1. Meta’s Full-Funnel AI: The End of Creatives, Bids & Manual Optimisation?
Meta's latest ad product allows advertisers to simply upload a budget and a single image or video. Its AI then handles everything:
- Ad creative generation
- Copywriting and audience targeting
- Real-time bid and budget optimisation
iGaming Implications:
- Pros: Rapid scaling of creative assets, geo-targeted ads, dynamic budget optimisation across markets.
- Risks: Lack of transparency and potential compliance breaches if local regulations (e.g. age-gating, market restrictions) aren’t built into the AI ruleset.
For Operators like Bet365, Ladbrokes, MGM:
- Must embed compliance guardrails and pre-approved creative templates into Meta’s AI tools.
- Deploy internal AI auditors to regularly assess campaign output for regulatory violations.
2. Google AI Mode: The End of the Middle Funnel?
Google AI Mode transforms the SERP into an answer engine, bypassing traditional website listings. It:
- Delivers direct responses
- Recommends products/services inline
- Enables transactions without website visits
iGaming & Gambling Impact:
- Affiliate sites lose visibility. AI summarises odds, reviews, and bonuses without sending clicks.
- Operators must own structured data bonus offers, geolocation rules, age requirements, and odds must be presented in AI-digestible formats.
Actions:
- Use schema markup (e.g. Offer, SportsEvent)
- Feed Google structured data via APIs
- Adapt content for AI “zero-click” environments
3. Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) & LLMs.txt: The Future of SEO
What is GEO?
Optimising your site for LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini by structuring content that AI tools can ingest and quote.
How to Optimise:
- Publish a llms.txt file listing AI-accessible URLs
- Use JSON-LD to structure:
- Odds & betting markets
- Bonus terms (min deposit, wagering requirements)
- RTP/game mechanics
- Prioritise short, factual statements (good for LLM quoting)
For Affiliates:
- Produce authoritative, well-cited content
- Target long-tail conversational keywords and questions
- Focus on citations over SERP ranking
4. NLWeb: Making Sports & Casino Data Readable by LLMs
What is NLWeb?
An emerging standard where structured data (like sportsbook odds or casino RTP) is readable directly by LLMs.
For Sportsbooks:
- Use live odds feeds via API
- Provide offer metadata (valid dates, markets, terms)
- Embed event data with schema.org markup
For Casinos:
- Tag games by provider, RTP, volatility
- Structure bonus availability by game and jurisdiction
For Prize Draw Platforms (7daysperformance.com, BOTB, Omaze):
- Clearly mark entry methods, odds, prize values, and draw dates
- Use JSON-LD to let AI understand compliance & game mechanics
5. Are Affiliates Dead or Just Evolving?
Dead:
- Long-form listicles that used to rank in SEO
- PPC affiliate arbitrage
Alive:
- Tools & web apps (e.g. chat-based bonus finders, odds calculators)
- First-party AI tools for users
- Structured data + dynamic feeds
For Bingo, Crypto Casinos, Sweepstakes:
- Use bonus APIs and clear compliance tagging
- Build experiences that LLMs can reference or link
6. Tactical Blueprint for 2025
Operators (Bet365, MGM) - Publish odds & promos in structured data, use llms.txt
Agencies - Reskill teams to guide AI & audit outputs
Affiliates - Launch microtools + AI-native content experiences
Prize Draws - Mark up draws, prizes, and entry rules via schema
Bingo & Slots - Add RTP, volatility, bonus tags to all games
Final Thought
AI isn’t replacing digital marketers, it’s redefining the toolkit. In the iGaming sector, from sportsbook to sweepstakes, we must:
- Optimise for AI engines
- Structure our data
- Own the compliance narrative
Adapt now or risk becoming invisible in an AI-first web.