To cut through the noise, Vasilii caught up with Gali Hartuv, CEO & Co-Founder of Warrior Lab. With 13+ years across four continents, he’s seen what works and what flops.

As he put it:

In this chat, Gali lays out how African VIPs actually think, how to win their trust, and why understanding culture is just as important as rolling out the latest tech. Check out our YouTube channel to listen to the full “Where’s My Money?” podcast, and here we’ll break it down.

Defining the African VIP

Ask most people what a VIP is, and they’ll say “the whales, the guys who bet big.” But Gali Hartuv makes a different point: in Africa, VIP isn’t just about size of deposits, but about sustainability. The players who count aren’t just dropping big deposits once in a while. They’re the ones who play consistently and prove they have real disposable income. As he notes: “$2,000 a month in Nigeria might be just as valuable as $20,000 in a European Tier 1.” In other words, VIP is relative to local economy and lifestyle.

This isn’t theory. The revenue stakes are massive. VIPs regularly drive 30–50% of total revenue, and in some operators, it’s north of 50% of monthly deposits. Miss the segment, and you’re leaving half the pie on the table. Nail it, and you’re locking in the players who stick, spend, and advocate for your brand long-term.

Demographics & Player Behavior

According to Hartuv, the “classic” VIP profile is still male, 30–45, making up around 70% of the market. But that’s changing quickly. Female participation is rising fast — “up to 25% of new VIP entrants in some countries are now women.” These players are active not just in casino, but also football betting and newer areas like esports.

On the product side, the breakout star is crash games. In some regions, they’ve blown past sports betting to capture 40%+ of VIP play. The hook is clear: instant action, quick outcomes, and high engagement. But here’s the catch — retention. Crash VIPs typically churn after 3–4 months, while live casino VIPs can stay active for a year or longer. 

One thing is universal: Africa is mobile-first by default. Players are tech-savvy, highly engaged on phones, and expect smooth, data-efficient platforms that run across all screens. Operators who don’t optimise for mobile simply won’t keep up.

Attracting African VIPs: Speed, Culture & Experience

To win African VIPs, Hartuv stresses the importance of cultural relevance. “Operators really need to anchor their strategy around local passion points as well as cultural relevance.” Football is the universal hook. Whether it’s EPL watch parties, La Liga tie-ins, or grassroots tournaments, nothing beats the pull of the world’s game. Ignore it, and you’re invisible.

But culture alone won’t save you. VIPs expect instant everything: fast KYC “under 10 minutes to complete and you’ve got their attention” and even faster payouts. “If you can process withdrawals quickly, you basically hit the lottery because VIPs want their money now.”

Experiential marketing also matters. Add live experiences to the mix, and the numbers jump. In Kenya, SafariCom partnered on local tournaments, doubling registrations when combined with mobile money perks. It’s the blend of passion, speed, and real-world presence that pulls in the whales.

Keeping Them Engaged

Engagement lives where players live. In Africa, that means WhatsApp and Telegram: “60% of successful VIP communication is driven through WhatsApp or Telegram.” SMS still matters in patchier regions (25%), while push notifications cover another 15%.

The principle is simple: forget spam blasts. VIPs want targeted, respectful outreach on the channels they already use. In South Africa, one operator’s dedicated VIP WhatsApp line produced 30% higher monthly revenue per user. Recognition beats bonuses every time. 

Retention & Relationship Building

Bigger bonuses don’t build loyalty, community does. African VIPs stay loyal when they feel like insiders: “VIP only leaderboards, exclusive watch parties and events.” Gift-giving shows the same principle. It’s not about price but meaning. A personalized gesture, like a gift-wrapped, engraved bowl for a whale’s favorite dog, will get you a long way. 

But context matters. Blanket holiday alcohol baskets will flop in Muslim regions. Contrast that with Betica’s Ghana campaign, “Be the Goat,” where every week during December they gave away three goats. “Goats are obviously an important part of festival season. They’re a primary source of meat for celebrations. They also serve as a valuable asset for households.” That single insight built retention through relevance, not generic giveaways.

Responsible Gaming & Player Protection

VIP care isn’t just ethics, it’s business sense. Operators now run proactive wellness checks: a sudden deposit spike triggers a gentle call, not an accusation. “If a VIP suddenly, say, doubles their average deposit in a short period of time, the account manager should receive a trigger to go and check in.” Done right, it boosts trust and keeps VIPs long term.

Monitoring tools can flag when VIPs hit 80% of preset thresholds, while fraud systems evolve toward behavioral detection. “This results in 20% increase in satisfaction scoring and net promotion scores because VIPs here felt that they were valued as people, not just as a wallet.” Fraud prevention remains part of the balance: “False positive rates must be low for VIP, it needs to remain under 2%.”

Challenges in Execution

Hartuv stresses that VIP management is more than raising deposit limits.

“Many operators still treat VIP as simply bigger bonuses or higher deposit limits, rather than a discipline that requires clear strategy, resources, KPIs, and structure.”

Regulatory environments only add pressure. Nigeria, for example, is a patchwork of unclear policies and uneven enforcement. Operators need adaptable frameworks that work across markets without compromising service. 

