The National Football League (NFL) remains the primary promotion focus for most international bookmakers. Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs are gradually reallocating their budgets toward basketball, baseball, and other athletic disciplines.
Casino Market's experts discuss the reasons for this transformation. Our managers can provide you with more details on the matter, help you launch a niche project, and assist with gambling advertising.
Classic Strategies: Declining Effectiveness
A recent study by iSpot found that sportsbooks' owners continue to spend the majority of their business promotion budgets on NFL broadcasts. At the same time, this approach is losing its advantage: the return on each dollar is decreasing, and the number of impressions is less than in the previous season.
The decline in key metrics is prompting operators to reallocate contributions. Shifting some funds to the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) fields allows for a wider reach at a relatively low cost. Despite these trends, football remains a priority, with niche streams accounting for approximately 80% of the total marketing budget.
Effectiveness continues to drop, though:
- NFL ad spending in the 2023−24 season totalled $129.5 million;
- in 2024−25, the figure was only $119.4 million, down 8% YoY;
- the number of impressions has fallen by almost 15% yearly.
In H2 2025, bookmakers are facing a situation where they have to pay more for promotion, while the growth of their client base is slower. On average, a single soccer commercial costs providers $240,000, a record price for sports broadcasts.
NBA and MLB Verticals: Gaining Momentum
Despite no other discipline providing the same audience coverage as the NFL, marketers are increasingly reallocating their budgets to more cost-effective segments.
Let us view this trend by niche:
Basketball
In the 2024−25 NBA season, the number of ad insertions jumped by 23% compared to the previous year. The number of impressions rose by 9%.
Total spending amounted to $25.9 million, while in 2023−24, it accounted for $24.5 million. The average cost of a broadcast during matches reached $28,000.
Baseball
In the MLB segment, the growth was even more significant. Marketing contributions skyrocketed by 72%, from $725,000 in 2023−24 to $1.25 million in 2024−25.
The number of impressions climbed by 12%. It is a relatively small result against the backdrop of big spending. Nevertheless, the average cost per stream was only $3,500, making baseball spots a rather cheap way to attract an audience.
Marketing Budget Redistribution: Prospects
Key data on promotion in various sports sectors, according to iSpot’s study:
- NFL. The mid expenses per ad are $240,000, with 4.2 million views per airing.
- NBA. The similar figures are $28,000 and approximately 1 million, respectively.
- MLB. The spending is $3,500, with each spot generating about 320,000 impressions.
A comparison shows that the football segment provides around 4 times the reach of the basketball category, but the cost per display is at the x8.6 rate. Baseball commercials are nearly 6 times more effective in terms of expenses per view.
Niche analysts predict that the trend of diversifying promotion spending will continue. Bookmakers are constantly seeking verticals that offer maximum audience coverage at a minimal price.
Feel free to contact Casino Market to learn about key industry tendencies. At our studio, you can buy or rent the finest solutions for a quick launch of a sports betting project and the effective acquisition of loyal players.
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