Marketing in iGaming is moving at pace, offering more opportunities than ever, but with increasing costs, growing competition, and packed event calendars, how can brands cut through the noise?
G3 sits down with GameOn Co-Founder and PR lead Sarah Blackburn, Head of Social Media Lizzie Thomas, Head of Events Shona ODonnell, and Head of Marketing Alex Wilson to get their take on the biggest challenges facing iGaming brands today, and how a joined-up approach can create value at every stage.
Let’s start with the big picture. What’s the single biggest marketing challenge facing iGaming brands right now and how does your area of expertise help address it?
Sarah: Standing out is especially tough for early-stage brands with limited budgets. PR now often comes with a commercial price tag, making it harder to gain exposure. We help clients align PR activity with their overarching marketing and commercial strategies, to ensure every message communicated is built on trust and credibility.
Lizzie: It’s about visibility in a saturated space. Too many brands rely on trade shows and static assets. Using social media, we humanise brands, amplify their personality, and connect them with their audience all year round, not just when the expo lights are on.
Shona: With more events on the calendar than ever, the challenge isn’t just where to show up, it’s knowing where to invest for maximum return. Many brands experience FOMO and end up overcommitting. My role is to help clients cut through that noise, identify the events that align with their goals, and get the most value from their presence.
Sometimes that means attending key expos. Other times, it’s helping a client create their own event and giving them the opportunity to have face time with the right people.
Alex: Beyond standing out, one of the biggest challenges is staying focused and choosing a core set of activities that truly resonate with a clearly defined target audience. Too often, brands rely on assumptions about their players. Our role is to help clients start with data, understand their customer, and shape a targeted strategy that reduces waste and maximises impact.
When it comes to measuring success, what does meaningful impact look like in your discipline and what are the biggest misconceptions clients often have?
Sarah: Success looks different for every client; from growing LinkedIn followers to generating leads via specific PR campaigns. The key is aligning PR with commercial outcomes. The biggest misconception? That one press release will move the needle. It’s about consistency.
Lizzie: Meaningful impact on social isn’t about chasing numbers; it’s about building the right audience and driving relevant engagement. In iGaming, that means connecting with decision-makers, operators, and peers who can influence commercial outcomes. We look for signs like quality comments, DMs, content shares, and in-person mentions at events.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that success means going viral or getting thousands of likes. But in our space, a smaller, highly engaged audience can deliver far more value than broad but passive reach.
Shona: Just turning up doesn’t guarantee ROI. You need a clear plan and defined metrics such as lead generation and follow-ups. One-off appearances rarely deliver unless they’re part of a longer-term strategic approach.
Alex: Success looks different for every client, but right now, lead generation, brand awareness, and player acquisition are top of the agenda. It’s encouraging to see marketing finally recognised as a strategic partner to sales, commercial and product teams, rather than being measured by vanity metrics alone. The shift toward meaningful KPIs is long overdue and very welcome.
Budget pressure is across the board. In your view, how can iGaming companies get the most value out of their marketing spend in your area?
Sarah: Focus. Use available data to back where you invest time and budget. Avoid vanity tactics. The best PR leads to meaningful conversations with the right people. We’ve spent 20 years building strong relationships across media, events, influencers and affiliates, giving us real leverage when negotiating commercial deals for clients.
Lizzie: Don’t spread yourself thin across multiple platforms, rather focus on those that matter, which for most B2Bs is LinkedIn. Plus, back your content with strategy, whether it’s aligned to a product launch, event, or wider sales push. When social is tightly integrated with your commercial goals, every post has the potential to deliver real value, not just impressions.
Shona: Start with a clear events strategy tied to business objectives. Bigger isn’t always better, sometimes smaller moments can create more impact. We help clients focus on what really matters: relationship-building, brand positioning, and standout experiences. And because of the relationships we have with industry, we’re able to negotiate strong commercial terms and stretch budgets further.
Alex: Performance-based budgeting is becoming more common, and rightly so. If marketing can demonstrate its impact on revenue uplift, it earns a greater share of the budget. That means teams must be sharp on data tracking and attribution. A well-organised approach to evidencing ROI gives marketers a solid case for continued or increased investment.
The most successful campaigns are rarely the work of one vertical alone. Can you share some examples of how collaboration between PR, social, marketing, and events created a stronger outcome for a client?
Sarah: Alignment with business development is key and mustn’t be overlooked here. Marketing should work closely with BD teams to understand common objections or pain points, which in turn shapes the overarching messaging to address them.
This alignment ensures that everything from thought leadership and campaign timing to event attendance supports real business outcomes. When PR, social, marketing, events and BD work in sync, the result is stronger, more consistent, and far more impactful.