“Nigeria sits in a more fragmented space where policies are potentially a bit unclear and enforcement can be inconsistent.”

Then there’s infrastructure: “Mobile money is both the biggest advantage and the biggest challenge.” Looking forward, Hartuv believes cryptocurrency adoption is inevitable, making future-proofed systems a necessity.

Benchmarks & Metrics

Benchmarks help cut through the noise. A strong VIP segment should generate 2–3x the ARPU of regular players, averaging 6–8 deposits per month. Key KPIs include monthly churn below 10% and response times under 2 hours.

“Healthy VIP segment delivers a minimum of two to three times the ARPU of a general player.”

Another reality check: VIPs usually split their action across 4–5 different operators. The goal isn’t monopoly, it’s making sure you’re always in their top 3 tabs open. 

Future Outlook

As the conversation wrapped, Vasilii asked Gali Hartuv to look ahead. His forecast was clear:

But Africa isn’t one market, it’s 50+. The challenge for international operators lies in avoiding the oversimplification trap that has hindered many market entry attempts. Saying you “want African traffic” is meaningless without cultural, linguistic, and economic nuance. International operators flooding in will need sniper-level targeting, not shotgun blasts.

Africa’s VIP segment is unique — built on sustainability, loyalty, and cultural fit. Attracting and retaining these players requires more than financial perks. “You need to be targeted. You need to understand what about Africa you’re looking to penetrate as a new GEO. You know the local culture, language, customs, and nuances.”

As Hartuv made clear, the continent won’t bend to imported models. To succeed here, operators must rethink, reframe, and re-engineer their approach. Those who do will discover a market still rich with “hidden gold bars and diamonds,” as Hartuv puts it — opportunity waiting for those who play the long game.

Check out Gali’s LinkedIn page to catch more useful marketing insights, and we’ll be back real soon with more tips on affiliate marketing and driving traffic. Stay tuned!

Сообщение VIP Players in Africa: Who They Are, How to Attract & Retain Them появились сначала на Peaky Ads Agency.

In the latest Peaky Ads episode, its CEO, Vasilii Gamov, and Anastasia Titova, a powerhouse in iGaming user acquisition and funnel optimization, will explain why traffic burnout happens and how to fight it.

What is traffic burnout and why it happens?

Traffic burnout occurs when the expected conversion metrics, such as deposits or lifetime value (LTV), are not met. Anastasia explains that it’s not about CTR or similar metrics. It’s usually what happens after, like reg2dep, CR and your traffic when you check the quality after your test cap.

There are 3 main reasons for traffic burnout

• Poor coordination with managers. Misalignment between affiliate managers and product teams can lead to ineffective traffic management. 

• Generic funnels. If you warm out your audience for an exact offer, like Jet X, for instance, and show them just the main landing page, not adapted for this specific offer, it usually affects the results, such as the cost of your traffic, payout, and user activity. You can also lose about 30% of your CR.

• Anti-fraud triggers from similar gameplay patterns. As one of the examples, Anastasia explains that if an affiliate didn’t mention that he will run a specific funnel, managers won’t be able to inform their analytics or anti-fraud team. The traffic may be taken for fraudulent – if many players are into the same game and have the same patterns, for instance.

How do bonuses affect iGaming CRs?

Bonuses can be a double-edged sword in the iGaming industry. Anastasia highlights that everything you add to the campaign can have its consequences, and they aren’t always so positive.

Cost implications.

Every additional bonus offered increases the expectations for traffic performance. Affiliates must understand that excessive bonuses can lead to unprofitable traffic. 

The thing is that extra bonuses (not standard operator package) are calculated as well when checking the deposit sum and they are extracted from the overall sum, so the more bonuses you offer, the more users and higher deposits are required from you.

Example: Overloaded €500 welcome bonus with tough wagering killed D1 ROI for casual mobile users – 90% bounced.
Stat: In campaigns where bonus terms were not shown in pre-landing, conversion to FTD dropped by 42%.

Target audience looking for freebies.

Attracting «bonus hunters» who are not genuinely interested in playing can dilute the quality of traffic. Vasilii highlights that using a “no-deposit” bonus policy is an awful idea, as it will not attract long-term players at all.

Be strategic in the use of bonuses.

Bonuses should be used strategically, such as offering them for second or third deposits rather than without any money contribution. For instance, Anastasia suggests to use a generic welcome pack of bonuses. You can say that everyone that clicks on your link will have a certain amount of bonuses, and it will be just a normal welcome bonuses package, no one will actually check if it’s actually exclusive or not!

Anastasia concludes that affiliate managers should consider bonuses that are more individualized for each affiliate, which can lead to higher expectations and better performance. 

By leaving out general bonuses for some affiliates and creating tailored offers, companies are capable of optimizing their promotional initiatives and thus enhance their profits. Proper communication and collaboration between managers and affiliates are essential to fully realize these opportunities.

Customer support influences traffic profitability: what is it?

Both speakers agree that customer support has a great influence on the traffic performance, there are several main points to consider.

