PSG
IS A STABLE PARTNER
OF 1XBET
B E C O M E O U R PA R T N E R TO O !
COO, EDITOR IN CHIEF
Julian Perry
STAFF WRITERS
Beth Turner, Ciaran McLoughlin, Jessica Lynn LEAD DESIGNER
Olesya Adamska DESIGNER
Christian Quiling
EDITOR'S LETTER
DESIGN ASSISTANTS
Gabriela Baleva, Abbie Monk, Nia Marinova ILLUSTRATOR
Maria Yanchovichina MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER
Mariya Savova
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT
Dhruvika Patel
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER
Phoebe Petford IT MANAGER
Tom Powling
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
Deepak Malkani
Deepak@playerspublishing.com Tel: +44 (0)207 729 6279 SENIOR U.S. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Aaron Harvey
Aaron.Harvey@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1 702 425 7818 ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE
Ariel Greenberg
Ariel.Greenberg@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1 702 833 9581 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
Michael Juqula
Michael.Juqula@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)203 487 0498 ACCOUNT MANAGERS
William Aderele
William.Aderele@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)207 739 2062
Irina Litvinova
Irina.Litvinova@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)207 613 5863
Serena Kwong
Serena.Kwong@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)203 435 5628 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Michele Brooks
Michele.Brooks@globalgamingawards.com Tel: +44 (0) 207 739 5768 CREDIT MANAGER
Rachel Voit
Why, hello there. Were you not expecting us? Well, we couldn’t exactly miss the last ever iGB Affiliate in London now, could we? While iGB Live in July will move from Amsterdam to London next year, the famous February affiliate show that accompanies ICE London will, from 2024, move to Barcelona. As such, we’ve printed a Trafficology issue for operators and affiliates alike packed with content on trends, technologies and territories to mark the occasion. Indeed, we thought it apt to return Trafficology to printed paper – and we kick off the content with our traditional data set from Casino City Press, before presenting a timeline on the history of operator bet365. Following that up, Trafficology presents our recommended New Year’s Resolutions for affiliates in 2024, with Q&As with Betsson and ReferOn. Over to Brazil, PA Betting Services asks whether the ‘sport of kings’ (horseracing) can compete with football in one of the most hotly anticipated markets in the word. Sportradar, meanwhile, talks about the crumbling of the third-party cookie – and subsequent rise of the first-party cookie. Either way, Cookie Monster’s happy. We close off the issue with features on the Romanian market and alternate dispute resolutions – featuring Duncan Garvie – while we also have company profiles from MioMedia Affiliates and Boomerang Partners. 2023 was some year for iGaming affiliates. But, as AI develops, internet speeds only increase the world across, and affiliates become more and more innovative, we’re not exactly expecting things to slow down in 2024 now, are we? Here’s to a successful iGB Affiliate London – but, more importantly, a prosperous 2024 to all in the industry. May you stay compliant, attracting myriad consumers – and be rewarded by a plethora of commissions. TP, Editor
WITH THANKS TO: Casino City Press, Triston Smook, David Harris, Richard Duncan, Adam Azor, Mike Falconer, Anna-Maria Baciu, Duncan Garvie, MioMedia Affiliates, Boomerang Partners.
Produced and published by Players Publishing Ltd
All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of Gaming America but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Julian Perry, COO, Editor-in-Chief
Tim Poole, Editor
DIGITS FEATURES
CONTENTS THE SPORT OF KINGS Casino City Press data reviews the top-performing affiliates of 2023
With a regulated Brazil now in sight, Richard Duncan at PA Betting Services assesses the potential for horseracing within the market
From Stoke-on-Trent to a global powerhouse, we reflect on the history of one of the biggest names in the game
THIRD-PARTY COOKIES
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Sportradar’s Adam Azor and Mike Falconer explain the benefits of first-party cookies and why the old guard of data collection has begun to fall out of favour with online marketers
What should affiliates be looking to achieve in 2024... and leave behind in 2023?
PREVIEW: IGB AFFILIATE LONDON “A TRUSTWORTHY GATEWAY” Betsson Group Affiliates' Head of Affiliates Triston Smook reflects on last year and the year to come, while assessing emerging affiliate trends and technologies
AMPLIFYING AFFILIATE POTENTIAL ReferOn’s B2B Affiliate Team Lead David Harris spoke to Trafficology about flexible reward systems, frictionless management solutions and the future possibilities of payment technology
There has been a notable influx of operators, suppliers and other gambling bodies entering the Romanian market since December. Has this all just been a coincidence, or is something more afoot? Trafficology investigates...
COMPANY PROFILE: MIOMEDIA AFFILIATES
CasinoReviews’ Duncan Garvie speaks exclusively to Trafficology...
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 5
FEATURES DIGITS
TRAFFIC REPORT Trafficology has partnered with data expert Casino City Press, to provide insight into website and traffic trends across affiliate industries – predominantly in gaming but including others. In this edition, we review affiliate programmes per vertical for the whole of 2023. The below is a breakdown of the top sites globally, including both desktop and mobile, sorted by: overall ranking, casino ranking, sports betting ranking, bingo ranking, lottery ranking, poker ranking, financial ranking, fantasy sports ranking and games ranking
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
1
9
bet365 Partners
bet365partners.com
1
16
U-ffiliates
affiliate.888.com
2
7
NetHive Affiliate Program
nethive.com
2
1
BC.Game Affiliates
bc.game/affiliate
3
6
betway Partners Africa
betwaypartnersafrica.com
3
20
Betsson Group Affiliates
betssongroupaffiliates.com
4
48
Entain Partners
entainpartners.com
4
12
Gamesys Group Partners
gamesysgrouppartners.com
5
4
Stoiximan.gr Affiliates
affiliates.betano.com
5
4
Super Afiliados
superafiliados.com
6
6
TrafficOn
trafficon.io
6
14
Buffalo Partners
buffalopartners.com
7
1
eToro Partners
etoropartners.com
7
14
Entain Partners
entainpartners.com
8
1
Bovada Affiliate Program
bovada.lv/new-bovadaaffiliate-program
8
9
LeoVegas Affiliate
leovegasaffiliates.com
9
37
Betsson Group Affiliates
