Read time 6 minutes
Increasing the Value of New Online Gaming Players
Download the report and discover proven methods to increase new player deposits, retention, and lifetime value when empowered by Positionless Marketing.
Why it matters:
In reading this post, marketers will learn how Grupo JER transformed manual, acquisition-heavy CRM into a scalable, multi-market growth engine... without increasing headcount. They’ll see how lifecycle automation, structured journeys, and smarter segmentation drove a 283% increase in players and stronger deposit impact across LATAM. Most importantly, they’ll understand how operational clarity and Positionless execution unlock repeatable, efficient growth in any market.
Key takeaways:
The Problem: When Grupo JER set out to expand beyond Panama, the ambition was clear: grow their brands across new LATAM markets while maintaining control over player experience, conversion, and long-term value. But in iGaming, expansion often has high upfront marketing investment, slow brand trust-building, and returns that take time.
For Grupo JER, this challenge was intensified by operational constraints. CRM marketing execution relied on manual data analysis, multiple channel providers, and limited visibility into player lifecycle stages. There were no automated journeys to consistently convert registered non-depositors (NRDs) into first-time depositors (FTDs), and measuring impact across brands and markets was fragmented.
As launches in Ecuador, El Salvador, and Honduras approached, it became clear this setup wouldn’t scale. Grupo JER needed a growth model that could turn acquisitions into value reliably and across markets without increasing operational complexity or headcount.
Objectives Defined: Grupo JER’s priority was to convert new players efficiently and then maximize their value over time. To support this across markets, Grupo JER defined three clear objectives:
To make these goals actionable at scale, Grupo JER needed a unified CRM strategy that reduced manual work and enabled consistent execution across brands and markets**—without expanding the CRM team**.
“Optimove has helped us reduce manual processes, manage different communication channels from one tool, and personalize customer lifecycle processes. It enables us to process data quickly and make strategic decisions that contribute to achieving our goals.”
— Favian Grandos, Lider CRM LATAM, Grupo JER
The Solution: How Grupo Jer scaled across LATAM markets with Optimove
To overcome their marketing constraints, Group JER worked with Optimove to establish a unified player view and segmentation feeding player lifecycles. In enabled the team to create a structured NRD-to-FTD Welcome Journey that could be reused across brands and countries. By clearly communicating brand value and the first-deposit bonus early, new players followed a consistent path to activation.
In addition, Group Jer replaced manual execution with automated journeys that improved early player quality. First-time deposit performance was strengthened within the first week of registration, contributing to an average 10% reduction in churn among first-time depositors, with more players continuing beyond their initial deposit.
Once onboarding was standardized, the focus shifted from conversion to driving deposit activity consistently across markets.
Lifecycle stages and segmentation were continuously refreshed based on player data, allowing engagement to be prioritized by player value, product preference, and recent activity. Recent FTDs and active players were engaged through a mix of scheduled campaigns and in-session touchpoints during logins and active sessions.
Email and SMS supported ongoing engagement, while logins and active sessions triggered on-site pop-ups to highlight active offers or campaigns when players were already on the site. Channel use was adjusted by lifecycle stage and market: deposit-related activity typically combined two to three channels, while other messages relied on a single most effective channel.
As this lifecycle-led, multichannel approach scaled, deposit impact improved steadily —from an average ~16% impact in early 2025 to ~25% in later months, driven by stronger personalization, better timing, and channel mix, not higher spend.
As players started to engage beyond their first deposit, Grupo JER focused on keeping them active and increasing player lifetime value, with a particular emphasis on high‑value and VIP players.
Focused retention and VIP campaigns continued the conversation after onboarding and early deposits, keeping players close to the brand with personalized messages that resonated. Retention campaigns now generate over 30% of average monthly revenue, showing that a meaningful share of results were delivered by players who stay engaged over time.
In parallel, Grupo JER began rethinking its promotions strategy. Early on, around 90% of segmented campaigns relied on bonus offers. As segmentation and lifecycle targeting improved, communication became more relevant to each player’s behavior and value.
This allowed the team to start motivating players through personalization and timing, rather than depending on broad, costly bonuses with limited long-term return—laying the foundation for a more sustainable retention strategy.
Grupo JER expanded from one to four LATAM markets by replacing manual, acquisition, bonus-heavy CRM execution with a retention-led growth strategy. With Optimove, the team built structured conversions, engaged players during moments of intent, and uplifted player engagement across markets, driving a 283% increase in player growth, a more substantial deposit impact, and a higher player lifetime value.
Operating across Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, and Honduras, Grupo JER is an online gaming group behind Astrobet, Starplay, and Betpro. The group offers sportsbook and casino experiences with a strong focus on responsible entertainment, localization, and innovation across Latin America.
More than a CRM marketing platform, Optimove’ Positionless Marketing platform was a catalyst for Group JER’s growth.. With clarity across brands and markets, the markeing team scaled impact without increasing headcount, focusing on what drives results while expanding efficiently across LATAM.
To learn more about this case study and how Optimove’s Positionless Marketing can empower marketing teams, go here to schedule a demo.
Download the Increasing the Value of New Online Gaming Players report and discover proven methods to increase new player deposits, retention, and lifetime value when empowered by Positionless Marketing
Katerina is a Product Marketing Manager at Optimove, based in London. Previously, she spent three years at Kindred as a Global Brand Manager, focusing on acquisition and retention initiatives across various portfolios and markets. Before that, she spent 7.5 years in the FMCG sector as a Brand Marketing Manager responsible for local brand strategies.
Katerina holds a Master's degree in Security Studies from UCL and a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Media, and Society from Leicester University.
