Over 60 iGaming Startups Opted for Optimove Ignite+ in 18 Months

Optimove confirmed that over 60 startup casino and sports betting operators worldwide have joined Optimove Ignite+ in the first 18 months since its launch in early 2025. The programme combines immediate access to OptiStart, professional services, and a dedicated CRM expert from day one with scaled commercial terms and the option to pay in cryptocurrency.

Gonzalo Marín, Operations Correspondent in the sector.

Optimove Ignite+: Adoption and Programme Design

Optimove Ignite+ was designed around two clear principles: time to generate value and commercial flexibility. The first piece is that operators receive OptiStart — Optimove's predictive analytics layer — alongside professional services and a dedicated CRM from initial onboarding, capabilities that a startup would typically take months to deploy. The second piece is the commercial structure: the programme incorporates a ramp that follows the cash flow of early-stage businesses to align initial costs with growth.

Optimove also accepts cryptocurrency payments for Ignite+ operators and for its other clients, an adjustment aimed at businesses that already operate natively with crypto. The company claims this option provides greater flexibility to clients in managing their operational costs.

"The first piece was time to generate value. We provide OptiStart and professional services from the outset..." —Motti Colman, Senior Vice President of Revenue, Gaming, Optimove

How Optimove Ignite+ Accelerates Campaigns and CRM Activity

Programme operators use the same platform as major industry brands; the customer database is designed to serve from the first hundred players to hundreds of thousands without the need for migration. Optimove has highlighted the time to the first campaign as a repeated metric among participants.

Optimove details that Ignite+ includes:

• preferential commercial terms in the first year, with reduced platform and implementation costs structured to increase as the operator grows;

• OptiStart and professional services from day one;

• customer journeys and pre-built campaigns (welcome, reactivation, balance reminders);

• a dedicated CRM expert covering strategy, analytics, and campaign activation;

• industry insights and benchmarking derived from Optimove's work with over 1,200 casino and sports betting brands;

• CRM training and resources to develop the operator's internal capabilities.

An illustrative case: an operator managed to have an active dataset of 50,000 players on Optimove in two days, built their first seven email campaigns in a week including IP warming, and completed the technical setup in 20 days. Optimove published the complete onboarding sequence in “How Fast Can an iGaming Startup Go Live with Optimove?”.

Use Cases: Herd Gaming and Speed of Launch

Herd Gaming is a client of Optimove Ignite+ and launched in July 2025 with a marketing team of two people, without a data specialist or internal engineering resources. At launch, they had campaigns activated by real-time triggers. The team now operates an average of 250 campaigns per month.

"We execute the same type of CRM programme as operators with ten times our staff. Real-time data, automated flows, reporting; we act the same day. The difference is we are two, and Optimove covers the rest" —Sofia Lehtonen, CRM Manager, Herd Gaming.

The example of Herd Gaming underscores two elements that Optimove promotes: technical capacity for real-time operations from the start and the activation coverage provided by the professional service associated with the programme.

Implications for Startups and CRM Technology Providers

For iGaming startups, the primary value proposition of Optimove Ignite+ is to accelerate the learning curve and reduce the time-to-market of campaigns with predictive analytics and outsourced human resources. Startups avoid a months-long period to access advanced functionalities and receive direct support in strategy and execution.

For platform providers and professional services, the existence of a pre-packaged suite that includes analytics, pre-built journeys, and rapid onboarding adds commercial pressure: early-stage operators seek integrated solutions that allow them to operate from day one without costly internal integrations.

Market Data and Benchmarking

Optimove states that its work with over 1,200 brands in casino and sports betting informs the insights and benchmarking delivered to Ignite+ clients. Additionally, the company indicates that approximately half of the startups listed by EGR in their “Ones to Watch” list use Optimove.

The programme is positioned to serve both operators adopting cryptocurrencies as a payment method and operators following traditional payment models. The acceptance of crypto aims to reduce friction in cost management for modern businesses whose financial flow includes digital assets.

What the Operational Experience Includes Day to Day

Operators in Optimove Ignite+ access:

• predefined and customizable campaigns (welcome, re-engagement, reminders);

• dedicated experts for strategy and execution;

• predictive analytics from day one for segmentation and activation;

• training for internal teams to scale their CRM capabilities.

The central promise is that a startup can launch sophisticated campaigns in days instead of months and grow with the same technical base as their player base expands.

What Operations Directors Should Evaluate

Operations Directors should assess the provider's ability to support growth without migrations, the scaled commercial terms of the first year, and the availability of professional services. It is also advisable to review the cryptocurrency payment policy if the business operates with digital assets.

Optimove Ignite+ presents itself as a fast-track alternative for new brands needing advanced analytics, specialized human resources, and a commercial pathway that respects cash flow constraints in early stages.