New AI-powered technology aims to curb promotional budget leakage, strengthen fraud detection, and safeguard operator profitability amid increasingly sophisticated abuse tactics.
EveryMatrix has introduced Bonus Guardian, an advanced AI-driven solution designed to address one of the most pressing challenges in the iGaming sector: the rapid rise of bonus abuse. According to Stian Enger, Head of Casino at EveryMatrix, the scale and sophistication of fraudulent activity have evolved beyond the capabilities of manual reviews and conventional rule-based systems. As a result, operators are facing unprecedented pressure to protect promotional budgets, retain legitimate players, and maintain sustainable margins.
Bonus abuse is not a new threat, yet it remains significantly underestimated across the industry. Many operators continue to view it as an unavoidable cost of doing business, even though recent data shows otherwise. Industry reports indicate that approximately 15% of promotional budgets leak directly to fraudsters, funds that could have been redirected toward genuine player acquisition, enriched incentives, or more effective retention initiatives.
The data from 2025 paints a stark picture. Research from Sumsub reveals that 63.8% of all iGaming fraud originates from bonus abuse, representing billions in annual losses. Moreover, 83% of operators reported increased fraud activity in 2024, with the deposit phase emerging as the primary point of exploitation. Fraudsters are no longer focused solely on sign-up bonuses; they are orchestrating multi-layered strategies that extract value deeper within the player lifecycle.
This escalation has fundamentally changed how operators must respond. The industrialisation of bonus abuse, driven by AI-generated identities, behavioural mimicry, mass account farming, and sophisticated evasion techniques, has outpaced traditional detection systems. Manual teams can no longer keep up with the volume, speed, and adaptability of modern abuse patterns, leading to operational strain, inconsistent reviews, and higher long-term costs.
Rule-based systems, while essential, fall short in this environment. They react to known patterns but cannot anticipate new tactics. Each new abuse scenario requires additional rules, making systems cumbersome and often restrictive to legitimate users. Over time, this reactive model limits player experience and fails to match the dynamic capabilities of AI-operated fraud rings.
Bonus Guardian enters the market as a solution specifically engineered to shift operators from reactive to proactive defence. Integrated within the BonusEngine and EngageSuite ecosystem, the tool leverages AI and machine learning to identify high-risk behaviours in real time. It assesses device data, transactional signals, behavioural markers, and historical activity, enabling operators to detect and block abusers within milliseconds.
This context-aware platform reduces operational burden by minimising false positives, cutting down on manual reviews, and enabling teams to focus on strategic decision-making. It also enhances segmentation, supports better bonus allocation, and strengthens long-term player value. Perhaps most critically, Bonus Guardian is built to adapt continuously, preparing operators for future threats such as deepfake identities, AI-enhanced behavioural masking, and organised abuse networks.
As fraud continues to evolve, Bonus Guardian positions operators to stay ahead, protecting budgets, optimising promotional spend, and ensuring that rewards benefit genuine, long-term players rather than increasingly sophisticated abusers.
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