Affiliate Success
Affiliate Interviews: Andreas Johannesson, founder of SweGaming Affiliates AB
In our newest affiliate interviews series we caught up with Andreas Johannesson, co-founder of SweGaming Affiliates AB, and owner of BettingLounge.co.uk and MessiVsRonaldo.net. Andreas together with his partner recently decided to take on the UK market as well, after they’ve sold their Swedish sites to an affiliate industry giant!
So without any further delays, here is another affiliate success story featuring Andreas Johannesson!
- Name: Andreas Johannesson
- Age: 22
- Hometown: Gothenburg
- Living in: Gothenburg
- Favorite Food: Pasta
- Must Read Book: Steve Jobs biography
- Profession/Job title: Founder
GAV: Hi Andreas, first of all, tell us and our readers a bit about yourself! How did your career start in the industry? What determined you to engage in this activity and start working at SweGaming Affiliates (Bettinglounge.co.uk and Messivsronaldo.net)?
Andreas: Me and my partner David started our business when we were still in high school back in Sweden at the age of 18. We just wanted to get hold of some extra cash so that we could travel and do things that we couldn’t do otherwise. We were also very interested in creating webpages and value to our visitors and therefore we launched our first website betexpert.se back in 2012.
Our company, Swegaming Affiliates AB, first solely focused on the Swedish gambling market but since we sold our Swedish websites to one of the giants of the affiliate industry back in June of 2016 we wanted a new challenge and decided to take on the UK market with sites like BettingLounge.co.uk and we also acquired the site Messivsronaldo.net.
GAV: Could you tell us a bit about SweGaming Affiliates and Bettinglounge.co.uk and Messivsronaldo.net? What are the strong points of the website’s and what makes them stand out from the other niche websites? Regarding Messivsronaldo.net, we can certainly say it jumps out of the routine websites… the design is really appealing.

Andreas: Our long term goal with BettingLounge.co.uk is to create a complete betting guide with reviews, bonuses, odds comparisons and free bets updated with new content each and every day. In other words we want to create a website that will cover all of the betting world for UK bettors.
Messivsronaldo.net is another story, there is no other website that compares the past decade tw
o best football players that we do. We have every single statistic you can think about when comparing these two and it drives traffic like crazy.
GAV: What were the bumps that you encountered and how did you overcome them?
Andreas: We have had many bumps in the past but as long as you figure out what you’re doing wrong then it’s just up to fixing it. I think many don’t really think about what they did wrong the last time but just keep on going with new projects instead of fixing what’s wrong and taking it from there.
GAV: We have browsed Messivsronaldo.net and found some high quality content and a high volume of statistics. Are you writing it by yourself or you have a team of people writing your editorials and doing the research?
Andreas: We have a small team near London in the UK that’s taking care of the statistics, Facebook page and content writing.
GAV: How about the Messivsronaldo.net Facebook page, do you manage it, it has quite a nice fan base with pretty good engagement level too?!
Andreas: We have worked a lot of gaining Facebook followers and to engage them and so far it seems like it’s working. A good day can bring us as much as 500 new followers – although both Messi and Ronaldo must have had good games the day before – it’s pretty clear what’s driving traffic to our site. It’s the same team that manages the Facebook page as manage the statistics and content of the site.
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 and maintained?
Andreas: I think the most important is that both parties understand that the other party needs to make money from the relationship as well. I feel like there are many people in the industry, both affiliates and operators, that miss this and therefor many partnerships don’t stick in the long-term.
GAV: How do you see the future of the gambling industry? For instance, will it become a global phenomenon in the near future?
Andreas: When all regulations and laws are fixed there are several very big markets that will come available for the gambling industry. The biggest example is probably the US, when they get it all regulated that will become the world’s biggest market again overnight. The markets of Africa, South America and Asia is also up for grabs and when all these get the infrastructure that the west world has gambling will for sure be a big thing there as well.
GAV: Can you name one change that you want to see in the UK betting affiliate ecosystem?
Andreas: To be honest, as we haven’t been in the UK market for that long time I think it’s too early to say anything about this.
GAV: What would be your advise to the new affiliates who are looking to venture into this great industry?
Andreas: Even though it may seem like there is competition like no other affiliation niche with work you’ll get to the top as well. I guess it’s all about not giving up and putting in the hours.
