Optimove Director of Sales Jeff Laniado explores why customer conversion continues to challenge sweepstakes casino operators.
In this guest post, Optimove Director of Sales Jeff Laniado explores why customer conversion continues to challenge sweepstakes casino operators, and considers what can be done to improve it.
The rise of social sweepstakes casinos has been a significant storyline in the US gaming industry in 2025. Once viewed as a niche vertical, sweepstakes casinos have exploded, attracting millions of players and hundreds of operators eager to capture market share. On the surface, the numbers look compelling: soaring acquisition, fast-growing topline revenue, and investor enthusiasm.
But behind the growth lies a stark reality: if a new player does not convert within the first 24 hours of registering, the odds of them ever converting fall off a cliff. This is based on our research analysing a representative sample of 36,877 Sweepstakes players that show that 52% of players convert within the first 24 hours.
Our data also reveals that the vast majority of players who go on to become active customers make their first purchase within hours of signing up. If they do not, the likelihood of long-term activity plummets. This makes the first day of a player’s journey not just important, but decisive.
Growth vs. retention
It is easy to become enamoured with growth. Acquisition is the “sexy metric” that attracts headlines and helps raise money. But for operators hoping to build sustainable businesses, growth alone is not enough.
Retention is where long-term value lives. A strong retention strategy ensures that every dollar invested in acquisition produces maximum return by transforming registrations into loyal, long-term customers. That transformation hinges on the opening hours of the player journey.
The 24-hour cliff
The importance of the first day can be compared to law enforcement’s “first 48” rule. In detective work, the chances of solving a case are dramatically higher in the first two days; after that, the odds fall sharply. The same is true in sweepstakes casinos. The first 24 hours are the golden window. Players are curious, engaged, and open to making their first deposit. Fail to capture them in that time, and attention quickly shifts elsewhere.
And remember, sweepstakes operators are not only competing against each other. They are competing with every other app on a player’s phone… from DoorDash to ESPN to TikTok. Attention is fleeting. If you cannot capture it when you have it, you may not get another chance.
Ditch traditional static welcome journeys
How can operators make the most of this critical window? It starts with building a strong, dynamic welcome journey.
- Leverage source data: Where a player comes from should inform their experience. If an affiliate delivers slot enthusiasts, highlight slot content and relevant offers immediately.
- Ditch static flows: The traditional “day 1, day 3, day 7” welcome journey is outdated. It prescribes messages without adapting to player behavior. Journeys must be dynamic and evolve in real time.
- Personalise from the start: A player who loses all their coins on day one should not receive the same communication as a player who wins, refers friends, and plays actively. Static, one-size-fits-all funnels ignore these differences. Dynamic journeys use behaviour to tailor messaging as it happens.
The key is to treat onboarding as a conversation, not a script. Listen to what players are telling you through their actions and respond accordingly.
Beyond the first day
While the first 24 hours are pivotal, retention does not end there. Operators must move from acquisition mindsets, quick wins and bonus-driven incentives, to relationship mindsets. Without retention, acquisition is little more than a one-night stand.
Building long-term relationships requires:
- Celebrating milestones such as a player’s 10th game, one-year anniversary, or referral activity.
- Incorporating gamification through missions, leaderboards, or mini-games that deepen engagement beyond bonuses.
- Creating brand affinity by showing players they are understood and valued, not simply rewarded.
The goal is loyalty rooted in genuine enjoyment and engagement, not dependency on promotions.
The sweepstakes opportunity is real. But so is the cliff. The choice for operators is whether they fall off it or use the first 24 hours to build lasting value.
As Director of Sales at Optimove, Jeff Laniado leads iGaming sales in the US and Canada, working with top operators in sports betting, iCasino, DFS, sweepstakes, and lottery. Jeff has more than a decade of experience in sports, gaming, and promotional marketing strategy and sales.