iGaming Digital PR: 5 Real Campaigns That Earned Links
Most iGaming digital PR roundups describe campaigns without showing the coverage. That makes it hard to judge what actually earned links and what earned a mention with no link at all. Every example below has a source we opened, and where possible we link the coverage itself. After the examples, we break down what they share and how to plan your own. If you want a team to run this for you, see our iGaming digital PR service.
1. Betway: Bond in Numbers
Betway worked with Blueclaw on “Bond in Numbers,” an interactive data guide to the James Bond films. According to Blueclaw’s case study, it produced 78 pieces of coverage, 57 new linking domains and 47 followed links. The campaign was shortlisted at the 2019 European Search Awards.
The coverage is still online. The Hollywood News credited Betway and linked to it in October 2018. Home Theater Forum linked to the guide on Betway’s blog without naming the brand. CineVue also covered it, but filed the piece under a Sponsored category.
Why it worked
- Bond has a permanent audience and regular news hooks
- The data was easy to quote, such as “shaken, not stirred” being said 12 times
- Casino visits were one data point among many, so the gambling link felt natural
The lesson
Audit your coverage. A sponsored write-up is a paid placement, not an earned editorial link, and should be counted separately.
2. Buzz Bingo: Profanity on Film
Buzz Bingo analysed scripts to rank the sweariest actors and films. In May 2020, Sinclair Broadcast Group stations ran the story, including Fox 25 Oklahoma City. The article says the study “looked through 3,500 films” and found Jonah Hill had uttered 376 swear words. It links to Buzz Bingo’s study page.
Why it worked
- One clear headline finding about a famous name
- Zero gambling content, so no editor had a reason to refuse it
- A syndicated story ran across many station sites, each with the same link
The lesson
Syndication networks multiply one placement into many. They are often same-network links, so judge them by referring domains, not article count.
3. GamblingDeals: Footballers’ wives’ engagement rings
GamblingDeals worked with Reboot Online on a ranking of footballers’ partners’ engagement rings. Reboot’s case study reports 133 links at an average DR of 66 for that piece. It was part of a year-long programme the agency says delivered 441 global placements.
In September 2020, Republic World covered the ranking. It named GamblingDeals and The Sun as sources, but linked to neither.
Why it worked
- Football and celebrity crossover reaches sports and showbiz desks
- Ranked lists are easy to rewrite with a local or club angle
- Specific values gave each outlet its own headline
The lesson
Big campaigns create unlinked mentions. Track brand mentions and ask for attribution links. Reclaiming them is often the cheapest link you will earn.
4. Gambling.com: SPOTY odds through a regional network
Gambling.com published odds for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. In July 2025, the Yorkshire Post ran an article saying Gambling.com “has issued its odds.” It linked to the source article on Gambling.com. The same piece appears on other National World titles, including The Scotsman.
Why it worked
- Odds are content that news desks use to frame a debate
- An awards race gives a long run of updates before the event
- An affiliate, not only a bookmaker, can own a market as a news source
The lesson
Odds-led reactive PR suits affiliates and sportsbooks. Check link attributes on syndicated network articles, as they vary by publisher and arrangement.
Bookmakers run the same play in-house. On 9 July 2026, William Hill’s newsroom cut Arthur Fery’s SPOTY odds from 50/1 to 6/1 after his Wimbledon run. It included a ready-to-use spokesperson quote.
5. CasinoBonusCA: The odds of everyday events
Cedarwood Digital ran “odds” themed data stories for Canadian affiliate CasinoBonusCA. Topics covered travel, entertainment and weather. Cedarwood’s case study reports 34 links at an average DR of 72. It lists regional coverage including an Ottawa Sun story on which airline is most likely to lose luggage.
Why it worked
- “Odds” ties the data to the casino brand without promoting gambling
- City and airline rankings give regional papers a local hook
- Weather and travel stories have seasonal news windows
The lesson
A brand theme like odds or luck lets an affiliate run many small campaigns that all make sense together.
What the examples have in common
| Campaign | Hook | Gambling content in the story | Main link driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betway Bond in Numbers | Film franchise data | Minor data point | Entertainment sites |
| Buzz Bingo Profanity on Film | Celebrity data | None | Syndicated TV station sites |
| GamblingDeals rings | Football and celebrity | None | Sports and showbiz desks |
| Gambling.com SPOTY odds | Awards race | Odds only | Regional news network |
| CasinoBonusCA odds | Local rankings | Theme only | Regional papers |
The pattern is clear. The story is rarely about gambling. The brand earns the link by owning the data, and the theme connects back to the brand.
How to plan an iGaming digital PR campaign
Use this sequence. It works for operators, sportsbooks and affiliates.
- Pick target pages first. Decide which resource or category page the links should support.
- Choose markets. Only target publishers whose audience is in markets where you are licensed or where the affiliate can promote legally.
- Find a theme that fits the brand, such as odds, luck, sport, wealth or games.
- Build a data source you control: a survey, a scrape of public data, or your own anonymised trends.
- Write three headline findings before you build anything. If none would work as a newspaper headline, change the idea.
- Build a landing page that hosts the data, the method and a contact.
- Segment media lists by desk: sport, showbiz, regional, money.
- Pitch with the headline in the subject line and the main finding in the first sentence.
- Track coverage, link attributes and unlinked mentions. Follow up for attribution.
- Refresh the data each year so the asset earns links again.
Compliance checks
Keep campaigns 18+ in tone and avoid themes that appeal to children. Don’t present gambling as a way to make money. Check the advertising rules in each market you target. Some outlets refuse gambling brands as sources, so build a fallback list.
Campaign idea templates
These are ideas, not past campaigns. Test the data before committing budget.
Idea: Odds of the season
Rank cities by the odds of a white Christmas, a heatwave or a washout weekend, using public weather records. Suits regional desks and seasonal windows.
Idea: The real price of a matchday
Total ticket, travel, food and kit costs per club using published prices. Suits sport and money desks, and fits sportsbook brands.
Idea: Lucky numbers in national draws
Analyse published historic lottery results to rank the most drawn numbers by country. Suits lottery, bingo and affiliate brands. Add a clear note that past draws don’t predict future results.
Idea: Reactive odds desk
Price and publish odds on awards, reality TV or political events, with a quotable spokesperson line. Suits licensed sportsbooks and odds affiliates.
Where digital PR fits in a link plan
Digital PR is unpredictable. A campaign can land 50 links or 5. Most iGaming brands pair it with steady placements such as iGaming guest posting on vetted gambling publishers. For the wider mix, read our iGaming link building strategies and our iGaming SEO guide.
FAQ
How many links does an iGaming digital PR campaign earn?
It varies widely. The case studies above report results from 34 links to 133 links for a single piece. Treat agency figures as best cases and plan for a range.
Do newspapers link to gambling brands?
Many do when the gambling brand is the data source, as the Betway, Buzz Bingo and Gambling.com examples show. Some outlets won’t link to gambling sites at all, and some mention the brand without a link.
Should affiliates run digital PR or only operators?
Both can. GamblingDeals, Gambling.com and CasinoBonusCA are affiliates. Affiliates often move faster on reactive stories because they have fewer brand approvals.
Is sponsored coverage the same as digital PR?
No. A sponsored article is a paid placement and should carry a qualified link. Earned digital PR is coverage a journalist chose to publish.
Plan your next campaign with us
Our iGaming link building agency works only in gambling, so every publisher on your list already covers it. We plan data-led and reactive campaigns for casinos, sportsbooks and affiliates, then back them with vetted gambling placements. See our iGaming digital PR page or contact us with your markets and target pages.
