Hey everyone,
As some of you might know, I’ve stepped away from the casino operator industry for ethical reasons and am now focusing on creating my own sustainable casino affiliate project. If you think you can contribute, feel free to ping me—I’m always open to ideas and collaboration.
In the meantime, I wanted to share my blueprint for advertising on BitcoinTalk.org. It’s not often you hear an operator openly talk about this, so I figured I’d lay it all out for those of you looking to make the most of the forum as an acquisition channel.
I personally spent close to $50k on various forum services, and also sat down with several operators who are advertising here and openly talked about the numbers, so I hope some, if not all of the info here will be useful for future operators looking to join us as an advertiser.
It's also worth noting that I'm openly against all the signature spam that has been going on in this section of the forum, and I placed this thread as
self-moderated. You have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation meaningfully, but any sig spamming will be deleted.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FORUM AS AN ACQUISITION SOURCEAdvertising on BitcoinTalk.org isn’t about quick wins. Operators used to instant results from affiliates might find this frustrating, but if done right, the payoff is worth it. Here’s a breakdown of key takeaways:
- Forget Affiliate Comparisons: Forum campaigns take time—think 4 quarters at least, not 4 months. Don’t expect forum traffic to behave like affiliate traffic; it’s slower to build but ultimately more valuable.
- Community Babysitting: Running a forum campaign is like managing a mini-community. You’ll need to engage constantly—answer questions, handle complaints, and maintain activity. It’s work, but it pays off over time.
- User Value Similar to Branded Traffic: Forum users bring higher ADPU and LTV because they trust you and join without external incentives.
- Tracking is a Headache: Forum users are smart and often bypass tracking links. Performance might appear low at first, but I’ll explain tracking strategies later.
- SEO Value: BitcoinTalk has significant SEO power. Work ethically with your SEO team to leverage this for your brand.
- VPN Traffic: Over 75% of the forum’s traffic comes from VPN users. Be ready to handle this, or don’t bother.
- Scammers vs. Defenders: Expect scammy messages when people know you’re an operator, but build trust and the community will defend you against false claims.
- Don’t Be a Dick: Respect the community. If you accept VPN traffic, honor winnings. Pulling a bait-and-switch will get you publicly shamed.
The forum is an investment, but if you respect the rules and the community, it will reward you with high-quality, loyal players.
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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CAMPAIGN MANAGERSI wouldn't recommend doing anything alone on the forum, especially if you're a newly registered account. It's crucial that you find a campaign manager - otherwise you'll just be wasting your time and money. However, working with campaign managers can make or break your campaigns. Here's what you need to know:
- Prepare for Idea Overload: Campaign managers are passionate and will bombard you with suggestions. Be clear about your goals to steer them in the right direction. Use this guide to clarify your expectations.
- Negotiate Rates, But Check Reviews: Comparing campaign manager rates and reading their reviews is crucial. Cheaper is not often better, and if you have a long-term roadmap, negotiate for better terms.
- Be Ready to Pay Upfront: Scams involving campaign managers are rare, but operators who collect traffic and disappear are common. Paying upfront ensures trust and attracts top talent. I've spent close to $50k on the forum and it was almost all paid up front, I got scammed zero times. Some people even refunded me a portion because we were calculating in dollars but paying in BTC, and BTC got a boost at that time
- Define Responsibilities Clearly: If you’re unavailable after working hours or on weekends, let the campaign manager know. Set expectations early to avoid misunderstandings.
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WHAT OPTIONS DOES THE FORUM HAVE FOR ADVERTISERS?BitcoinTalk offers several advertising opportunities. Each has its quirks, but with creativity, you can make a big impact.
#1. Create an account and open up your own ANN page. An ANN (announcement) page is your HQ, and essential for building your casino’s presence. Without one, the forum won’t take you seriously.
#2. Launch a Casino Review Campaign and fix your Platform/Operation/Front-End Issues. By far the most useful option for fixing platform issues, and rarely employed by other casinos. This campaign pays users to test your casino by depositing real money and reviewing everything - from the user flow to CRM, deposit methods, games, and support.
#3. Find New Talent by Creating Various Design or Dev Competitions. This is the second most useful tool if you ask me, the forum has tons of smart people, and you can easily tap into that pool by organizing design, content or dev competitions.
#4. Launch a Casino Game Competition and Generate NRC’s and FTD’s. Regardless if you're a casino or sportsbook operator, there's always a way on how to organise daily, weekly and monthly games on the forum and attract registrations, with a plethora of successful examples, I included some of them in the dedicated post.
#5. Organize a Signature Campaign and Make Some Proper Noise. These campaigns are BitcoinTalk’s most iconic advertising method, but they require long-term commitment. I will go into detail about it in the posts below.
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WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO START ADVERTISING (UPDATED FOR 2025)Not only was I an advertiser here on the forum, I also spoke with several affiliates, campaign managers and operators who are currently running their signature campaigns, and although there are lows and highs,
the general consensus is that you will fail if you expect results within the first 3 months. Campaigns need to be run for 6 months to see some results, and ideally 12 months to see major results. This is not my opinion, this is a fact, backed up by data.
