Cookieless Tracking in iGaming: Post-Cookie Attribution in the Era of Data Privacy

User protection is a prime concern within iGaming, which already made tracking difficult. Then came the new regulations from the European Union, in the form of the GDPR. 

Specifically, the era of third party cookies — the ones which were in use without any explicit consent from users — came to a decisive end.

If users couldn’t opt in or opt out of sharing their personal information with private entities, the data itself could no longer be captured. Since cookies were the prevalent form of tracking, the fact that they couldn’t be used anymore was a blow to all kinds of digital commercial activity, not just online gambling.

Cookies, themselves though, were not without fault. So the transition to cookieless tracking was inevitable. Let’s understand what this means, and why it matters.

Why Does This Matter?

In 2017, Apple implemented the ITP or Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which was aimed towards limiting third-party cookies from collecting user information through its own browser, Safari.

This move was followed quickly by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, which made “opting in” a mandate. With users in control of their own data, of course, the ability to track became limited.

It became clear that various browser providers would have to take action and add opt-ins every time a cookie embed was attempted. 

Mozilla and Apple were first, giving users more control over their own data. In 2024, Google also jumped in, beta testing permission-based behaviour tracking. Post-testing, this feature became a norm, heralding a new timeline — one beyond cookies.

With all these changes, modern marketing depends heavily on cleaner attribution, verifiable data and multi-layered tracking of user activity — all of it filtered through user permission. 

Cookieless tracking, however, was disruptive across the world for most industries. When you can’t see the outcomes of your efforts clearly, you’re going to be driving blind. And that’s exactly what was happening around the world, captured through something now referred to as ‘signal loss’.

Let’s understand what this means, and what its effects are.

Signal Loss and Its Real Impact

The ever increasing privacy regulations and depreciation of cookies has resulted in a phenomenon commonly referred to by advertisers as ‘signal loss’. For users, it may signal changing times. But for those who rely on data, ads and their direct link to players, this change has had profound operational, strategic and financial implications.

Ad Buys Were Hit First

Media buyers were hit the hardest. Without clear audience-level insights, ad buys must rely on other measurement strategies to base their decisions on. This lowered visibility impacts the cost of purchasing ad space, since outcomes are less predictable. 

According to the IAB State of Data 2024 report, 87% of ad buyers reported spending more due to privacy-related constraints and signal loss.

The same report stresses on the measurement fallout of cookieless tracking across the spectrum.

• 55% organizations shared that it became more difficult to track conversions accurately across channels or measure ROI.
• Over 50% of orgs reported that they struggled to optimize campaigns effectively.
• 47% were falling behind even when it came to measuring frequency and reach.

The way through? Many were forced to adapt in the medium term to use probabilistic tools and agentic AI systems to improve the results of their marketing campaigns.

The Effect on Organizational Structures

The manner in which the marketing functions of organizations acted, changed forever. Regulatory pressures in conjunction with signal loss forced over 80% of organizations (as per the IAB report) to reorient the allocation and structure of their internal teams.

Several had to invest — for the very first time — in consultation to devise specific measures that focused on privacy and consent-based mechanisms. Others looked to hire legal experts and marketing veterans to navigate the framework of new rules, while continuing regular operations.

Smaller Players Affected Globally

The cookieless tracking era came with implications for players of all sizes. While larger players have the resources to combat such instances, or at least deploy some alternatives, the smaller ones were existentially threatened.

This transition was costly for everyone. But the relative difference was more evident in the case of start-ups, small and medium businesses and non-MNC online casinos and gambling companies.

Of course, such dramatic changes are unlikely to keep happening all the time. However, when they do happen, they can threaten the diversity and openness of the digital ecosystem.

On the whole, signal loss wasn’t just a nuisance in ad serving. It has completely redefined how value is measured, where ad spend goes, and who can compete. 

More importantly, for iGaming operators navigating a cookieless world, understanding and preparing for these ripples is more important than ever.

