Affiliate Success

Affiliate Interview: Dave S founder at BestBettingCasinos.com

Published

9 years ago

February 29, 2016

The Affiliate Interviews section is on fire, with yet another gambling affiliate rock star sharing his story about his journey into this great industry. Today we catch up with Dave S, founder of BestBettingCasinos.com

GAV: Hi Dave, first of all, we would like to thank you for the opportunity. Could you please share your profile below as an introduction to our readers?

Name: Dave S
Age: 35
Hometown: Alkmaar
Living in: The Netherlands
Favorite Food: Indian Cuisine
Must Read Book: Zlatan (By Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

GAV: Tell us a bit about yourself, we want to know who Dave S really is, the main person behind BestBettingCasinos.com. Where were you born? What was the key idea of developing this great website?

Dave: Of course I can tell a long story about my past and the things I did. But I think it is better to take you in to my life right now. At the moment I own an internet company in which we exploit online and mobile concepts. BestBettingcasinos.com is one of them. The others are dating websites and a mobile Football app for local football clubs in the Netherlands.

I love to explore the world and many businesses. After working for an online casino for a short period we decided to sell the casino. I love the casino business but I did not want to work for a casino again. So we started our own affiliate website. And at the moment of writing this interview we are online for 1 year and 5 days.

GAV: Since there are thousands of casino review websites out there, where do you think BestBettingCasinos.com stands now?

Dave: Yes there are! And I think it is pretty hard nowadays to startup a new affiliate website in this business at the moment. But we love the business, I wanted to stay part of the amazing iGaming industry.

We are just at the start of something beautiful. After a year online, 700 pages further and from 0 visitors to around 100 unique today, we are really happy. And we are still growing every day in traffic and revenue so we are getting more and more motivated to get the website up to a higher level.

GAV: What are the strong points of the website and what makes it stand out from the niche websites? We can certainly say it jumps out of the routine websites…

Dave: If you visit the website there is one thing that really stands out in my opinion. That is the webdesign and the layout we have used. A nice colored design and easy navigation. With large images on the landingpages but not like some bannerfarms I see in the business.

Dave: And I guess the way we are writing stands out from some other websites. We write in a really personal structure. So when a visitors starts reading it feels like we are talking to him, and take him all the way through a casino or a new promotion.

GAV: What were the bumps on your road when you got started and how did you overcome them?

Dave: I guess this must be time. At the moment this website is not our core business. Me and my mate Koen both have some other projects next to this website. So in the beginning we had to do some time management. But when after only 3 months the first revenues come in you will get motivated and all of a sudden it is easier to reserve some time work on the website.

So I guess motivation and dedication are key to overcome bumps, and of course results.

GAV: We have browsed your website and found some high quality content. Are you writing it by yourself or you have a team of people writing the reviews? How many reviews are there on your website?

Dave: I guess at the moment 90% of the content is written by Koen and myself. Since a few months we also started a partnership with some external writers. I think they write around 7 posts a week. All the other content is our own. This is a well thought choice because we are the only ones who know what our visitors like and what our writing style is.

At the moment there are around 40-50 unique casino reviews on the website. But our strength are the unique bonus and news reviews.

GAV: How do you keep the content fresh and devoid of clutter when a lot of fluff and nonsense appear on the Internet on a daily basis?

Dave: Haha, you are right! We only write about a news item or a bonus if we think it is interesting for our visitors. And above that we do not add small posts. If we add content to the website it are long posts with full information about the subject.

But I think it is not possible to avoid clutter, Because not every visitor is interested in the same stuff. It all depands on how you write about a subject in my opinion.

GAV: We are sure that you receive daily messages from Affiliate Managers showcasing their products. You of course select them by the brands they work with; but what are your thoughts on how Affiliate Manager-Affiliate relationships should be built?

Dave: Yes since a few months we are receiving daily mails from new brands. I think a good relationship between webmaster and affiliate manager is based on trust. You build up a relationship by communicating with each other and listen. And it is important to follow up the promises you make.

In my experience it doesn’t work when an affiliate manager pushes you every single moment. We are all in to get the best results. And in the end some brands work on your website and some don’t. And most of the times the not converting brands have the most pushy affiliate managers.

We never give any promises according to spots, conversions and traffic because you will never know what a consumer does or if a brand converts. When you give no expectations I think the relationship will stay good.

GAV: How do you see the future of the gambling industry? For instance, will it become a truly global phenomenon in the near future?

Dave: I hope it gets global of course. But I don’t think it will very soon. For example. We are living in the Netherlands. The regulation talks are being postponed all the time. First it would be regulated in 2014, than 2016 and now maybe 2017.

GAV: Can you name one change that you want to see in the casino affiliate ecosystem?