betssongroupaffiliates.com
9
2
Gambling Partners
gambling-partners.com
10
29
Kindred Affiliates
kindredaffiliates.com
10
2
bet365 Partners
bet365partners.com
11
6
Betfair Partnerships
partnerships.betfair.com
11
2
Lucky Partners Club Affiliates
luckypartnersclub.com
12
67
U-ffiliates
affiliate.888.com
12
1
KTO Affiliates
affiliateskto.bet
13
1
Exness Affiliates
exnessaffiliates.com
13
24
EGO
egamingonline.com
14
4
Rush Affiliates
rush-affiliates.com
14
11
AdMoment
admoment.co
15
2
Melbet Affiliates
melbetaffiliates.com
15
4
Videoslots Affiliate Program
partner.videoslots.com
16
2
1xBet Partners
1xpartners.com
16
3
Yellana Affiliate Network
yellana.co
17
1
RevMasters
revmasters.com
17
3
GAMING1 Affiliates
gaming1affiliates.com
18
3
DraftKings Affiliates
draftkings.com/affiliates
18
15
Kindred Affiliates
kindredaffiliates.com
19
4
Mozzart Affiliate Program
mozzartaffiliates.com
19
1
William Hill Affiliates
affiliates.williamhill.com
20
10
Super Afiliados
superafiliados.com
20
1
OG Affiliate
shin.og-affiliate.com
6 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
DIGITS FEATURES
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
1
5
bet365 Partners
bet365partners.com
1
4
Entain Partners
entainpartners.com
2
2
NetHive Affiliate Program
nethive.com
2
3
Revenue Planet
revenueplanet.com
3
6
betway Partners Africa
betwaypartnersafrica.com
3
39
U-ffiliates
affiliate.888.com
4
17
Entain Partners
entainpartners.com
4
2
Gamesys Group Partners
gamesysgrouppartners.com
5
4
Stoiximan.gr Affiliates
affiliates.betano.com
5
2
NetHive Affiliate Program
nethive.com
6
5
Betfair Partnerships
partnerships.betfair.com
6
5
Broadway Gaming Affiliates
broadwaygaming.com
7
1
Bovada Affiliate Program
bovada.lv/new-bovadaaffiliate-program
7
3
Rank Affiliates
rankaffiliates.com
8
11
Kindred Affiliates
kindredaffiliates.com
8
1
YoGroup Affiliates
yogroupaffiliates.com
9
16
Betsson Group Affiliates
betssongroupaffiliates.com
9
1
Paddy Partners
partnerships.paddypower.com
10
4
Mozzart Affiliate Program
mozzartaffiliates.com
10
1
bet365 Partners
bet365partners.com
11
2
1xBet Partners
1xpartners.com
11
3
The Bingo Affiliates
thebingoaffiliates.com
12
1
RevMasters
revmasters.com
12
2
Kindred Affiliates
kindredaffiliates.com
13
2
Rush Affiliates
rush-affiliates.com
13
1
Betfred Affiliates
betfredaffiliates.com
14
2
Tipsport Partners
tipsport.cz/partner
14
20
United Commissions
unitedcommissions.com
15
2
Melbet Affiliates
melbetaffiliates.com
15
1
Prime Partners
primepartners.com
16
1
Betfred Affiliates
betfredaffiliates.com
16
1
Butlers Bingo Affiliate Program
butlersbingo.com/affiliates
17
6
Betway Partners
betwaypartners.com
17
2
Reach Gaming Affiliates
reachgamingaffiliates.com
18
3
William Hill Affiliates
affiliates.williamhill.com
18
9
Maxi Affiliates
Maxi Affiliates
19
1
BetMGM Partners
betmgmpartners.com
19
6
PDM Affiliates
pdmaffiliates.com
20
1
Paddy Partners
partnerships.paddypower.com
20
18
SilverSpin Partners
silverspinpartners.com
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 7
FEATURES DIGITS
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
1
1
FDJ Affiliate Program
fdj.fr
1
3
WPN Affiliates
wpnaffiliates.com
2
8
Lottoland Affiliates
lottolandaffiliates.com
2
16
Stars Affiliate Club
starsaffiliateclub.com
3
1
Michigan Lottery Affiliates
3
1
Winamax Affiliates
winamax.fr/en/affiliates
4
1
West Lotto Partners
michiganlottery.com/about/affiliate westlotto.de/unternehmen/affiliate/ partnerprogramm.html
4
7
U-ffiliates
affiliate.888.com
5
3
The Lotter Affiliates
thelotter-affiliates.com
5
12
Entain Partners
entainpartners.com
6
1
PA iLottery Affiliate Program
pailottery.com/p/partners/
6
1
bet365 Partners
bet365partners.com
7
1
Affiliate Empire
lottogoaffiliates.com
7
4
GGPartners
ggpartners.com
8
1
The Lottery Office Affiliates
lotteryofficeaffiliates.com
8
1
9
1
Tipp24 Partners
tipp24.com/aktionen/ partnerprogramm
The Spartan Poker Affiliate Program
9
1
CoinPoker Affiliates
thespartanpoker.com/ affiliate/overview.html agents.coinpoker.com
10
1
Banana Lotto Affiliates
bananalotto.fr/affiliation.php
10
1
WPT Partners
wptpartners.com
11
1
The Health Lottery Affiliate Program
healthlottery.co.uk/affiliates
11
1
Natural8 Affiliates
natural8.com/affiliates
12
1
Giant Affiliates
giantaffiliates.com
12
1
HighStakes Affiliates
highstakes.com/affiliates
13
1
Lottery Partner
partnerlottery.com
13
1
Everygame Affiliate
affiliate.everygame.eu
14
1
Lottobay Affiliate Program
lottobay.de/partnerprogramm.html
14
3
Shen Affiliates
shenaffiliates.com
15
1
Clobet Affiliates
clobetaffiliates.com
15
1
BetKings Partners
betkingspartners.com
16
2
LottoElite
lottoelite.com/login/
16
1
Juicy Stakes Affiliates
affiliates.juicystakes.eu
17
1
MegaRush Affiliates
megarushaffiliates.com
17
1
Super Afiliados
superafiliados.com
18
1
LottoHoy Affiliates
lottohoyaffiliates.com
18
1
Betsson Group Affiliates
betssongroupaffiliates.com
19
3
MultiLotto.com Affiliates
multilottoaffiliates.com
19
1
RSP Partners
rsppartners.com
20
1
Lucky Streak Media
luckystreakmedia.com
20
1
Kindred Affiliates
kindredaffiliates.com
8 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
DIGITS FEATURES
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
1
1
eToro Partners
etoropartners.com
1
1
DraftKings Affiliates
draftkings.com/affiliates
2
1
TrafficOn
trafficon.io
2
1
FanDuel Partners
fanduel.com/partners
3
1
Exness Affiliates
exnessaffiliates.com
3
1
Zweeler Affiliate Program
en.zweeler.com/static/affiliate
4
1
Deriv Partners
deriv.com/partners/
4
1
Monkey Knife Fight Affiliates learn.monkeyknifefight.com/affiliates
5
1
IG Markets Partners
ig.com/uk/marketing-partnership
5
2
6
1
XM Partners
partners.xm.com
7
1
IC Markets Affiliate Program
icmarketspartners.com
8
1
LiteForex Partners
litefinance.org/partners/
9
1
BinPartner
binpartner.com
10
1
Capital.com Partner Program
capital.com/partnershipprogramme-lp
11
2
IQ Option Affiliate
affiliate.iqoption.com
12
1
RoboForex Affiliate
13
1
14
Playup Affiliates
affiliates.playup.com
RANK SITES
NAME
WEBSITE
1
2
CJ Affiliates
cj.com
roboforex.com/partners /affiliate/forex-affiliate/
2
1
BitKong
bitkong.com/en/affiliate
The Plus500 Affiliate Program
500affiliates.com
3
1
GameColony.com Affiliate
gamecolony.com/affiliates.shtml
1
OctaFX Affiliate Program
my.octafx.com/open-account/partner
4
1
Wealth Words Affiliate Program
wealthwords.com/affiliate
15
1
Kingfin
kingfin.com
5
1
Mahjong Time Affiliate Program
mahjongtime.com/ mahjong-affiliate-corporate.aspx
16
1
XTB Partners
xtb.com/en/partnerships
6
1
Give&Take Profit
giveandtakeprofit.com
17
1
AVA Partner
avapartner.com
7
1
RaceClubs.com Affiliate
raceclubs.com/Templates/ViewTemplateWithNav.aspx?Template=Affiliate
18
1
Financial Partners Marketing
