Sports betting affiliate programs: key differences from casino offers & strategy for 2025

Every affiliate marketer has blown their budget at least once trying to apply a working casino strategy to betting (or vice versa). Sound familiar? Choosing between these verticals is a strategic decision determining whether you make money or waste months and thousands of pounds. This article from 888Starz Partners is a clear action plan that will show you why your performance strategy doesn’t work in sports and how not to miss out on the ‘big fish’ in casinos by choosing CPA. After reading it, you’ll stop guessing and start earning by selecting a vertical tailored to your strengths.

Key differences between casino and betting players

To successfully promote gambling or betting offers, an affiliate needs to understand the fundamental difference in players’ mindsets. A bettor who wagers on sports and a player who spins slots in a casino have different psychological profiles and are driven by different motives.

The Bettor’s Motivation

A bettor is motivated by a triad of intellect, social connection, and a sense of belonging.

• Sports are an intellectual contest. For a bettor, a wager results from analysis and a test of their expertise. They study statistics, team form, and head-to-head history to “beat” the bookmaker. A successful bet for them is a confirmation of their knowledge and a symbolic victory in an intellectual battle.
• Patriotism and a sense of community. Sports betting is closely tied to social identity. Rooting for a favorite club or national team makes one feel part of something bigger. A bet amplifies this experience, making a team’s victory a personal triumph and a loss a shared pain with millions of other fans.
• Amplifying existing emotions. A bettor comes to the match already filled with emotion. Excitement, tension, and anticipation are already present. A bet is a catalyst that turns watching the game into a real drama, heightening the emotional stakes and making every moment on the field critically important.

The Casino Player’s Motivation

Casino players seek something different: pure chance, escapism, and intense feelings.

• The chase for pure luck. The magic of chance is at the core of a casino player’s motivation. They aren’t attracted by analytics but by the game against a random number generator (RNG), where everything is instantly decided. The main driving force is the dream of a jackpot — a significant, quick win that could change their life and provide a rush of dopamine and adrenaline.
• Individual escapism. While betting is often a social activity, playing in a casino is a solitary process. It’s a way to “disconnect” from daily worries and routines, immersing oneself in a vibrant digital world where the only goal is to test one’s luck and have fun. It’s a personal escape from reality.
• Buying thrills. Unlike a bettor, a casino player comes to buy emotions. Every spin of a slot or bet on roulette purchases a whole spectrum of feelings: hope, tension before the result, euphoria from a win, or even the sting of a loss. It’s an emotional rollercoaster in its purest form.

Understanding these differences is the key to building the right marketing strategy. A bettor needs expert content, while a casino player needs a flashy creative and an attractive bonus.

How sports traffic works in 2025

Promoting betting and casino offers in 2025 is a strategic trade-off between ease of moderation and targeting flexibility. Sports betting ads generally pass ad network reviews more easily as they are perceived as more legitimate. However, there’s a flip side to this coin. Betting traffic is tightly tied to local and seasonal events. A sports betting affiliate must work like a sports journalist, targeting the audience of a specific match or championship that will eventually end, causing the traffic to dry up.

The leading platforms for acquiring traffic are:

• Themed blogs with analytics;
• Telegram channels with predictions from cappers;
• YouTube streams with match analysis.
• Websites with tips and picks for players.

In contrast, casinos face stricter restrictions and bans but win regarding geography and consistency. A popular slot is equally interesting to players worldwide, allowing for broad and long-term campaigns. The key economic difference lies in upselling: a casino player can easily be switched to new slots or live roulette, which increases their LTV. A bettor, however, finds it difficult to convert to other sports. Therefore, each betting affiliate program requires a unique approach to creatives — relevance is crucial for sports, while universal triggers of excitement work for casinos.

Seasonal peaks and event-driven traffic

Betting traffic lives by the rules of the sports calendar, peaking during significant events. During the World Cup, the Olympics, or the Champions League final, search demand skyrockets, and those who prepared for the hype in advance are the ones who cash in. Successful work with sports affiliate programs requires strategic thinking and preparing a content plan well ahead of time.

