I’ve been reviewing my end of year sales figures. In this blog post, I’ll share a little bit about my earnings and rates as a freelance gambling writer.
Why? It may be useful to aspiring writers of any kind, but specifically in my own niche – the iGaming industry.
I also wish I’d had some kind of mentor in the beginning, both to inspire and help me make more money. I guess I’m trying to give a little back.
Gambling Content Rates
Looking back at my time as an iGaming writer, I’ve often thought I could have earned more in the early days. If only I knew then what I know now…
I don’t just mean someone to explain how to find new clients, or even to improve the quality of my writing. The main thing is pricing.
With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, it’s clear that I used to charge ridiculously low rates.
Past Pricing
I’ve posted about my rates before, as well as how much a gambling writer can earn overall, so I won’t go into too much detail. But here’s a quick summary of my journey:
- July 2020: $0.01 p/w – Desperately trying to get reviews and clients.
- Jan. 2021: $0.03 p/w – Steady price increases as I build my portfolio.
- Late 2021: $0.05 p/w – This was my initial goal and I was happy to hit it!
- Mid 2022: $0.08 p/w – Pushing the boundaries of what I could earn.
- Mid 2023: $0.10 p/w – Positioning myself as a premium iGaming writer.
- Early 2024: $0.12 p/w – I really thought this would be the top end for me.
- Nov. 2024: $0.14 p/w – Currently, two different clients pay this rate.
Future Prices
Good news for prospective clients – I have no plans to even try and increase my rates during 2025.
In fact, there’s a very good chance I may need to drop back down to $0.12 p/w at some point.
A lot of iGaming affiliates seem to be panicking about the latest Google update. As a result, I’ve noticed a spike in betting and casino writers on LinkedIn asking for work.
My Earnings as an iGaming Writer
Okay, let’s get to the interesting bit – let’s talk numbers.
It’s fair to say that I smashed some records in 2024, both for sales and profits.
Focusing solely on sales, I fell just short of a six-figure GBP year, but comfortably broke that milestone in USD.
Looking at profit, I made over £18,000 more than I did in 2022, which was my previous best year.
Monthly breakdown
The chart below plots my monthly profit year-on-year.
As you can see from the black line representing 2024, June was a new all-time high for me. It beat my previous best-ever month, which came a year ago in December 2023.
In fact, four of my top five most profitable months are now from 2024.
It’s fair to see that I’ve had a great year. I’m definitely not suffering with the slump reported by many other freelance writers – fingers crossed.
Working Hours
It’s important to clarify that I work ridiculously hard for my money.
As a freelancer, I certainly don’t have a set 9-5, and I frequently work six days a week. What’s more, I specialise in the gambling industry, which is famously a 24/7 gig.
These numbers haven’t come easily.
For large parts of 2024, I definitely took on too much. I had to take an enforced break in November, as I’d burned out completely, working seven days a week on a big project.
Because I travel so much, and I work while I’m doing it, I rarely take proper vacations. That’s something I’m looking to address in the coming year.
2025 Targets
I’m setting myself some aggressive targets for 2025 and I’m putting it into writing to try and make sure I stay motivated to hit them.
Here are my goals for 2025.
- Make a six-figure annual profit in GBP
- Take six weeks of actual vacation leave over the year
- Limit myself to just five working days per week
This is going to take some doing, but I’ve mapped out my year in advance and I’m reasonably confident. I just need the clients to keep supplying the tasks!
In addition to my ambitious targets, I’ve got a month in the UK planned for the end of the Championship football season. Not to mention the whole of July in Switzerland for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. I’m hopeful for another exciting year.
Let’s do this!