GAV: How do you see the Central and Eastern European affiliate market, do you think that this region is somehow overlooked by brands that are not applying for licenses, etc. ?
Andreas: I think it’s somehow overlooked. But I guess a big part of that is the player value that, I guess, is a lot lower than a Swedish, Norwegian or UK player. But the volumes should make up for that and there are probably big opportunities in the Eastern Europe markets.
GAV: Since the Berlin Affiliate Conference is almost here, we would like to ask your opinion on these event, are you guys attending these conferences or are you going to be in Berlin? How about SiGMA?
Andreas: We always go to all the conferences – London, Berlin, Amsterdam and also Sigma – and think it’s a great way to get to know people from the industry, especially if you do not live in one of the big gambling places in Europe as Malta for example. Also a great way for new affiliates to get into the business and understand how things are done.
GAV: Who is your favorite celebrity and if you’d have to a pick a destination in Eastern Europe, where would you travel?
Andreas: As a swede the question is pretty easy… Zlatan of course! Prague!
GAV: Where you wouldn’t want to travel?
Andreas: Hmm.. Albania maybe?
GAV: What is your opinion about the GamblingAffiliateVoice.com?
Andreas: It’s a great place to get information about what’s happening in the industry. We usually use it to find information about new affiliate programs that want to work with us.
Affiliate Success
TAG Media and Gamblitude Launch affie.ai
The AI-Powered Affiliate Manager Assistant Set to transform Affiliate Management in iGaming
TAG Media and Gamblitude have launched affie.ai, a guided decision-making engine built for iGaming affiliate managers. It combines TAG Media’s 150+ years of collective affiliate management experience with Gamblitude’s operator-grade data and analytics platform.
affie.ai will make its debut at SBC Summit Malta (28–30 April), where affie.ai’s Elaine Gardiner, Alana Weldon and Wojtek Sznapka will be demonstrating the platform to operators interested in becoming one of the first five launch partners.
The Problem affie.ai solves
Affiliate management sits at the centre of operator acquisition strategy. It demands financial judgement, negotiation skill, data literacy and market knowledge. Yet there is no industry-standard training, no widely accepted playbook and no safety net when a commercial decision goes wrong.
The data is there. What’s missing is consistent, effective interpretation. With time, an experienced affiliate manager may know what a declining CPA trend means in a specific market or when a revenue share deal needs renegotiating. A less experienced one may not – and that gap costs operators money, talent retention and competitive ground.
Even for experienced affiliate managers, having the requisite time and patience with convoluted systems and tools to spot gaps and opportunities, even ad hoc, is progressively rare, further limiting their ability to achieve sustainable growth within their affiliate programme.
By encoding proven affiliate management expertise directly into their daily workflow, affie.ai gives affiliate managers the ability to make decisions grounded in real programme data and industry best practice, positioning them for true proactivity with their affiliate partners.
What is affie.ai?
affie.ai is a guided decision-making engine, not a dashboard and not a tracking platform. It is trained on real affiliate programme performance data and built on the strategic frameworks TAG Media has applied across 50+ programme launches over the past decade.
On the data side, Gamblitude, founded by former STS chief technology officer Wojtek Sznapka and former STS chief sportsbook officer Piotr Cerlak, provides the analytical backbone: a cloud-native data layer purpose-built for iGaming operators.
The result is that affie.ai provides affiliate managers with specific, data-informed recommendations on deal structures, partner performance, programme optimisation and commercial risk insights, removing the time spent and consistency required in pulling reports, second-guessing spreadsheets to build progressive performance.
For operators, affie.ai delivers measurable reductions in programme management overheads, faster onboarding of new affiliate managers, institutional knowledge that stays in the business regardless of team changes and the agility to make rapid commercial decisions to positively impact the bottom line. affie.ai gives affiliate managers the power of proactivity.
Human Relationships, Sharper Decisions
Affiliate management is a relationship business. Trust between manager and affiliate drives long-term value – no tool replaces that.
affie.ai removes the noise around those relationships. Instead of debating whether a deal is commercially sound, the affiliate manager already has the answer and can focus on the conversation. affie.ai provides human-led decisions with AI-led precision, built on real data, not assumptions.
