How NetBet Is Building Stronger Brand Impact in iGaming
The iGaming industry is full of similar offers, similar campaigns, and similar messaging.
That means growth today depends on more than acquisition spend.
It depends on trust, creativity, and building a brand audiences genuinely connect with.
In an exclusive interview with iGaming News Today, speaker at IGX, Alexander shared
how NetBet is approaching brand strategy across multiple markets.
Q. Can you tell us about your journey and how you entered the iGaming industry?
Alexander:
My journey has been quite non-traditional. After school, university, and a master’s in
marketing, I moved into the sports industry, working across sponsorship agencies,
hospitality sales, and rightsholder environments. I had the opportunity to work with
organisations like West Ham United and England Rugby, and even spent time at
Cannes Lions, building experience across partnerships, athlete representation, and
commercial strategy.
An opportunity with NetBet eventually came up, initially focused on sponsorships. The
chance to be involved in our UFC sponsorship was a genuine draw, and from there
things evolved quickly into a broader brand and communications role.
Q. How has your role evolved since joining the company?
Alexander:
I joined as a Sponsorship Manager, but within a few months I was offered the chance to
expand into brand and social communications. That was a big moment, though it also
came with significantly more responsibility. NetBet operates across multiple territories,
and my role evolved into bringing those strands together, creating greater consistency
and alignment across markets.
Today, I manage brand and social across the UK, Ireland, Romania, Greece, and Italy,
spanning paid and organic social, programmatic, sponsorships, and CTV. The shift from
single-country activations to a more cohesive, globally-minded positioning has been one
of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
Q. What is one major issue you see in iGaming marketing today?
Alexander:
The lack of differentiation. When you look at campaigns, especially in paid social, many
brands are doing very similar things. Strip away the logos and the ads often look
identical in structure, messaging, and approach. It creates noise, but not meaningful
engagement.
Our partnership with Shamrock Rovers as their Official Responsible Gambling partner in
Ireland is a good example of doing something different. It goes beyond a traditional
betting partnership and focuses on responsible play in a way that feels authentic. At
NetBet, we’re actively exploring new ways to push boundaries across our channels.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to share more on this soon.
Q. How can brands stand out in such a competitive industry?
Alexander:
It starts with recognising this is an entertainment-driven industry. Fans should be at the
centre of everything, and that’s driven a real shift in how we approach things at NetBet.
We’ve moved away from polished influencer-led content towards something more raw,
real, and fan-focused, putting genuine fans at the centre of our activity at major sporting
events.
Organic social is a great vehicle for this, allowing brands to connect more authentically.
Our approach puts the audience at the heart of our video content, letting them drive the
emotion, from the highs to the lows that sport naturally brings. It’s about giving people a
platform to express themselves and be part of the conversation.
Q. How do you view the balance between brand, product, and performance marketing?
Alexander:
I don’t think you can separate them, they are all interconnected. Your brand attracts
attention, your product determines whether users convert, and your platform experience
drives retention and trust. Focus too heavily on one and you risk weakening the overall
ecosystem. Success in iGaming comes from aligning all of these elements as part of a
single, cohesive strategy, which is vitally important to us across the business.
Q. How important is trust in the iGaming industry?
Alexander:
Absolutely fundamental. At NetBet, it’s something we’ve been intentional about building.
Partnerships with reputable organisations help build credibility, but trust also comes
from the overall user experience. Our Shamrock Rovers partnership as Official
Responsible Gambling partner reflects that commitment, and being one of the first
operators to introduce an affordability calculator speaks to a broader ambition of leading
by example rather than simply meeting the minimum standard.
The regulatory environment is becoming more complex, but for us the goal is to show
that being a responsible operator and an engaging, creative brand are not mutually
exclusive. Trust, done right, becomes a genuine differentiator.
Q. What role does AI play in iGaming marketing?
Alexander:
AI plays a very important role, particularly on the backend, improving efficiency,
streamlining workflows, and helping teams operate at scale across content production,
data analysis, and decision-making. It’s incredibly valuable, especially for smaller
teams.
That said, I strongly believe AI cannot replace human interaction in an industry where
trust and emotional engagement are so important. We try to limit AI interaction with our
audiences, as genuine human communication with real-time empathy will always
outweigh what AI can replicate.
Q. What are your thoughts on influencer marketing in iGaming?
Alexander:
It can be very effective, but only when there’s genuine alignment between the brand and
the influencer. It’s not about the largest following, but finding someone whose audience
matches your target market and who communicates in a way that reflects your brand.
Influencers should be treated as an extension of the brand. Without that alignment,
even large campaigns can fall flat.
Q. What current trend in iGaming marketing do you think is not working well?
Alexander:
YouTube advertising. The platform is highly effective and offers great reach, but so
many of the ads being produced follow the same formats, styles, and messaging. Over
time, that sameness reduces impact significantly. Brands need to invest in more unique,
engaging content rather than repeating what everyone else is doing. We’ve got some
exciting ideas in the pipeline, so watch this space.
Q. How important are industry events like IGX and ICE?
Alexander:
Incredibly valuable, especially for networking. They’re a great opportunity to connect
with other professionals, exchange ideas, and gain new perspectives on the industry.
For someone like me, coming from a slightly different background, they’re also a chance
to share different viewpoints and learn from others, which ultimately feeds back into
better ideas and strategies.
About NetBet
NetBet is an international betting and casino operator focused on digital entertainment, trusted user experiences, and multi-market growth. The company continues investing in branding, sponsorships, responsible gaming, and innovative customer engagement strategies.
