As competition intensifies across iGaming, the cost of acquiring new bettors continues to rise, putting more pressure on operators to ensure every new sign-up counts, writes Lauren Harrison.
And while many operators continue to chase profitability through acquisition, Oddin.gg argues the real answer lies in product diversification, including with esports, which can increase lifetime value and drive retention, helping to level out those high costs.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner–projected to drive a boom in new bettors and fierce acquisition rivalry–these insights come at a pivotal point.
To find out more and explore this approach, iGamingFuture spoke with Marek Suchar, Group Head of Strategic Transition and Growth at Oddin.gg.
We discussed how esports can keep players engaged for longer and drive long-term profitability.
And began by asking Marek:
In today’s high Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) environment, operators are under pressure to justify every acquisition spend. How can esports betting trends help shift the conversation from pure acquisition toward long-term retention? What should operators be doing to create the strongest measurable impact on customer lifetime value (LTV)?
“In mature iGaming markets, operators are paying US$250 to US$650 (£184-£478) in acquisition costs per first-time depositor.
“At those numbers, the model only works if customers stay active long enough to justify the spend, and that puts retention and LTV at the centre of the conversation.
“Esports can be that solution. But it requires operators to see it as more than an acquisition channel. One thing that makes esports particularly interesting in a high-CAC environment is the profile of the bettors it attracts.
“With a focus on titles like League of Legends, CS2, and Dota2, the bettors aren’t customers being won from other traditional sportsbooks. They’re new sign-ups, often a younger, more affluent demographic, with an initial first bet up to seven times higher than a traditional sports bettor.
“That changes the lifetime value calculation significantly. The acquisition cost goes down because they’re reaching an audience that’s newer to betting, and lifetime spend is likely to be greater given the higher average stake.
“Live betting is now the dominant form of esports wagering, representing 70 percent to over 85 percent of activity, depending on the game. The inherent speed and format of esports naturally allow for greater market variety.
“When working with an odds provider that guarantees market-leading uptime, live betting coverage can reach 80 percent to 95 percent of a match.
“This increased availability leads to a higher volume of bets, greater total handle and deeper match engagement.
“And when paired with an iFrame specifically designed for esports betting, this also contributes to longer session times and higher LTV.
“The operators seeing the strongest results are the ones working with an odds provider that can deliver maximum uptime across titles, a range of content to match different bettor profiles and always-on esports content to make betting opportunities available around-the-clock.”
With AI Avatars and Penalty Arena launching as 24/7 betting products, how can this help operators during low-volume sporting windows and major events like the World Cup, where differentiation and sustained engagement become critical?
“The World Cup will dominate sportsbook activity this summer, and rightly so.
“Every operator will be focused on maximising that window. But the sharper question is what happens when it ends.
“Major tournaments always create a spike in engagement and sign-ups. The challenge is what comes during the time between matches and after the big event.
“With kick-offs clustered around U.S. Eastern Time, operators in EMEA and APAC face long stretches of each matchday with nothing live to offer, and that dead-time compounds after the tournament when the calendar empties entirely.
“Operators who’ve invested heavily in World Cup acquisition will have a large number of newly-active customers, and without compelling content to keep those bettors engaged, a significant portion will drop off.
“That’s where 24/7 formats become relevant. Products like Penalty Arena, live eSims and AI Avatars give operators content that doesn’t depend on an external events calendar.
“For football fans, like the majority who come in during the World Cup, we offer Penalty Arena, which uses a real automated machine taking real penalty kicks at a professional goalkeeper, with verified outcomes every 60 seconds.
“Bettors actively vote on where the machine aims before each kick, which keeps them engaged far longer within a session than passively watching a feed would.
“For broader coverage and an opportunity to expand the betting activities of football fans, eSims and AI Avatars offer always-on betting in formats traditional sports bettors already understand.
“The retention logic here is straightforward; in a high-CAC environment, the most expensive thing an operator can do is acquire a customer during a major event and lose them two weeks later, or worse, during the event, because there’s nothing relevant between matches or following the tournament.