Lizzie: We’ve seen great results when all teams work together on a shared campaign. For one major acquisition announcement, PR led the media outreach while social teased the news and drove follow-up engagement.
In another case, we supported a rebrand event with real-time social content, creating buzz on the ground and online. These touchpoints reinforced each other, driving better visibility, engagement, and long-term brand recall.
Shona: When all disciplines align, the results are far more powerful. Collaboration across PR, social, and marketing – before, during, and after an event, ensures a clear, consistent narrative and amplifies impact long after the event ends.
Alex: At GameOn, we’re strongest when all four divisions work together. No one person can master every function, and we’re fortunate to have experts leading each area. The most successful campaigns also involve alignment with sales, product, and account management, not just internal marketing functions. Real success comes when marketing acts as a central, strategic connector across the business.
In an industry where everyone’s talking at once, how do you help brands find and maintain a distinct voice across different channels and touchpoints?
Sarah: Consistency is key but so is having multiple spokespeople to avoid bottlenecks and showcase in-house expertise across the board. We help clients define clear messaging pillars which can be supported with real data or insight, so what they say is not only consistent, but credible and valuable to the wider industry.
Lizzie: It starts with defining a clear brand personality, then applying it consistently across all content. We tailor tone and format to suit each platform, but always keep the messaging aligned. A brand’s visual identity, the way it speaks, and the stories it tells all need to work together. That’s how we help clients stay memorable in a crowded space.
Shona: At GameOn, we work closely across all departments to make sure a brand’s voice and values come through clearly in every setting. Events are often a physical expression of the brand, so everything from the messaging on a booth to the tone of an invite needs to feel consistent. It’s about creating memorable, joined-up experiences that reinforce who you are.
Alex: It starts with solid brand foundations. The strongest brands have a clear sense of identity, grounded in positioning, values, and messaging pillars. Every external marketing activity should reinforce this blueprint. When brands stay true to their core rather than constantly pivoting to try something new, they create lasting recognition and trust.
What trends are you seeing in your area that iGaming brands should be preparing for, or embracing in the next 12 months?
Sarah: Strategic use of data is becoming increasingly important in PR. It’s not just about sourcing data — it’s about applying it in a way that strengthens messaging and supports wider marketing efforts. While PR may not always offer clear-cut metrics, the right tools and insights can help guide smarter decisions and justify spend. Equally, brands should resist the urge to follow every trend. When budgets are tight, focusing on what’s relevant, and not what’s popular, is key to staying impactful.
Lizzie: Short-form video is growing fast; reels for example offer an easy and engaging way to connect with your audience. Thought leadership is also evolving, with long-form content on LinkedIn becoming more influential. At the same time, there’s a shift toward community building: brands that interact, respond, and create value for their audience will build stronger, longer-lasting relationships.
Shona: While the industry still loves a good party, more people are embracing sober living and looking for a healthier balance around events. There’s a clear shift toward wellness-focused experiences; from run clubs and yoga sessions to alcohol-free drinks and plant-based catering. These additions not only support wellbeing but often lead to more meaningful and lasting connections.
Alex: We’re seeing more demand for market research, alternative channels, and brand activations that appeal to emerging player demographics. This doesn’t replace traditional marketing, it expands the mix. The challenge is not to overstretch internal teams. That’s where our CMO service supports clients in testing new markets, products, and channels without compromising core activity.
Finally, if a new brand came to you with limited internal resource but big ambitions, what’s the one thing you’d recommend they focus on first and why?
Sarah: Start smart. That’s exactly why we launched our fractional CMO service, to give ambitious but lean teams access to senior-level marketing expertise without the cost of a full-time hire. Clients benefit from a team of six specialists who can flex to their needs, whether it’s marketing strategy, PR, social or events. Finally, big goals are great, but they need a scalable, focused plan behind them.
Lizzie: Start with LinkedIn. It’s the most effective platform for building credibility in the iGaming space. You don’t need a big team or budget, just a consistent, well-thought-out content plan that reflects your brand’s expertise. With regular posts, genuine insight, and a clear tone of voice, you can quickly build visibility and open the door to commercial conversations.
Shona: Get clear on your goals. Without alignment internally, external marketing will always fall short. Pick one clear objective and let us build around that.
Alex: Start with a clear, data-led plan. Big ambitions need focus, and without it, resources get stretched too thin. We recommend optimising organic channels first; build a strong foundation, test messaging, and understand what works before investing in paid activity.
As Sarah mentions, our fractional CMO model is ideal for this stage, giving access to six specialists without the overhead of a full team. With the right structure, regular reviews, and clear goals, brands can grow strategically, not reactively.