For example, two to three months before the World Cup, you need to start publishing materials: detailed team reviews, group analysis, predictions, and even stadium guides. This approach allows you to build up SEO authority and warm the audience. By the start of the tournament, your resource will already be perceived as an authoritative source, ready to convert peak interest into deposits.

Sports betting vs Casino affiliate programs

The fundamental differences in player behavior, seasonality, and the product directly impact the partner’s economy, from LTV and average check to the appropriate payment model. Consequently, the successful promotion of these verticals requires radically different marketing approaches. Below, we will break down these differences to understand why you can’t promote sports betting using the same rules as online casinos.

Differences in the product and player behavior

The fundamental difference between betting and casinos lies in the product—the bookmaker’s analytical department versus the casino’s random number generator (RNG). This factor, in turn, creates two different types of players and, accordingly, different approaches to advertising.

Let’s look at this in practice. For example, here’s how it looks in practice in the wording for teasers and pop-ups. In betting creatives, you must sell expertise and the chance to “beat the system.” This is because bettors believe they can win through knowledge. So let them feel it. Your creatives should appeal to their intellect and analytical abilities.

Example: «9 out of 10 of our Champions League predictions came true. The next one is free on our Telegram channel».

In casino creatives, you sell dreams, emotions, and quick luck. Because casino players are not looking for analytics, but for a dopamine rush. They want to escape and believe in miracles. Your creatives should be emotional, fast-paced, and promise instant results.

Example: «A $150,000 jackpot awaits you in this slot! One spin can change your life forever».

Differences in the partner economy

The different player behaviors directly shape two distinct economic models for the affiliate. The choice between betting and a casino offer is between fast but limited earnings and long-term, potentially huge, but less predictable income.

The betting economy

A bettor’s lifecycle resembles a sprint: they show up for a significant event, place a few bets, and disappear until the next big match.

• Low and unstable retention. Most players do not bet every day. Their activity is tied to the sports calendar. Online activity drops after the Champions League final or the World Cup, and many users “burn out” or lose interest until the following season.
• Short and “flat” LTV. Due to irregular activity, a player’s lifetime value in betting builds up slowly and is often limited to a few small deposits. The probability of finding a “whale” who consistently loses large sums for years is significantly lower here.

For the affiliate, this means that the RevShare model in betting is a long game with an unpredictable outcome. Income will accumulate slowly and is difficult to forecast. This is why the dominant model in sports is CPA (or Hybrid). It’s easier for the advertiser to calculate unit economics, and the partner receives a fixed payment for the player immediately, quickly recovering traffic costs.

The casino economy

A good casino player is a marathon runner. They come for entertainment that is available 24/7 and can remain active for months or even years.

• High retention. A gaming session in a casino is not tied to external events. Players return daily or weekly to relax and try their luck, forming a stable base of active users.
• Long and high LTV. A player can “feed” the casino with small deposits for a long time, and some eventually turn into “whales” — high-rollers who leave huge sums in the game.

In such a model, RevShare reveals its full potential. It creates a cumulative effect. Each month, the base of players you’ve referred to grows, and your passive income increases. The earnings ceiling here is practically unlimited. By landing one “whale,” you can receive an income comparable to hundreds of CPA payouts. The CPA model also exists in casinos. However, it’s always a compromise for an affiliate because they receive a guaranteed but modest fixed payment, risking missing out on the jackpot as a percentage of a true high-roller’s losses. By the way, be sure to read here about the differences and advantages of different models, and which one to choose.

Differences in marketing and traffic

Due to the previous factors, the marketing approaches for betting and casinos differ. Although tactics may overlap, the center of gravity in these two verticals lies in different planes. Choosing the wrong strategy is a direct path to wasting your budget.

Betting – The long funnel of trust and community building

The key currency in betting is trust. A player is looking for information to help them decide and “beat” the bookmaker. They want to find confirmation for their thoughts or trust the opinion of an expert they believe in.

The main approach:

Creating expert content. The affiliate becomes an authoritative source for their audience — a capper, an analyst, an insider. They don’t just offer a bonus; they provide value: match analyses, statistics, and predictions.

Long funnel. A user might read a blog or Telegram channel for weeks before registering through a link. The conversion doesn’t happen because of a bright banner but from the accumulated trust in the author’s expertise.