fpm.global
8
1
DigiTurf Affiliate Program
digiturf.com
19
1
Admiral Markets Partners
admiralmarkets.com /partnership/affiliates
9
1
Dragon Kong Affiliate Program
dragonkong.com/affiliate/
20
1
FXTM Partners
fxtmpartners.com
10
1
Playup Affiliates
affiliates.playup.com
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 9
TIMELINE BET365
The rise of bet365 After bet365 reported that it had made £3.39bn ($4.33bn) in sports and gaming revenue in the 2022-2023 financial year, Trafficology has looked back at the growth of one of the biggest operators in the market
"2023 - bet365 wins Online Sports Betting Operator of the year at the Global Gaming Awards London for the sixth year in a row" 10 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
BET365 TIMELINE
GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 11
FEATURES NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
The promise of a new year Looking ahead to 2024, Trafficology shares our resolutions for the iGaming affiliate marketing industry, including main goals for the year and a few trends to leave behind in 2023 In the first few weeks of the New Year, we all have our eye on certain goals we hope to achieve. With 2024 upon us, it’s time to take a moment to reflect, reevaluate and re-energise so we can make the most of the year ahead. The world of iGaming evolved exponentially in 2023 and we have no doubt this year will be full of exciting developments. The fast-paced world of iGaming affiliate marketing is dynamic and prosperous - but alongside growth comes challenges. With the industry in mind, Trafficology shares our top goals for the year ahead, including areas to prioritise and what we think should be left behind. 12 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
COMPLIANCE IS KEY
With global legislation constantly changing, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of compliance as the industry continues to evolve. While compliance is generally high in the iGaming affiliate marketing industry, there is always room for improvement.
Prioritising due diligence to safeguard consumers and ensure the promotion of responsible gambling is essential. Taking accountability is not only a legal responsibility but an ethical one, too. It’s important to be aware that working in this industry sometimes involves balancing social responsibility and profitability. Being transparent about this in the workplace is a good place to start, as well as
FEATURES NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS keeping a close eye on any legislative changes. With the online gambling and betting industry geared to become even more profitable in the coming years, governments will have more reason to scrutinise casinos and affiliates. So, staying on top of compliance and promoting responsible gambling only works to benefit the affiliate industry. By prioritising compliance, the industry wins in the longrun by ensuring a sustainable future. Towards the end of last year, six US affiliates established the Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association (RGAA) to regulate marketing and advertising in the industry. The association will focus on five pillars; education within the industry, creating advertising codes of conduct, encouraging responsible business practices, promoting competitive gambling markets and ensuring the protection, empowerment and choice of consumers. So, it’s safe to say compliance is at the forefront of the industry’s mind as we move into 2024. It will be interesting to see how this association and other initiatives, such as France’s new requirements by the National Gaming Authority for operators requiring approval for promotional strategies, will impact both affiliates and operators in the industry this year.
COMPROMISE AND COLLABORATION
Working relationships can be tricky but like all relationships, they are worth investing in. Specifically, the iGaming affiliate marketing business is dependent on the dynamic between operator and affiliate, so working together is essential. The relationship between affiliates and operators is a symbiotic one, with benefits for both parties. To optimise collaborative efforts, trust is essential between the two and must be carefully fostered. Doing your due diligence about who to work with and establishing trust early on is a good place to start. Strong communication is another essential factor to creating a healthy affiliate-operator relationship. How you work
together directly impacts what you are able to achieve. Clear and responsive communication from operators, with clear guidance on how to effectively promote the brand, makes affiliate life easier. Sharing essential tools and tracking software can also help to increase communication between parties.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
Speaking of social responsibility, we think prioritising CSR will be an important factor in the year ahead. Having just come out of the festive season, we’ve seen a wave of charitable donations and fundraising in an effort to give back to the community. While this is amazing to see and an area where the gaming industry excels, it’s important to keep this commitment all year-round. Implementing an effective CSR strategy would be a great start to 2024 – keeping it up would be an even better end to the year.
WHAT TO LEAVE IN 2023 Burnout
In the online world, there is no close of business. iGaming is always at the tips of our fingers, so it takes a certain level of self-control to step away from the screen. We all know the age-old adage ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup.’ So, even for the workaholics out there, if you want to achieve more in 2024, prioritising rest and mental time away from work is an essential part of the process. We can all get lost in the race to achieve our goals once the year gets into full flow, so taking a moment before January’s over to re-centre ourselves can’t hurt.
Dwelling on the past
This year, there will be no time to dwell on the past. The gambling affiliate marketing landscape will continue to rapidly evolve, driven by technological advancements. The personalisation of marketing strategies should be a key player this year, allowing for more accurate consumer targeting and conversion. The development of iGaming and technology at large holds great potential for the affiliate scene, so looking to the future is important to stay on top of the ever-changing online gambling industry. Moreover, technology and consumer preferences are set to further intersect to create demand for mobile-first strategies, which will undoubtedly impact developments in both the affiliate and operator scene.
