Tier-2 traffic for crypto and iGaming can outperform Tier-1. In our campaigns across Tier-2 geos we've seen high conversion rates and ROI of up to 60%, at click prices far below the US or Western Europe. This page covers where that works, how we set it up and where the legal limits are, including India.
Why Tier-2 geos deliver ROI up to 60%
The direct answer: lower competition at auction, cheaper impressions and clicks, and large mobile audiences that see fewer crypto and gaming ads than users in the US or UK. When the funnel is localized and fraud is filtered, revenue per user drops less than the price of traffic does. That gap is where the ROI comes from.
Picture the same campaign in two markets. In Germany you're bidding against every exchange and casino brand in Europe. In a Tier-2 market the same placement might cost a fraction, and the user on the other side has seen your competitor's banner a few times instead of a few hundred.
Revenue per user is usually lower too. So the only fair comparison is ROI by cohort over 7–30 days, not cost per click.
India: what's allowed and what isn't
India is the geo we get asked about most, so let's be clear.
Real-money gambling ads targeting India are illegal. As RichAds summarizes, advertising online money games became a criminal offence under the 2025 Online Gaming Act, with penalties of up to two years in prison and fines up to ₹50 lakh (RichAds, updated October 2026). We don't run real-money casino or betting traffic to India.
What's left is still big. India is one of the largest mobile audiences in the world, with strong interest in crypto and trading products. For crypto offers we work with Indian traffic, and rules for crypto advertising there are on the client's side to check. If your product is iGaming, look at other Tier-2 markets instead.
Where Tier-2 works for iGaming
For casino and betting, our strongest Tier-2 results have come from markets with a licensing regime and a betting culture. Two examples from our own campaigns: Serbia, with a $6.40 CPA on pops, and Brazil, with 6,002 registrations and 375 deposits. For private inventory in Europe see native traffic for Greece.
How we set up a Tier-2 campaign
- One geo per campaign. Mixing geos lets the algorithm drift to the cheapest one.
- Mobile-first funnel. Landings and registration have to load on budget phones and slow connections.
- Local language and payments. English reaches part of the audience; local-language creatives usually convert better. And if users can't deposit with a method they know, registrations stay registrations.
- Fraud filters from day one. Cheaper geos attract more bots, so we cut placements with clicks but no registrations, watch device clusters and odd-hour spikes, and build a whitelist from placements that bring paying users.
FAQ
Is Tier-2 traffic good for crypto and iGaming?
Yes, when the funnel is localized and fraud is filtered. Auction competition and click prices are lower, and in our campaigns ROI reached up to 60%. Compare geos by cohort ROI over 7–30 days, not by click price.
Can you run iGaming ads in India?
Real-money gambling ads targeting India are illegal under the 2025 Online Gaming Act, with criminal penalties. We don't run real-money casino or betting traffic to India. Crypto offers are a different category, and the client checks the local rules for their product.
Which Tier-2 geos work for iGaming?
Markets with a licensing regime and a betting culture. In our campaigns Serbia delivered a $6.40 CPA on pops and Brazil brought 6,002 registrations and 375 deposits.
How do you avoid fraud in cheaper geos?
Cut placements without registrations, watch device and time patterns, compare placements by deposit rate and keep whitelists of placements that bring paying users.
Read also: how to buy iGaming traffic: sources, prices and anti-bot checks and casino traffic in 2026.
Looking at Tier-2 geos for your offer? Get in touch and we'll suggest markets, formats and a CPA forecast. More case studies are in the blog.
