Case Study: iGaming Operator Reduces CPA by 40% Across 8 Markets

Client: Multi-Market iGaming Operator · Duration: 8 months · Platforms: Google Ads, Meta Ads, TikTok

The Challenge

An established online casino and sports betting operator was struggling with rising acquisition costs across their core markets (UK and Malta). Their first-time depositor (FTD) CPA had increased 60% over 18 months due to intensifying competition and platform policy changes. They needed to reduce CPA whilst simultaneously expanding into new regulated markets, a dual challenge that required both operational optimisation and compliance infrastructure.

The operator held licences in 8 jurisdictions but was only actively advertising in 2. Previous attempts to expand had been blocked by account suspensions and compliance failures on advertising platforms.

Our Strategy

Certified Multi-Platform Accounts

We deployed gambling-certified advertising accounts across Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok for each target market. Each account was pre-approved for gambling advertising in the specific jurisdiction, with proper compliance documentation and responsible gambling integrations.

Geo-Targeted Compliance Framework

We built a market-specific compliance framework covering 8 jurisdictions: UK (UKGC), Malta (MGA), Spain (DGOJ), Germany (GGL), Sweden (Spelinspektionen), Canada (Ontario), Brazil, and Colombia. Each market had customised ad copy with appropriate responsible gambling messaging, localised landing pages with required disclaimers, and geo-fenced targeting to only serve ads in licensed territories.

FTD-Optimised Campaign Structure

We restructured campaigns to optimise for first-time deposits rather than registrations. Using the Conversions API on Meta and Enhanced Conversions on Google, we passed back FTD events with deposit value data. This trained platform algorithms to target users with genuine deposit intent, not just users who would create accounts and never deposit.

Creative Strategy by Market

We developed market-specific creative strategies. UK campaigns emphasised premium brand positioning and responsible gambling. LatAm campaigns focused on sign-up bonuses and game variety. Nordic markets used restrained, compliance-first messaging. TikTok campaigns leveraged creator partnerships for authentic gaming content.

Results After 8 Months

• 40% CPA reduction blended FTD CPA dropped from $85 to $51 across all markets
• 2.8x FTD volume monthly first-time depositors grew from 4,200 to 11,800
• 8 active markets expanded from 2 to 8 regulated jurisdictions with full compliance
• $1.4M monthly spend - tripled budget whilst improving efficiency
• Zero compliance incidents - no regulatory flags or platform suspensions across any market
• TikTok emerged as #2 channel - 28% of FTDs came from TikTok campaigns, the fastest-growing channel

Key Takeaways

Compliance-first operations enable scale. Building proper compliance infrastructure upfront, with certified accounts, market-specific landing pages, and localised responsible gambling messaging, eliminated the account suspensions that had previously blocked expansion.

FTD optimisation transforms unit economics. Optimising for deposits rather than registrations eliminated 40-60% of low-quality leads that consumed budget without generating revenue.

Market diversification reduces risk. Operating across 8 markets meant no single market represented more than 25% of total FTD volume, reducing exposure to any individual market's regulatory changes or competitive dynamics.