BI
Business Intelligence
BI (Business Intelligence) is a set of tools and processes for collecting, storing and analyzing business data so that managers can make decisions based on reports and dashboards.
What is BI (Business Intelligence)?
## What it is
Business Intelligence (BI) is a combination of technologies and practices that turn raw data from platforms, trackers, payment systems and CRMs into clear reports, dashboards and metrics. In high-risk verticals, BI answers a simple question: where does the money come from, and where are we losing it?
## How it works
A typical chain looks like this: sources (tracker, casino back office, processing, CRM, ad accounts) → integration and extraction (ETL/ELT) → data warehouse (DWH) → data model and metrics → visualization (dashboards, alerts). The cleaner the input data, the more reliable the conclusions.
## Where it is used in verticals
In gambling and betting, BI tracks GGR, NGR, hold, RTP deviations by game and the cohort LTV of players. In crypto and fintech, it covers conversion to deposit and withdrawal, payment failure rates, chargeback ratio, and performance by network and currency. In dating and nutra, it covers cost per lead, approvals, returns and ROI by offer and geo.
## Common mistakes
The main mistake is calculating metrics in different systems using different rules: the tracker records conversions by click, while the back office records them by deposit date. The second is looking only at averages without breaking data down by source, geo and cohort. The third is trusting a dashboard that has not been reconciled with the partner's financial reporting.
FAQ
Are BI and analytics the same thing?
Not quite. Analytics is the process of exploring data, while BI is a broader system: infrastructure, regular reports and tools for executives and teams.
Does a small affiliate need a dedicated BI team?
Usually not. Pivot tables or a ready-made tracker dashboard are enough, but payout and return data should be reconciled manually.
What data is needed for BI in gambling?
At a minimum, registration, deposit, withdrawal, bet or game round events, plus bonus data and ad source data with shared identifiers.