“Operators who plan their post-World Cup content strategy now, and have these products ready for Q3 or Q4, will hold onto more of that audience than those who treat the end of the tournament as a natural drop-off.”
Oddin.gg emphasises Player-vs-Player experiences rather than RNG-based mechanics or algorithm-driven simulations. From an operator perspective, how valuable is authenticity in building trust, repeat engagement, and crossover appeal, particularly for traditional sports bettors entering esports through eSims content?
“Bettors know the difference between real outcomes and algorithmically-generated ones. When someone watches a real match or a real penalty kick, they’re engaging with a product that carries the same logic as traditional sports betting: Outcomes driven by human skill rather than an RNG algorithm.
“Transparent, verifiable outcomes, like those involving real players and real referees, help build trust.
“Numerous reports indicate that trust is essential for Gen Z, and they’re willing to spend more money with companies they trust.
“Skill-based matchups also add emotional depth and narrative to the betting experience, thereby extending session times and supporting stronger retention.
“Additionally, bettors moving from traditional sports to fast-betting content are already taking a leap into something new. The operator needs to lower the barrier to entry.
“By giving them fast-betting content that closely resembles traditional sports, the operator doesn’t need to educate customers before they can monetise them. Plus, when it’s a skill-based match-up similar to traditional sports, they’re less likely to question the validity of the results.
“This is the model behind our eSims. They use rules, bet types and viewing experiences that traditional sports bettors already understand, with real players going head-to-head in fast betting matches.
“A football bettor can open an eFootball market based on player-versus-player, understand what they’re looking at, and place a bet with minimal learning within seconds.”
What do you see as the biggest commercial opportunity for operators who successfully integrate esports-native betting infrastructure today: Margin protection, access to future revenue segments, stronger retention economics or the ability to offer a genuinely differentiated sportsbook experience?
“The commercial opportunity for operators who get esports betting right isn’t just one thing. The benefits have a compounding effect that ultimately results in high profit.
“The starting point is the audience. Esports attracts a demographic that traditional sports betting has struggled to attract. They’re younger, digitally native, have high commercial value and have a clear sense of what they’re looking for from a brand.
“These aren’t passive users. When they find a betting experience that fits their goals–fast-paced, data-rich and with a community layer–the retention economics tend to be strong. That loyalty, once earned, can be long-lasting.
“But the audience is only part of the story.
“Operators who move beyond seeing esports as a single vertical and instead recognise it as a portfolio of distinct titles, each with its own behaviours, competitive calendar, and revenue profile, unlock an entirely different growth opportunity.
“Then there’s differentiation.
“Most sportsbooks offer a similar product right now. Operators who integrate infrastructure built by a provider that genuinely understands esports– including the in-play complexity, the real-time volatility of games and the engagement features that don’t exist in traditional sports–can offer something that competitors simply can’t replicate quickly. That opens the door to both higher user-acquisition and greater retention.
“To summarise, operators who commit to proper esports infrastructure today are building an audience, a revenue base, and a product edge that becomes harder for competitors to match with every year they wait.”
Editor’s Note:
As acquisition costs rise, operators are rethinking how to balance spending with growth and profitability.
Marek makes a clear case for why esports can be the answer. Not only does this vertical attract a younger, more affluent audience driven by 24/7 demand–a demographic sportsbooks have long struggled to capture–but it also tends to encourage higher average bets and build loyalty.
Equally, when familiar concepts are integrated and the barriers to entry are lowered, esports can also attract and retain traditional bettors who are ready to try something new – a tool that could prove indispensable during the FIFA World Cup, and other tournaments that present scheduling gaps.
But success–and this is key–hinges upon offering maximum uptime, a range of products and “always-on” content that engages players around-the-clock to increase betting volume.
The broader takeaway is straightforward: Operators who are not prioritising esports are missing an opportunity to shift the balance and offset acquisition costs.
But only those who invest properly with a provider that genuinely understands the complexities of esports will build the type of authenticity and product needed to win the trust of younger generations and convert traditional bettors.
