In the world of iGambling, bonuses are everywhere. They’re the lifeblood of acquisition campaigns, the fuel behind many retention strategies, and — for some teams — a default answer to almost any user engagement challenge.
But here’s the hard truth: bonuses aren’t magic. They’re expensive.
And when used blindly, they can easily turn into one of the biggest sources of financial leakage in the business.
So how do you ensure bonuses work for you — and not against your margins?
The answer lies in one mindset shift:
Bonuses are not gifts. They are investments.
And like any investment, they should deliver measurable returns.
🚨 The Most Common Mistakes Companies Make
Even top-tier platforms fall into these traps:
- Spray-and-pray campaigns: The same bonus sent to everyone — regardless of behavior or value.
- Low-wager mechanics for everyone: Attractive to bonus hunters and easy to exploit.
- Rewarding the wrong players: Giving bonuses to users who would have deposited anyway.
- No tracking of ROI: Campaigns judged by clicks and opens, not revenue uplift.
The result? A spike in activity — with no real impact on GGR or retention.
💡 Rethinking Bonus Effectiveness: The 4 Pillars of Measurement
If you’re not treating bonuses like business investments, you’re missing the point. Here’s how to change that.
1. Incrementality Over Illusion
Always ask: What would have happened without the bonus?
Split your players into:
- Group A: receives the bonus.
- Group B (control): doesn’t.
Compare:
- Deposits
- GGR
- Session frequency
- Retention over 7–30 days
If Group A doesn’t significantly outperform Group B, your bonus isn’t adding value — it’s subsidizing behavior that would’ve happened anyway.
2. GGR-to-Bonus Ratio
This simple but often overlooked metric answers a crucial question:
How much gross gaming revenue did I generate per €1 of bonus?
A GGR/Bonus ratio below 1 = red flag.
It means you’re giving away more than you’re earning — even if engagement looks good on the surface.
3. Retention After the Fact
Short-term activity is easy to generate.
But the real ROI comes from long-term impact.
Ask:
- Are these players sticking around after the bonus ends?
- Or did they deposit, play, and disappear?
If your curve drops sharply post-promo, the bonus may have attracted mercenaries — not loyal players.
4. Behavioral Spillover
Did the bonus nudge players into:
- Trying new game types?
- Playing longer sessions?
- Engaging during non-promo periods?
These secondary effects often signal deeper shifts in engagement — and can indicate where to invest next.
✅ Best Practices to Maximize ROI and Minimize Waste
How can you turn bonuses from risky giveaways into a high-performance tool?
Here’s what top operators do:
🔹 Use a Bonus Eligibility Score
Machine learning can help score users by their likelihood to:
- Abuse bonuses
- Convert to high-value users
- Stick around long-term
Give your most efficient bonuses to the right players — not just the most active ones.
🔹 Apply Smart Constraints
For risky or high-bonus players:
- Increase wagering requirements
- Cap potential winnings
- Delay rewards across multiple sessions (to ensure real engagement)
These rules discourage bonus abusers without punishing genuine users.
🔹 Reward Behavior, Not Just Deposits
Move from “Deposit €20 → Get €20”
To “Play 10 sessions across 3 games this week → Get €30”
Behavioral triggers align bonuses with your business goals — like retention, cross-sell, or onboarding.
🔹 Test Relentlessly
A/B testing isn’t optional — it’s survival.
Each bonus campaign should be evaluated not only by engagement but by incremental lift in GGR, retention, and session depth.
📌 Conclusion: From Incentive to Impact
When used right, bonuses are powerful.
They reduce churn, boost engagement, and guide player behavior.
But only if they’re tied to analytics, segmentation, and strategic intent.
So next time your team proposes a new bonus, ask:
- What behavior are we trying to change?
- Who exactly should get this?
- What’s the expected return?
- What does our data say — not just our gut?
In iGambling, giving is easy.
Earning loyalty and margin through precision — that’s the real game.
The Data Detective 