How to Increase Player Retention in iGaming Products in 2025 – Case Study from WinWin Partners

CasinoRIX foreword

We asked WinWin Partners to unpack what actually retains players in 2025. Not slogans. Not generic “be more personal” advice. Real operations that moved numbers. We took their inputs and shaped them into a clear, vendor-neutral read you can use.

The context matters. Acquisition is louder than ever. Attention is scarce. New brands launch every month. Players compare offers in seconds and move on just as fast. In this climate, retention is not a campaign. It is the product. If your flows are mismatched, no bonus can fix them for long.

We looked for the mechanics behind outcomes: how segmentation is defined, how messages are orchestrated, where social channels fit, when human outreach is worth the cost, and how event promos avoid turning into burn. We also looked for proof. Not perfect science, but directional lifts that suggest the model is working.

What follows keeps the partner’s voice but strips the pitch. It shows the early mistakes, the four clean segments, the way SMM and lifecycle can work together, and a case where personalization shifted deposits, activity, and message conversion. Markets differ and numbers vary, but the shape of the solution is consistent.

Use this as a baseline. If it helps you rewrite three flows this week and stop one irrelevant push, it did its job.

In 2025, Retention Decides Who Survives

What is happening in the iGaming market in 2025? Users are bombarded with gambling ads, and every month new casino products appear, all fighting for traffic.

However, in the rush to attract partners and traffic, many casinos forget the most important thing – the product itself and its unique selling proposition. The main problem in today’s iGaming market is not acquisition but retaining user attention in tough competition.

Players now have a wide choice of products: one casino offers generous free spins, another free bets, a third higher odds on sporting events, a fourth unique betting lines or exclusive slots unavailable to competitors. That is why in 2025, retention has become the key factor for success in iGaming.

Today, we at WinWin Partners share our approach to solving this challenge.

How WinWin Partners Approaches Player Retention

At the beginning of our journey, we made the same mistakes as many others. The main issue was the lack of deep player segmentation, which led to ineffective communications. We sent generic push notifications that did not reflect individual preferences. For example, casino fans could receive ads for sports betting, which reduced engagement.

After analyzing the situation, we realized the need for a personalized approach. Today, our players are divided into four main segments:

1. Newcomers – just starting to interact with the product.
2. Regular players – the standard active audience.
3. Pre-VIP – players with potential to move into VIP status.
4. VIP clients – the most loyal and active users.

For each segment we design unique and relevant communication, including personalized push notifications, offers, and bonuses. The results did not take long: in the first month after introducing segmentation, we recorded a significant increase in deposits, especially among VIP players whose activity grew multiple times.

Retention Team Combined with SMM

Unlike most products in the market where retention and SMM work separately, our approach combines both. This lets us send direct messages and newsletters while also involving players in our ecosystem through social channels.

For example, our Telegram channel is used for exclusive giveaways, free bets, and bonuses. Through different mechanics we direct users to the channel where they become part of the community, join contests, and stay engaged with the brand.

Personal Reactivation and Support

Reactivation is also important. We built a program with a multilingual call center operating in 15 languages. From Russian, Uzbek, and Kazakh to popular European, Asian, and African languages – this allows us to communicate effectively by email, push notifications, and, where relevant, by phone. Direct, personal contact helps inform players about new bonuses and offers and restores interest.

Thought-Out Promotions and Giveaways

We use promotions and giveaways to support player LTV. Beyond standard prizes like cars or tech, we focus on event-based promos. These are campaigns tied to major holidays such as New Year, Halloween, Black Friday or to big events. For example, in the UK market we launched promotions timed to the start of the Premier League. This creates relevant and engaging offers.

For casino products we also work closely with game providers. We organize exclusive contests and raffles, adding extra excitement. It can be a challenge like “who hits the biggest bonus in a slot,” or special deals where we secure free spins or bonuses on favorite slots for loyal users. This strengthens the bond between the player, our brand, and their preferences.

Case Study from Practice

Before deep segmentation, we faced declining activity and ineffective communications. Universal push notifications and promotions went to everyone. Casino fans received football match alerts. Bettors received free spin offers. Conversions were low.

We then introduced segmentation into four groups – Newcomers, Regulars, Pre-VIP, and VIP – assigning each player based on activity, game preferences (casino or sports), deposit frequency, and average spend. On that basis we built personalized communication strategies and bonuses:

• Casino fans received push notifications about new slots, casino tournaments, exclusive free spins, and cashback.
• Sports bettors received information on upcoming matches, boosted odds, free bets, and bonuses on accumulators.
• VIPs received higher betting limits, a personal manager, exclusive event invitations, and better cashback conditions.

Results after implementation: VIP deposits increased by about 40%, VIP play activity rose by about 25% compared to the previous period, and push and email conversion improved by roughly 30% on average. Players opened and clicked more because messages matched their interests. Together these factors led to steady growth of average LTV.

This case shows that deep personalization based on a clear understanding of each audience’s needs increases engagement and improves key financial metrics.

CasinoRIX Afterword

The throughline is simple. Retention is product work first, messaging second. Players respond to relevance, not volume. When segments are clear and offer match intent, engagement compounds. When messages are generic, fatigue sets in and cost climbs.

Treat social as part of the lifecycle, not a separate megaphone. Keep communities close to the product with clear calls to action. Use human contact where context is messy and language matters. Respect opt-outs and local rules. Trust builds slowly and breaks fast.

Design promotions that point to behaviors that predict return play. Anchor them to real moments. Keep rules plain. Use studio partnerships to raise perceived value instead of raising cost. Simpler mechanics, cleaner results.

Measure like you mean it. Watch retention at D7 and D30. Watch movement between segments. Watch fatigue. If tracking is weak, fix that first. Without attribution you are guessing.

The action now is direct. Write down segment rules. Cut one irrelevant push. Publish an event calendar. Assign owners. Review weekly. Keep what moves a core metric. Drop what does not. Players stay when the product earns their attention.