Affiliate Success
Affiliate Interviews: Alexander of Casinoanbieter.de
Our new affiliate success story features Alexander Kaiser, founder and owner of casinoanbieter.de.
Name: Alexander Kaiser
Age: 37
Hometown: Munich, Germany
Living in: Zurich, Switzerland
Favorite Food: Belgian Waffles
Must Read Book: Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code
Profession/Job title: Founder and Owner at casinoanbieter.de
GAV: Alexander, tell us a bit about yourself, we want to know who really are, the main person behind the German casino site casinoanbieter.de. Where were you born? What was the key idea of developing this great comparison site for online casinos?
Alexander: Hello, my name is Alexander Kaiser and I was born in 1979 in Munich. After studying at the St. Gallen Business School, I came to the Swiss Casinos as a trainee. I enjoyed the work a lot. The theme of casino is exciting and fascinating at the same time. At the end of 2012, I decided to become self-employed and to share the know-how I had accumulated over the past few years. Then came the idea for casinoanbieter.de, because during the time spent in Swiss Casinos I found out that this is what I want to do for future. The idea for my own website was born and I decided to do everything that I can to make it work. So here I am today four years later, when the website is successful and seeing that all the efforts I made were worth, makes me motivated and happy.
GAV: Since there are hundreds of online casino comparison websites out there, where do you think Casinoanbieter stands at this moment?
Alexander: casinoanbieter.de is currently one of the best sites in Germany. We are trying to give to our visitors every single information that is needed. And also our purpose is not just to create the content and never work on it again, no we are reviewing it and updating nearly every single page on our daily work.
GAV: What are the strong points of Casinoanbieter.de and what makes it stand out from the other German casino websites?
Alexander: We are not only testing the online casinos but also the land based casinos. Another point is that our visitors can rate and give a feedback, it doesn’t matter if it is positive or negative. Also we are taking care to avoid negative experiences of our visitors. We had this case, when one visitor did not get his money for obviously irrelevant reasons. This person was even not one of our customers but we didn’t just leave the case. We spoke and pressured the casino. Because of us he finally he got his winnings paid out. That makes us proud.
GAV: How was it and the start and what bumps did you have to overcome after the launch of the website?
Alexander: To be honest the bumps were a lot, because as you know there are lots of websites in that field and it’s not easy to start with something brand new, unknown and expect people to trust you more than the most famous and the most visited websites at that time. But the key is being strong, flexible, willing to negotiate and of course great marketing. I myself had lots of hard days in the beginning, for example I was giving big part of my salary in the casino where I was croupier for high quality marketing, and almost didn’t have free time, because during the day I was working on casinoanbieter.de and on the night in the casino, that I was working for. But after the website became more popular I was ready to quit my job and focus on realizing my dream.
GAV: We have browsed your website and found great quality content. Do you write it yourself or you have a team of people writing for you? How many online casino reviews are there on your website?
Alexander: First I would like to thank you for the compliment, but the content in the website is not written only by me. I have this great teammate, that is doing some articles with me, but to be honest my passion is writing, and I enjoy it a lot, so writing some of the articles in my website was really relaxing.
GAV: Is it hard to keep the content fresh and relevant, when a lot of fluff and nonsense appear on the Internet on a daily basis?
Alexander: The key is to be real and useful. The fluffy and the nonsense is not working for grown ups. Our target is people willing to pay, so I can’t afford to write in my website content which is for children. That’s why I am always trying to keep it real and useful.
GAV: We are sure that you receive messages from Affiliate Managers on a daily basis 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?
Alexander: It should be clear, honest, because after all this is just a good business and if you want it to succeed both sides should do their job, and when this happens both sides are succeeding by doing what’s needed. And yes, for me the basic is the honesty.
GAV: How do you see the future of the German online casino industry, and how about the general one? For instance, will it become a truly global phenomenon in the near future?
Alexander: I am optimist, and this is something that I would love to do till my retirement, and I want to believe that the online casino industry has a bright future. And also if I look realistically to the future to be honest I really see this bright future for the gambling, because there always will be something to gamble for. Wanna bet on that?
GAV: Would you change something in the German online casino market/legislation?
Alexander: Yes. I would love if the market can be regulated. Even if it means that the tax costs are going to be higher for us. Because if the market is regulated, than the general terms and conditions of the casinos are going to be under a jurisdiction. Make the test and let a German lawyer read through some GTS, also from really big brands, and you will see that most of them are vulnerable in front of the German court.
GAV: Name one change that you want to see in the online casino affiliate ecosystem?!
Alexander: Real datas provided with API of every single affiliate program.
GAV: What advice you would like to offer to newbies who are looking to venture into this industry?!
Alexander: One thing they need to do is to be ambitious, to do the research needed and select only trustworthy operators to work with.
GAV: Do you usually attend any iGaming/online casino conferences? If so, which one is your favorite and tell us why?!
Alexander: To be honest, I don’t, but I want and I think I’ll go to the next one. Since I am quite new in the field I haven’t have the chance attend any. But I think I’ll go to the next one in February.
GAV: What do you think the chances are for Eastern Europe on becoming potential gaming hotpot in the future? Where do you think the region must improve upon?
Alexander: Actually I’ve been thinking on that a lot, and to be honest I am not sure, because field like ours need people willing to pay and they need to have the budget to play. I am afraid that especially in the countries with lower standard the people play without budget. Honestly I’m in the business to earn money, not to ruin people.
GAV: Alright, here comes the fun part…, do you have a favorite celebrity?
