Why influencer marketing has had massive impact on the sports betting industry
Over the last couple of years, influencer marketing has gone from being a supplementary promotional tactic to a central growth engine in different industries. The global sports betting industry is among the markets that have massively benefited from this. Traditional advertising channels have been facing more restrictions, and sportsbooks have turned to digital creators, tipsters, streamers and sports personalities.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global influencer marketing industry was worth USD 23.59 billion in 2025. The market has been projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.9% between 2026 and 2034 to hit USD 89.90 billion. Simultaneously, the global sports betting market continues to grow. Against this backdrop, influencer marketing has become an increasingly powerful mechanism for positioning, acquisition, engagement and behavioral influence.
Many sports betting platforms have turned towards influencer marketing for good reasons. For instance, statistics have revealed that in recent years, a good number of Gen Z and Millennial gamblers have been finding out about sports betting sites through social media influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. But the biggest question is, what impact has influencer marketing brought to the sports betting industry that makes sportsbooks use it as a major way of obtaining customers?
Customer acquisition and brand expansion in a competitive market
One of the most significant roles that influencer marketing plays in this industry is customer acquisition. Advertising costs have been rising across search and display networks, and therefore, sportsbooks have been pushed to increase leveraging influencers to acquire users.
According to influencer marketing industry data, businesses on average earn $5.78 for every $1 spent on influencers. Interestingly, top-performing campaigns generate significantly higher, with some getting to $18. You see, in regulated betting markets, such as the US, customer acquisition costs can exceed several hundred dollars per player. This is because of the intense competition between top operators. Influencers provide a performance-based alternative through affiliate or hybrid commission structures.
Instead of fully relying on broad media campaigns, sportsbooks collaborate with sports tipsters, betting analysts and micro-influencers who have niche but highly engaged communities. Social Media platforms like Twitch, Kick, TikTok, X and Instagram are now used to drive major engagement. In fact, a report by Uberman Agency reported that at least 80% of player acquisition in South African sportsbooks comes from TikTok and Instagram.
Influencers build credibility and trust
One of the most important things that players look for in the gambling world is trust and credibility. Unfortunately, the iGaming world has been plagued by cases of fraud. For example, a 2024 report by Samsub reported that iGaming fraud had increased by 64% Y-o-Y on average between 2022 and 2024. For such reasons, players are looking for platforms that they can actually trust. Traditional advertising (TV commercials, banners, celebrity endorsements) do not offer that.
Influencers are able to build personal trust through sharing content, since they are familiar with the people. In fact, research into African sportsbooks found that betting promos presented through trusted influencers generated 4-5x higher click-through rates compared to traditional celebrity endorsements. Many followers, more than 65%, state that they would consider recommendations from trusted influencers even when they knew the influencer was compensated.
Influencers drive user engagement
More than just giving recommendations, influencer partnerships are valuable for operators because they extend the reach and engagement beyond traditional ads. For ads, the work ends by making sure knows that a certain platform exists. However, they never show what is supposed to be done or how well the platforms operate. But for influencers, they get in deeper.
Take, for instance, streamers whose main work is to engage with different sports betting platforms. Streaming services such as Twitch, Kick and YouTube Gaming have been instrumental in keeping gamblers more involved. You see your favorite streamers interacting with a particular sportsbook, placing wagers, and either winning or losing live on their stream. The more you interact with the streamer, the higher your engagement rate.
In some markets, local influencer campaigns have generated 3-5x the ROI on initial deposits compared to conventional digital ads. This indicated that it is not just about reach but also about measurable customer acquisition. This effectiveness is particularly notable for micro-influencers and niche creators. This is because most of their followers see them as authoritative voices in different aspects of sports betting.
Regulatory pressure and strategic adaptation
As influencer marketing has continued to expand, regulators are responding. Governments across the globe have introduced tighter advertising guidelines introduced at protecting vulnerable audiences. Different jurisdictions are calling for clear promotional disclosures and prohibiting misleading “risk-free” terminology in influencer campaigns.
These regulatory shifts have reshaped how sportsbooks deploy influencers. Instead of dealing with mass-market celebrity endorsements, they prefer working with micro-influencers with niche adult audiences. Now, instead of regulations slowing influencer marketing, it has made it more professional. And in effect, regulations have transformed influencer marketing from an experimental growth hack into a regulated, data-driven pillar of sportsbook strategy.
Well, it is quite clear that influencer marketing has reshaped the sports betting industry. It has already lowered the customer acquisition barrier and increased engagement. All this is because it offers the trust that is much needed by players in the industry. What began as social media endorsements has quickly shifted into a sophisticated ecosystem.