How to Run iGaming Traffic with Telegram Ads
Facebook, Google Ads, and other top traffic sources are saturated with iGaming product ads. Competition keeps growing, and with it CPM, CPC, and install costs rise as well. Affiliates are forced to look for alternative platforms to acquire casino players.
Today we analyze approaches to driving traffic from Telegram Ads to gambling products across various GEOs, together with Casino.ua Director Oleksandr Babenko.
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Telegram Ads potential for the iGaming market
Telegram is the world's second most popular messenger after WhatsApp. The product launched publicly in 2013 and quickly built up a massive audience. Monthly active user figures and total user counts continue to grow on a regular basis.
According to analytical reports, Telegram's monthly active audience has reached 800 million. Experts predict the number will grow to 1 billion in the near future.
There is no publicly available data on Telegram Ads reach, but it's possible to draw conclusions about the volumes independently. Ads are only hidden from Premium subscribers, and according to the latest data, there are approximately 12 million of them (1.5%).
TG Ads offers 3 payment models for advertising: euros, stars, and TON. Each option has its own specifics, with euro-based accounts holding the greatest potential. They support targeting not only by GEO but also by language and phone number, and allow the use of creatives with images and video.
Stars-based launches are primarily suited for channel and bot owners, as well as for scheme-based funnels. Targeting is limited to subscribers of specific communities or bots. The Ukraine GEO is available in this account type, unlike TON-based accounts.
If only TON payment is available for running ad campaigns, it won't be possible to advertise in Ukraine, Germany, or Israel. The account capabilities are no different from stars-based launches.
Traffic funnel breakdown
Telegram Ads prohibits advertising of gambling and other products related to betting. These restrictions have been in place since the platform launched and have not changed.
Ads must not promote online or offline gambling, casino activities involving real money, prizes, or goods of any value.
Moderation in the ad network is manual, but not as strict as on Facebook — though ads can sometimes sit in review for several days. Account bans are unlikely, unless an affiliate is running creatives for something outright blackhat.
Agency account providers also typically refuse to offer their services when it comes to advertising iGaming products. Intermediaries don't want to risk their reputation or finances.
It might seem that strict rules around casino advertising would push affiliates away — but the opposite is true. Media buyers are actively looking for ways to promote iGaming products on a fresh traffic source.
Research via spy services reveals a growing number of creatives advertising locally licensed products and "gray" brands. In recent months, creatives have been increasingly pushed through euro-based accounts.
The screenshot above shows an example of one of the newer ad formats using video. The minimum budget to launch such creatives starts at $5,000–8,000 depending on the agent's terms.
Funnels are typically built on the scheme: creative → pre-lander → landing page. The pre-lander features interactive demo slots to introduce users to the product mechanics. Users are offered bonuses, and at the end are prompted to proceed to the casino website.
Some creatives feature the likenesses of well-known public figures. Questions about conversion rates remain unanswered, but as we can see, advertisers have no trouble getting past moderation.
Spy services show that launches targeting Plinko and other popular slots are running continuously across various GEOs. Most creatives are text-only, but examples using media content also appear.
Spy services indicate that over recent months the volume of ads promoting iGaming products has grown significantly. Advertisers are finding ways to successfully pass moderation and are squeezing maximum profit out of Telegram's ad network.
Predicting how casino advertising in Telegram Ads will develop further is difficult. But it appears that right now is the ideal time to launch gambling and betting campaigns — provided you have the budget to cover agency service costs.
