How do you make iGaming ads actually convert?

I’ve been dabbling in iGaming advertising for a while now, and I keep running into the same question: how do you actually make your ads get more players to sign up or stick around? I mean, it sounds simple, right? Throw up a flashy banner or a fun video, and people will click. But in reality, it’s way trickier than it seems.

At first, I thought just targeting a lot of people would work. I was running broad campaigns and hoping sheer volume would lead to conversions. Spoiler: it didn’t. My CTRs were okay, but actual sign-ups? Pretty low. I realized quickly that it wasn’t about showing ads to everyone—it was about showing the right ads to the right people.

The biggest pain point for me was figuring out what makes someone click and then follow through. I experimented with a few different things. Some ads were too generic, like just showing a logo or a basic promo. Others were over-the-top flashy, with tons of animations and pop-ups. Surprisingly, both extremes did poorly. What actually seemed to grab attention were ads that felt a little personal or relevant—like they were made for me, not just some generic “play now” message.

I also noticed that copy and visuals matter a lot. Small tweaks in wording—like focusing on the experience rather than the bonus—made a difference. Same with images; showing gameplay clips instead of stock graphics seemed to build more trust. And yeah, I tested different placements too. Some spots on sites had loads of clicks but almost no sign-ups, while others had fewer clicks but a higher conversion rate. It really drove home the point that click volume doesn’t equal results.

Something else that helped me was keeping track of patterns across campaigns. Instead of just changing one thing and hoping for magic, I kept a simple spreadsheet of ad types, messaging, placements, and results. Over time, it became clear which combinations actually led to more player conversions. Honestly, that little habit made a bigger difference than I expected.

If you’re curious, one of the guides I stumbled upon that helped me understand this better is  Winning iGaming Ads for Conversions . It’s not a flashy marketing piece—it just talks through strategies that work in a pretty straightforward way. Reading it made me rethink how I approach my campaigns and what I prioritize first.

So here’s what I’d suggest from my experience: start small, test constantly, and pay attention to the kind of messaging and visuals that actually resonate. Don’t get obsessed with impressions or even clicks alone. Conversion is a mix of relevance, trust, and timing. And remember, sometimes the simplest ads work better than the ones you think will wow people.

Anyway, I’d love to hear from others—what’s worked for you when trying to boost iGaming ad conversions? Any experiments you’ve done that totally surprised you?