Dave: I think I am pretty happy with the way it goes.

What advise you would like to offer to the new affiliates who are looking to venture into this great industry?

Dave: I have one important one. Before you start be aware that you can only succeed in this business when you are dedicated and willing to work hard. The time of earning huge amounts of money in a short period is gone.

GAV: Who is your favorite celebrity?

Dave: Without a doubt my mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic! Legend and good example for young people who want to play sports. And above that a great person!

GAV: If you would just open your YouTube search bar, what would you search for?

Dave: Great skiing downhills.

GAV: Back to work. Do you attend any iGaming conferences? If so, which one is your favorite and what is your most fun experience?

Dave: I try to visit them all. My best was Berlin last year in October. Uhhhhhhh my most fun experience I really have no idea. I probably think the Lamborghini riding at the BAC.

GAV: How do you rate the chances of Eastern Europe becoming potential gaming hotpot of the future? Where do you think the region must improve upon?

Dave: As I look at my own traffic and conversions I think there are still a lot of “bonus hunters” in Eastern Europe. But with a lot of the eastern Europe countries connecting to the EU I think the business will get better and better over there.

GAV: Alright, here comes the fun part…., where would you like to travel in Eastern Europe, some part of the region maybe that you haven’t visited yet and favorite destination around the world.

Dave: The first city that comes on this question is Riga and the second one is Bratislava. Haven’t been at them before. Heard some good stories about it.

My favorite destination around the wotld is by far Rio de Janeiro. Have been there in summer 2016 during the Football World Cup. That city has everything you need. In Europe I would choose Barcelona, I which I am gonna life for a few months at the end of this year.

Where you wouldn’t want to travel in Eastern Europe?

Dave: Poland and Ukraine do not attract me at the moment. I don’t know why but where the first countries that came up.

GAV: What is your opinion about EEG/GAV (Eastern European Gaming – eegaming.org)/Gambling Affiliate Voice – gamblingaffiliatevoice.com?

Dave: It is always good to have an organization like this around. A little regulation and watchdog most of the times is very positive to keep the business booming.

And I like it that you give the floor to Affiliates to talk about their businesses. Keep up the good work. I really enjoyed the interview and hope people get inspired to join our beautiful business.

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Affiliate Success

Casino Guru shortlisted in 2 categories for iGB Affiliate Awards 2025

Published

7 days ago

May 22, 2025

George Miller

Casino Guru shortlisted in 2 categories for iGB Affiliate Awards 2025

Casino Guru has been shortlisted for the iGB Affiliate Awards 2025, joining a competitive field of contestants in the “Best Casino Affiliate” category and the “Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year.”

The iGB Affiliate Awards recognize companies in the iGaming affiliate space that have demonstrated their value through a range of initiative. This is reflected by the event’s coverage of more than 20 award categories.
Casino Guru is honored to have been shortlisted in two categories for one of the most prestigious industry events that celebrates advances in the affiliate industry and iGaming sector as a whole, and particularly in two areas where Casino Guru particularly excels.

Casino Guru has developed the world’s most comprehensive and meticulously detailed database, which actively evaluates the standing of individual casinos by scrutinizing dozens of different criteria for each listing.
These criteria are dynamic, meaning that Casino Guru is constantly reviewing offers to accurately assign ratings.
The resulting assessment is based on technological, legal, and industry knowledge, helping players make informed choices about their gambling.

Daniela Sliva, Public Relations and Creative Projects Director, said: “The shortlisting reflects Casino Guru’s ongoing commitment to upholding the highest industry standards. The Safety Index and Casino Guru Complaint Resolution Center have consistently delivered real-world impact for players, enhancing transparency and responsibility across the sector by showing operators that when it comes to their offers, it’s the players who decide. At Casino Guru, we ensure that players have all the information they need to make informed decisions. Being shortlisted for the prestigious iGB Affiliate Awards confirms that we’re on the right track.”

Casino Guru is also distinguished for its ongoing commitment to the Gamtegrity platform, which reunites the company’s efforts to make gambling safer and more transparent by advancing research, education, and best practices.

The official ceremony will be held at the Troxy, East London, on July 3, 2025. The iGB Affiliate Awards will be held on the final day of the iGB Live 2025 conference.

Affiliate Success

EEGS Webinar: Affiliates Face New Demands in Balancing Compliance and Conversion

Published

1 week ago

May 19, 2025

George Miller

On May 13th, the Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) hosted a dedicated affiliate webinar exploring one of the most pressing challenges in iGaming today: how affiliates can stay commercially effective while adopting an increasingly responsible role in player protection. The session, titled “Balancing Compliance and Conversion: The Affiliate’s Role in Responsible Gaming” featured Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect and Co-Founder & CEO of RankRadar, as keynote speaker.

