Bonus cost in iGaming analytics

Bonus cost is the economic cost of promotions given to players, including deposit matches, free spins, cashback, free bets, odds boosts, and manual retention offers.

Formula

Bonus cost = bonus value converted into real cost or deducted revenue

Why it matters

Bonuses can improve conversion and retention while lowering NGR. A bonus-heavy campaign can look strong by GGR and weak by net revenue.

How to analyze it

Track bonus cost by player segment, acquisition source, country, game type, and lifecycle stage. Compare incremental revenue against the cost of the promotion.

Common mistake

Counting issued bonus value instead of redeemed or converted cost can distort campaign performance. The right definition depends on accounting and risk policy.