Where Does the Data Now Come From?

When any reasonable operator or brand can’t join the dots on what Maggie from London, or Harry from Malta are doing, there need to be overt signals which still help plan your next move: from distribution channels, and medium-wise budgets to marketing team hiring. 

Let’s understand how marketers in the cookieless tracking era still know what’s up.

1. Deterministic Attribution

When iGaming marketing campaigns are run across the digital space, a click could land anywhere. Think: social media ad creatives, blogs, coupon websites or even shared directly to a particular user over email.

Now, at this stage a click is valuable. But it is simply indicative of prospective value that could be added. To ensure we don’t lose value, however, tagging it with a click ID is the prudent step. That’s exactly how tracking through modern cookie-independent tools like Affnook works. 

Along with the click, a series of metadata is also collected and stored, which includes items like user agent, timestamp and IP address.

This process ensures downstream events can be traced back to the first click, while staying anonymous.

2. First-party Data

In a privacy-first world, users need to be informed and allowed to choose whether they wish to participate in enriching the experiences of other users like them. That’s why first-party data insights are powering the cookieless tracking era.

The information available through direct player interaction is enriching, and comes with the possibility of securely storing and management. Third-party data is stored on third-party devices or servers, which offers less control over the overall way in which this information is kept, who it is shared with or how long it is stored.

Here, users can accept ‘essential cookies’ and reject the ones they want to avoid. 

Additionally, it becomes clear that the operator running the ‘Spinforge’ platform can gather knowledge on the user journey through this information, rather than having this information be used by the Bank of America, and a car insurance dealership and an anti-virus product seller to pitch different items to users, based on their iGaming engagement.

Note that essential first-party cookies are exempt from all major privacy laws, including CCPA and GDPR. 

3. Server-to-Server Event Tracking

Relying exclusively on data simply from the client’s side is not completely effective (as is usually the case with first party cookies). This information needs to be supplemented with tamper-proof data flow that captures user actions directly — using two servers.

Two endpoints exist for this attribution system to work — one is the client (i.e. operator or brand’s server) and the other is the tracking software’s server. 

Key events need to be set, which trigger the capture and transfer of information from the website or app to the client server, before passing them to the tracker’s server, at which point validation of data expected vs collected also occurs. This entire process is also encapsulated in postback tracking, which Affnook specializes in.

All the data thus collected is logged. Errors, abnormalities and fraud attempts are registered in a clearly evident audit trail. 

The tracking breakthrough of the cookieless tracking era is built around servers. Plus it happens to be highly secure, with the possibility of encryption. The advantages don’t end there:

• It’s precise and accurate
• The data collected in this manner is transmitted in real-time
• There is real-time validation built in
• A clear trail is built that connects the entire journey from first click to last action, i.e. FTD, gameplay or re-deposit

What’s more? Publishers can be sure their payouts will be timely, since reconciliation is carried out. If you’re struggling with implementing first party cookies, this method could be one way to cut down on that challenge.

4. Cross-Device Data Tracking

Are you always certain of where your user is placed? They may switch their mode of engagement at any time, and without notice. 

Consider this: a certain player — let’s refer to them as Clint — takes their first steps when they come across an affiliate promotion of a given online gambling brand’s platform. They click the link, register and deposit on their desktop device. But the gameplay occurs on their smartphone, using mobile web. 

Now you’ve run into another classic tracking problem in the cookieless tracking timeline. Either you’re going to end up misattributing the steps which come after the desktop-level actions, or you’re losing out on rewarding the relevant affiliates for higher quality player actions — the ones that come beyond the FTD.

That’s why a combined approach of tracking seamlessly on desktop and on mobile (through an integrated mobile measurement platform) is not just relevant, but necessary.

Think of another instance, where the click occurs on the desktop device, but the install actually goes through on the app store. A break after the first device will immediately de-link the click ID and the following actions — which is a major impediment in most instances requiring direct and seamless attribution matching.

