Are Popunder Ads Still Worth It for iGaming Campaigns?

[john1106]

Anyone else feel like popunder ads never really died… they just stopped being talked about as much? I’ve been seeing mixed opinions lately, especially when it comes to iGaming ad formats. Some people say popunders are outdated and annoying, while others quietly keep using them. So I got curious and decided to look into it from my own experience.

The main issue I kept running into was simple: traffic volume vs. quality. Popunders can still drive a ton of traffic, no doubt. But the real question is — does that traffic actually convert? I’ve had phases where I thought they were just burning budget because users would bounce quickly. It felt like I was getting numbers, not results.

At the same time, I noticed something interesting. While newer formats like native ads and push notifications get all the hype, popunders still seem to stick around in iGaming for a reason. That made me rethink whether the problem was the format itself… or how I was using it.

So I started testing again, but this time with a slightly different mindset. Instead of expecting high intent from the start, I treated popunder traffic more like a “first touch.” I didn’t push aggressive landing pages right away. Instead, I tried softer funnels — simple pre-landers, engaging hooks, and offers that didn’t feel too heavy.

And honestly, that made a difference.

Conversions didn’t magically skyrocket, but they became more consistent. What I noticed is that popunders still work best when you don’t force them to behave like high-intent formats. They’re more about volume and exposure than immediate action. Once I accepted that, the results started making more sense.

Another thing I realized is targeting plays a huge role. Earlier, I was going too broad, assuming more impressions = better results. But narrowing down GEOs and testing specific audiences improved performance a lot. It’s not perfect, but definitely better than just running wide campaigns and hoping something sticks.

I also think timing and frequency matter more than people admit. If users keep getting hit with the same popunder over and over, it just becomes noise. But when it’s spaced out and paired with a decent offer, it can still grab attention — even in 2026.

If you’re exploring different iGaming ad formats, I’d say don’t completely write off popunders yet. They’re not the “easy win” they might have been years ago, but they’re far from useless. It’s more about how you fit them into your overall strategy.

I came across this breakdown of different formats while testing ideas, and it actually helped me rethink where popunders stand: iGaming popunder advertising. Worth a look if you’re comparing options.

At this point, my take is pretty simple: popunders aren’t outdated, but they’re also not a magic solution. They still have a place — especially for scaling and reaching cold audiences — but you need to adjust expectations and approach.

If you’re expecting instant ROI, you’ll probably be disappointed. But if you use them as part of a bigger funnel, they can still pull their weight.

Curious to hear how others are using them right now. Are you still seeing decent returns, or have you moved on completely?