Company

GGPoker, a leading iGaming company based in Europe, operates across multiple European countries, including the Netherlands, Poland, and Belgium. Renowned as one of the top online poker platforms, GGPoker offers various games and tournaments, including fan favorites like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

 

The platform stands out with its innovative tools, such as PokerCraft and Smart HUD, which provide players with advanced analytics and insights, significantly enhancing the gaming experience. GGPoker is also the host of major events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online, attracting both amateur and professional players alike.

 

GGPoker frequently launches campaigns that focus on player incentives, competitive leaderboards, and high-stakes games to engage and retain its player base, catering to both new and returning players.

Challenges

GGPoker faced significant challenges with its digital marketing efforts. 

 

Particularly with Google Ads, due to the complex and ever-changing online gambling advertising regulations across European countries. 

 

These regulations vary widely by country and region, necessitating meticulous attention to ensure full compliance. 

 

 

The primary challenges included:

— Varying Regulatory Requirements

The inconsistency in local gambling laws across Europe meant that what was allowed in one country could be restricted or prohibited in another. GGPoker had to carefully tailor its ad placements, targeting strategies, and promotional content to comply with Google Ads policies that aligned with each region’s legal framework.

— Targeting Limitations

Strict regulations in many regions limit the targeting options for online gambling ads. This restriction made it challenging for GGPoker to reach a broader audience, forcing the company to focus on well-defined and compliant audience segments.

— Content Restrictions

Promotional messaging had to be carefully crafted to adhere to local laws, which often placed restrictions on the types of incentives and bonuses that could be advertised. GGPoker had to balance creating engaging and attractive ads while ensuring these ads would not violate any local regulations.

— Market Perceptions

In markets where online gaming is either prohibited or viewed unfavorably, attracting new players proved particularly challenging. Negative perceptions and strict regulations in these regions required GGPoker to focus more on building brand awareness than direct player acquisition.

 

To effectively navigate these challenges, GGPoker implemented a highly adaptive ad strategy. By closely monitoring legal changes and adjusting campaigns in real-time, the company was able to target new players, remain compliant, and avoid potential penalties or ad bans.

Solution

To overcome these challenges and meet objectives, GGPoker partnered with Growth-onomics. 

 

Growth-onomics devised a strategic approach to reach new players while ensuring compliance, optimizing targeting, and maximizing campaign effectiveness. 

 

The strategy included several key recommendations: 

1. Localized Compliance Audits

Growth-onomics conducted in-depth audits of local regulations in GGPoker’s target markets, ensuring that all ad content, placements, and targeting choices adhered to country-specific laws. The agency created a compliance matrix to guide future campaigns and avoid potential penalties.

 

Country	Ad Content Restrictions	Targeting Limitations	Placement Rules	Bonus/Incentive Regulations
Netherlands	No mention of free bets or bonuses	Age 24+ only; no retargeting	Ads restricted to specific websites	Bonuses must be wagered 3x before withdrawal
Poland	No promotional content during live sports	Age 18+ only; no lookalike audiences	Ads limited to licensed platforms	Max bonus value capped at €100
Belgium	Must include a responsible gaming disclaimer	Age 21+ only; no interest-based targeting	Banned on social media; allowed on news sites	Welcome bonuses only; no ongoing promotions
Germany	No celebrity endorsements in ads	Age 18+ only; limited to specific regions	Ads only on platforms with >70% adult audience	All bonuses must be opt-in with clear T&Cs
France	No flashy or misleading graphics	Age 18+ only; no behavioral targeting	Ads permitted on TV only after 10 PM	Promotions must be clearly explained upfront

2. Market-specific Targeting Strategy

Growth-onomics implemented an adaptive targeting strategy that allowed GGPoker to focus on key audience segments that complied with local regulations. This included identifying individuals new to poker and those interested in card games, online gaming, and casino trips. The strategy used real-time data to dynamically adjust targeting parameters, ensuring the campaigns stayed within legal boundaries while maximizing reach.

3. Region-Specific Ad Creatives

Growth-onomics crafted a library of legally approved ad creatives to meet consumer expectations and legal standards. These creatives were easily adaptable to meet the specific regulations of different regions. Growth-onomics emphasized beginner-friendly messaging in the ad copy, focusing on GGPoker’s welcoming bonuses, user-friendly interface, and beginner-friendly tournaments. Visually appealing display ads and responsive search ads were designed to immediately engage new players.

