B2B marketing in the iGaming sector faces a growing number of serious threats as the industry moves deeper into 2026.
Marketing leaders are raising concerns about artificial intelligence, content oversaturation, weak attribution models, and short-term thinking that prioritises vanity metrics over genuine business growth.
Martin Hodges believes AI is not the enemy, but warns that its misuse is quietly eroding what makes brands memorable and distinct in a crowded marketplace.
“I know a lot of people here will say AI, but I believe it’s an incredible tool if used properly,” said Hodges, explaining that speed and thinking time are where the real value lies.
He argues the genuine danger emerges when every company begins producing content that sounds polished but lacks personality, making campaigns forgettable and brands interchangeable.
“The real threat is when everyone starts using it to say the same thing,” Hodges said, pointing to a broader homogenisation problem that undermines competitive differentiation.
He also cautioned against marketers chasing impressions and clicks rather than building the trust and relationships that still drive most business in B2B iGaming.
“In 2026, everyone is showing their brand via the same channels, at the same conferences,” Hodges noted, stressing that carving out a unique space delivers far greater long-term partner value.
John Cook identified a different but equally damaging threat, focusing on the growing pressure to demonstrate immediate, easily attributable returns on every single marketing activity.
“One of the biggest threats I see is the growing expectation that every element of B2B marketing should demonstrate an immediate, easily attributable return,” Cook said directly.
He acknowledged that measurement matters, especially when budgets are under pressure, but warned that valuing only what is easy to measure creates a dangerously incomplete picture of marketing performance.
Cook illustrated this blind spot with a clear example: a potential customer who reads articles for six months, attends events, and engages with research before finally making contact at a conference cannot be captured neatly in a spreadsheet.
That long, relationship-driven journey represents exactly the kind of high-value conversion that short-term attribution models consistently fail to recognise or reward within B2B marketing strategies.
The perspectives from both leaders reflect a sector grappling with rapid change, where the tools and channels available to marketers have multiplied but the fundamentals of trust and reputation remain central to winning business.
