From click to comeback: The CRM strategies driving iGaming retention - Part 1
In iGaming, winning a new player is just the first bet. Keeping them is where the real game begins. While player acquisition may grab the headlines, retention is what builds sustainable success. CRM in iGaming has shifted from generic “batch-and-blast” promotions to precision-driven strategies that meet players where they are, in real time, across multiple channels, and with a clear focus on loyalty.
SiGMA News gained exclusive insights from Alec Gehlot, Senior Solutions Engineer at Optimove and an iGaming specialist in retention and engagement, who told us the change is overdue. This interview forms Part 1 of a two-part series on CRM in iGaming, which begins by exploring the barriers, adoption gaps, and regulatory pressures that operators face today.
“A lot of operators have made real progress, moving past generic campaigns and understanding that good retention starts with having a team focused purely on CRM,” he says. “But one issue still crops up way too often – the tech stack isn’t built for independence. If your CRM team needs to chase the BI team every day just to get a report or run a campaign, something’s not working.”
CRM in iGaming is breaking from the old playbook
Alec sees two distinct groups still tied to legacy automation, and the risks are clear.
“First, you’ve got early-stage operators who are new to CRM. They often don’t know what’s out there, haven’t done the research, or end up buying the wrong solution for their needs.
“Second, you’ve got the Tier 1 giants, operators who’ve been around forever, made a lot of money doing things a certain way, and find change painfully slow once the cracks start to show.
“In some cases, the internal complexity and bureaucracy are so overwhelming that even when everyone agrees change is needed, executing it is next to impossible.”
Alec points to fresh data to anchor expectations. He references Optimove’s July 2025 iGaming Pulse review, which analysed more than 21 million player records, showing how sharp the drop-offs can be between first and second-month activity, as well as how session frequency and product mix correlate with retention.
He also cites a 2023 Forrester survey of over 900 B2C marketers, highlighting data quality and team capacity as the top blockers to personalisation. The message is blunt enough for any P&L owner: even operators doing many things right still struggle to make the leap from theory to repeatable uplift.
Retention gains are real but not guaranteed
Many operators at the smaller end of the market are also finding it easier to access modern CRM. Onboarding processes are lighter, campaign support is more flexible, and entry barriers that once kept these tools in the hands of only the largest brands are beginning to fall.
“There’s long been a perception that high-end CRM tools are only for the largest operators,” Alec says. “That view is starting to shift, with more accessible options now reaching newer and smaller brands earlier in their development.”
Boyd Interactive’s Stardust online casino, launched in spring 2023, shows how retention can drive lasting value. Alec notes that, between January and December 2024, the number of unique monthly players more than tripled, while the number of unique depositors rose by 37 percent. Net revenue climbed 51 percent over the same period, with total betting and deposit volumes each up by more than 6 percent. The data shows players weren’t just sticking around. Their value and engagement levels were climbing.
Case studies highlight lasting player value
However, not every operator sees a dramatic uplift simply by adopting an advanced CRM. The outcome depends on several factors.
The first is the team. If marketers aren’t confident in the system, results will lag behind those of operators with trained, engaged staff. Operators boost CRM performance when they invest in ongoing training, build transparent internal processes, and share knowledge across teams.
The second is data. Advanced systems need detailed, reliable inputs, and when that isn’t available, personalisation quickly stalls. Even the most powerful platform cannot deliver its full potential without a strong data foundation.
Local market rules also shape what’s possible. Belgium’s ban on bonuses and incentives strips out one of the main tools for personalisation. In other jurisdictions, deposit and loss limits dictate how often and how much operators can engage with players.
In short, uplift is achievable, but only when the team is equipped, the data is solid, and the regulatory environment allows operators to apply CRM in iGaming at full strength.
During a conversation at SiGMA Asia earlier in 2025, Alec shared critical insights into how the company empowers iGaming operators across Asia to navigate the complexities of customer relationship management (CRM) with strategic precision.
Tier 1 operators and regulators set the limits
At the other end of the scale, established operators are finding ways to modernise legacy CRM systems. Alec says the same principles apply whether the operator is an emerging brand or a long-established market leader. But software alone isn’t enough for Tier 1 operators. This, Alec adds, is where the right in-house skills and partner support can turn implementation into genuine transformation.
FDJ United, the group behind Unibet and 32Red, went from a six-week campaign turnaround to less than 24 hours, from idea to inbox, he explains. “What used to take seven separate teams can now be done by one CRM manager, end to end.”
Regulation and tax put a ceiling on personalisation
The regulatory environment is a major factor in how far operators can go with personalisation. In the Netherlands, for example, rules introduced in October 2024 imposed strict deposit and loss limits — €300 per month for younger players and €700 for older players unless additional checks are completed. Strict limits block operators from running high-value or frequent personalised campaigns, since they cannot target VIPs in the same way as in other markets.
Tax pressure adds to the challenge. The government raised betting and lottery taxes from 30.5 percent to 34.2 percent in 2025 and plans to push them to 37.8 percent in 2026, cutting the funds operators can reinvest in CRM.
Whenever restrictions tighten, Alec says, operators often pause or scale back CRM investment. However, he stresses that unless there is an outright ban, retention remains critical: in tightly regulated markets, making the most of the available data may be the only way to stay competitive.
The shift is happening. “People aren’t blindly trusting the status quo anymore. Minds are more open, and they have to be. Every business leader is talking about AI. We’re starting to see the same shift with CRM and retention in the iGaming industry. It’s finally getting the attention it deserves.”
Join us tomorrow for Part 2, where Alec Gehlot breaks down the practical tools, from segmentation to AI, that separate effective CRM from empty promises.
