Retention rate in iGaming is mostly product’s responsibility – but affiliates and webmasters can do something about it, too. Read our article to learn more.
Many affiliates think that attracting a player to a casino is the most difficult task. But if you delve into the process and understand how this vertical works, you can conclude that the primary important task is retaining that very player. Yes, many will say that this is the product’s responsibility, and they will be right. But why not try to figure this out? Especially since retention is always a relevant issue for scheme traffic.
Today, we will talk about ways for an affiliate to influence retention, and these methods will help you increase profit and traffic quality.

What is Retention Rate?
Retention Rate in gambling is a metric that measures the retention of players, indicating the percentage of players who return to the game after their initial experience with it.
Simply put, if 100 people registered at your casino and only 30 of them continued to play a week later, the Retention Rate for that period would be 30%.
Why is Retention Rate So Important?
Attracting new players is already an expensive endeavor. It is much more cost-effective to retain those who are already playing — those who play for a long time and return regularly. The longer a player stays with you, the more they are likely to spend. If you have many players who return, it means everything has aligned: you have attracted quality traffic to a quality product. This means your target audience is satisfied with your creatives and the casino bonuses.
Increasing Retention in Apps with Push Notifications
Push notifications in apps are a powerful tool for boosting retention, working in several ways:
1. Bringing Users Back to the App
- Reminders: Push notifications help to subtly remind users about your app, such as a new slot or a special bonus.
- Behavioral Triggers: Send relevant push notifications to your target audience based on their behavior, for example: “You haven’t played your favorite game in a while! Get a bonus for returning.”

2. Increasing Engagement
- Event Information. Notify users about important events or promotions (e.g., “Deposit now and receive a bonus”), and the availability of new and exciting slots.
- Push notifications that mention someone recently hitting the jackpot and winning a significant amount of money also work well. This trigger is quite effective in encouraging user engagement.
The most important thing is not to overdo it with the number of notifications and pay attention to the following points:
- Don’t Spam: Too frequent and irrelevant push notifications will irritate users and have the opposite effect.
- Test More: Experiment with different push formats, timing, and content to find the most effective options that engage players.
Retention in Schemed Traffic
Retention in schemed traffic works more interestingly and complexly than in regular apps. The primary challenge is that you initially attract players with promises of making money, but after a few bets, their balance is zero. At this point, you will have to find a way to convince the player to make a repeat deposit, if not several.
Note that such an approach is morally questionable, to say the least. Many online casinos do not accept such type of traffic not only because they don’t want to provide services for misled players, but also because such traffic is considered of low quality.
To understand the conditions in schemed traffic, let’s consider the MostBet betting offer — [Schemes] [UZ] with a payout of $30.
All test traffic is evaluated by two KPIs:
- The amounts of repeat deposits must be greater than or equal to the amounts of first deposits: RD/FD > 1.
- Deposit amounts must be greater than or equal to half of the webmaster’s payout: DEP/FEE > 0.5 or REFILL/CPA > 0.5. In our case, with a payout of $30, we need to ensure that each player makes a deposit of at least $15.
It is generally feasible to work under such conditions, but if you have a large turnover and a staff of professional processors who can achieve high average checks, it might be worth considering schemes on a RevShare basis. In the long run, this traffic can bring you more money, but this is not always the case: risks will always be present.
Proven Methods to Increase Retention in Schemed traffic:
- VIP Programs: Develop various programs that motivate players to stay with your product and make repeat deposits. You can open VIP channels or offer different bets to players on the condition that they top up their deposit by a certain amount.
- Various Draws. You can organize different tournaments or draws every week, with prizes such as an iPhone or cash. To participate, players only need to make a deposit.

- Personalized Offers. Since schemed traffic is not limited to just one Aviator slot in the casino, you can offer players to try a new slot with increased winnings and suggest they top up their balance. Before that, show the winnings of a previous player from this slot. It’s not necessary to offer a new slot or something similar. You need to find out what interests your player and give them an offer they can’t refuse. For example, you can offer the player increased odds on the Aviator game or some bonus when they make a repeat deposit, such as free spins in a popular slot.
Conclusion
Improving retention in gambling in terms of affiliate marketing is a complex process that requires constant attention. By implementing the strategies described above, you can influence the quality of traffic for the advertiser and possibly get a rate bump. Analyze, test, and try different options, as the market in this area is constantly changing, evolving, and requires its own approach.