Сollaborations Between Casinos and Non-Core Brands

Experts from the Rosloto company talk about partnerships in the gambling market, as well as the features and advantages of this promotion technique.

About the Concept

This is a cooperation between an entertainment brand and a firm that is not directly related to casino solutions. Providers interact with representatives of such spheres as fashion, music, cinema, sports, and others.

Key features of such collaborations:

1. Expansion of the audience. Working with an enterprise from another niche allows the owners of iGaming platforms to attract new users who were not interested in betting before.
2. Emotional marketing. Alliances create a more loyal image of a casino, associating it with entertainment, style, and culture.
3. Exclusivity. Unique joint products or promotions create a deficit and increase the audience's interest in the company’s offer.
4. Flexibility of integration. Non-core collaborations can be implemented in the format of affiliate advertising campaigns, releasing exclusive content, or creating special solutions for users.

Why Partnerships are Beneficial for Operators

This interaction style gives casino projects many advantages that go beyond traditional marketing:

• attraction of a new audience and expansion of the players’ demographics;
• improved performance of enterprises and reduction in the level of negativity;
• provision of exclusive products and increased engagement;
• clout chasing and free promotion through media;
• the ability to enter new markets and scale a business.

Let us consider the key benefits of such collaborations in more detail:

Increased Outreach

Associations with brands from other industries allow entrepreneurs to attract customers who previously had little interest in placing bets:

• partnerships with fashion brands will attract young people and streetwear lovers;
• collaborations with eSports or video games (CS2, Call of Duty, etc.) will be interesting to gamers;
• cooperation with music artists can expand the scope of fans of certain genres (rap, EDM, etc.).

Interaction with representatives of fashion, music, film, as well as other industries creates a hype effect, attracts new users, and increases the involvement of regular customers. People who are interested in art or technology are happy to turn their attention to betting thanks to their favourite brands.

Enhancing the Image and Strengthening Loyalty

Gambling is often perceived negatively due to associations with ludomania or financial risks. Collaborations with well-known companies allow business owners to smooth out rough edges and create a good reputation.

For example, if a casino works with Red Bull or Coca-Cola, it automatically becomes part of popular culture.

Sponsorship of major events (concerts or sports competitions) associates the betting niche with entertainment, not risks.

Another technique is teaming up with fashion firms, which gives casinos or bookmakers’ offices a premium look.

Unique Content and Exclusive Offers

Joint projects help entrepreneurs develop original solutions that have no analogues, for example:

1. Limited content. As a rule, these are slot machines made in partnership with famous brands. For example, it is possible to create a slot in the style of Gucci or Ferrari. Another option is to purchase the rights to produce solutions with the film franchise’s merchandise. Many similar options are already available in the market: releases with characters from Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones, and the Marvel Universe.
2. Special bonuses. Here, much depends on the imagination of marketers. Operators can choose to award tokens for buying Adidas sneakers, provide rewards for participating in themed festivals, etc. Many hotels and restaurants offer unique savings schemes. By earning points in online casinos, people can spend them in other locations.
3. Closed VIP programs. Most often, these are poker tournaments organised in collaboration with elite alcohol brands. This format of interaction is beneficial for both parties since it ensures an inflow of premium clients and high rollers.

Viral Marketing and Hype

Cooperation with well-known companies makes news feeds that quickly spread across media and social networks. This reduces advertising costs and improves audience engagement.

For example, if an online casino collaborates with a TikTok celebrity, millions of subscribers will find out about it. Streamers and bloggers are also eager to discuss unusual partnerships, providing additional reach for their accounts.

Hype brands (such as Supreme) can create limited casino merchandise. These products will be instantly bought by fans and create extra value for the entertainment firm.

Entering the International Market

Cooperation with global businesses helps iGaming project owners spread beyond their region.

For example, joint efforts with a company popular in Asia will attract players from China and Japan. Partnerships with Latin American music artists will help gain a foothold in Brazil and Mexico.

Innovative Marketing Approaches

Collaborations allow entrepreneurs to introduce some new advertising tools:

1. NFTs and blockchain. Working with cryptocurrency brands can make online platforms more attractive to those clients who are interested in digital assets.
2. Metaverse. The provision of gambling services in the virtual world is a rather popular option. For example, operators can launch a casino in the Decentraland space.
3. Interactive campaigns. The category includes the creation of quests, missions, and challenges like in Squid Game where the rewards are associated with the partner brand.

How to Choose with Whom to Collaborate

Finding an ambassador is a strategic step. In this case, it is worth taking into account reputation, audience, marketing goals, and possible risks.

