Purpose-built for iGaming operators
iGaming Lifecycle Marketing Automation
Built for Growing Operators
Launch in 1 week
Free data migration
Dedicated Support Manager
What Is Lifecycle Marketing Automation in iGaming?
Lifecycle marketing automation is the practice of delivering targeted campaigns to players based on where they are in their journey with the platform — and doing it automatically, without manual intervention from the CRM team.
In iGaming, the player lifecycle typically follows six stages: registration, first deposit, active play, decline, churn, and reactivation. Each stage requires a different communication strategy. A new registrant needs onboarding and motivation to make their first deposit. An active player needs engagement and recognition to build loyalty. A declining player needs re-engagement before they leave entirely.
Without automation, CRM teams manage these stages manually — pulling lists, scheduling sends, checking results in spreadsheets. This works with a few hundred players. It does not scale to thousands. Lifecycle automation replaces manual work with behavior-triggered flows that run continuously, adapting to what each player does on the platform in real time.
The key distinction from simple email drip campaigns: lifecycle automation reacts to behavior, not just time. If a player deposits after the first message, the flow adapts instantly — skipping the incentive step and moving to engagement. If a player ignores three messages, the flow can switch channels from email to push or SMS. This behavioral branching is what makes lifecycle automation fundamentally different from scheduled campaigns.
InTarget’s automation engine covers all six lifecycle stages out of the box. Operators build flows visually using a drag-and-drop campaign builder, connect them to behavioral triggers and dynamic segments, and let the system handle execution across email, SMS, push notifications, on-site messages and webhooks — without engineering involvement.
Automated Player Journeys From Registration to VIP
Every player goes through a predictable set of stages — but the timing, speed, and behavior within each stage is different. A player who deposits within an hour of registering needs a completely different follow-up than one who signs up and disappears for three days. Manual campaign management cannot handle this variation at scale.
InTarget lets operators map these paths visually and automate the entire flow:
- Welcome flow: Triggered on registration. Delivers onboarding content, first-deposit incentives, and platform orientation — adapting based on whether the player deposits immediately or waits
- Activation flow: Triggered on first deposit. Introduces game categories, highlights popular titles, and establishes session habits through timed follow-ups
- Engagement flow: Triggered by consistent activity. Recognizes loyalty milestones, escalates offers based on deposit and wagering patterns, and introduces VIP tiers when thresholds are reached
- Decline flow: Triggered when session frequency or deposit amounts drop below a configurable threshold. Delivers re-engagement offers before the player fully churns
Each flow is multi-step and multi-channel. It watches for player responses — opened email, clicked link, deposited, ignored — and branches accordingly. The CRM manager designs the logic once. The system executes it continuously for every player who enters, 24/7.
For growing operators, this is the only way to deliver personalized retention at scale without hiring a larger CRM team. One CRM manager can manage dozens of active flows covering thousands of players — because the automation handles execution, not the person.
What lifecycle stages does InTarget cover?
InTarget supports automation across all core iGaming lifecycle stages: registration, first deposit, active engagement, decline, churn, and reactivation. Each stage can have its own dedicated flow with unique triggers, messages, channels, and branching logic — or operators can build multi-stage flows that cover several transitions in one campaign.
Can I combine email, SMS, and push in one campaign?
Yes. InTarget's visual campaign builder lets you combine email, SMS, push notifications, and webhooks within a single automation flow. You can add channel-switching logic — for example, sending a push notification if an email was not opened within 24 hours, or escalating to SMS if push is also ignored.
How does InTarget detect churning players automatically?
InTarget monitors behavioral signals like login frequency, deposit recency, and session duration. When a player crosses a configurable inactivity threshold — such as no login for 7 days or no deposit for 14 days — the system triggers a churn prevention flow automatically, without the CRM team needing to run a manual report.
Do I need developers to build automation flows?
No. InTarget's automation is built around a visual drag-and-drop campaign builder. CRM managers design flows by connecting triggers, conditions, actions, and wait steps visually. No code, no engineering tickets, no HTML. A single CRM manager can build, launch, and optimize lifecycle flows independently.
How is lifecycle automation different from email drip campaigns?
Email drips follow a fixed schedule: send email 1 on day 1, email 2 on day 3, regardless of what the player does. Lifecycle automation reacts to behavior. If a player deposits after the first message, the flow adapts immediately — skipping the incentive step and moving to the engagement stage. If a player ignores all emails, the flow can switch to push or SMS. This behavioral branching is the fundamental difference.