5. Volunteered Information

There is a whole world out there, where user stories and experiences are waiting to be heard. We’re talking about a deeper user understanding in cookieless tracking times. Whether it is praise, a query, a complaint or something else — public forums can be great soundboards for public opinion. 

What’s more? They can help uncover minor details within engagement styles, player journeys and entry points that further enrich the operations side interventions. Ultimately, knowing when someone decided to visit your platform, how they ended up there, and why they chose to click off are all vital indicators of larger attribution-side issues.

There’s one way to make this an experiential aspect too — by running surveys, and gathering prime intel through email campaigns, and push notifications.

What makes real users tick?

Is your VIP campaign actually turning long term users off?

Why is your new game not securing enough playtime, despite the heavy promotions?

Why are registered users hesitating to deposit?

All of these questions can be answered through these simple investigation formats.

6. Continuous Engagement

Attribution doesn’t end post-acquisition. That’s certainly a truth which needs to be set in stone, especially in the contemporary age of iGaming.

If a user invests enough time in your platform, and you’ve invested marketing spends in bringing them there — continuity of interaction must be ensured. That’s where your add on marketing tools like CRMs and player data management software come into play.

While the first line is dropped at the FTD, registration or withdrawal, it should continue onwards to connect all the subsequent deposits, game interactions, chargebacks, withdrawals or other actions. This can happen only when a complete iGaming marketing tech stack is built through robust and secure integrations.

Why This Works

When you think of it, a cookieless tracking ecosystem might feel restrictive. However, the tools shaping this new environment actually bring structure, reliability, and compliance into a landscape that previously leaned too heavily on opaque tracking practices. 

iGaming operations and brands driven primarily by affiliate marketing are some of the most measurement-dependent verticals in digital commerce. For these businesses, the new formats of tracking actually lay down a privacy-rich foundation, and a more durable mechanism built for success.

It is important to note that cookieless tracking works. It is sustained through verifiable behavioral signals, rather than being a browser-reliant monolith. These signals are:

• Controlled by operators, not browsers
• Rooted in the consent of users
• Free from device-specific rules
• Resilient to ad-tech volatility (like regulatory changes or browser updates)

The 2024 ‘Digital Advertising Forecast’ report from Gartner states that brands which shift quickly to server-side tracking and ‘deterministic attribution frameworks’ would see 30% better data accuracy and reduce compliance risk by up to 40%.

Here’s why it’s crucial for iGaming: regulations aren’t a ‘maybe’; they’re a must-have.

Let’s break down the pillars that make this approach a competitive advantage.

Real-time Tracking and Reconciliation

When you think of cookieless tracking’s advantages, there’s none better than the fact that clicks, conversions, deposits, app installs and gameplay events can all be mapped instantly. No wait, no delays and no more latency.

The data travels right then and there from one server to another, allowing for reconciliation to be performed immediately.

In the traditional cookie world, this process was often slow, error-prone and fragmented — especially when affiliates were involved. Affiliate marketing managers regularly complained of:

• Conversion log delays
• Players switching between devices, hampering collection
• Missed payouts, or double counting of events
• Fraud piling up, and going undetected for long period of time

Attribution through server-driven tracking offers a paradigm shift from this.

Here are the key benefits of this feature:

1. Second-by-second deposit accuracy, and real-time revenue tracking.
2. Superior campaign optimization due to the availability of instant insights.
3. Transparent, timestamp-level reconciliation ensures fewer conflicts and faster resolution cycles.

For a competitive sector like iGaming — where margins are shaped by lifetime value (LTV) and acquisition cost (CAC) — this recovery has significant bottom-line impact.

In-built Privacy and Compliance

When we think of the regulations requiring privacy, we often halt at GDPR and CCPA. Of course, they are mainstays in the discussion around cookieless experiences, but they aren’t the only rules which bind contemporary operators and brands.

