A growing shift in how gambling companies acquire users is being driven by tighter regulation and platform-level restrictions, according to Niko Belikov, CEO of iKon, a performance marketing firm focused on creatives, analytics, consulting, and scalable growth solutions.
In an interview with SiGMA, Belikov outlined how increasing pressure from regulators and advertising platforms is forcing iGaming operators to rethink long-standing acquisition strategies, with in-app advertising emerging as a key alternative.
Regulation reshapes acquisition strategies
Belikov said the industry has undergone a fundamental change in recent years, as compliance requirements and enforcement intensify across multiple regions. “Regulatory pressure has fundamentally reshaped how operators approach user acquisition,” he said. “Companies that used to build growth on one or two traffic sources are now being forced to diversify and spread their risk.”
He added that rising taxes and stricter approval processes have made operations more complex, while platform policies have made it harder to launch and scale campaigns. “You can no longer just walk in and go live,” Belikov said.
According to him, the impact is especially visible in markets such as the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Turkey, and parts of Asia and the Middle East, where enforcement has become more aggressive. “We see regulatory news every single day,” he said, noting that some operators have already moved offshore as a direct consequence.
Recent regulatory developments support this trend. In the UK, the government introduced tighter rules on bonuses, affordability checks, and marketing practices, while the Netherlands’ regulator stepped up enforcement against illegal advertising and affiliates. Germany’s Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) continues to impose strict limits on the timing and content of advertising.
Platform dependence seen as a critical risk
A key theme emerging from the interview is the growing risk of relying on a single acquisition channel. “Dependence on a single source is always a risk, full stop,” Belikov said. “One policy update can effectively destroy an entire brand’s acquisition engine.”
This vulnerability has been amplified by stricter enforcement on major platforms. Google updated its gambling and games policy multiple times between 2024 and 2025, expanding country-specific restrictions and certification requirements. Meta also tightened its rules in 2025, setting new restrictions on gambling and gaming-related ads, including precise requirements for licenses, mandatory approvals, and advertiser eligibility. As a result, operators are increasingly shifting toward multi-channel strategies rather than relying heavily on platforms such as social media.
In-app advertising gains traction
Within this diversification push, in-app advertising is gaining prominence. Belikov pointed to its structural differences compared to social platforms, particularly the absence of a single controlling entity. “In in-app, bans simply do not exist; that is a fundamental difference from social platforms,” he said. “If a problem arises with one source, the others compensate.”
He added that the ecosystem’s scale, spanning multiple Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and app publishers, makes it inherently more resilient. In-app formats such as rewarded video and playable ads are also contributing to its appeal. “These formats drive a fundamentally different quality of conversion from user to player,” Belikov said.
Data and analytics become central
Another factor driving adoption is the level of data available for optimisation. “In-app generates significantly more raw data for machine learning-driven optimisation,” Belikov said, allowing advertisers to build predictive models and base decisions on data rather than intuition.
However, this also introduces new challenges. Unlike social platforms, in-app campaigns require advertisers to actively manage traffic quality and detect fraud. “Fraudulent traffic, bots, one-time depositors and non-converting users, dealing with this has to be systematic, not reactive,” he said.
Shift toward in-house expertise
The increasing complexity of in-app advertising is also influencing how gambling companies structure their teams. Belikov noted that more operators are building in-house media buying capabilities to gain better control and transparency.
“When an advertiser runs campaigns in-house, they see the full picture,” he said. “Results become significantly more predictable.” At the same time, he acknowledged that hiring experienced specialists remains difficult. “Finding people who can actually deliver the required performance is extremely difficult,” Belikov said, adding that expertise in in-app advertising, particularly within iGaming, is limited.
Diversification becomes standard
As regulatory pressure continues, diversification is becoming a baseline requirement rather than a strategic choice.“Diversification is no longer a best practice; it is a baseline requirement for any serious operator,” Belikov said.
He emphasised that iGaming’s successful strategies now focus on balancing multiple channels, including in-app, social, and affiliate traffic, while optimising for long-term value metrics rather than short-term acquisition costs.
Looking ahead, Belikov expects automation and AI to play a larger role in campaign management. “We are already deploying solutions that automatically pause campaigns when key performance indicators deteriorate, no human intervention required,” he said. Over the next one to three years, he anticipates a broader shift toward predictive modelling, automated optimisation, and real-time anomaly detection.
A complementary, not replacement channel
Despite its growth, Belikov does not see in-app advertising fully replacing social platforms. “In-app will not replace social traffic,” he said. “But for a number of operators, especially in heavily regulated markets, it will become the primary channel.”
Instead, he described the industry’s direction as a move toward balance, where multiple acquisition channels work together rather than compete. “The strongest setups treat in-app, social, and affiliate as a portfolio,” he said.
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