Can automation flows connect to our bonus engine?
Yes. InTarget supports webhooks within automation flows, allowing the system to send real-time requests to external services — including the operator's bonus engine, platform API, or any third-party tool. This means bonus delivery, VIP tier changes, or platform actions can be triggered as part of the automated lifecycle flow.
How fast can I launch my first automation flow?
InTarget is designed for fast deployment. Most operators go live within approximately one week, including data migration and integration. Once connected, building a first lifecycle flow — such as a welcome series or churn prevention campaign — typically takes hours, not weeks, thanks to the visual builder and pre-built trigger types.
Churn Prevention and Reactivation — Before It Is Too Late
In iGaming, the cost of reacquiring a churned player is 5 to 25 times higher than retaining an active one. Yet most operators only react to churn after it has happened — sending a “we miss you” email weeks after the player has already moved on to a competitor.
Lifecycle automation enables a proactive approach by combining behavioral signals with automated responses:
- Inactivity detection: InTarget monitors login frequency, deposit recency, and session patterns. When a player crosses a configurable inactivity threshold — for example, no login for 7 days — the churn prevention flow activates automatically, without the CRM manager needing to check a report
- Graduated re-engagement: Instead of sending one generic reactivation email, InTarget supports multi-step sequences that escalate over time. The flow starts with a soft reminder, progresses to a personalized offer, and can trigger a webhook to the operator’s bonus engine for automated incentive delivery
- Channel escalation: If the player does not respond to email, the flow can automatically switch to push notification or SMS — reaching the player on the channel where they are most likely to engage
- Win-back campaigns: For players who have fully churned (30+ days inactive), separate reactivation flows can be configured with different messaging, offers, and channels than those used for declining players
The key is timing. Automated churn detection catches declining players while they still have a connection to the platform — before they are fully lost. This is where lifecycle automation delivers its highest ROI, and where the difference between a proactive and reactive CRM operation is measured in revenue.
Manual Campaign Management vs. Lifecycle Automation
Many operators still run retention campaigns manually — building lists, scheduling sends, checking results in spreadsheets. Here is how that compares to automated lifecycle flows.
| Aspect | Manual Campaigns | Lifecycle Automation (InTarget) |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger logic | CRM manager checks data and schedules sends | System monitors behavior and triggers automatically |
| Response to player actions | Delayed — next campaign run or manual check | Immediate — flow adapts in real time |
| Personalization depth | Segment-level (broad groups) | Individual-level (behavioral branching per player) |
| Channels per campaign | Usually one (email or SMS separately) | Multi-channel in one flow (email + SMS + push + on-site + webhook) |
| Scalability | Limited by team size and hours | Runs for every player automatically, 24/7 |
| Churn detection | Reactive — noticed after player is already gone | Proactive — triggered on inactivity threshold |
| Setup requirement | New campaign built from scratch each time | Flow built once, runs and adapts continuously |
| Team dependency | Multiple people: analyst + designer + CRM manager | One CRM manager operates all flows independently |
Multi-Channel Orchestration in a Single Automation Flow
Players engage with iGaming platforms across different channels at different times. Some check emails in the morning. Others respond to push notifications during commutes. Some only react to SMS. Sending every message through a single channel means missing a large portion of your audience — and lifecycle stage transitions happen too fast to manage channel-switching manually.
InTarget’s campaign builder allows operators to combine multiple channels within a single automation flow:
- Start with an email after first deposit
- If no open in 24 hours, follow up with a push notification
- If the player opens the push but does not deposit, send an SMS with a personalized offer
- If the player deposits at any point, trigger a webhook to the bonus engine to deliver a reward automatically
- If no response after all channels, move the player to a re-engagement segment for a different approach
This is not about sending more messages. It is about reaching the player on the channel where they are most likely to respond — and doing it within a single, coherent flow rather than managing separate campaigns per channel in separate tools.
All channel interactions feed back into the player profile: what was sent, on which channel, when, and how the player responded. This gives the CRM team full visibility without switching between platforms — and ensures that the next message in the flow is informed by everything that came before.
For operators who previously managed email in one tool, SMS in another, and push through a third — lifecycle automation in InTarget consolidates everything into one interface, one flow, one player profile. This is what reduces operational complexity and lets a small team run retention at scale.
Made Specifically For:
InTarget works with all kind of iGaming businesses. Improve your LTV and Retention with us.
Ready to Scale Your Business?
Join 500+ operators who trust InTarget to grow their player base and maximize revenue.