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When 2025 draws to a close so will the era of lucrative cross-selling promotions in the UK, with operators and affiliates facing the tall task of adapting successfully to another major shift in marketing compliance.
Today, sports bettors could be offered free bets that are contingent on also making a few free spins of a roulette wheel, or bingo players could be pitched a loyalty bonus with free games and promotional cash to spend on slots.
But from December 19, promotions that bundle together multiple forms of gambling will be banned, under new rules introduced by the Gambling Commission.
The regulations are designed to address fears from the government that consumers are being coerced into online casino games, in particular, where the risks of harmful play are much higher.
It's an open secret in the gambling industry that margins are much larger in the online casino sector, with operators chasing profits eager to turn every sports bettor into a casino gambler if at all possible.
December鈥檚 new rules will mean that 鈥済ambling businesses will be banned from offering potentially harmful offers involving consumers having to carry out two or more types of gambling, such as betting and playing slots鈥.
There will also be a hard cap of 10x on wagering multipliers, meaning the number of times a player has to risk any free promotional cash they may have been awarded, before they are then allowed to make a withdrawal on any winnings accrued from gambling, it cannot be higher than ten times the original amount.
Offering an online casino promotion to a customer who is betting on sports is not explicitly ruled out by the new rules, although the industry has expressed some concern at potential areas of ambiguity in the new regulations.
That tactic is also likely to be severely hampered by new opt-in marketing rules that came into effect on May 1.
Under the new licence conditions, consumers must be given clear opportunities to opt out of marketing communications and should also be able to indicate their preferences by product. Meaning that if a gambler has asked not to receive online casino communications, any operator that attempts to cross-sell risks punishment from the regulator.
Affiliates are not directly licensed in the UK, but the operators they advertise for will be held accountable for any compliance slip-ups and the Gambling Commission has a notable track record for taking action against slip-ups by promotional partners.
The changes are expected to hit the online bingo sector hardest of all, where the games played are more similar to those available on the casino side of a business and converting customers is seen as a major attraction for creating a bingo offer in the first place.
One prominent affiliate also described the cross-selling ban and cap on wagering requirements as 鈥渕usic to the ears of black market operators鈥.
The industry fears that offshore gambling sites will be able to dazzle players with huge bonus offers and more compelling marketing, in an environment where there are little, if any, constraints on terms and conditions.
Although some experts dispute that there is a bleak future ahead for regulated gambling bonuses.
Paul Leyland, of consultants Regulus Partners, noted that the elimination of huge wagering requirements for bonuses that typically frustrate gamblers will lead to a more positive customer experience in the licensed market.
On cross-selling, however, Regulus agrees that 鈥渢he black market will receive another small but cumulatively material boost next year鈥 if the Commission鈥檚 new rules mean in practice that bonus offers can only ever be applied to a single gambling vertical 鈥 banning operators from offering a sign-up or loyalty bonus with free cash that could be used across their entire suite of products.
Some gambling marketers, particularly in the often dynamic affiliate market, are working on ways to make the most of the new world they will find themselves in come December.
Delegates at the recent iGB L!ve affiliate tradeshow in London discussed tactics like crafting more personalised bonuses for individual customers and working on retaining players rather than seeking to attract new depositors via glitzy sign-up offers.
The already vital role of content marketing is also set to become more essential, experts say, providing gamblers with the opportunity to ambiently learn about an operator's other gambling products and offers without the need to resort to prohibited direct marketing.
