A practical look at pre-roll video ads — skippable and non-skippable — and why they consistently punch above their CPM in gambling, betting, dating and gaming.
The task
By the start, the advertiser had confirmed demand but no controllable volume. The task was to evaluate whether pre-roll video — skippable and non-skippable — pays off as a buying channel in gambling, betting, dating and gaming.
We worked the "iGaming" vertical in the Multi-geo market. Payment model — CPM per impression, main sources — Pre-roll video.
How we did it
The plan was built so each step could be rolled back on its own.
- Tested both format variants: skippable (closes after 5 seconds, less intrusive, works across almost all verticals) and non-skippable (mandatory full view, maximum visibility, but requires more precise targeting).
- Assessed the format's structural advantage: unlike a banner, video can't be scrolled past, guaranteeing a baseline level of real visibility.
- Compared pre-roll CPM against popunder CPM on the same verticals.
What went wrong
Not everything went according to plan. The format remains underused by buyers even though it structurally guarantees higher visibility than banners and popunders — the risk is that the non-skippable variant requires precise targeting so as not to waste impressions.
The combination of sound, motion and message working together produced a CTR noticeably higher than static formats, and CPM often came in even lower than popunder — starting from $0.05 — which justifies the more precise targeting the non-skippable variant needs.
The result
By the end of the period, the setup hit its planned numbers. Over the 2025: cpm from — $0.05.
The format performed especially well in gambling, betting, dating and gaming — verticals where emotional, dynamic creative already traditionally outperforms static alternatives — at CPM from $0.05.
What we took away
- A banner's structurally unguaranteed visibility is exactly what pre-roll video avoids by nature: the clip can't be scrolled past.
- Pre-roll CPM can end up lower than popunder's, making the format an underrated competitive edge for those not yet using it.
- The format consistently performs well specifically in verticals with emotional, dynamic creative — gambling, betting, dating and gaming.
These numbers belong to one specific setup, geo, and buying period. Economics will differ on another offer or in another season — we always recalculate them before launch.