Anyone know good gambling ads platforms for ROI?

I have been experimenting with different ways to run gambling ads, and I keep circling back to the same question: which platforms actually bring in high-intent traffic without draining the budget? It feels like everyone has a different answer, and the more I read, the more confusing it gets. So I figured I would share what I have noticed so far and see what others think.When I first started looking into this, I assumed any big ad network would work as long as the targeting was solid. But that turned out to be wrong pretty quickly. Some platforms allowed gambling ads but gave almost zero meaningful results. Others had strict rules, and the learning curve took forever. What I found harder to figure out was which platforms genuinely pushed traffic from people already interested in gambling content instead of random clicks that never convert.My biggest challenge was trying to balance three things at once: cost, traffic intent, and actual conversions. A lot of platforms promise reach, but reach does not always mean users who want to deposit or engage. I ended up with a pile of clicks and no returns more than once. It made me rethink the whole approach because gambling audiences behave differently from general audiences. They move fast, compare offers instantly, and disappear the second something feels off.After getting frustrated enough, I started testing platforms slowly instead of throwing everything into one place. I tried focusing only on search based traffic at first, thinking people who are actively searching for gambling content would convert better. In some cases it was true, but the costs shot up fast. Search intent helped, but the budget vanished quickly when I got into bid wars with bigger advertisers.Display placements surprised me the most. I used to think display would never bring serious conversions for gambling because it felt too broad. But on a few networks that are known for niche traffic, the signals actually matched better than expected. It was not explosive, but it was steady enough to keep testing. I started noticing that some display networks had pockets of high-intent users coming through gaming related sites and entertainment pages. It was not the kind of traffic that converts in the first click, but it did well when paired with retargeting.Social platforms were hit or miss for me. Some allow gambling ads with special approval. Some make it nearly impossible. Even when they approve, the engagement tends to be curiosity based rather than intent based. I did get sign ups, but the deposit ratio was weaker. I guess it depends on how well you refine the audience. Social users are not always in the mindset to gamble unless the creative hits them at the right moment.One thing that helped me get a better picture of what to use was reading long form comparisons from people who tested multiple networks. That is where I stumbled into more useful insight about which platforms tend to work better for high-intent gambling traffic. It was not so much about choosing the biggest platform. It was about choosing the platform that naturally attracts gambling friendly audiences and understands compliance rules. I found this breakdown helpful here when I was evaluating options:  top gambling ad platforms for ROI . It gave me a clearer sense of where intent based traffic tends to show up and what to expect from each network.Once I had a general idea, my approach shifted. Instead of chasing volume, I started testing smaller but more relevant sources first. I also learned that faster ROI comes from audiences already close to the decision point. That sounds obvious, but it is easy to forget when you are looking at cheap clicks. Cheap traffic is not bad, but it does not help much if the audience is not ready.Another thing I noticed is that creatives matter more than I thought. Even when the platform is right, weak creatives kill performance instantly. Gambling users look for clarity and trust signals. Anything vague or overly flashy tends to get ignored. Simple, direct creatives with a clean message seemed to work more consistently across all networks.In the end, I do not think there is a single best platform for everyone. It depends on the type of gambling product, the target region, and how strict the advertising rules are in that area. But if someone is just starting out, I would say try a mix of search intent, gambling friendly display networks, and retargeting. If a platform has a history of delivering traffic from users already browsing gambling related content, that usually means the ROI timeline is shorter.Would definitely like to hear what others have seen, especially if you found a platform that consistently sends players who actually deposit instead of just window shopping.