Elaine Gardiner, Co-Founder of affie.ai says: “After 17 years managing affiliate programmes for operators including Cherry Casino, Ninja Casino and Rizk, I know what good decision-making looks like in this role and I know how rarely it’s supported by the right tools. affie.ai takes the strategic thinking our team applies every day and makes it available on demand and at pace: specific to your programme, specific to your data and ready when the affiliate manager needs it.”
No Strings Attached Six-Week Trial – Five Places
affie.ai is offering five operators an exclusive six-week trial. No fees. No lengthy onboarding. Operators connect their affiliate programme data and their affiliate team uses the platform to obtain new insights on their own numbers, enabling faster commercial decisions on deals to build growth. To book a meeting, email [email protected] or visit www.affie.ai to register your interest in using affie.ai to build affiliate programme growth.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Shortlisted for “European Corporate Services Supplier” Category at EGR EUROPE Awards 2026
ReferOn, the next-gen affiliate management platform, has been named on the EGR Europe Awards 2026 shortlist in the “European Corporate Services Supplier” category, recognising the platform’s solutions that help real operators with their operations and growth.
Continuing 2025’s Momentum
The nomination reflects a busy 2025 for ReferOn, one that was highlighted by significant product updates, rapid growth, and an ascent to becoming one of the most recognised affiliate management platforms in the industry.
Going into the new year, the ReferOn team has ambitious plans to accelerate this positive momentum by scaling alongside its growing partner base with advancements to its product vision around clarity, transparency, and ease of use. The EGR Europe Awards 2026 marks a pivotal start to 2026, and an award win demonstrates that the platform’s direction truly resonates with operators and affiliate managers worldwide.
Refie’s Human Impact
Refie, the platform’s human layer, transcends a mere surface-level companion. It hops around dashboards and workflows, providing relevant assistance, such as fixing reward logic, identifying anomalies, and making suggestions to the user.
In 2026, ReferOn plans to enhance Refie’s functionality with advanced platform gamification, engaging users and transforming how affiliate managers interact with their day-to-day operations. These developments will pave the way for personalised, smart intelligence on the platform and set an industry standard for affiliate tech.
Alex Bukin, General Manager, commented on the nomination and plans for 2026, “ReferOn made great strides in the past year, with major product developments, key recruitments, and a rapidly growing partner base. With this growth, our expectations have risen, and we want to establish ourselves as a platform that accelerates affiliate tech across the board. Being nominated for the ‘European Corporate Services Supplier’ category solidifies our ambition and is a meaningful start to our new year. With Refie driving more innovation, we look forward to driving our goal of transparency, clarity, and customer-facing features even further.”
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins Prestigious “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards
A milestone achievement as ReferOn continues to impress
ReferOn, the next-generation affiliate management platform, has taken the title of “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at the SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards, held in Rome.
The award recognises ReferOn’s rapid growth in becoming a leader in iGaming. It distinguishes the platform for its cutting-edge architecture, exceptional product innovations, and measurable impact on affiliate operations.
Redefining Affiliate Management
In a short amount of time since its inception, ReferOn has become one of the most recognised names in affiliate technology, leading the way by creating user-centric features that help the real needs of affiliate managers.
The platform recorded rapid adoption, supporting an influx of tens of thousands of affiliates and millions of clicks while continuously evolving and growing with new features and refinements. The platform’s approach to innovation and user-facing experiences is its new living interface, Refie. Refie brings awareness and human-like interaction to the platform, helping make affiliate operations more personable and accessible.
Building Beyond the Standard
Alex Bukin, General Manager at ReferOn, commented on the win, “This award is more than recognition. It empowers and validates our team, encouraging us never to stop building. At ReferOn, we always aim to shape how affiliate marketing should work. At its core, it should be simple, transparent, and powerful. Every new integration and feature comes from a team that deeply understands the product and what real affiliate managers need. This helps us refine our platform to be the best it can be. And we’re only getting started!”
Continued Momentum
ReferOn’s win at SiGMA Central Europe marks another significant achievement. In 2025, the platform conducted multiple migrations and released groundbreaking features to transform affiliate operations. Its sights are set on 2026 — a year that will be focused on product refinements, sustainable growth through key industry partnerships, and delivering more key solutions for real affiliate managers.
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