All in all, it is essential for retaining new players, especially ones who are beginners at casinos as well as are responsible for concern and inquiry resolution, fostering a supportive climate.

Tips to consider when it comes to customer support

• Take into account regional factors. There are differences in cultural perspectives on gambling (e.g., just a fun activity in Europe and Scandinavia but has some negative connotation in CIS countries). It means that communication needs to be tailored in order to address specific regional mindset.

• Apply smart communication strategy. It’s better to ask the support team not to use triggering terms like «casino» that could foster fear. Also, support team shall use positive words, i.e., «How can I assist with the game issues?» or like “Would you love to try this or that?”.

• Use clear language. Support team shall use only simple and straightforward language to not confuse new players. It also means reducing game and bonus-related tech terms to better explain things. For instance, a funnel targeting 40-year-old women can fail because support uses jargon like “RTP” and “KYC” instead of plain-language onboarding.

Recommendation: For gaming-style funnels, train support to mirror user psychology: “You’re here to play, let’s win together!”

Why is it vital for affiliates and iGaming product team to sync?

Affiliates absolutely need to keep in touch with the product teams to follow up their leads, especially if they use some sensitive traffic channels like Facebook, for instance. Anastasia and Vasilii highlight some main tips to apply for both affiliates and the product team.

Use communication via messengers.

It depends on the GEO, but it’s better apply Telegram, WhatsApp, and some other local platforms for additional follow ups and communication, such channels are really effective. Push notifications from apps is also a good idea, in Vasilii’s opinion, it works really well. He also highlights that calls can be a good solution for VIP user segment, such clients really love it.

Offer special conditions to improve retention and funnel functionality.

Affiliate connection with the manager can help to improve the funnel, for instance, if a user leaves casino in 24 hours, support team will give him an additional bonus or offer some other perks. Or, for instance, if there’s a really popular sport event in some GEO, you can ask support team to notify all players about it via push message, for instance, and offer a freebet.

Example: A campaign used a Telegram emulator chat to funnel users into sign-ups – which appeared suspicious to risk teams.
Result: 1,000+ leads flagged and locked due to misunderstanding the funnel logic.

Vasilii sums up that having a common marketing funnel with a casino manager can help affiliates to increase CRs and boost retention greatly. It’s also a nice idea to be proactive for an affiliate and collect a client database and ping it from his side.

UX and personalization: How will it work to boost the iGaming results?

User experience and personalization are two extremely important factors that contribute largely to the satisfaction and participation of players within the iGaming industry. Anastasia and Vasilii see several key factors to take into account when it comes to user experience.

Easy registration process.

A theme-based registration form that supports the game theme (e.g., employing images like planes for the Aviator game) creates an engaging first experience, thus making the process significant and engaging.

Effective game redirection.

Redirecting players upon registration to a specific game, such as the Aviator, maintains them engaged with content related to their initial interest, thus enhancing retention.

Demo versions and tutorials.

Offer demo versions of games to tell new players something about gameplay. Interactive tutorials using pop-ups may guide users through features, aiding in easier switching from familiar games (like Sweet Bonanza) to new games (like Chicken Road).

Consistent marketing funnels.

Consistency of theme is important throughout the marketing funnel. If the Aviator game draws players, subsequent experiences should also be consistent about that interest rather than diverting to unrelated content.

 Pro Tip: Always request a deep link to the slot you’re pushing (e.g., redirect directly to Aviator or Chicken Road).
Bonus idea: Custom registration pages with slot branding boost CR by up to 28%.

How to understand that the iGaming funnel is not working properly?

Experts have also compiled a list of recommendations for affiliates and affiliate managers to follow in order to gain quality traffic, notice when the funnel is not working properly and fix it quickly.

• Track conversion metrics. Watch conversion rates and engagement rates regularly. An abrupt increase in leads without any corresponding activity may be fraud.

• Examine user behavior. Track user activity after the deposit. Watch for trends like deposits without gameplay, which can indicate low-quality traffic.

• Analyze deposit ratios. Calculate the average first-time depositor deposit. A steep decline in this ratio may speak of traffic quality issues.

• Keep an eye on withdrawal patterns. Watch for fast withdrawals after deposits with no or minimal interaction. This is a healthy fraud indicator.

• Cooperate and share knowledge. Keep the dialogue among managers and affiliates open to debate traffic quality and share findings in order to promote a collaborative strategy towards fraud identification.

Conclusion

As you see, by understanding the nuances of traffic management, leveraging bonuses wisely, and maintaining open lines of communication, affiliates can easily enhance their marketing funnels and drive profitability.

Both experts highlighted several main takeaways from the podcast episode. First of all, traffic management is a team effort which means that all parties involved must work cohesively to optimize conversion rates, from product to affiliates.

It’s crucial to be proactive. Both affiliates and managers should actively seek information and support to improve their strategies.

Make sure to subscribe to Peaky Ads YouTube channel not to miss industry insights and contact us to maximize your marketing strategies effortlessly!

Сообщение How to Avoid iGaming Traffic Burnout: Peaky Ads Insights and Tips появились сначала на Peaky Ads Agency.