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Christmas is the most competitive season for iGaming brands. With increased player activity and relentless promotions, standing out is a challenge, making effective CRM the key differentiator.
Based on Oddsgate’s 2024 experience, we’ve gathered practical insights to help shape winning Christmas CRM strategies for the upcoming seasons. The holiday period is about personalized journeys, intelligent segmentation, and real-time engagement – and brands that master these elements don’t just win December, they build momentum for the year ahead.
From the Champions League final to the Christmas rush, every peak is an opportunity to transform excitement into lasting engagement. Smart CRM turns short-term buzz into long-term value – bonuses are just the start.
Here’s what a winning Christmas CRM strategy looks like:
Festive Bonuses & Rewards
Use CRM data to personalize holiday offers, such as free spins, cash back, gifts, or VIP perks, tailored to each player's specific behavior and preferences.
Customer Segmentation
Segment players by value, activity, and engagement. Reward top-tier players with early access, exclusive promotions, or personalized rewards.
Automated Messaging
Send seasonal promotions via email, SMS, or WhatsApp, triggered in real time by player actions.
Gamified Loyalty Events
Create limited-time tournaments, missions, and leaderboards to boost engagement and foster healthy competition.
Post-Holiday Retention
Sustain Christmas momentum with January re-engagement offers, loyalty mechanics, and tailored retention.
December consistently represents a peak in iGaming activity. Industry research shows that:
49% of players spend more on gambling during Christmas;
87% see gaming as a form of relaxation during the holidays;
61% gamble to help fund Christmas gifts;
67% are motivated by seasonal bonuses and promotions.
Extra free time, festive rewards, and holiday FOMO make Christmas a real test of CRM. This period isn’t just a marketing window; it’s the proving ground for mastering customer relationships.
Brands that master segmentation, automation, and humanized communication don’t fight for clicks. They build relationships that last. The key to sustainable retention, loyalty, and advocacy is CRM, which unlocks value beyond short-term acquisition.
The holidays offer huge potential and fierce competition; every brand pushes promotions, and every inbox overflows.
Despite the challenge, the mission was simple: keep players engaged and active over multiple days, without relying on a single, high-cost giveaway.
Oddsgate designed a daily email sequence built around urgency, consistency, and surprise.
How it worked:
Daily goal: Deposit and play R$40+ to receive 10 free spins (with different games featured each day, targeting the Brazilian market);
Extra reward: Consistency paid off – players who participated for 7 consecutive days unlocked up to 25 additional free spins.
This blend of routine and daily variety made the campaign an ongoing event, keeping players curious, engaged, and returning daily.
The campaign not only performed well, but it also redefined engagement metrics for that partner.
Compared to the previous month, during Black Friday, the operator saw:
200,000 emails sent;
2,500 conversions;
35% open rate / 1.5% CTR;
+74% conversions vs D7;
+92% turnover vs D7.
The campaign reached over 30,000 players, and the daily rhythm of communication created a strong sense of urgency and opportunity, driving daily engagement.
Daily engagement builds behavioral consistency. Routine triggers loyalty and drives higher turnover.
Personalization went beyond changing the game. The key was cadence; right timing made a simple bonus a continuous experience. There’s also another layer of personalization to consider: giving players the freedom to choose how they engage – a key factor in long-term satisfaction.
Rather than push “get more,” we focused on “don’t miss what’s next.” Curiosity outperformed abundance, especially during busy holidays.
CRM must evolve from stand-alone campaigns to continuous, story-driven communication.
Building a daily rhythm of personalized interactions strengthens loyalty and drives higher retention. The secret lies in rewarding consistency rather than isolated actions, while combining predictability with small surprises to keep experiences fresh and engaging.
The future of CRM is better stories, not louder campaigns. Turn data into meaningful journeys and each message into genuine engagement.
Identify VIPs and nurture new players before the holiday rush;
Automate real-time responses to abandoned deposits, inactive sessions, or bonus availability;
Align messaging with Christmas, New Year’s, and post-holiday reactivation;
A/B test content, timing, and formats before December to maximize results;
Engage players after the holidays with loyalty programs, reactivation, and personalized follow-ups.
During the holidays, numbers may rise, but strong CRM creates lasting loyalty and ongoing results. The true winners are those who engage and develop more innovative strategies with each interaction.
This case demonstrates that effective CRM is about guiding players through meaningful journeys, not simply sending more messages.
