CTV by industry

Sports Betting & DFS CTV Advertising

For sportsbooks and daily-fantasy operators

CS & Co. runs sports betting CTV for sportsbooks and daily-fantasy operators. Sports betting is a regulated, state-by-state, promotion-driven category. CTV should build brand preference and drive sign-ups only where the operator is licensed, then prove whether exposure drives registrations, first-time deposits and cost per first-time depositor.

Find out if CTV is a fit

Where it usually breaks

Why does sports betting CTV underperform?

Because operators chase a low cost per first-time depositor and scale on it, then find the cohort churns within a month, since the buy optimizes to the deposit event with no view of whether players stay. And a buy that isn't hard-fenced to legal states is a compliance problem, not just wasted spend.

Two things we find almost every time

Not hard-fenced to legal states. Impressions serve into states where the operator isn't licensed, and responsible-gambling and 21+ messaging is missing or under the required on-screen duration.
Install and deposit windows that don't reconcile. First-time deposits are tracked through an app measurement partner while the install pixel uses a different window, so cost per FTD can't be reconciled and installs get credited that never deposited.

The measurement framework

What will your board ask about sports betting CTV?

CTV's job in sports betting is to build preference and drive registrations only where you're licensed. These four questions test whether it reached legal-state households and what each depositor cost.

Did the right household notice?

Brand signals, measured against a geo control

Households reached in licensed states
Completed-view rate on the compliant spot
Offer recall
Recall by market

Did it change what they did next?

Intent signals: behavior after exposure

Registration starts
Promo and odds page views
App-download clicks
Deposit-page starts

Did it move the business?

Business outcomes, proven with The CS Method™

Registrations
First-time deposits via app measurement partner and CRM match-back
Deposit and retention quality by cohort
Geo incrementality test: FTD lift

What did each outcome cost?

Acquisition efficiency: cost per real result

Cost per first-time depositor
Cost per registration
State-level acquisition cost
LTV to acquisition-cost ratio

Your KPIs get set together on the call, against your numbers, not this list.

What proof does CS & Co. have in sports betting?

Want to see how we’d measure yours? We’ll walk you through our full test design on the call, and share references under NDA. The method is The CS Method™, the same one behind our health & wellness case study, where an incrementality test showed 41.4% more purchases among households that saw the ads.

Which rules apply to sports betting CTV ads?

Sports-wagering advertising is licensed and regulated by each state's gaming regulator, including where ads may run and the required responsible-gaming and age messaging. Many operators also follow the American Gaming Association's Responsible Marketing Code. Your compliance team signs off the state list and every cut.

Regulatory note updated September 2026. This is not legal advice.

Straight answers

Frequently asked questions

Can CTV be geofenced to legal betting states?

Yes. Streaming inventory can be restricted by state and ZIP, so CS & Co. hard-fences delivery to the states where you are licensed and checks delivery reports against your license list every week, not just at launch.

What responsible-gambling messaging do CTV ads need?

It depends on the state: most regulators require responsible-gaming and age messaging, and some set on-screen duration and helpline rules. CS & Co. maps the rules for every state in the buy and your compliance team approves each cut before it runs.

How is cost per first-time depositor measured?

Media cost divided by first-time deposits from exposed households, confirmed through your app measurement partner and CRM using one attribution window for both installs and deposits. CS & Co. also tracks 30-day retention, because a cheap FTD that churns isn't cheap.

One way to start

What would a customer cost you on CTV?

Most CTV plans are DECAF. They spend, they report, and nobody can prove what they sold. CS & Co. plans, buys and measures your streaming TV against the number you're held to, proves what it caused with The CS Method™, and only earns past the plan fee when that number moves.