Back to the future
The iGaming affiliate marketing industry is no doubt in for another busy year as the online gambling world expands into new technological and geographical zones. We expect to see AI, mobile prioritisation, personalisation and as mentioned, compliance legislation, become defining features of the year ahead. In the midst of all this excitement, we encourage you to remain focused, build positive working relationships and stay on top of upcoming legislative changes. 14 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
IGB AFFILIATE LONDON FEATURES
Preview: iGB Affiliate 2024 With ICE set to make its return to London in February, what can affiliates expect from its sister convention, iGB Affiliate London? The iGB Affiliate conference is back again this year between the 6-9 February at the ExCel in London. The affiliate show coincides with ICE which runs from 6-8 February – think of iGB as the younger, cooler, more technologically advanced sibling. iGB Affiliate London offers the opportunity for affiliates to step outside of the online world and connect in real life. The show provides the opportunity for business networking and growth, boasting over 150 affiliate network programs and technology vendors. With the goal of providing a ‘home’ for the global iGaming community, the show is certainly not far off. 6,500+ iGaming affiliates and professionals attend the event as well as 200+ exhibitors. The show floor is shaping up to be an exciting space with a diverse range of exhibitors coming from all over the world, including sportsbook and online casino operators as well as software providers. A brief glance at the programme reveals an action-packed schedule full of educational conferences and networking events. Kicking off the week is the official opening party for 2024, ‘Evolve by Fire and ICE’ on the 6 February. This is a paid for event, so make sure to grab your ticket beforehand. Networking drinks are also open between 4-9pm on Tuesday 6 February at One Hundred Shoreditch. You can grab your badges here or, if you can’t make the first of many networking events, delegates are also able to pick up their badges at the ExCel the day before the show starts. This year, iGB is partnering with leading US management consultancy firm Saroca to host the official launch of ASCEND, iGB’s female career development and mentoring programme. On 8 February, Saroca will facilitate the mentoring sessions where five women who have been nominated by their companies will enter the mentorship programme. Another brand-new feature of the conference for 2024 includes ‘iGB introducing’, a new networking initiative to connect partners, agencies, and affiliate programmes. The facilitated networking experience allows attendees to create an online profile and request meetings at the show, creating a personalised calendar for each person. The conferences run from 7-8 February, offering a range of informative and innovative sessions on key issues in the iGaming affiliate industry. From the latest thoughts on cutting-edge technology to advice on how to scale your business and the latest regulation considerations, there is a lot to learn. Betsson Group and Better Collective are teaming up with other executives to present the ‘How much AI is too much AI?’ on the 8 February. Other standouts include ‘How To Survive an Ad-Ban’ and
‘Market Developments, Cultural & Regional Considerations in Post-Regulation Brazil’. Last but not least, the iGB Affiliate Awards will take place on the 8 February at Troxy. Called ‘The Future Fairytale’, the awards evening collaborates the concepts of ‘cyberpunk and fairytale’, staying true to the iGaming world by offering a night of ‘futuristic fantasy’. Conference attendees can book a ticket and experience dinner, an awards ceremony and live entertainment alongside other iGaming businesses. This year, the show is in London for the last time for the foreseeable future after a six-month bidding war between major European cities. The battle resulted in Barcelona winning an initial five-year contract to host both ICE and iGB. So, regular attendees should prepare for the end of an era and make the most of everything London has to offer. For the sun-seekers out there – or those already residing in continental Europe – this will be surely be good news. For UK-based professionals, this may be the last chance to attend the iGB affiliate show without stepping on a plane. Nonetheless, event-goers should savour the city skyline and embrace the hustle of London’s busy streets during their time outside of the conference. On that note, delegates won’t struggle to find extra-curricular activities to attend after the close of the business day. There’s always a wide selection of events on offer, so you can extend your networking into the evening at some of London’s landmark locations. Overall, iGB Affiliate London is set to bring another year of networking, learning, and technology as the sector’s leading events. Whether you’re here to secure new partnerships or attend informative conferences, you certainly won’t be short of engaging events at this year’s iGB affiliate show. GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 15
FEATURES THE AFFILIATE SPACE
"A trustworthy gateway" Betsson Group Affiliates' Head of Affiliates Triston Smook reflects on last year and the year to come, while assessing emerging affiliate trends and technologies What are some of the goals of Betsson Group Affiliates in 2024 and how do you intend to achieve them? How are these shaped by the overarching goals of Betsson Group as a whole?
We maintain a laser focus on delivering for our channel. The year started with numerous challenges, but our determination to succeed remains unwavering. Excitingly, new markets are on the horizon, adding another layer of expectation. We’ve expanded our global portfolio of sponsorships, providing a robust platform to attract new players. This not only enhances our ability to promote our brands but also generates more organic exposure, offering added value to our partners who promote us. What about affiliates makes them beneficial to customers and how can affiliates stand out to players in today’s competitive market?
Affiliates will always be integral to how we operate and 16 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
connect players to brands. As new brands are set up, the best opportunity to get exposure is through affiliates. Established affiliate sites, ranking well on popular keywords, provide a trustworthy gateway for players. Word-of-mouth recommendations add credibility, making players comfortable exploring affiliate sites. For new brands, building exposure takes time, making affiliates a tried-and-tested marketing approach, reaching many people simultaneously. When it comes to finding partners for an affiliate, what does the screening process look like?
We employ three methods to screen new affiliates. For direct registrations on our BGA site, a dedicated Compliance Team rigorously screens accounts, ensuring accurate information and market considerations. For affiliate acquisitions, we use our vast network to reach
THE AFFILIATE SPACE FEATURES out and utilise affiliate tools to identify high-performing affiliates based on various metrics, such as keyword rankings. Affiliates reaching out directly through one of our managers or any of our channels, such as LinkedIn or Skype, we ask a series of questions, establishing market understanding, product alignment, deal specifics and traffic sources before moving forward with the onboarding process. In the eternal CPA vs rev-share debate, has one been more popular than the other in the past year and, if so, why?
Revenue share remains the most popular commission option, fostering long-term partnerships and credibility. This is essentially the profit-share between the partnership. Over the long term, revenue share can be more profitable and ensures a long-lasting relationship between the affiliates and the operator. A revenue-share deal by default adds more trust and credibility to any new deal as there is no budget involved, but it gives the impression that the affiliate is here to stay and develop. While CPAs are common, their popularity depends on how operators manage budget-based commission deals. CPAs offer quick returns for affiliates and operators, making them essential for performance-based deals like PPC. Some affiliates, buying and selling traffic, may opt for a hybrid (CPA and revenue-share) deal. Did you see any emerging trends in the affiliate market last year that may become more prominent this year?
We observed increased acquisitions in the affiliate market, with larger companies buying valuable assets to expand portfolios and gain market share. The same could be said for operators but more so on the affiliate side. Relationships become crucial in managing these acquisitions. We do see more opportunity from this, albeit also their fair share of challenges to get everything updated. AI adoption is another hot trend and we are exploring ways to use AI to enhance daily processes, and provide increased value to our affiliate partners.
nature of our industry, future developments or interests cannot be ruled out. How much of an opportunity do you think the Euros will present to attract new players/ affiliate revenue, especially now the contest is back to being in the summer, unlike the Winter World Cup?
The Euros are always an exciting tournament, filled with drama and passion. As an organisation made up of people from over 70 nationalities, supporting these countries on both a marketing and human level provides a unique opportunity. While the summer factor may impact player activity, the passion associated with betting during large tournaments, such as the Euros, can still lead to increased activity. What are you most looking forward to in 2024?
The sporting calendar is packed in 2024, with events like the Euros and Olympics, along with other significant events like the Super Bowl, French Open, Wimbledon and Champions League. We also have the exciting US Elections, which generate a lot of interest globally. On the business front, I am eager to drive key initiatives forward and ensure long-term success. We have exciting developments with new markets and we are also a growing team. That creates a learning curve for all to reflect on how we do things, what works best and to get back to basics. I see 2024 as a year of growth and I, for one, am very excited to be actively involved.
Technology is continuously evolving and we are seeing many emerging technologies that could impact the future of marketing and affiliate work. Do you think VR/Metaverse technology could impact affiliate marketing in 2024?
