All bets on AI: Scaling iGaming customer support

A new landscape redefining scalability in iGaming

As regulations tighten in some markets and new jurisdictions open their doors to legal betting, iGaming operators are racing to expand globally. The landscape has transformed dramatically:

• Broader offerings: Betting portfolios have doubled in depth, while new verticals like eGame and micro-betting unlock fresh revenue streams.
• Wider reach: As more countries regulate online gambling, operators are seizing new market opportunities and building the infrastructure to reach players across continents.
• Expanding player base: Economic uncertainty has fueled a surge of users seeking entertainment with an edge.
• Major consolidation: A wave of M&A activity has reshaped the top 50 iGaming companies, pushing ambitious brands into the global spotlight almost overnight.
• Evolving compliance: Governments are setting stricter standards, demanding transparency and rapid adaptability from operators.

The race to scale is on—but the real test lies in scaling iGaming operations:

How can operators master scalability in iGaming and Betting—ensuring global reach with the same care, speed, and precision their players demand?

The one question every iGaming leader is asking

After more than five years at Zendesk—and countless conversations with iGaming and betting leaders—one thing has become clear: their ambitions and challenges are strikingly similar.

Over time, those recurring themes helped shape how we approach the industry. They also led Zendesk to formalize a dedicated iGaming Subject Matter Expert role—a position I’ve had the privilege to hold. It’s given me a front-row seat to see how the sector evolves and what truly drives its success.

And at the center of almost every conversation? Scalability.

At SBC Lisbon this past September, it was the word you simply couldn’t escape—echoing across panels, keynotes, and roundtables. The event tackled everything from responsible gambling and security to AI innovation and the evolution of payment methods. Yet beneath all those discussions, one question kept surfacing:

How do you scale—quickly, securely, and sustainably—in an industry that never stands still?

Early to the game: AI-driven customer engagement in iGaming

Over the years, as we’ve analysed benchmarks, channel strategies, and the evolving iGaming customer support projects of leading brands, one thing has stood out: many operators are well ahead of the curve when it comes to AI.

It’s striking: chatbot adoption across their conversational channels has consistently outpaced most other fast-moving industries. By 2022, more than 65% of our iGaming and betting customers had already embedded a chatbot into their support mix.

Why the early move?

It all comes down to the stakes of real-time engagement.

When your business revolves around sensitive topics like money, security, and player well-being, an instant response isn’t just nice to have—it’s mandatory. Over the past few years, we’ve seen service-level agreements (SLAs) shrink dramatically, with many operators targeting first contact times under 60 seconds, depending on the case.

Since the early 2020s, chatbots have evolved rapidly to meet those expectations—delivering seamless, round-the-clock service in multiple languages and at scale. Scaling iGaming operations and support was never just theory—AI made it a reality.

The AI divide: why some iGaming brands scale—and others stall

Our latest CX Trends Report shows that 70% of consumers see a gap between companies that use AI effectively and those that don’t.

And in iGaming and Betting, that gap is becoming increasingly visible.The early embrace of AI has revealed a growing divide in iGaming customer support maturity across the industry.

So what separates the CX champions from the rising contenders?

It often comes down to four key factors:

• Integration: how closely customer support is connected to back-office operations.
• Resilience: the strength and depth of their help centres.
• Sophistication: the diversity of their channel mix (with some still relying heavily on email).
• Scalability: their ability to automate and grow efficiently.

The impact is clear in the performance metrics:

• CSAT scores consistently above 80% for champions, while emerging brands often hover between 50–60%.
• First response times (FRT) under 60 seconds for industry leaders—compared to minutes, sometimes hours, for those still scaling up.

In such a high-stakes environment, CX maturity isn’t just a differentiator anymore—it’s the deciding factor in long-term success.

Leveling the playing field: how AI bridges the gap in iGaming growth

Scalability in iGaming and Betting isn’t one-size-fits-all.

The right strategy depends heavily on where a company sits in its growth journey. For some, it’s about breaking through—for others, it’s about fine-tuning what already works.

Two industry leaders captured this perfectly in recent interviews with SBC Leaders magazine:

These two perspectives capture the heart of the scaling debate in iGaming and Betting. For rising challengers, scalability becomes the central focus—a make-or-break priority for breaking through. For established champions, years of transformation have created space to focus on optimization and innovation.

But there’s a new force reshaping that balance—iGaming customer support AI. What began as a CX enabler is now transforming every layer of operations, from data and process automation to copilots, knowledge management, and quality assurance.

This rapid AI evolution is leveling the playing.

The head start once held by established brands may soon narrow. Over the next nine months, as new AI capabilities roll out and disruptive technologies take hold, the balance may well shift—flipping the script for both iGaming customer support and employee service.

The smart bet: AI in iGaming customer support and employee service

Once scalability is in place, the real game-changer isn’t just efficiency—it’s how that foundation unlocks sustainable, revenue-generating growth. The odds of maximising iGaming customer support rise drastically when you also pair it with a bold commitment to employee service—empowering your teams to perform at their best.

While many boards and CFOs focus on cost-cutting in uncertain times, the smart bet is on preparation—getting ready for the next table, where growth, market share, and player loyalty are back in play. The true winners in iGaming and Betting won’t just be those who scale efficiently, but those who build a culture ready to seize the next big run.

At least, that’s what Zendesk bets on.

Voicebots, AI workflows, AI App Builders, Generative AI, gambling customer service AI, and analytics that turn trends into action—the bottom line is clear. The decisions and bets made by leading and emerging operators over the next year will decide who sets the pace for the industry—and who closes the odds gap for good.

Ready to make CX and ES your winning hand?

If you’re looking to strengthen player retention, reduce churn, and build lasting trust in a crowded market, Zendesk can help. We partner with some of the world’s leading gambling & betting brands to design CX strategies that don’t just support players—they delight them.

Get in touch today to discover how Zendesk can make CX the strongest card in your deck.
Also, explore our latest “iGaming & Betting Industry Report 2025.”

Sources:

• Zendesk CX Trends Report 2025

• SBC Leaders 37 Magazine, September 25

• Internal Zendesk data on iGaming and Betting CX performance benchmarks