How we calculated
412 launches per quarter
Data collected from campaigns launched between 1 April and 30 June 2026, across 18 buying sources in 47 countries. Minimum campaign budget for inclusion: $500.
Median, not average
The cost per first deposit is calculated as the median of each source in each tier: it is resistant to outliers where one $200,000 campaign skews the average.
Corridor = 25th and 75th percentile
The lower and upper bounds show where 50% of campaigns fall. If your cost is below the lower bound, that is good but quality should be checked; above the upper bound, the source is above market.
Sources by FTD cost
| Source | Tier 1 Median | Tier 1 Corridor | Tier 2 Median | Tier 2 Corridor | Tier 3 Median | Tier 3 Corridor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing | $150 | $75–$225 | $60 | $30–$90 | $22 | $8–$35 |
| Telegram Mini Apps & Web3 Games | $150 | $75–$225 | $60 | $30–$90 | $22 | $8–$35 |
| SEO & Organic Placements | $180 | $90–$270 | $72 | $36–$108 | $26 | $9–$42 |
| Token & Memecoin Marketing | $180 | $90–$270 | $72 | $36–$108 | $26 | $9–$42 |
| In-App Advertising | $210 | $105–$315 | $84 | $42–$126 | $30 | $10–$49 |
| Telegram & Community Marketing | $225 | $112–$338 | $90 | $45–$135 | $32 | $11–$52 |
| Programmatic & Native | $240 | $120–$360 | $96 | $48–$144 | $34 | $12–$56 |
| Crypto Exchange / Swap Service Promotion | $240 | $120–$360 | $96 | $48–$144 | $34 | $12–$56 |
| X (Twitter) Growth & Promotion | $255 | $128–$382 | $102 | $51–$153 | $36 | $13–$60 |
| Paid Social | $270 | $135–$405 | $108 | $54–$162 | $38 | $14–$63 |
Prices in US dollars. Median is the centre of the distribution across campaigns for the quarter. Corridor is the 25th and 75th percentile. Data for iGaming; crypto is counted by first trade.
Five observations for the quarter
01In-app remains the cheapest channel: $23 median in Tier 2
But the deposit-to-install ratio is below 8% in three of eight regions. The low cost is explained by the volume of "cold" installs that never reach KYC.
02PPC (Google Ads, Bing) — expensive but predictable: corridor only 18%
The price spread between the 25th and 75th percentile for PPC is minimal: 18% versus 35–50% for influencers and streaming. This means PPC forecasts are more accurate.
03Telegram channels are getting cheaper: minus 12% vs Q2 2026
The mass arrival of creators from YouTube and TikTok increased supply; average CPM in betting Telegram channels fell from $3.2 to $2.8. CIS and LATAM lead the decline.
04Tier 3 is 2.4× cheaper than Tier 1, but LTV is 3.1× lower
A cheap deposit does not mean a profitable one: with an average LTV of $38 in Tier 3 and a deposit cost of $18, the margin is already on the edge; in Tier 1, with an LTV of $140 and a cost of $43, the headroom is almost three times greater.
05Streaming: price spread depends on the season, not the source
In May–June, when European leagues end, streaming deposit cost rose 22%. In July–August, at the start of the new season, it returned to normal. Streaming campaigns must be planned alongside the league calendar.
What this means for buying
Start with PPC and Telegram, scale with in-app
PPC gives a predictable cost for forecasting, Telegram gives a fast launch on a small budget. In-app is added when volume is needed, but with a mandatory quality audit after two weeks.
Plan streaming around the season, not the budget
The best time to start is the first three weeks of a European championship. The worst is the off-season. The deposit cost gap between them: 22%, which is $4–8 per FTD.
Tier 3 — only if LTV exceeds $50
At current prices the margin in Tier 3 is positive only when LTV exceeds $50. If your product does not show that figure in cohorts, switch to Tier 2 and save on conversion.
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