While not likely in 2024, VR/Metaverse technology may impact the future. Some operators are already active in this space and investments from established game providers indicate its potential. For this to really have an impact, you do need society at large to embrace it. Something that stood out was the Hollywood movie, Ready Player One, as it represented a society that evolved with this technology in a way that made it commonplace. We are far from this reality even in 2024, but you never know what lies ahead. We, as Betsson, are not currently involved; but given the dynamic
Triston Smook GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 17
FEATURES SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
Amplifying affiliate potential ReferOn’s B2B Affiliate Team Lead David Harris spoke to Trafficology about flexible reward systems, frictionless management solutions and the future possibilities of payment technology In light of ReferOn celebrating its first birthday this year, Trafficology spoke to David Harris about important milestones, notable achievements and plans for the future. In this interview, ReferOn discusses the demand of meeting the growing needs of partners in the affiliate world, a particularly tangible pressure in the ever-changing online gambling industry. We discuss how the implementation of new technologies is essential to staying ahead of the game, with payment solutions and data-driven monitoring at the forefront of ReferOn’s priorities. Harris reinforces the importance of flexible reward systems and simple payment models such as Earn Per Click (EPC) in the optimisation of affiliate marketing 18 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
operations, especially when providing a service to clients expanding into new markets with multiple clients and a complex range of needs. Reducing the complexity of operations is at the heart of how management solutions can assist the affiliate marketing industry. ReferOn also discusses its new goals to bring on more clients in its second year of operations, building on a successful first year. Harris touches base on future industry possibilities, such as incorporating technology to assist with risk-management and due diligence measures to optimise know your business (KYB) checks, which could be an important tool for affiliates. Read on to find out more about the upcoming technologies changing the affiliate marketing landscape.
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FEATURES You launched in February last year. How has the first year of ReferOn operations been?
Are there any forthcoming technical developments you are particularly excited about?
Since the launch of the ReferOn project in February 2023, we have been growing and innovating. We continue to develop a technically advanced platform that has the potential to change the affiliate marketing industry. ReferOn provides a simple affiliate management solution with dynamic reports, simple and clear monitoring for fast data-driven decision making - and gets the professional attention it deserves. The platform allows you to set up a flexible reward system and optimise affiliate marketing operations in general. Simply put, ReferOn makes it much easier to launch and monitor affiliate programs. Our users have full control over affiliate traffic, receive prompt product updates and we connect new clients almost every month.
The immediate prospects are the launch of sub-affiliate and independent deal calculations (IDC), such as non-bundling, which will make it possible to introduce a number of important improvements in the field of payments.
Reflecting on 2023, do you have any particular highlights?
During the year, we successfully attracted 10 clients and expect to attract more in the near future. Interest in ReferOn is a consequence of the effectiveness of the product and the attractiveness of our services. This is the best illustration of the right direction of our work towards revising industry standards towards efficiency, speed and scalability to new markets. You recently implemented new features such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and mobile user enhancements. How do you ensure your user experience is better than your competitors?
We are committed to providing a superior user experience. 2FA is an enhanced security standard necessary for our users when improving the mobile functionality of applications. It is critical to the speed of making operational decisions and user convenience.
How can reward structures revolutionise affiliate marketing?
Reward structures are the basis of motivating and incentivising partners to promote your products and services. With their help, you attract and retain the best affiliates to achieve your business goals. Naturally, we built into ReferOn the ability to create such structures as quickly and easily as possible. It is through the creation of a unique reward structure smoothly and easily that benefits are brought to all parties, creating the capability of global growth potential. What are your biggest priorities and challenges looking to the year ahead?
This year, we plan to work on expanding the network of our partners, improving the functionality of our platform and assessing the need to introduce new technologies in accordance with the changing demands of our clients and the industry as a whole. As you mentioned earlier, the payments module needs a review but also more messaging and data oriented changes too will be coming. Naturally, we plan to demonstrate our expertise to a wide audience – as a leading affiliate platform – in the B2B market and grow our market share.
Can you tell us about any other latest developments?
The latest development is the implementation of the Earn Per Click (EPC) payment model, which is part of our plans to meet the growing needs of our partners, including those preparing to expand into new markets and regions and with multiple brands and plan complexities. Additionally, we are preparing interesting updates on payment solutions and more. How does the innovation of payment technology impact ReferOn’s plans for enhancing its software?
Although we are looking at ways of enhancing our payment module within ReferOn this year, the changes in payment innovations such as gateways are not something we have looked into at great length currently. If there is a tool out there which is open to discuss affiliate know your business (KYB) practices and gateway discussions, I would be happy to have that chat. GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 19
FEATURES BRAZIL
Where does the Sport of Kings fit into the Brazilian market? With a regulated Brazil now in sight, Richard Duncan, Head of Business Development at racing odds and data provider PA Betting Services, assesses the potential for the sport to become a key product in this emerging market With the last few months having seen Brazil’s sports betting bill clear all the hurdles needed to finally be signed into law, many in the sports betting world have understandably taken a keen interest in the possibilities offered by South America’s largest country. The home of footballing greats Pelé and Ronaldo and boasting more World Cup titles than any other country, Brazil’s passion for and the resulting potential of football betting is clear. There are a number of parallels to be drawn between a market such as the UK and Brazil when it comes to football. For one thing, the similar level of devotion 20 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
among the fan base looks set to ensure that football will easily remain the biggest betting turnover generator in Brazil, as it is in the UK. What’s less clear is how likely racing is to come anywhere near the second place it holds in the UK market, where it accounted for 36% of remote betting turnover in the last set of official Gambling Commission statistics. However, there are a number of comparisons that can be made between the UK and Brazil when it comes to racing. For example, there’s a hardcore fraternity of racing fans and many more casual racegoers, those who are likely to view a day at the races as
FEATURES BRAZIL much in terms of the experience as the opportunity to have a flutter. Not to mention that Brazil boasts the third-largest horse population globally. The thoroughbred industry has been growing steadily since the 1990s, with notable group one winners such as Siphon, Sandpit and more recently, Bal a Bali elevating the breed’s prominence. But there’s a huge difference in the local availability of racing. While Brazil’s enormous size makes it the fifthlargest country in the world and its population of more than 215 million makes it the seventh-most populated, it has just four racetracks, though these are well-attended on racedays. The UK, ranked 80th by land area and 21st by population, meanwhile, is home to 59 racecourses. This disparity goes some way to explain why football is taking the lion’s share of sports betting turnover in Brazil
"virtually all of the bets taken on football in Brazil are multis, which are bad for punters but operators love as they are high margin and low risk" despite currently being unregulated, while racing takes a fraction of this even though it’s been legal for many years. Online operators could be doing more to cash in on local racing than they currently are. The key to making the most of the Brazilian opportunity is educating the local population on the benefits of betting opportunities that the sheer volume of international races affords – and cross-selling this to keen sports bettors.
