Turning fans into participants without the bonus crutch

In a market where acquisition campaigns often lean heavily on aggressive offers, the real challenge is earning engagement that lasts — without relying on bonuses to buy attention.

When offers drive clicks but not loyalty

The bonus-led approach works for instant spikes. You get the clicks, you get the sign-ups. But as soon as the offer ends, the engagement fades. Players who arrived for the bonus often leave for the next one.

This cycle drives high churn, pushes up acquisition costs, and undermines player protection efforts by rewarding volume over quality.

Sports audiences in particular are quick to switch off when they sense a purely transactional approach. Fans want to feel part of the action, not just a target for conversion.

A campaign built for participation, not just promotion

AskGamblers’ Armchair Manager of England flipped the script. Instead of dangling a bonus, it invited fans to step into the manager’s role during one of the most passionately followed tournaments in football.

The campaign gave players a reason to return week after week, tracking their own decisions and seeing how they compared to the real match results. It wasn’t about a one-off click — it was about building an ongoing connection through shared passion.

Making it work without compromising responsibility

• No bonus dependency — all engagement was earned through content and participation.
• Season-long narrative — fans could track their “manager” journey from start to finish.
• Cultural relevance — launched in sync with the tournament schedule, with content shaped by real match events.
• Seamless user experience — optimised for both desktop and mobile to make participation easy anywhere, anytime.
• Player safeguards — clear RG messaging integrated into the experience without disrupting the fun.

Impact beyond the tournament

The results showed that a campaign built on relevance and interaction can match, and in some cases outperform, bonus-led models:

• Consistently high conversion rates despite no financial incentive.
• Repeat visits across the campaign’s run, increasing exposure to the brand over time.
• Stronger player trust by aligning entertainment with responsible play.

Why it matters to the market

For operators, it’s proof that fan-first campaigns can drive both acquisition and retention without the regulatory and reputational risks tied to heavy bonus use.
For players, it’s a more engaging, more relevant, and ultimately more enjoyable way to interact with a brand.
For the market, it’s an example of how creativity and responsibility can work together to set a new standard for sports campaigns.

Recognition

This work has been shortlisted for Affiliate Campaign of the Year at the SBC Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025.

Vote for Affiliate Campaign of the Year → here

Explore our other shortlisted work → here