Social casino is a $7+ billion market with some of the highest LTV users in mobile gaming. But the category also faces unique challenges including advertising restrictions, high CPIs, and specialized player expectations.
Social Casino Categories
- Slots: Largest category, 70%+ of social casino revenue
- Poker: Texas Hold'em, tournament formats
- Bingo: Often combined with slots
- Table games: Blackjack, roulette
- Multi-game casinos: All-in-one experiences
Advertising Restrictions
Social casino faces significant advertising limitations:
⚠️ Platform Policies
Facebook restricts casino ads to 21+ audiences and requires pre-approval. Google has varying policies by country. Always check current policies before launching—they change frequently.
Compliance Requirements
- Age-gate all advertising to 21+ (varies by platform/region)
- Clearly indicate "no real money gambling"
- Avoid showing real currency or misleading win amounts
- Pre-approval required on many platforms
- Some countries prohibit all gambling-adjacent advertising
Creative Strategies
Winning Creative Elements
- Big wins: Show massive jackpots and celebrations
- Urgency: Limited-time bonuses and events
- Social proof: Millions of players, real testimonials
- Free coins: Emphasize generous welcome bonuses
- Variety: Show range of games available
Video Ad Best Practices
- Show actual gameplay with exciting wins
- Include sound effects (coins, jackpots)
- Feature multiple games in one video
- End with clear CTA and bonus offer
Targeting Strategies
Core Audience
- Age: 35-65 primary demographic
- Gender: Often 60-70% female for slots
- Interests: Casino gaming, Las Vegas, lottery
- Behaviors: Mobile gamers, social gamers
Lookalike Strategies
- Build from high-LTV payers
- Separate lookalikes by spend tier
- Test narrow (1%) vs. broad (5-10%) lookalikes
- Refresh seed audiences regularly
"In social casino, the top 1% of players can drive 50%+ of revenue. Building lookalikes from whales, not just payers, is crucial for profitable UA."
Channel Mix
Programmatic Networks
Networks specialized in gaming/casino inventory:
- Access to premium casino-friendly inventory
- Pre-negotiated compliance frameworks
- Specialized targeting capabilities
- Often better CPIs than self-serve platforms
Social Platforms
- Facebook/Instagram: Requires approval, strong for scale
- TikTok: Growing channel, younger skewing
- Pinterest: Often overlooked, strong female audience
Welcome Bonus Optimization
The welcome bonus is critical for conversion and early engagement:
Bonus Strategies
- Progressive bonuses (Day 1-7 increasing rewards)
- Time-limited mega bonuses (first hour special)
- Tiered VIP fast-track offers
- Referral bonuses for viral growth
Testing Framework
- Test bonus amounts vs. conversion rate
- Measure impact on D7 retention
- Track first purchase timing and amount
- Calculate ROI of different bonus structures
Retention and Monetization
Engagement Hooks
- Daily bonus spins and collect mechanics
- Limited-time events and tournaments
- Seasonal content and themed slots
- VIP tiers with escalating rewards
Purchase Triggers
- Run-out-of-coins moments with special offers
- Near-miss big win followed by purchase prompt
- Time-limited discount bundles
- Personalized offers based on play patterns
Scale Your Casino UA
ClicksFlyer offers premium social casino inventory with pre-approved, compliant placements.
Get StartedKey Metrics
- CPI: Typically $10-50+ for quality users
- D1/D7 retention: 30-40% / 15-20% good benchmarks
- Payer conversion: 2-5% of installers
- ARPDAU: $0.20-0.50+ for quality apps
- LTV: Can exceed $100+ for top-tier games
- ROAS D30: 50-80% target for sustainable growth
Social casino UA is challenging but rewarding. Focus on compliant creative, precise targeting of high-value players, and strong welcome bonuses to build a profitable acquisition machine.