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Channel benchmarks: programmatic vs push vs pop

Which channel carries which job, and what each costs relative to the others. A planning view, not a rate card.

Channel fit by role

Q2 2026
ChannelPrimary roleRelative cost per FTDEdge
Programmatic display/nativeQuality, retargetingMidHighest control, best retention
PushVolumeLowCheapest tested route to volume
PopVolumeLowestNoisiest, filtering-dependent
Crypto-native displayCrypto audiencesMidOnly real route to crypto gamblers
OOH / DOOHBrand liftHigherLaunch add-on, builds brand search
Relative planning view from GambleClicks campaign data, data through Q2 2026. Absolute bands are on the benchmarks hub. Licensed CC BY 4.0.

Reading channel fit

No channel wins outright. Push and pop win on cost per FTD for raw volume, programmatic wins on quality and retention through retargeting, and crypto-native display is the only route to crypto gamblers. The right mix is set by market and stage.

A launch usually starts with push and pop for pool building, layers programmatic and retargeting for quality as data accrues, and adds DOOH for brand lift where a physical presence helps. The mix shifts over the campaign, from volume-first to quality-first, as the retargeting pool becomes the cheapest source of deposits.

Questions operators ask

What is the cheapest traffic source for an online casino?

Push and pop networks are the cheapest tested route to FTD volume, provided the traffic is filtered at source level. Judged on filtered FTDs rather than clicks, they often deliver the lowest cost per deposit.

Which channel has the best retention for casino?

Programmatic with retargeting. Placement control and a cookied pool produce deposits at roughly a third of blended cold cost and the strongest retention of the performance channels.

Tell us the market. We tell you what converts there.

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