The study points to a change in the way operators approach developing their content strategy. Instead of focusing solely on peak seasons, DATA.BET believes that more extensive coverage, regional variety, and regular fixtures could help sportsbooks keep players active year-round.
Smaller Events Are Filling the Gaps Between Flagship Tournaments
Major tournaments remain an effective tool for drawing attention. Yet they do not take place daily. This is where small tournaments become commercially valuable.
According to DATA.BET, small esports tournaments benefited from a busier and more balanced calendar. These matches allowed operators to support betting activity between larger tournaments, thereby making the sportsbook line deeper.
Low-tier esports events contributed as much as 30% to the total esports profits across all tiers, as reported by the company. As for traditional sports, the report data demonstrates the following distribution of profits:
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Low-level – 38%;
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Top-tier events – 36%;
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Mid-tier events – 26%.
This distribution challenges the habit of operators to focus on the biggest fixtures and treat smaller ones as secondary products. According to DATA.BET’s findings, the latter seem to have become a regular source of revenue.
Wider Coverage Helped Lift User Activity in 2025
DATA.BET linked low-tier events’ growth to a wider range of matches available, more disciplines, a greater market coverage, and better margins. According to the supplier, partner turnover grew by 23% from 2024 to 2025.
User activity data supports the same trend. As follows from the report, monthly sportsbook audience grew by 105%, daily audience has increased by 82%, and the total number of active users grew by 91.2%.
Regulation Makes Content Strategy More Important
In its report, DATA.BET highlights the fact that growing regulation and tax pressure in Europe are forcing operators to rethink their growth strategy. The UK is named as one market where pressure has been particularly strong. Operators whose content coverage is not that broad face challenges like rising costs along with revenue being tied to limited high-demand windows.
What DATA.BET proposes to address this challenge is a more localized approach. According to the company, it assumes having more regions, more event tiers, and more verticals covered.
Casino Brands Are Also Part of the Sportsbook Push
The report also addresses casino operators considering a sportsbook launch in 2026. DATA.BET provides a checklist for integration, content strategy, and operational readiness.
The company points to several reasons why a combined casino and sportsbook experience is commercially justified. Generally, the lifetime value of players who engage with two different products is higher than those using only one platform. In terms of casino brands, adding sportsbook content allows building a second engagement channel without starting with a blank slate.
Nevertheless, the report highlights that merely providing a sportsbook tab on the site does not suffice. Operators need to ensure sufficient depth of events, reliable trading, quick data delivery, and localized coverage.
Bottom Line
DATA.BET’s report views low-tier tournaments as a viable growth tool for sportsbook operators. This suggests that the sportsbook depth becomes a crucial factor. Operators may need to reduce reliance on flagships and create a daily offering that works independently of major sports and esports events.
