Writing for SBC News, SBC Media Commercial Director John Cook explores why data can enable iGaming suppliers to deliver true value to their operator partners.
In an industry that moves as quickly as iGaming does, we are often guilty of chasing a shadow of progress rather than refining the products that we’re offering. Technology is continuing to evolve at such a pace that is, quite literally, quicker than the human eye.
Developments in artificial intelligence, new payment rails and shifting regulatory frameworks continue to feature in our newsfeeds. We try to keep pace with technologies and regulations, but in this rush to stay relevant, we often lose sight of a fundamental truth: while the methods of delivery change, the reasons why people buy do not.
One particular trend that we’ve seen across the industry is that products are often positioned as being a ‘revolutionary’ solution to problems that we assume the market has, without ever actually verifying the reality on the ground.
To break through the noise in 2026, authority and credibility are your only real currencies. And nothing delivers them more effectively than independent, source-led data.
The problem with assumptions
If you are a gambling operator that is looking for a new Payment Service Provider, the underlying technology might have shifted from traditional bank transfers to more sophisticated solutions. However, the fundamental reason for needing the solution remains the same: you need to get money from A to B securely.
But as methods change, so do the pressures. Perhaps you now need to move money faster because player expectations for withdrawals have skyrocketed, or perhaps there is an inward-bound pressure to manage liquidity more efficiently.
As suppliers, there’s often a huge assumption that adding a new ‘shiny toy’ to the roster will be exactly what the operator wants. But this raises an important question: Is it actually what the operator needs to resolve the challenge that they are facing?
The simplest way to fully understand what operators actually want from their suppliers is the thing we most often forget to do: asking them.
The validity gap
Of course, asking for the truth is easier said than done. In a cost-restrained environment, does a supplier have the time or the funds to conduct an exhaustive survey of its client base? And even if they do, will the person on the other end tell them the absolute truth?
If I go to a gaming studio I’ve worked with for years and pitch a new concept, they might be polite because of our relationship, but that doesn’t mean they’ll buy it. That ‘polite’ feedback is noise that lacks the cold, hard validity you need to make a commercial impact.
This is where many suppliers get it wrong. Selling an apple to a brand that wants an orange is never going to work. What’s worse is that selling an apple – in this scenario, a single isolated product – is certainly going to fall short when the client you have wants a fruit salad consisting of a perfectly balanced mix of various solutions, tailored specifically to their brand’s unique specifications.
You can’t build that ‘fruit salad’ based on guesswork; you need to understand the ingredients the market is actually craving.
The rise of ‘confused’ content
As technology evolves, so too does the way in which we market such information. As a result, we’ve seen more and more companies begin to rely on AI-generated insights in a bid to deliver information at speed.
The issue here is one of bias and fragmentation. Every human-led report has an inherent viewpoint; the author is usually looking to find a specific answer. That bias, while present, is at least a standalone, independent view.
However, when the focus shifts towards using AI to churn out marketing materials and create what we often see described as a ‘long-form report’, then 10 or 15 different independent views become merged into one document, creating a confused, Frankenstein perspective of the market.
You might think that having 10-15 views in one report is a positive thing. But when it’s collected using AI, rather than independent reporting, then it fails to reflect what is actually happening in the wider market; it’s ultimately just a digital echo chamber.
To get real value, you absolutely have to get your data from the source. This means moving beyond internal data and looking towards independent, external research.
Independence = validity
This inherent need for independent research is exactly why we launched the SBC Insights business. We recognised a gap in the market for direct, independent research that isn’t coloured by a sales pitch.
When your research is conducted by a specialist organisation that actually understands the industry – and is already trusted by your clients – it allows respondents to offer a free viewpoint without prejudice. They can be honest about their pain points because they know that they aren’t being sold to.
This independence, and option for anonymity, adds a layer of validity to your marketing that a standard press release or social media campaign simply cannot match. It de-risks the conversation for the operator and gives them all the more reason to work with you.
If you can approach a prospect not with a pitch, but with a report that says, “We spoke to 100 of your peers, and 70% of them are struggling with exactly this issue,” you’re no longer a vendor. Instead, you become an authoritative voice in a particular area of expertise, with the data to back it up.
Authority through insight
As our industry continues to become more saturated, the most successful marketing isn’t the one where you can shout the loudest; it’s the one that is the most informed.
High-quality, bespoke research allows you to share insights on what your clients truly care about, rather than what you assume that they care about. It allows you to align your product development with actual market needs, rather than technological whims that will soon fizzle out when a new innovation comes along.
If you want to be seen as a market leader, you have to lead with information and show why the tools that you are offering can help fix a particular bottleneck that your operator partners are facing.
Data isn’t just a collection of numbers on an excel spreadsheet – it’s the most powerful marketing tool in any marketeers toolbox. It provides the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’, and in an industry defined by rapid-fire change, that reason ‘why’ is the only thing that will set your brand apart from the crowd.
For more information, contact john.cook@sbcgaming.com