The majority of countries with regulated markets have their own norms around player privacy, which must be adhered to. It begins from the licensing stage, and carries on into regular compliance requirements beyond.

Cookieless, consent-based tracking solves a major portion of this compliance risk.

Let’s understand how this comes to be:

1. Server-side event transmission ensures no unapproved personal data leaves the operator’s control.
2. Players trust the business more because their consent matters. Everytime users engage it becomes clear that every data point collected is tied to a user decision.
3. User-level anonymity preserves privacy while retaining full attribution clarity.
4. Audit trails allow everything to get linked together. This is important for everyone involved — operators, brands, publishers, regulatory bodies.

Faster adoption means more brand-level trust, which ultimately means longer term player engagement through retention.

Parallel Fraud Detection and Quality Checks

With the disappearance of third-party cookies, fraud took on new shapes. There was a heavy incidence of bots, click farms, scripts, fake accounts, synthetic ID usage and spikes in bonus abuse all across the online gambling sector.

This is where S2S systems make a real difference. When deterministic signals are matched with metadata such as user agent, IP, timestamp patterns and behavioral markers, it is extremely hard to hide such bad conduct.

Servers create activity logs (which are evident within the platform dashboard in software like Affnook). These are impossible to manipulate — something cookies stored on browsers were always susceptible to.

Cookieless tracking makes abnormal behaviours immediately evident. Whether fraud is being conducted through the same IP addresses, devices, scripts or geolocations, it is detectable and, therefore, preventable. On Affnook, all such activities can be marked for review, or blocked instantly.

But to take this up seriously, fraud needs to be seen more than a cybersecurity disruption. It needs to be viewed through the lens of profitability, ROI and business stability.

Affiliate Implications and Payouts in a Privacy-first World

Very few industries in the entire world are as reliant on publishers as iGaming. This simple fact makes attribution a valuable function within the entire online gambling marketing process. Without it, you’re going to struggle with regularly acquiring real users.

As per the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), 25-45% of new players come from the affiliate channel. This is the number for Europe, but based on the funnel, regulations and publisher activity, the number could be higher in other countries, especially emerging ones. 

Initially there was upheaval. However, cookieless tracking fixed the affiliate measurement gap in ways cookies could never. 

• No gaps between action and reporting. What happened gets picked up instantly — something that cookie ‘drops’ couldn’t account for.
• Reduced disputes between publishers and those running iGaming affiliate marketing programs. If it happened, it’s on the report, which means payouts go through without conflict.
• Better payouts for extended activities. When each post-FTD action can be tracked, the bonuses beyond the first payout can keep piling on. That’s more lifetime value for the iGaming brand, and more profit for the affiliate.

There are additional by-products of this change too — longer associations with the same affiliates, who then go on to add more publishers like them to your affiliate program. Plus, better conversion rates, since actions can be added to the same campaigns and rewards can be tacked on top of each other.

A Transparency-first Environment

There was a clear movement within the iGaming industry itself: no more opaqueness. Transparency, which was earlier optional, now became a mandate.

Browsers are transparent. Regulators demand transparency. Users expect transparency. Affiliates thrive on transparency. And iGaming platforms must now match this shift through:

• Clear flows of data
• Shared reporting
• Accessible attribution logs
• Traceable payout logic
• Consent-based data handling

The factor of trust becomes mutable in such an ecosystem. Because the iGaming operation or brand shows it to the affiliates it works with, they show it back. 

There’s also the elimination of the ‘black box’. You no longer have to wonder why a particular action was logged or left out. This entire trail is absolutely clear and visible. If something stays unregistered, you’re going to know then and there — zero wait time.

In a sector where a single mis-attributed VIP player can cost thousands in payouts, transparency isn’t just a virtue — it’s a financial safeguard.

Clear Terms and Application

Licensing and maintenance of regulations is just one end of the line. There is a lot of paperwork and term-setting which goes on within online casino and gambling businesses. Each publisher also gets onboarded through clear conditions and terms, set down in a contract.