Let us consider the key criteria that will help project owners make the right decision:

Comprehensibility to the Audience

The cooperation should be relevant to the wishes of clients, a casino, or a bookmaker.

Entrepreneurs should consider several aspects:

• age, interests, and preferences of players;
• geography and solvency of users;
• intersection of the audiences of the operator and their partner.

If, for example, young bettors make up the majority of online casino visitors, then it would be logical to work with representatives of eSports (FaZe Clan or Cloud9). A premium entertainment platform may consider partnerships with the luxury segment (Rolex, Lamborghini, etc.).

Brand Image and Reputation

The gambling industry has certain reputational risks. For this reason, it is important to choose a collaborator who will not cause negative associations.

Key tasks of the marketing department:

• check if the non-core brand has any conflicts with regulators;
• make sure that the partner is not associated with scandals;
• exclude candidates that may violate ethical norms.

Collaborations with Red Bull or Coca-Cola, for example, will improve the operator's image, while working with tobacco manufacturers may cause a negative reaction.

Potential for Creative Integrations

Cooperation should open up new marketing opportunities:

• development of exclusive game mechanics (special slots, bonuses, and VIP experience);
• integration into events (music festivals or sports competitions);
• launch of joint campaigns on social networks, streams, and metaverses.

Availability for Collaboration

It is important to understand whether the brand is ready to interact with the casino industry. Some companies avoid associations with betting due to regulatory or image risks.

It is important for operators to perform the following actions:

• study the previous partnerships of a non-core organisation;
• assess the openness of the enterprise to new formats of interaction;
• negotiate possible obstacles.

Regional and Legal Restrictions

It is necessary to take into account the juridical aspects of collaboration, especially if both parties provide services in different markets.

In some countries, gambling is limited or prohibited, which can complicate all the processes. Besides, many global corporations may have a ban on promoting betting products.

For example, in the UK, strict rules for advertising casino solutions have been introduced. In the American market, the sportsbook sector has only recently become legal and only in a few states, which also affects the availability of partners.

Financial Gain

Any cooperation must be economically justified.

Entrepreneurs need to assess in advance the following aspects:

• the cost of the collaboration (how much money will have to be invested in advertising, production, and marketing);
• expected profit (attraction of new users and increase in LTV);
• return on investment (ROI).

If, for example, cooperation with a famous rapper costs $1 million but attracts only a small audience, then the ROI and other KPIs (key performance indicators) will be quite low.

Possibility of Long-Term Interaction

One-time partnerships can generate hype, but it is strategically more advantageous to seek more lasting business relations. Bookmakers who interact with football clubs over several seasons, not just once, will gain more trust and recognition.

Cases of the Gambling Industry’s Representatives

Today, collaborations are becoming increasingly popular, expanding the audience and improving engagement indicators.

Joint Efforts with Football Clubs

Entertainment brands often prefer to interact with such companies. They act as title and additional sponsors, placing their symbols on uniforms or stadiums, providing information support in the media, and much more.

Notable examples in the casino niche:

• In 2020, the SBOTOP bookmaker entered into a long-term partnership with English Premier League participant Leeds United, becoming the main patron of the team.
• Another significant example is the interaction between the FUN88 bookmaker and FC Newcastle United. The betting shop’s logo is placed on the athletes' uniforms, advertising banners, and other attributes.
• Brazilian footballer Neymar collaborated with PokerStars for some time. The sportsman is known for his passion for poker, which helped attract his fans to the platform.

Partnerships with Media and Streaming Services

Operators often work with popular streamers and news portals to expand their reach and attract more customers.

For example, Unibet has entered into an agreement with several famous players. They broadcast sessions and discuss strategies in real-time, drawing the attention of subscribers to the betting site.

Collaborations with eSports Organisations

One of the main fans of this kind of gambling is the 1xBet holding. The company sponsors various cyber tournaments and professional teams. Thanks to this, the provider engages a younger audience and strengthens its presence in the dynamic market.

The Main Things about Cooperation between Casinos and Non-Core Brands

This marketing technique is considered popular and effective in the modern entertainment niche.

Key aspects that business owners should take into account:

• The solution’s advantages include increased outreach, the creation of unique offers, and the strengthening of loyalty. Partnerships help companies stand out among competitors and quickly enter the international arena.
• When choosing a collaborator, it is necessary to find a balance between audience, reputation, financial capabilities, and legal aspects. The best candidates are those firms that intersect with casino visitors, have a positive image, and can implement creative integrations.
• PokerStars, 1xBet, Unibet, and other software vendors actively use cooperation and other innovative marketing approaches.

From the Rosloto studio, you can order a turnkey project, a licensed White Label platform, high-quality program components, and other cost-effective solutions for the gambling business.