Commercial
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
Key Performance Indicator
Definition
A quantitative metric used to track and report business performance. iGaming uses a standardised set of operator KPIs covering acquisition, engagement, retention, and risk.
Key takeaways
- A KPI is a quantitative metric used to track business performance, and iGaming uses a broadly standard set of operator KPIs.
- Core KPIs include FTDs and CAC, active players and ARPU, churn and retention, GGR and NGR, hold, and AML and RG measures.
- KPI design shapes behaviour: teams measured on FTD volume chase short-term wins, while LTV/CAC targets favour higher-quality players.
Why it matters
The KPI vocabulary in iGaming is reasonably standardised across operators, which makes industry analysis and benchmarking possible. The core KPIs include FTD count and CAC for acquisition, active player count and ARPU for engagement, churn and retention rates for retention, GGR and NGR for revenue, hold percentage for margin, and various AML and RG KPIs for compliance. The standardisation isn't perfect (definitions vary, lookback windows differ) but is sufficient for meaningful cross-operator comparison.
KPI design within an operator shapes organizational behaviour. Marketing teams measured on FTD volume push for short-window acquisition wins. Marketing teams measured on payback period or LTV/CAC favour higher-quality long-tail players. CRM teams measured on retention curves prioritise behaviours that sustain cohort revenue. Compliance teams measured on customer interaction completion ensure RG protocols are followed. The KPI set is one of the levers senior management uses to align behaviour with strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Are iGaming KPIs publicly standardised?
Loosely. Listed operator earnings releases follow conventions that produce roughly comparable disclosure. Trade publications and analyst reports use shared vocabulary. Some KPIs (active player counts, ARPU) vary in definition enough that cross-operator comparison requires care.
What's the most-watched KPI in iGaming earnings?
NGR is the headline revenue metric. Adjusted EBITDA is the headline profitability metric. ARPU and active player count are the headline engagement metrics. Different stakeholders prioritise different KPIs but those four anchor most operator reporting.