How to Achieve 15% Click-to-Deposit
When we talk about Tier-1 countries in iGaming, we mean markets with high purchasing power and strong revenue potential. However, entering these markets is a challenge due to strict regulations and expensive traffic. The Alanbase team invited Ekaterina, Affiliate Team Lead at Tonybet, to discuss which strategies convert best in Tier-1 and how to connect with this audience.
Inside the article:
Top-performing slots in key Tier-1 GEOs
Gamification trends
The best traffic sources for Tier-1
Why Non-paid and “blacklist” manipulated traffic are banned by Tonybet
How to help affiliates improve conversion
A bit about Tonybet:
On the market since: 2009
GEOs: Mainly Tier-1: Canada, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and one Tier-2 country, which is Chile
Products: Sportsbook, Casino
Alanbase: Hi Ekaterina. Which Tier-1 GEOs are a priority for Tonybet in 2025?
Ekaterina: Our top Tier-1 GEOs for 2025 are Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Finland, especially for betting. Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Luxembourg are also interesting due to good profitability, but finding traffic there is difficult due to their small populations.
We operate legally in nearly all of our GEOs, meaning we hold local licenses. We don’t yet have one, so either it is unavailable due to regulation gaps, or we are in the process of acquiring it. In most European countries, a license from any EU member is sufficient for legal operation.
Alanbase: What payment methods do Tier-1 players prefer? What about crypto? Can you share a fiat-to-crypto ratio?
Ekaterina: Each GEO has its own popular methods, and since we operate legally, we have no issues connecting to local solutions.
There is a growing segment of crypto users, but it’s still too early to compare it with fiat. Around 3% of payments in Ireland and Canada are made in crypto.
Alanbase: What slots are most popular in Tier-1?
Ekaterina: Slot popularity varies by country. I can provide a top-5 list by GEO:
Alanbase: Do Tier-1 players have design preferences for landing pages or websites?
Ekaterina: As a single-brand operator, our pages follow a unified, recognizable visual style. However, players prefer designs tailored to their interests, popular slots for casinos, and major events for betting. We also feature our brand ambassadors in designs, like Tony Cascarino.
We focus heavily on the user journey before registration. That’s why we are developing interactive landings to boost engagement and improve conversion.
Alanbase: What does in-product gamification look like?
Ekaterina: Gamification is about guiding the player’s journey. For instance, users can complete tasks and earn coins by playing slots. Coins can be exchanged for bonuses like free spins or extra balance.
This helps players explore more slots and increases engagement. It’s much like a regular game; you start at level zero and level up as your performance improves. Players can also compete in tournaments with live leaderboards and win big rewards.
Alanbase: What traffic sources are proving most effective for Tier-1 iGaming operators in 2025?
Ekaterina: Our two historical pillars are SEO and PPC. These channels are stable but not explosive. You won’t see 100 FTDs one month and 1,000 the next. That’s why we are also developing ASO, In-App, Facebook, and influencer marketing.
Alanbase: How do you find affiliates? What are your selection criteria?
Ekaterina: We are well-known and trusted in the industry, and word of mouth works 100%. We don’t need to search actively, but are always open to new partners. We also network at conferences and often find new contacts there.
The criteria starts with the first contact. We are skeptical if someone reaches out without any background info or stats and just offers traffic. Professionalism and transparency are key.
Alanbase: Are there traffic sources you actively avoid, and why?
Ekaterina: Based on experience, we avoid Non-paid traffic and manipulated traffic entirely. Why? It is usually deceptive. Players are lured in with bonuses and try to trick the system. When they realize that won’t work, they leave and often leave bad reviews. That is not something we want.
At first glance, this traffic looks good: players come in, deposits look strong, but the deposits drop once the initial processing ends. Some companies might praise these sources, but a year later, they often regret it due to fraud.
Alanbase: Your promo post shows that your Click2Dep is 15%. How do you achieve that?
Ekaterina: It is important to clarify that this rate applies to SEO and PPC traffic. Facebook rarely reaches this level. We maintain good conversion across all GEOs by closely monitoring trends and updating the product accordingly, adding gamification, shortening the registration form, etc. Small tweaks steadily improve performance.
We also run active offline campaigns. For example, we sponsor a football league in Latvia, where our ambassador is Anatolijs Kreipans. Players see us online and offline, which builds trust. So when they feel like placing a bet or spinning slots, Tonybet is top-of-mind.
For affiliates, we provide live statistics via Alanbase so they can always see what’s happening with their traffic. We also keep them updated on trends, promotions, and landing pages, and help them optimize their funnels. When something isn’t performing, we dive deep into the data and rebuild the funnel together, which often leads to great results for both sides.
For our 15% Click2Dep, we care not only about high conversion rates but also about traffic quality. High conversion doesn’t always mean high quality. Motivated traffic can convert well, but such users rarely stick around.
Alanbase: Which models (RevShare, CPA, Hybrid) deliver the best results?
Ekaterina: All models are popular. We offer CPA, RevShare, and Hybrid, based on what the partner prefers. Here is what we typically see:
SEO – Hybrid or RevShare
PPC – CPA, sometimes Hybrid
Facebook – 99% CPA
In-App & ASO – CPA