Of course, situational performance marketing (“free bet on the Champions League final!“) also works in betting. It allows you to skim the cream during hyped events quickly, but it doesn’t solve the main problem — low player retention. And even if you’re not counting on SEO traffic, you can always use your real content website as a pre-landing page for buying traffic. Then, a specific article or match prediction can include a link to the bookmaker with particular odds.

Casino: The short funnel, emotions, and bonuses

In the casino world, impulse reigns. A player wants to have fun and get bright emotions right now. They aren’t looking for deep slots analysis—they are looking for the most attractive bonus, vibrant design, or the promise of the biggest jackpot.

The main approach:

Performance marketing. An affiliate’s success in the casino vertical is a mastery of quick conversion. Bright, emotional creatives, aggressive funnels through quizzes and push notifications, and a constant search for the most profitable bonus offers.

It’s a short funnel. The decision to deposit is made in minutes. A user sees an ad, goes to a bonus aggregator, chooses the most generous one, and registers. The strength of the offer plays the main role, not the affiliate’s personality.

Of course, building a brand and community in the casino vertical is also possible and can bring huge profits (e.g., communities around streamers). But this is a more difficult path. For the most part, casino traffic converts due to a momentary desire and an attractive offer, not long-term trust.

However, regardless of the marketing and traffic source, it is also important to choose a reliable affiliate program, such as 888Starz Partners. Here, your traffic will convert with Reg2Dep from 35% and LTV $1500+. We also provide free iOS/Android apps, ready-made creatives, and fast crypto payments. We have both types of offers — casino and betting ones.  

Tips to maximize revenue with sportsbook affiliate partnerships

In 2025, to maximize revenue, an affiliate must stop being an intermediary and become a full-fledged media outlet for its audience. This is achieved by creating and developing your niche resources: Telegram channels, expert blogs, or YouTube channels where high-quality “capper” content is produced. It is also essential to engage influencers due to the trust they have earned from their audience. Instead of just advertising a bonus, you give your audience value—deep analytics, transparent forecasts, and build a loyal community around your brand.

This trust-based approach solves the key problem in betting—low player retention. Your audience comes back to you for your expertise, not for a fleeting benefit. This creates the ideal conditions for monetization through the RevShare model, turning a risky bet on long-term income into a stable and predictable business.

At the same time, it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of seasonal events to launch quick tactical campaigns for hyped matches, combining a long-term strategy with situational profits.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the choice between betting and casino comes down to two factors: financial strategy and personal expertise. CPA betting offers a sprint ideal for making quick money on significant events. RevShare casino offers are a marathon for those who are ready to build a business for the long haul for passive income.

But the main advice is to choose what you are genuinely knowledgeable about. Regardless of your path, whether it’s betting, casino, or even esports, the foundation for long-term success is a reliable partner, like 888Starz Partners.

FAQ

Bettor vs. casino player. What’s the difference for an affiliate?

For an affiliate, the key difference is in LTV and approach. A bettor seeks expertise; their seasonal activity makes their LTV shorter and better suited for CPA. A casino player seeks emotions; they are active year-round, their LTV is longer, which is ideal for long-term monetization via RevShare.

How can betting offers on the internet be promoted?

The best strategy is to become an expert media source for your audience, not just a bonus showcase. Create valuable content: run a Telegram channel with predictions, a blog with analytics, or a YouTube channel with match reviews. Build trust and community — this will provide the highest quality and most loyal audience.

RevShare or CPA?

CPA is the best choice for betting and for those who want to quickly recoup traffic costs by receiving a fixed payment per player. RevShare is a strategic model for casinos, allowing you to build long-term passive income that grows with your player base.

Which offer is better and more profitable for an affiliate – casino or betting?

There is no “best” offer, only the one that suits you. Betting is for you if you are strong in content creation and community building. Choose the casino if your main advantage is performance marketing, working with creatives, and fast funnels. Still, if you’re a pro in performance marketing and media buying, you can keep making quick wins with sports betting — during the world’s biggest matches or local league games. And if content is your strong suit, you can build and grow a loyal community around casino players. The most profitable offer is the one that aligns with your strengths; there is no final truth.