Christ the Redeemer 22 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
FILLING THE GAPS While football is unlikely to lose its crown as the most popular sport among Brazilian bettors, the problem with football, NFL, basketball, MMA, golf, tennis and everything else is that there are so many gaps in the schedule. And once the significant licence fees outlined in the new law have been paid, both local and foreign operators are likely going
FEATURES BRAZIL to need to optimise their product with as little downtime as possible to justify their investment. Racing has the edge over all other sports because on a global basis there exists a full calendar where there is always something to bet on. In the UK and Ireland we’ve already seen this approach used to great effect with the relatively recent introductions of North American, French, South African, Australian and Asian racing for domestic audiences. This secondary content does well as it lands in either prime leisure hours or is filler at weekends, or for poor weather conditions. The increasing globalisation of racing was, in fact, one of the key reasons for our acquisition of Asian racing data provider iRace Media in the second half of last year. In this respect, foreign operators, some of which have established a foothold in Brazil prior to a regulatory regime and are savvy with this approach used in established markets, may have an edge over others, simply because they’re experienced with the product. Brazil is likely to be the same as any other fledgling market in the sense that if a company has just started offering a legal gambling product, they are likely going to have greater comfort in offering products to bet on that they are familiar with. MITIGATING THE RISK In conversations our team has had with operators in emerging markets such as Brazil, wider LatAm and Africa, the racing knowledge gap is an issue that’s come up repeatedly. They could easily integrate with a data provider such as ourselves from a technical perspective, but they may not fully understand the data they are looking at and some worry this leaves them overexposed. There are a number of factors that make racing more challenging than other sports to trade. For a start, the vernacular used in racing is not something everyone
Richard Duncan 24 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
understands if they’ve not been exposed to it before. In addition, a lot of operators fear racing because, while they believe it can make them good money, they know there are people out there, professional punters and big racing syndicates, that know more about racing than their own traders. This view is not unique to Brazil or even new markets, it’s something we also hear in our core markets, and it possibly goes some way to explaining why new operators sometimes take every sport on offer before they get to racing. But inevitably, most take racing at some point because the volume on offer is too great to ignore. However, one recent shift worth mentioning is that more operators new to racing are opting for a platform partner or pricing partner to avoid being exposed to risks they aren’t comfortable with. This is something that may be even more attractive to operators in emerging markets like Brazil given their lack of experience with global fixed odds racing to date. One thing that may work in their favour is that the country’s bettors would also appear to lack the maturity shown in established markets when it comes to the type of bets they are placing. For instance, virtually all of the bets taken on football in Brazil are multis, which are bad for punters but operators love as they are high margin and low risk. A diverse racing portfolio similarly has the potential to deliver high margins for operators and keep players engaged year-round, meaning the product could be just as successful in Brazil as it is in many more established markets.
Richard Duncan is Head of Business Development at PA Betting Services. He has been with parent company PA Media Group since 2002, with the bulk of his career having been spent working in its racing team
FEATURES COOKIES
The third-party cookie is crumbling Sportradar’s Adam Azor and Mike Falconer explain the benefits of first-party cookies and why the old guard of data collection has begun to fall out of favour with online marketers
Adam Azor According to Sportradar’s EVP Global Marketing, Adam Azor, it is the end of the third-party cookie era for digital marketers. In a webinar hosted by Azor and Sportradar VP Fan Engagement Mike Falconer, the two discussed the company’s new product, Sportradar FanID. The product utilises player data through first-party cookies and data clean rooms in a ‘data collection, connection and activation’ structure. Though, for Trafficology, our attention was more drawn towards the changing world of data collection. THE THIRD-PARTY COOKIE BITES THE DUST Internet technology over the past 30 years has changed rapidly. From the days of HTML sites and AOL to today’s Silicon Valley, social media-dominated online experience, what the internet once was and what it is today cannot be more different. However, one thing has persisted through all of it: the third-party cookie. 26 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
Azor explained that the third-party cookie was created by Lou Montulli. A small piece of code, Montulli launched it for the first time on Netscape in 1994 – making the third-party cookie older than the Trafficology Staff Writers! The potential of the third-party cookie was soon picked up by marketers as more and more brands began to understand the marketing capabilities of the internet. Moreover, these cookies have underpinned programmatic advertising since they were introduced. Even today, with newer technologies and approaches available to marketers, Azor stated that in an Adobe study, 75% of marketers still rely on third-party cookies. Despite this, third-party cookies are becoming a thing of the past across the wider online ecosystem. Both Safari and FireFox have phased out third-party cookies from their infrastructures and, according to Azor, 60% of governments are “excelling their readiness for a cookie-less future.” Even Google Chrome, the leading internet browser, isbeginning to phase out third-party cookies, though it is behind other aforementioned browsers in this process. A NEW WAY OF MARKETING So, third-party cookies have gone stale and are on the way out. What’s next? To Azor, the solution lies in the “superior” first-party cookie. In summary, a third-party cookie is a form of data collection put onto a site by a third-party company. Meanwhile, first-party cookies are deployed by the company the user is visiting; Azor uses Amazon as an example, where its cookies can match users with video content based on activity like recent purchases. In larger or interconnected online economies, this can result in hyper-personalised experiences. While hyper-personalisation is critical, another key difference between these cookies is consent. With first-party cookies, a user can know where their data is being used and how; personalised experiences have become a necessity for user retention and experience, with 83% of consumers willing share
COOKIES FEATURES data for a personalised experience according to one source. However, in a first-party environment, the who and where of data is contained. Third-party cookies, on the other hand, are owned by a domain different from the website being visited by the user. Who is this third party and where is the user’s data going? It is this question that has caused third-party cookies to become controversial, and why they have been labeled as threats to online privacy. Consent on data collection and data use was a point brought up during the webinar by Trafficology. Falconer, in regard to Sportradar’s FanID product, answered as follows: How do you go about using data responsibly while also creating these hyper-personalised experiences?
“I think everybody, and certainly integral to the platform, is now very aware of what we call responsible data custodianship. While there is regulation that is forcing businesses to change their practice, at the same time I think philosophically, businesses have to change their practices; to ensure that, while first-party data is given voluntarily and consensually (and of course that is a requirement now), at the same time it is not exploited. “Within the architecture of the platform, simple things like numbers of engagement or what we call frequency, the frequency which fans are engaged, can be controlled. Certainly, leagues and federations are conscious that they don’t want to exploit their fans for commercial gain in a way that is going to affect their enjoyment of the sport, as sports fans are first and foremost absolutely. “We ourselves, within FanID, want to provide the tools for that responsible custodianship to happen and be sustained. I think certainly in terms of the leagues and federations we are in discussions with, an important aspect is... I see the shift to firstparty cookies and first-party data as a very good thing because this is an opportunity to impose control over the extent to which fans in and around the sports they love are engaged. I think that’s going to be a really important aspect of FanID as we develop.” WHAT SHOULD MARKETERS DO NEXT? In the presentation given by Sportradar and according to sources from Dentsu, of the $720bn 2023 global advertising market, $291.2bn is being spent on programmatic advertising. “The reason it has been flying under the radar is because it’s more channel related, it’s not creatively led; it’s not as visual,” Azor said. “Programmatic right now is still the most effective digital marketing solution, but it is still heavily underpinned by third-party cookies.” With third-party cookies being phased out, it seems the next step for marketers is to embrace this change. Simply, sports marketers need to change their tune and rework their strategies
Mike Falconer to maximise the benefits of first-party cookies, not only from a marketing perspective, but from a perspective of morality. Firstparty cookies “are usually provided very knowingly in a digital value exchange,” explained Azor. Users are made aware of the collection and know who the beneficiaries are; it is a system of trust and respect for users, and with emotional connection being so pivotal to sports betting, this factor is especially key for Sportradar. “When we think about what happens next, it is moving towards the time of first-party cookies. It’s the time for first-party cookies to fully take over,” Azor concluded.
