The right marketing strategy can be the difference between having thousands of players on your casino platform and having none in the online gambling industry. It’s an industry that’s heavily dependent on marketing, especially in today’s markets that are more crowded than ever.
Simply being around is not enough, so operators are constantly looking for the best ways to reach potential players on their platforms and drive engagement, which would consecutively boost revenue.
In this article, we’ll look at two key marketing methods: SMS marketing and email marketing. Both of them aim to communicate directly to customers, but just like the odds and probabilities in roulette, they can have different impacts depending on the way they’re executed.
Their reach and effectiveness can differ, so we will take a look at both of these strategies, see how they stack up, and share out view on which one could work for you depending on your needs.
SMS Marketing: Direct, Instant, and Highly Engaging
SMS marketing has been around since the mid-1990s, so it’s not necessarily the newest form of marketing. However, it has been gaining ground in the gambling world and especially the iGaming sphere because it covers all the basics that gambling marketing needs: it’s immediate, personal, and incredibly effective. The open rate for SMS marketing is 98%, which means that SMS outshines many other channels.
The majority of messages are read within three minutes, which makes it perfect for time-sensitive promotions like live betting updates or flash bonuses like the ones you can find on the Australian version of Roulette77.
The possibility of using personalized messages is another opportunity for gambling site operators to create custom messages in an attempt to create a stronger connection with their users. Text messages feel more direct and personal than other forms of marketing, and this is a major advantage of SMS marketing.
Use Cases for SMS Marketing for Gambling
SMS works best when speed is important. Gambling site operators should use it to send:
- Live betting alerts for upcoming games or changing odds.
- Time-sensitive promotions with exclusive bonus codes.
- Account notifications about balances, withdrawals, or security updates.
Email Marketing: Cheap, Established, and Informative
Email marketing has been the most widely used form of personalized marketing in the past two decades. It’s one of the most flexible and cost-efficient options that allows for details content with longer text, images, and multiple calls to action to be delivered. Modern email platforms today use tools for automation and personalization, and they all track performance automatically.
Despite its advantage, however, email marketing has some drawbacks – especially for gambling. Open rates have been dropping in recent years, averaging around 20% – which is far lower than SMS.
Spam filters and delayed responses reduce its effectiveness, making it much less suitable for urgent communications. In some cases, email marketing can even have a negative impact on a brand if it’s overdone.
Use Cases for Email Marketing for Gambling
Despite some drawbacks, email can still be an effective marketing tool. It’s ideal for detailed messages that require more content. Some great use cases for gambling site operators include:
- Monthly newsletters with game updates, tournaments, and featured winners.
- Promotional campaigns that highlight deposit bonuses or free spin offers.
- Loyalty program notifications to update users on rewards or points.
Comparing SMS vs. Email Marketing for Gambling
Although it seems unfair to compare the two because both options can be effective tools for marketing, we created a comparison table in which we highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of both:
| Feature | SMS Marketing | Email Marketing |
| Open Rate | Around 98% | Around 20% |
| Average Response Time | 90 seconds | Several hours to days |
| Content Length | Short (160 characters) | Long(er) form, supports multimedia support |
| Cost | Higher cost, calculated per message | Very low cost, only expense is bulk email costs and automation tools |
| Personalization | Very high, includes the most direct and personal communication | Medium personalization, possibility of personalized emails |
| Best Use Cases | Quick and time-sensitive alerts, new bonuses, limited promos | Newsletters, longer-lasting promotions |
Which Marketing Strategy Works Best for Gambling?
Both SMS and email marketing have their own strengths and weaknesses, but when urgency and instant engagement are key, SMS remains unbeatable. It’s the more direct form of marketing, and is better suited for time-sensitive, high-impact campaign. However, too many SMS messages can overwhelm players, so operators need to be careful.
Email marketing, on the other hand, is better suited for longer messages that promote long-term engagement, such as newsletters and promotional details. Besides these forms, there are other effective forms of marketing for gambling operators, like push notifications, social media advertising, and content marketing.
