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Performance Marketing
FlashBet needed to diversify beyond search and social into programmatic display to reach new audiences at scale. Previous attempts with generic DSPs had failed due to low-quality inventory and brand safety concerns. We built a custom programmatic strategy with curated PMPs, dynamic creative, and real-time bid optimization.
FlashBet Sportsbook was over-dependent on Google Search and Meta for player acquisition — two channels that represented 90% of their spend. When Google tightened gambling ad policies in their core markets, CPAs spiked 35% overnight. The CMO wanted to diversify into programmatic display and video, but two previous attempts had failed: generic DSP campaigns delivered sub-1% viewability, low-quality traffic, and zero measurable conversions. The team was skeptical that programmatic could work for gambling.
We took a fundamentally different approach from the generic DSP campaigns that had failed before. Step 1: we curated a custom PMP (Private Marketplace) of 200+ premium sports and entertainment publishers that accepted gambling ads, ensuring brand safety and relevant context. Step 2: we built audience segments combining first-party data from FlashBet's pixel with third-party sports interest data, creating high-intent audiences. Step 3: we produced dynamic HTML5 creatives that adapted the displayed odds and match promotions based on the user's location and the day's sports calendar. Step 4: bid optimization rules were configured to adjust in real-time based on viewability scores, time of day, and conversion data. Results: 85M monthly impressions with 78% viewability (vs. sub-1% in previous campaigns), CPA 22% lower than search, new player volume increased 95% from the diversification, and brand safety score maintained at 98%.