"I see the shift to first-party cookies and first-party data as a very good thing because this is an opportunity to impose control over the extent to which fans in the sports they love are engaged" GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 27
FEATURES ROMANIA
Bucharest, as night approaches
The state of Romania There has been a notable influx of operators, suppliers and other gambling bodies entering the Romanian market since December. Has this all just been a coincidence, or is something more afoot? Trafficology investigates... In the span of a month, from early December 2023 to early January 2024, at least seven separate companies announced expansion efforts plans in the European nation of Romania. Soft2Bet launched a new site, Don.ro, BGaming partnered with local operator WinBet to supply over 40 of its games and US management advisory firm SCCG Management partnered with Romanian distributor Baum Games, just to name a few. So, what is going on in Romania and why has it become such a hotbed of activity in recent months? HISTORY OF GAMBLING IN ROMANIA After the occupying Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, gambling activity was once again legalised in Romania, having previously been outlawed under Soviet rule. The country opened its first land-based casino in 28 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
1991 and online gambling was legalised in 2010 for operators able to receive a government licence. It wasn’t until 2013 that Romania created a government body to oversee the gambling industry, called the National Gambling Office (ONJN). “Currently, there are around 475 Class 2 licences for suppliers in the gambling field (game suppliers, platform suppliers, affiliates, payment processors, auditor, certifiers, landbased machines suppliers etc) issued by the Romanian regulator since 2016 and that are still in force,” explains Anna-Maria Baciu. She is a regulatory and intellectual property lawyer and member of the Romanian National Chamber of Intellectual Property Attorneys and Partner at Simion & Baciu. One factor that contributed to today’s accelerated market growth rate was the Euro 2020 football championship. During
ROMANIA FEATURES drastically increased annual responcible gaming fees (up 15x for B2B organisers and 100x for B2C organisers) but on the other, it levelled the annual licence fee for B2C operators, opting to scrap the system that determined licence fees based on annual turnover. Baciu commented that, despite this new financial change, growth has remained consistent. “In October 2023, the Romanian primary gambling legislation was amended, resulting in a heavy increase to the burden on licencees (both Class 1 and Class 2 licencees). For example, for class 2 licencees the annual fee has increased from €10,000 ($10,887) to €20,000, while the annual responsible contribution has been increased from €1,000 to €15,000. Irrespective of this, we continue to see interest from foreign companies in obtaining Romanian licences, proof of the market’s stability.”
the event, online gaming participation increased 90%, which resulted in operators obtaining government licences to launch in Romania and suppliers partnering with a variety of bodies to get their games out to market in the months that follows. Through 2021 and 2022, migration to Romania’s online gaming market saw Gambling Insider reporting on new partnerships and operator licences an average of once per month. But in the month spanning December to January, Gambling Insider reported on at least seven occasions on activity in Romania. “The interest in Romanian Class 2 licences has been constant along the years,” Baciu tells Trafficology. “Holding them offers the obvious compliance and market access-associated benefits, but also might respond to other business-related perspectives as, among others, it provides ground for recognition notices. Looking at the regulatory framework in some other jurisdictions, such as Malta for example, recognition certificates are issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) whereby an authorisation issued by another Member State of the EU or the EEA, or a State which is deemed to offer safeguards largely equivalent to those offered by Maltese law, is recognised as having the same effect as an authorisation issued by MGA for the purpose of providing a gaming service or gaming supply in or from Malta.” GROWING AROUND OBSTACLES In early October, Romanian gambling regulation was altered. The amendment was a mixed bag; on one hand, it prohibited the sale of alcohol at casinos carrying slot machines and
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? As we leave 2023 and enter 2024, growth in the Romanian market has continued at pace. One of the companies to enter Romania this year, BGaming, commented on the market. CCO Olga Levshina said: “The Romanian iGaming landscape has enjoyed promising levels of growth in recent years and BGaming is excited to continue establishing its position.” Moreover, according to Baciu, of the 475 class 2 licences issued by the ONJN, “There are between 140 and 150 licences issued for software/game suppliers, with around 25 issued in 2023 alone. Thus, based on the official data that we encompass in our market analysis, we would argue that the trend is quite stable, as backed by the numbers.” So, can we expect more brands to begin applying for Romanian licences, or partnering with Romanian operators? Most likely. While the growth seen over the past month may taper, we doubt it will conclude anytime soon. Brands have noticed the value in the market and have been drawn to it like moths to flames, making attitudes towards the Romanian market somewhat similar to market trends in Ontario. However, cautions speculated by Baciu also reflect the realities of the market in Ontario: of oversaturation and operating costs causing operators to back out of a new market. This is compounded especially by the aforementioned licence fee increases. She explains: “The impact/effect of the tax increases, the potential adjustments on the market from this perspective, should be assessed by the end of 2024. It is our expectation that there might be shifts in the market, where depending on the size of their business, part of the existing licensees might surrender their licences at their respective anniversary dates.” Whether this analysis will come to fruition is yet to be seen. However, if this comparison remains, it is likely the prominence of the Romanian market will continue. GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY | 29
COMPANY PROFILE
IN FOCUS: MIOMEDIA Affiliates MioMedia has become one of the most innovative and active affiliate programme specialists since launching two years ago START Ask the MioMedia Affiliates team if they are enjoying life in Cyprus and Malta, where the company has offices, and the answer will come back in the affirmative. But that is not because of the great weather and lifestyle those islands provide, although that helps of course! Instead, since launching two years ago, the casino affiliate programme provider has established strong connections with more than 5,000 affiliates to become one of the most respected affiliate programmes throughout the online gaming community. With this in mind, what are the key features of MioMedia’s affiliate programmes? PROFITABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY First and foremost, MioMedia strives to create beneficial and profitable partnerships where there is trust between all parties. The company does this by providing partners with dedicated affiliate managers who will help them with the onboarding process and all the tasks that go with it. Just as important is transparency. MioMedia’s platform is provided by ReferOn: it produces comprehensive yet flexible dashboards that consolidate all statistics, data and accounts to provide a single, easy-to-access view of all key metrics and data. This state-of-the-art reporting structure allows affiliates to track all their activities and monitor where they are performing strongly or which areas might need more focus. In this regard, MioMedia ensures all topics are covered: from high commission models to customised offers that are coordinated with specific campaigns, the team makes sure communication channels are always open, and partners can find answers and solutions to all their questions. KEY BRANDS MioMedia launched in 2021 and operates three brands: MyEmpire, Neon54 and Slotspalace. MyEmpire is a first in the industry, a City Builder online casino with unique gamification features. It launched in July 2023 and combines a vast collection of games that enable players to earn loyalty points known as MyEmpire 30 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
Diamonds. Players earn these Diamonds thanks to MyEmpire’s strong personalisation features and use them to build up their virtual real estate empire. Once they have added to their virtual buildings, they receive bonuses of up to €5,500 ($5,994) that they can spend on MyEmpire’s online slots. As an online casino brand, MyEmpire combines the best iCasino content with personalisation features that provide a fully interactive and highly rewarding experience. Neon54 is an online casino that opened in 2021 and features thousands of games from all the leading studios and aggregators. The best titles from Play’n Go, Microgaming, Red Tiger Gaming, Playtech, Quickspin and Pragmatic Play are all there and the site supports multiple languages and currencies on web and mobile platforms. Slotspalace is an online casino and sports betting website that joined MioMedia’s affiliate programmes in February 2022 after it led a redesign, and added new features and functionalities to its offering. On top of offering casino games from all the best studios and aggregators, players can enjoy betting on sports, whether through their favourite accumulators or live betting features; and can also experience the best virtual sport betting products on the Slotspalace platform. FLEXIBILITY The MioMedia team offers fully flexible commission models: revenue share, CPA or hybrid agreements - so partners can choose which deal is best suited to their needs. All this activity is supported by a state-of-the-art tracking system that tracks clicks per specific country (‘per geo’), publishes timely and easy-to-read reports, and sets up fast and dynamic variables and postbacks for partners. The MioMedia team is composed of highly skilled professionals: • Helen - Head of Affiliates helen.r@miomedia.com • Costas - Senior Affiliate Manager costas@miomedia.com • Karyna - Affiliate Manager karyna@miomedia.com • Fernando - Affiliate Manager fernando@miomedia.com Don’t hesitate to visit MioMedia during IGB London at stand E40.