Now every marketing partnership, affiliate program, ad campaign and CRM workflow comes with its own requirements and set templates. Modern cookieless tracking follows through with its own logic, within the same industrial system.

Attribution structures within the new tracking format also come with clear terms. Here are some instances:

• Defined FTD windows, set for each affiliate, as outlined within their contract or in the program terms.
• Laying down what a valid payout event is, including adding qualifiers (eg. QTFD) to make it technically valid.
• Using pre-approved promo codes and postback URLs as a payout determining factor.
• Pre-approved regions and publishers, who are allowed to operate within specific regulated geographies.

The Use of Automation

When the preset system of tracking first became defunct, it was evident that automation could no longer tie together various data points and create a valid picture of results. 

However, cookieless tracking launched new zones where this function could be incorporated. Think: automated messages getting triggered from the CRM when a certain action occurs from the user’s end on your platform.

Where else can it help? Let’s take a look.

• Instant campaign optimization: Move budgets or traffic towards better performing campaigns.
• Filter data to create suppression lists: Identify fraud in real-time and block the click IDs that come across as invalid.
• Dynamic payout engines: Operators can create brand tiers and campaigns. Networks can create brand and campaign tiers with neat payout rules tying them all together. As campaigns start getting traction, the rules allow automatic sorting of revenue across all actors.
• Prediction of LTV: Using deterministic signals across all tracking data, certain predictions on outcomes can be made.

Organizational Impact

No change can simply be enacted at the enterprise level, without any fallout. When organizations across industries were required to start tracking attribution without cookies, it was unlikely the change wouldn’t take both time, and restructuring.

In fact, you could go as far as saying, the cookieless tracking era was made possible through major organizational overhaul across product, marketing, compliance, engineering and operations teams.

Training and Re-structuring

For one, marketing is no longer a silo-like function. Collaboration is a basic requirement for basic functioning:

• Marketing x Compliance: Helps in aligning new privacy norms
• Marketing x Engineering: For server-side integrations
• Marketing x Product: To understand user behavior within gameplay insights

The ongoing period is the interim zone, whether the focus must be primarily on upskilling for the new privacy-first era. 

Marketing professionals trained during the cookie era must now navigate:

• Server-to-server webhooks
• Event schemas
• Probabilistic vs deterministic attribution
• Consent frameworks
• Device graphing
• Multi-touch models
• Data taxonomies

Key trends from reports released by Linkedin show a clear shift towards the job market taking a clear skills-based approach, with a high demand for technical skills like data analytics.

Legal Implementation and Impact

Privacy, and attribution are all items that fall within the ambit of the larger legal superstructure — within organizations and the industry. The implementation of this new regime involves understanding ‘what’ needs to be protected, and ‘how’ all functions within an organization can act on or use them, without being in any legal grey area.

The most pivotal legal considerations in the cookieless tracking landscape are:

• User consent

Having auditable records of opt-ins is a requirement.

• Data minimization

Collection of only essential data.

• Cross-border data transfers

Regional data transfer laws must be respected.

• Affiliate liability

Tracking discrepancies, improper targeting, and misaligned user data can now incur regulatory penalties.

According to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB)’s 2024 Annual Report, it is clear that most of the fines were related to limited “legal bases for data processing” and lack of good organizational and technical security measures.

Summing Up

A new time has begun for attribution. While third party cookies are as good as dead, cookieless tracking offers great boons — but only for those who manage to adapt, learn, protect and evolve in time.

The iGaming industry itself is entering a novel zone, defined by a new set of rules:

• Deterministic tracking
• Server-based attribution
• User permission
• Transparent operations

For an industry which is driven by numbers, this is an opportunity to build a more accurate, auditable, verifiable and compliant marketing ecosystem. However, to make it happen, the post-signal loss moment has to be viewed as more than a limitation.

And those who adopt it early — using robust SaaS platforms built for this new reality — will be the ones defining the competitive frontier of the industry.

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