign is more than just likes & shares; it’s about building brand awareness and reaching new audiences. In the B2B space, seeing ROI and clearly expressing your company’s values are crucial.

Exploring Social Media Strategies and Challenges

Our experts discussed all aspects of social media marketing and communications: Tereza mentioned examples of campaigns and praised the successful Swinttopia campaign. Dorota emphasized evoking emotions and reminded us of the value of a dedicated website to lead your audience to. Katya discussed key content types for building brand awareness: promotional, personality, educational, and conversational. The team stressed consistency, authenticity, targeting the right audience, and attracting talent.

Social Media Channels: No ‘One Size Fits All’

Regarding the growing popularity of alternative channels like Telegram and fitness apps such as Strava for branding and socializing, the panel agreed that discretion is crucial. Companies should be cautious about adding yet another notification to the already busy devices of modern professionals. The team also discussed the challenges and potential solutions for managing communication across multiple social media platforms, with a focus on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Evidently, LinkedIn, as the primary professional medium/network, is the place to be for iGaming companies; however, targeting should be taken into consideration when selecting a company’s social media channels. The discussion also touched on the importance of tailoring content to each platform and the changes to the LinkedIn user experience.

Balancing Professionalism and Personality in Social Media

Katya, Dorota, Tereza, and Zoltan explored the matter of the right balance between professionalism and personality in social media presence for companies. How “human” and “light-hearted” companies are allowed to be nowadays? It’s becoming clear that authentic and human-centric content elicits engagement, attracts interest, showcases the values and purpose of a company and helps attract talent. The panel emphasized the importance of a variety of content, authenticity, and tracking KPIs to maintain engagement and relevance. The group also discussed the potential impact of emerging technologies like AI, augmented reality, and extended reality on social media campaigns.

AI, Reality, and Future Casino Products

But what about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact?. Dorota expressed her enthusiasm for AI and its potential benefits, while Tereza and Katya showed some apprehension about its potential to replace human workers. The team also discussed the potential of augmented and extended reality, with Tereza expressing uncertainty about its practical applications.

Designing Casino Products for the Future Player

The second panel of the Meetup saw Zoltan welcoming Brandt Page – CEO at Bitblox, Keith Goddard – CEO at Blaze Gaming, Nemanja Živić – Head of Games at Booming Games, Anthony Oh – Co-Founder at Red Desert Games, to discuss the best ways to future-proof casino products in the contemporary iGaming industry.

Brandt introduced Bitblox Games’ focus on creating unique games that combine skill and chance, with a particular emphasis on the crypto and web 3.0 markets. Keith from Blaze Gaming, a company with a 15+ year history in the gaming industry, highlighted their studio’s primary focus on building casino products and their strategy of distributing these games to a global market. Anthony from Red Desert Games, a relatively young studio, shared their intention to differentiate themselves from typical slot companies by offering something unique. Nemanja from Booming Games, a provider of online slot content, mentioned their plan to expand towards instant win games and other products.

Creating Engaging Content for Regional Markets

The panelists unanimously stressed the importance of crafting engaging and localized content tailored to different regional markets. Keith emphasized the need to understand cultural preferences and to adapt game mechanics, artwork, and features accordingly. Anthony underscored the value of analyzing player data, tracking popular games, and experimenting with new concepts. Nemanja advocated for a blend of internal data, market research, and team expertise to develop captivating games. On the topic of innovation, Keith recommended striking a balance between integrating new features and maintaining the success of existing games, while Brandt proposed incorporating interactive elements and exploring emerging technologies like Web3 for future growth.

Balancing Innovation and Core Elements in Games

The panel delved into the challenge of balancing innovation with core elements in game development. Keith, Anthony, Nemanja, and Brandt agreed that while new technology and mechanics are important, they should be built upon existing successful titles and player feedback. They also highlighted the significance of player experience and the need to solve problems with new technology. The team emphasized the importance of future-proofing their titles and products, with a focus on incremental innovation and doubling down on successful mechanics.

Entertainment Value, Innovations, and Future-Proofing of Casino Products

Keith emphasized the importance of entertainment value in their products and the role of operators as their clients. He highlighted the need for technical innovations to drive entertainment and the significance of considering regulation and market changes. Anthony added that future-proofing a game is challenging due to changing player preferences, market environments, and regulations. He suggested focusing on game mechanics and player feedback as crucial factors in future-proofing. Both agreed on the necessity of having a diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.

iGaming Industry Trends and Regulations

The panelists also discussed current trends impacting product development in the gaming industry. Brandt mentioned the need for off-chain processing due to scalability issues with blockchain platforms like Solana. Keith highlighted the rise of lightweight, customizable games, sweepstakes models, and new genres like trading games. Anthony pointed to the increasing number of new studios entering the market, especially in newly regulated jurisdictions. Nemanja expects a mix of established products alongside lighter, faster-loading games and an influence from changing regulations.

Watch the European Gaming Q3 Meetup recording on YouTube and HIPTHER TV!

Take note of these insights and get ready to upgrade our social media and game development strategies! Up Next: The European Gaming Q4 Virtual Meetup will be hitting your screens in November 2024 with even more valuable insights and updates.

The post European Gaming Q3 Meetup: B2B Social Media Strategy & Future-proofing Casino Products appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NCPG Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Results and Board Leadership

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has announced the newly elected members of its Board of Directors, as well as the slate of officers who will lead the organization for the upcoming year.

Following the annual election in June, NCPG members voted to elect the following individuals to serve on the Board of Directors from 2025 to 2028:

• Diana Goode – Affiliates Seat

• Wiley Harwell – Affiliates Seat

• Lori Manson – Affiliates Seat

• Glenn Yamagata – Affiliates Seat

• Jamie McKelvey – Organizations Seat

• Amanda Quintana – Organizations Seat

• Brian Ward – Individuals Seat

Glenn Yamagata and Jamie McKelvey will serve a two-year term from 2025 to 2027.

In addition, the Board has elected the following officers to lead NCPG for the 2025–26 term:

• President: Derek Longmeier, Executive Director, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio

• Vice President: Christina Gray, Executive Director, Indiana Council on Problem Gambling

• Secretary: Wiley Harwell, Executive Director, Oklahoma Council on Problem Gambling and Gaming

• Treasurer: Amanda Quintana, Player Health Manager, Colorado Lottery

The Board’s esteemed leadership and expertise are instrumental in fostering NCPG membership, shaping policies, implementing strategies, and attaining organizational objectives. By leveraging their subject matter knowledge, skills, and experience, Board members are dedicated to serving all NCPG stakeholders through the development of comprehensive policies and programs for all those affected by problem gambling.

The post NCPG Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Results and Board Leadership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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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.

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IGT Celebrates Milestone Achievement

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IGT has hosted a special customer event to celebrate a 2500-plus unit installment milestone in Spain’s Amusement with Prize (AWP) salones sector.

Presented in partnership with gaming distributor Orenes Grupo, the event was held at the historic Retuerta LeDomaine Hotel in Valladolid, Spain. IGT representatives were onsite to demonstrate the Company’s Salones Espana multi-level progressive (MLP) portfolio featuring the high-performing Diamond Mania and Treasure Box Link games on the BINTIA 27 cabinet.

“IGT was thrilled to bring our customers together in a world-class venue to demonstrate our top-performing MLP innovations and celebrate our growth in Spain’s Salones Sector. As reflected by our 2500-plus unit installment milestone, IGT is committed to building a successful roadmap in Spain by delivering market-attuned MLP experiences that align with localized player preferences,” said Marilu Aldana, IGT Director of Sales, Western Europe and Africa.

The post IGT Celebrates Milestone Achievement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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