4. Trust Building In Regulatory-Challenged Markets

In regions where online gaming was subject to prohibitive laws or negative perceptions, Growth-onomics shifted the focus from direct acquisition to brand awareness campaigns. These campaigns emphasized GGPoker’s reputation and legitimacy, laying the groundwork for future market expansion as regulations evolved.

5. Geo-Targeted Event Campaigns for Major Poker Tournaments

To boost participation in major events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online, Growth-onomics implemented a strategy focused on timing, content, and geo-targeting:

 

• Ad Copy: The agency crafted promotional ads that emphasized the prestige of major events like the WSOP Online. By highlighting the excitement and exclusivity of these events, Growth-onomics successfully captured the interest of both new and returning players.

 

• Timing: To maximize last-minute registrations, Growth-onomics advised increasing the ad budget leading up to and during significant events. This strategy ensured higher visibility during key moments, driving more registrations.

 

• Geo-targeting: The campaigns were geo-targeted to regions with a strong interest in poker and countries where online poker was legal. This allowed GGPoker to focus its resources on high-potential markets while avoiding regions with prohibitive regulations.

6. Personalized Retargeting to Re-Engage Potential Players

Growth-onomics also focused on maximizing retargeting efforts to re-engage potential players who had visited the GGPoker website but had not completed their transactions:

 

• Ad Strategy: The agency developed tailored retargeting ads that offered incentives like free tournament entries or time-limited bonuses to encourage users to complete their registrations or make a deposit.

 

• Dynamic Retargeting: Growth-onomics used dynamic retargeting ads that displayed specific games or events that users had already shown interest in, creating a personalized experience that boosted re-engagement rates.

 

• Custom Audiences: The agency created custom retargeting lists, targeting users who had registered but hadn’t made a deposit or participated in a tournament. These users were provided with personalized incentives to encourage further engagement.

7. Results Measurement

Growth-onomics implemented a robust measurement strategy to track campaign success. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, click-through rates (CTR), first-time deposits (FTD), and return on ad spend (ROAS) were monitored using tools like Google Analytics, GTM (Google Tag Manager), and conversion tracking.

• Reporting: The agency utilized Looker Studio for in-depth reporting, providing GGPoker with actionable insights and data-driven recommendations for continuous optimization.

 

• • Continuous Monitoring: Growth-onomics established a system for ongoing monitoring of the legal landscape, enabling GGPoker to quickly adapt to new regulations. A/B testing was employed to identify the most effective content and targeting combinations.

Impact & Results

By implementing the strategies developed by Growth-onomics, GGPoker achieved remarkable success in overcoming regulatory challenges and driving player engagement across Europe. 

 

Below are the key metrics that showcase the impact of this partnership:

New Player Sign-Ups

GGPoker saw a 35% increase in new player sign-ups across target markets, with a particularly strong performance in countries with favorable regulations such as the Netherlands and Poland.

Event Participation

Participation in major events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online grew by 45%, driven by geo-targeted campaigns and strategic timing of ads.

Retargeting Success

Growth-onomics’ tailored retargeting efforts resulted in a 40% increase in conversion rates among players who had visited the GGPoker website but had not completed their transactions. Dynamic retargeting ads alone achieved a 38% re-engagement rate, significantly boosting deposits and tournament entries.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

The overall ROAS improved by 50%, reflecting the success of Growth-onomics’ data-driven strategy and compliance efforts in highly regulated markets.

Click-Through Rates (CTR)

The campaigns generated a 30% improvement in click-through rates (CTR), particularly in segments targeting new players, thanks to the engaging ad creatives and beginner-friendly messaging.

Market Penetration

In markets with restrictive regulations or negative perceptions, brand awareness campaigns led to a 25% increase in brand recognition, laying the groundwork for future market expansion as regulations evolve.

Conclusion And Lessons Learned

Through strategic planning, compliance audits, and continuous optimization, Growth-onomics helped GGPoker significantly enhance its presence in Europe. This collaboration led to substantial growth in new player acquisition, event participation, and re-engagement, all while maintaining strict adherence to varying local regulations. With measurable success in numbers, GGPoker is now well-positioned to continue expanding its influence in the online poker industry across Europe.

 

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