Marketing does not stand still, and international brands in the field of iGaming and betting are inventing new and more effective methods of attracting an audience. And who would have thought that the main part of the new strategy would be the stars of show business and sports. Celebrities have a significant impact on public opinion and consumer behavior through social media, television, and the media space. The 1win Pakistan platform has become a pioneer in this kind of marketing and actively collaborates with global sports and entertainment stars to build trust and expand the audience. This review analyzes in detail the mechanisms of celebrity ambassadors’ influence on the sports betting market.
Engaging Sports Legends to Enhance Legitimacy
One of the main ways 1win builds trust is through collaboration with current champions. In 2025, the platform announced a partnership with Canelo Alvarez, who in the spring of 2025 further defended his right to be called a legend of world boxing. Thus, the bookmaker shows that even world-class athletes trust 1win and are ready to recommend it to their few fans.
Canelo has become the face of the brand’s global campaigns, and his Instagram profile with over 15 million followers now has a section dedicated to 1win. He enters the ring under the banner of the platform and when the TV cameras turn their lens on him, they automatically advertise 1win. This association with the champion increases the perceived reliability of the brand: if Canelo uses 1win, then the platform is truly trustworthy.
Using Cultural Features to Capture Key Markets
To work with South Asia, including Pakistan, where cricket is the most popular sport, using boxing and UFC champions would not be the most effective strategy for promotion. In Pakistan, 1win chose David Warner, a former Australian national cricket team player, captain of the Sydney Thunder and leader of the Karachi Kings, as its ambassador. His career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has made him famous among millions of fans in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The collaboration with Warner allowed 1win to use local preferences and cultural characteristics to significantly increase its reach.
Creation of Socially Responsible Content and Charitable Initiatives
In the 1win partner program, an athlete participates in the creation of content, tells how he analyzes matches, and shares his approaches to betting. So it doesn’t even look like PR. The bookmaker uses passive advertising in entertainment and social events related to the star.
For example, Warner initiated the charity challenge #1win1000hits, where he encouraged fans to make videos of hitting the ball. For each post, 1win transferred a donation to charitable foundations. This has also given the brand a reputation as a socially responsible benefactor, which always works well for any audience.
Performance Measurement and Ambassador Rotation
A celebrity campaign is not a one-time event. Its effectiveness is constantly measured using a set of clear metrics:
- Traffic analytics. The direct influx of users from the ambassador’s social networks to the 1win platform is being monitored;
- Brand Mentions. The number and tone of mentions of 1win in the media space in conjunction with the name of a celebrity is monitored;
- The conversion rate. The article analyzes to what extent users who come through the Ambassador channel become active players compared to other channels;
- ROI (Return on Investment). The total return on investment in a contract with a particular celebrity is estimated. Based on this data, decisions are made about extending cooperation or finding a new, more relevant ambassador.
Creating An Ecosystem Of Trust Through Responsible Play
The most delicate point for athletes when cooperating with a bookmaker is the approval of sports betting and gambling behavior. Therefore, 1win itself asks all its ambassadors from Canelo to David Warner to emphasize that betting is entertainment, not a way to make money.
Nevertheless, some of the company’s ambassadors are active bettors themselves. For example, Connor McGregor, who can become a partner of 1win, actively places bets himself and wins quite a lot of money.
Despite this, the platform provides users with tools for self-regulation:
- The ability to set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits;
- The function of a temporary break in the game;
- Self-exclusion regime for a period of 6 months to 5 years;
- Support for gambling addiction assistance services.
The ambassadors regularly remind their subscribers: “Play for fun, not for the sake of winning.” This is part of the brand’s policy, which helps build trust and show that 1win cares about its users.
Conclusions
Many bookmakers can learn marketing from 1win through partnerships with ambassadors. More and more world-famous sports stars are joining 1win and promoting it, which increases the brand’s traffic in many regions at once. There is no doubt that the 1win strategy will bring even more results in the future and will not become obsolete in the coming years.
