Leading the Shift: Ushering in APS & CEB for a New Era of Brand Performance

As the iGaming industry evolves, so too must its performance metrics. Historically, Blask focused on eFTD (Estimated First-Time Deposits) and eGGR (Estimated Gross Gaming Revenue) to gauge market performance.

However, these terms risk being misinterpreted as exact financial figures rather than market-driven baselines — leading operators to compare them directly with internal accounting data. Recognizing this disconnect, we have introduced two new metrics: Acquisition Power Score (APS) and Competitive Earning Baseline (CEB) — that offer a more transparent and industry-agnostic approach to assessing a brand’s potential.

By reframing the conversation around these new tools, Blask aims to provide operators with actionable, forward-focused insights that align better with strategic marketing objectives, product development, and broader competitive dynamics — thereby shifting the focus from what was to what could be. 

Background and Motivation

Old Metrics’ Limitations

eFTD (Estimated First-Time Deposits) and eGGR (Estimated Gross Gaming Revenue) were developed as convenient reference points, but the familiarity of these acronyms in gambling settings often blurred the line between actual financial data and model-based projections.

Operators, upon seeing “FTD” or “GGR,” reflexively compared these estimates to their internal revenue statements. This misalignment frequently led to confusion or distrust of the model whenever the Blask projections differed significantly from an operator’s internal calculations.

Necessity for Clarity and Universality

Many emerging markets and business models extend beyond traditional iGaming or betting verticals. As Blask expands, it has become essential for us to ensure that our performance metrics resonate with a variety of audiences and use cases, without carrying unintended iGaming connotations.

By renaming and reframing these metrics, we open doors to industries where “Estimated GGR” or “Estimated FTD” would lack context or sound overly specific to gambling operations.

Introducing APS and CEB

Acquisition Power Score (APS)

Definition: An AI-driven benchmark indicating how effectively a brand’s presence in the market converts into new customers.

Purpose: Instead of focusing on “first-time deposits,” APS zeroes in on the broader concept of “new customers,” making it more fluid and less tied to a singular vertical like sports betting or casino.

Benefits:

• Forward-Focused: APS shows what should be achievable based on brand influence, encouraging companies to target that level of acquisition
• Actionable Insight: Allows for tighter alignment with marketing budgets and strategies—if actual new customers lag behind APS, optimization is warranted.

Competitive Earning Baseline (CEB)

Definition: An AI-driven projection of the revenue a brand should realistically capture in a given market, derived from its Brand Accumulated Power (BAP), the Acquisition Power Score (APS), and competitor benchmarks.

Purpose: Provides a baseline for revenue potential, rather than an internal profit-and-loss measure.

Benefits:

• Market Validation: Leverages external signals (e.g., brand search trends, competitor data) to gauge whether a brand is maximizing revenue tied to its market influence.
• Performance Check: If real revenue is below this baseline, there may be untapped marketing or product opportunities; if above, it signifies effective strategy execution.

Industry-Agnostic Relevance

Moving Beyond iGaming

By removing the strict references to “depositors” and “gaming revenue,” APS and CEB become better suited for any sector where brand visibility translates into customer acquisition and revenue generation — be it fashion, fintech, entertainment, or beyond.

This transition also provides a seamless on-ramp to industries adjacent to gambling—social gaming, fintech, entertainment—where brand share-of-voice could be an indicator of a future performance.

Contrary to the notion that we might be sidelining the gambling vertical, iGaming customers actually stand to gain new competitive advantages by observing how other industries harness brand influence to boost conversions. This broader perspective enriches iGaming-specific strategies with cross-industry insights into marketing, product positioning, and customer engagement.

Aligning with Broader Marketing Goals

APS and CEB speak the language of marketing power and competitive positioning, rather than iGaming-specific jargon. Marketing teams can now adopt these metrics without repeatedly explaining that these figures are not direct equivalents to a brand’s internal finance numbers.

Advantages to Operators

Reduced Friction. Operators can more easily grasp that these metrics do not replace in-house data but rather provide external, market-centric benchmarks to guide strategic decisions.

Clear Baselines for Growth. APS pinpoints the brand’s capacity for new customer acquisition, while CEB indicates the revenue potential bound to that capacity.

Consistent Monthly Updates. Both metrics are updated monthly (for completed periods), helping operators observe how changes in marketing tactics or brand presence affect their baseline results over time. Looking ahead, Blask anticipates lower granularities (e.g., day-over-day) to provide even more immediate and tactical insights.

Cross-Industry Synergy. By assimilating data and practices from multiple sectors, iGaming companies can better identify untapped opportunities, refine user acquisition strategies, and stay ahead of competitors who rely solely on gambling-specific insight.

Looking Ahead

Ecosystem Synergy: APS and CEB both tie back to Brand Accumulated Power (BAP), the core engine that measures brand awareness and engagement. This integrated framework fosters consistency across the Blask platform.

Scaling Beyond Borders: The simplified, universal nature of these metrics paves the way for easy adoption in new markets and industries, reflecting the true potential of brand presence—wherever it exists.

Continuous Innovation: As Blask’s artificial intelligence evolves, future iterations may incorporate additional data sources and new ways of training to refine APS and CEB, continually sharpening their predictive accuracy.

Deepened iGaming Expertise: Far from abandoning the iGaming sector, these ongoing enhancements will continue to incorporate iGaming-specific variables and data. By learning from wider consumer patterns, Blask’s solutions give iGaming brands the best of both worlds: deep domain expertise paired with expansive cross-industry lessons.

Conclusion

The shift from eFTD and eGGR to Acquisition Power Score (APS) and Competitive Earning Baseline (CEB) marks a pivotal evolution in the Blask framework. By redefining these key performance indicators, we eliminate the overreach of gambling-specific terminology and reaffirm our commitment to providing accurate, forward-focused insights that transcend industry boundaries. This transition ultimately empowers brands—whether in iGaming or beyond — to align strategies more closely with actionable, market-driven targets, creating a powerful synergy between brand potential and actual performance.

Crucially, iGaming remains a vital cornerstone of our approach; indeed, by adopting a broader, industry-agnostic perspective, we enable iGaming customers to glean fresh strategies, refine their brand-building methodologies, and drive sustainable, data-informed growth.