FEATURES ADR
helping to protect the customer CasinoReviews’ Duncan Garvie speaks exclusively to Trafficology about alternate dispute resolution and, to that end, the affiliate’s new complaint process Could you explain how CasinoReviews conducts its reviews? Is it simply a case of trying and testing the products?
DUNCAN GARVIE What is your role at CasinoReviews?
I’m the Head of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Services for CasinoReviews.com. For those not familiar with ADR, we act as an alternative to the court system, allowing consumers to seek a third-party review of any complaint they may have. ADR systems are put in place for two reasons: I) To help relieve the pressure on an overburdened court system: II) To make pursuing a claim against a business more accessible and less intimidating for consumers. Not just anyone can offer ADR services, however. Much like gambling operators, ADRs must be approved by the relevant 'competent authority' to manage consumer disputes for a sector. In our case, the competent authority who oversees our practice is the Maltese Consumer Affairs Council. CasinoReviews is the only ADR service to offer services free to gambling licensees as well as players. My day-today responsibilities for CasinoReviews include steering the team in the development and deployment of our complaint management system, managing the complaints that players submit and training up new ADR Officials. 32 | GAMBLINGINSIDER.COM / TRAFFICOLOGY
We have invested substantially in our reviewing process and, while it’s not completely deployed yet, this is a high level priority for our site that will see big changes in the near future. Testing the product is certainly a core part of our reviewing process, but we’re looking past simple one-off testing, to take a far more robust approach that champions the player by prioritising both their experience and safety. The development of our reviewing process has been a huge undertaking that has involved engaging in substantial levels of user research to help us establish what players look for and value when they search for a casino review.Alongside this, we’re engaging with industry experts to ensure our reviews take into consideration the factors that players may not naturally consider, but which make a significant different to their safety and positive experience. How well regulated is the gambling operator? What responsible gambling tools and regulations protect players? Are licensees expected to ringfence player funds? What complaint management systems is the operator required to engage with? Are the games offered genuine in nature and tested by reputable gaming labs? Are the terms and conditions offered by the operator fair and reasonable? Our objective is to ensure we provide a comprehensive breakdown of the experience that players are likely to receive from a gambling operator. Simplifing the complex. Advocating for fairness. And raising standards across the industry. How many jurisdictions does CasinoReviews work with, and do you plan on working?
Currently, we have eight country-specific versions of the site, covering jurisdictions in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, alongside our general site that is accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. As far as the complaints service goes, we have to be available to any player in any country that MGA (Malta Gaming Authority) licensees can accept. We already have roadmaps laid out to allow us to expand our country specific
ADR FEATURES services to numerous countries in Europe and South America. It’s going to be an exciting year. Could you talk to us about CasinoReviews' new complaints process?
The complaint process is actually very straightforward. If you’ve got a complaint you would like us to review, you sign up, verify your email address and then submit your complaint via our on-site form. You can upload any supporting documentation at the same time. Once you’ve submitted your complaint, you can monitor the progress of your case either via our on site system, or you will receive and can respond to updates via your registered email address. Our team will then review your complaint and either respond asking for additional information or inform you that we will contact the operator. We then engage an exploration process, discussing the issue with both parties and requesting relevant information or evidence as required. Finally, a ruling is given on the matter and a complaint report is published to allow other players visibility on both the claim itself and our approach to managing complaints. What are the advantages of an ADR service?
The advantages of ADR vary depending on your role in the sector: REGULATORS: The workload involved in managing complaints can create a substantial burden for any regulatory authority. Alongside this, complaints can represent a substantial risk for the regulator. If a complaint is mishandled, the regulator bears direct responsibility for the consequences. By outsourcing complaints to ADR services, the regulator has reduced the workload burden for themselves. Instead of managing every claim, they take an oversight role ensuring that ADRs uphold appropriate standards. And if any claim draws negative press attention the regulator can be seen to act to review the matter and take appropriate action against the ADR, rather than being viewed as the party directly responsible. PLAYERS: The reality is that the court systems are an expensive and slow road to addressing a complaint against a gambling operator and many players will simply be too intimidated by the process to even try. ADR removes these barriers, ensuring players can easily access redress. Alongside this, by imbuing ADRs with legal authority, they can provide rulings that are legally binding and enforceable. This provides a strength of ruling that simply cannot be achieved via informal complaint management systems. Finally, ADR within the gambling sector is provided as an extra right to the player. It is easier to access than the court systems but it also does not impede the player’s right to take their claim to the courts at a later date if they are not satisfied with the outcome. OPERATORS: CasinoReviews' model of ADR allows operators
to engage independent dispute management at no additional cost to their business. Significantly, having a third-party review system improves consumer trust in the brand, the licence and the sector generally. We are required to publish regular reports on the performance of the sector, detailing ruling rates, money recovered and various other statistics to help engender consumer confidence in the market. How important has the complaints service been for protecting customers?
CasinoReviews' complaint service is a continuation and improvement on the service that was established and run on ThePogg.com in 2011. Over that time, the service has reviewed over 7,000 complaints and helped return almost $8m. By anyone’s standards, that’s a significant achievement that has made a substantial difference for players. The complaint service has helped us identify problematic practices and steer players away from gambling operators where there is a higher risk of them experiencing problems. The potential for CasinoReviews to reach a wider audience is huge. And that means we can support more players, helping them resolve complaints, and guiding them to reputable and safe operators to play with. The additional authority that comes with acting as an ADR makes a substantial difference to how effective we are at resolving issue for players. When managing complaints against an operator who engages our ADR service, we are several times more effective at recovering money for consumers than we are when acting informally against other operators. What are CasinoReviews’ plans for 2024?
2024 is going to be a very exciting year for CasinoReviews. As I mentioned earlier, we’ve plans to extend the services we’re offering to new markets, improve the reviews we publish to better focus on user need, and grow the complaints service so that it can reach and support more players.
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COMPANY PROFILE
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