You can start of small, but you will not get the same results, so an ideal recommended budget is the following:
#1. To create your Casino ANN Page, place $150 aside, as I already mention it before, don't do it yourself or with your designers if you don't know how to work with BBcode, lots of things can go wrong, best to hire one of the local designers that I'll recommend below. With that budget you can expect a complete ANN thread design, just keep in mind that you will need to guide them on what you want on the ANN page itself.
#2. To run a Casino Review Campaign the recommended budget would be $12.000, divided into four quarters with $3.000 each , that will cover the Admin fee and get you 25 reviews per quarter, following my methodology outlined in this thread. You will need a campaign manager for this.
#3. To run a four quarter Competition Campaign the recommended budget would be $60.000, it can either be a multiplier challenge, some sort of sportsbook competition or whatever your campaign manager might think of. This will cover the admin fee + get you anywhere between 1200 to 1500 NRC's depending on the type of action you're having.
#4. To run a four quarter Signature Campaign the recommended budget would be $200.000, so $50.000 per quarter. This is if you want to include some of the better members of the forum and make a proper move. It includes signature designs, admin fee and up to 40 members.
Can you do all of that for cheaper? Yes, you can, but results might vary depending on who's managing the campaign and which users you took under your wing.
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WHO TO HIRE TO LEAD YOUR SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN? I mean, look, like in every community, there's always additional noise and drama, this guy allegedly scammed that guy, one campaign manager has outperformed another in terms of ratings, but has more scam accusations, that person's grandma is actually Satoshi himself and so on, lorem ipsum. What I'm trying to say here is, don't be an idiot. Treat this process like any procurement process in your company. Meaning, I'll give you a list of the people that I either worked with or personally like, and your task is to reach out to them, ask for a quote and a roadmap, and then make a managerial decision on who did the best job and offers the highest value.
Here's the list of Campaign Managers who have experience with casinos, have a good trust rating, and whos performance can be tracked and verified here on the forum:
MY NOTES FOR EACH OF THEM a.) With Cro2, you’re essentially getting two campaign managers—Trofo and Cryptofrka—which means a slightly higher admin fee but more flexibility during off-hours and holiday seasons. Both are fluent in English and Croatian, and communication is handled through Telegram. Operating in GMT+1, they are typically available from 6 AM to midnight. Their business model is highly transparent, allowing you to verify whatever you need. They have extensive experience with casino signature campaigns, reviews, and competitions.
b.) Hampuz is an experienced campaign manager with a strong portfolio, an extensive list of profiles, and significant influence within the community. During my initial research, he was transparent about pricing, responded within an hour, and spoke fluent English. His trust rating alone demonstrates his longstanding presence and expertise in all three key areas for this list: signatures, reviews, and competitions. Definitely worth reaching out to.
c.) Icopress is the mastermind behind some of its most creative competitions on the forum, and has a data driven approach to advertising on top as well, something that many operators appreciate. He takes full ownership of the forum’s P&L. Fluent in English and reachable via Telegram, he holds a significant portion of the forum’s competition infrastructure, making him well worth a conversation and his signature space. He's also experienced with casino signature campaigns, reviews, and competitions.
d.) Little Mouse is a hard worker with a solid portfolio of unique signature campaigns and competitions. His nickname might be little, but his heart is big. Based in GMT+6, he has excellent English skills, and most of my messages were answered within an hour. Transparent about pricing modules and clear about all aspects of his services. While he lacks experience with Casino Review campaigns, you can easily follow my guide to create one with him.
e.) Royse is another highly experienced user on the forum, with a strong portfolio, an extensive list of profiles, and substantial influence within the community. He understands the forum’s value to operators, is knowledgeable about Affilka, speaks fluent English, and communicates via Telegram. Experienced with casino signature campaigns, reviews, and competitions, he’s also an innovator in the space. Reach out to him for a chat.
f.) Upgrade00 is another diligent campaign manager with a strong portfolio. Operating in GMT+1, he has excellent English and communication skills, understands the value that signatures bring to clients, making him worth a conversation. Although he lacks experience with reviews and competitions, if his approach resonates with you, you can easily follow my guide to develop those campaigns with his help.
g.) Yahoo62278 might be last on this list due to alphabetical reasons, but he's one of the highest when it comes to recognition on the forum (Bpip.org). Has a keen eye for quality forum posters and boasts a healthy portfolio worth reviewing. While his ANN thread is slightly outdated, he understands the game and enjoys innovating. Transparent with pricing and fluent in English. Although he hasn’t provided a Casino Review Campaign, you can check with him directly for details.
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HOW TO SELL THE IDEA TO YOUR STAKEHOLDERSWhen proposing to your stakeholders, this is what you would need to include in the pitch deck.
- Higher Player Value: Forum users have higher ADPU and LTV compared to affiliate traffic.
- Low Entry Cost, No Revenue Share: A 12-month campaign set at $200.000 might look expensive, but calculate in the fact that there's no revenue share on acquired players.
- SEO Benefits: Ethical campaigns can generate hundreds of backlinks to your casino or affiliates, and you can easily split the advertisement budget with the SEO department since they will benefit from it.
- Affordable Quality Control: You can run a QC review campaign for around $12,000 to gain valuable insights, far cheaper than traditional market research that can go into 100k+.
- Strong Community Support: If you build the trust properly, the community will defend your brand against scammers.