The conversation unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying regulatory oversight and market saturation, highlighting the transformation of the affiliate segment into an essential part of the iGaming ecosystem. As emphasized during the discussion, affiliates are no longer peripheral actors but full-fledged digital media businesses, operating with considerable investment in content, compliance, analytics, and brand credibility.

Ristikj pointed out that modern affiliates are increasingly absorbing roles traditionally associated with internal marketing teams, from advanced SEO operations and audience segmentation to responsible gaming communications and transparency standards. These shifts are not merely cosmetic. As the speaker noted, operators now rely on affiliates not only to acquire traffic but to reinforce brand integrity, especially in competitive or newly regulated markets.

One of the core themes discussed was the growing expectation for affiliates to support safe gaming environments, both through the content they produce and the brands they choose to promote. In a concrete example, Ristikj introduced a Responsible Gambling Scoring Index, developed by Gamblers Connect. The tool evaluates operators on the presence of key responsible gaming features and publicly displays a score to inform and empower players. This kind of initiative reflects a broader industry movement to embed responsible gaming principles at every stage of the user journey.

Another major focus was the mounting operational pressure faced by affiliates. While operators remain accustomed to revenue-share partnerships, Ristikj argued that fixed listing fees are becoming necessary to sustain professional affiliate operations. Investment in content, platform development, video production, and tracking infrastructure has significantly raised the cost of doing business, especially as privacy regulations and attribution challenges reduce the reliability of traditional performance models.

The webinar also touched on the emergence of video-driven affiliate strategies and personal branding as a differentiator in a crowded landscape. As new players, many backed by agencies or former operator teams, enter the market with aggressive strategies, trust and transparency are becoming the critical assets for sustainable success.

The session concluded with a clear message: affiliates who want to remain relevant must adapt to a new standard of accountability. That means embedding responsible gaming principles not only as a compliance checkbox but as a core part of the brand experience, something players, regulators, and operators will increasingly expect.

The EEGS Affiliate Webinar is part of a broader initiative by EEGS to provide actionable insights and elevate the strategic role of affiliates in the global iGaming industry.

For those who missed the live session, the on-demand video is now available. You can watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/MJeYZfPI6Rs?si=BVp0yA0Vcpu9FDJx

Affiliate Success

First iGB Affiliate Manager Academy to shine a light on effective AI-Driven affiliate recruitment strategies

Published

1 month ago

April 14, 2025

George Miller

First iGB Affiliate Manager Academy to shine a light on effective AI-Driven affiliate recruitment strategies

Organisers of July’s edition of iGB L!VE – the first to be held in London – have announced the launch of the AI focussed iGB Affiliate Manager Academy which will be held July 1 as part of London iGaming Week.

The training and mentorship program which is being curated in partnership with Affiverse, founded by veteran affiliate marketer Lee-Ann Johnstone – and which guides businesses on how to launch, scale and grow successful affiliate programs, has been designed to help organisations of all sizes understand how to leverage new tactics and simple AI tools to recruit, retain and activate affiliates more effectively.

The Academy will offer a mix of practical learning, tactical assessments and personalised coaching providing affiliate managers with an invaluable opportunity to learn from industry leaders. Each unique session will include topical insights drawing on the dominant trends in the market.

Looking ahead to the Academy Lee-Ann Johnstone said: “I’m delighted that Clarion has invited Affiverse to develop a bespoke training academy specifically for iGaming Affiliate Managers.

“In an industry that’s constantly evolving, and which is powered by the early adoption of new technologies, businesses and affiliate managers have to keep learning in order to remain competitive. The only way we get to understand the affiliate space and all the complexities it entails is on the job – from others!

“It has always been important to me that those who have knowledge pay it forward and I’m really excited to be given the task of leading the curation of this unique event bringing the best of the best together in order to teach, train and coach affiliate managers as we move forward.

“The gap between AI-empowered affiliate managers and those relying solely on traditional methods is widening every month. The iGB Affiliate Manager Academy will provide the bridge to ensure businesses are on the right side of that divide.”

Reflecting on the importance and objectives of the iGB Affiliate Manager Academy, Global Portfolio Director Naomi Barton said: “Our live events are all about delivering real value to our international community of stakeholders. Lee-Ann and her team at Affiverse are spearheading the academy syllabus and content stream alongside IGB’s events production team to provide tailor made training and mentoring for new and existing affiliate managers as well as those who want to learn and scale their affiliate programs faster.

“The workshop will provide insider access to the exact AI-driven techniques that are assisting brands to deliver real results. Most significantly this isn’t just theory — instead it’s a hands-on expert-led roadmap focussing on immediately implementable tactics that will transform your program performance.”