Alexander: Well this could be a hard question, because I have lots of favorite celebrities, but let’s say Mark Zuckerberg, because he inspires me, even though we are in a different areas – he is in social, and I am in gambling, he still inspires me and shows me how when you believe in yourself and work, than you can succeed no matter how old are you.
GAV: Name a country or region in Eastern Europe where you’d like to travel!?!
Alexander: I really would want to see the castle of count Dracula in Romania!
GAV: Where you wouldn’t want to travel in Eastern Europe?
Alexander: I like traveling, and to be honest I don’t think that I would refuse one if I have the chance.
GAV: What is your opinion about GAV (GamblingAffiliateVoice.com) ?
Alexander: I like the website, and from time to time I read some of your interviews and articles so I can be updated with the world that I am “living” in. I also like the whole concept and idea, because it’s good to have a website where you can “hear” the voice of affiliates.
GAV: Thanks for your time and interest Alexander, all the best to you and let’s stay in touch!
Affiliate Announcements
QMRA Launches Italian Quality Mark for Affiliates
QMRA is a Compliance Quality Mark for iGaming Affiliates, launched by XY Legal Solutions B.V. (XYLS). XYLS launched a Dutch Quality Mark, KVA (https://kva.nl/), in September 2021, now working with numerous operators (LeoVegas, ComeOn, 711, TonyBet, Hard Rock Casino) and 90+ members.
In February 2024, QMRA was launched. Affiliates from the following markets were able to apply for the Quality Mark: Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA Michigan, The UK, Ontario and Estonia. As of today, Italian affiliates will be able to join QMRA as well. Applicants will receive:
-
- A Compliance Report, containing compliance feedback if needed, in certain cases usable for obtaining a Meta Ads License;
- A specific Online Certificate about the member website, explaining its compliance (https://qmra.eu/members/affiliates/);
- Possibility to consult the QMRA team on compliance related questions.
Several joined since launch, representing all available markets so far. Among joining companies were Leadstar, ADM Group, BetFans, Game Lounge and Gentoo. Game Lounge and Gentoo decided to make QMRA official company policy. Sitebee, a Gentoo launched Compliance Tool, announced an official partnership with QMRA on legal support last week.
Affiliate Success
Casino Guru secures SBC Awards shortlist for Casino Affiliate of the Year
Casino Guru, the world’s largest and most up-to-date database of online casinos, has landed on the shortlist for SBC Awards 2024 in the Casino Affiliate of the Year category.
Casino Guru, which has processed more than 6,930 casinos, and prides itself on the world’s largest forum community built around informing players, enters a competitive field of 12 contestants all vying for the distinction.
SBC Awards 2024 is due to take place on September 26 at the MEO Arena on the final day of the SBC Summit, celebrating industry-wide achievements. Casino Guru is proud to be shortlisted for this important accolade. The company has worked tirelessly to establish itself at the top of the industry.
In embracing the affiliate business model, Casino Guru has created a groundbreaking and industry-shifting paradigm through the introduction of the Safety Index, a complex algorithm powered by big data, consumer feedback, and a meticulously in-house analyst team that has allowed Casino Guru to not only be the go-to repository for online casinos but also provide players with a credible source of information when it comes to the inherent trustworthiness of each casino brand listed in the constantly-growing database.
In welcoming the nomination, Šimon Vincze, Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling, said: “I am thrilled to see Casino Guru shortlisted for the category again this year! Our competitors for the winner are recognised companies with a considerable impact on the online gambling affiliate business. The criteria for the winner go beyond our unique approach to affiliation and consider growth in multiple areas. I am convinced that we have much to offer in this sense as well, and I am looking forward to the judge’s conclusion.”
The Safety Index in particular has been a dynamic and living ecosystem that has been evolving on a weekly and monthly basis, registering movements in casinos’ overall ranking based on a comprehensive set of factors, such as complaint resolution, terms and conditions, licensing issues and more.
Having those efforts recognized by the SBC Summit Awards is a huge milestone for the company, which has operated with an unwavering commitment to bringing consumers the best possible choices from a database that easily constitutes the world’s largest.
Casino Guru is a trailblazer in building an affiliate business that is fully consumer-focused and consumer-facing, by offering an uncompromising, verifiable and transparent accreditation process that ultimately benefits consumers and helps match their preferences with the best casino brand.
Casino Guru is looking forward to September 26 and is excited about the opportunity to demonstrate to the panel of judges that the company is committed to raising standards for the way consumers engage with the industry in a manner that protects consumers and distinguishes the best operators and brands on the market, helping drive a sustainable and healthy environment for all.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Nominated for “Acquisition and Retention Partner” at SBC Awards 2024
ReferOn, a state-of-the-art affiliate management platform, announces its nomination in the Acquisition & Retention Partner category at the prestigious SBC Awards 2024.
The inclusion in this category highlights ReferOn’s efforts to create and develop a targeted product for the needs of the iGaming industry, recognizing the team’s innovative approach and notable results in the field of affiliate marketing.
ReferOn’s nomination as an Acquisition & Retention Partner confirms that the affiliate management platform has proven its effectiveness and understanding of customer needs, as noted by the judging committee. Designed with years of iGaming experience its team, ReferOn caters to the specific needs of affiliates and managers, offering a flexible and scalable solution for managing large networks of companies in one comprehensive hub.
Alexia Gauci, B2B Sales Manager of ReferOn, commented on the nomination: “Being mentioned in the ‘Acquisition and Retention Partner’ category at the SBC Awards 2024 means a lot for our team. We are providing innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of iGaming professionals. We’re continuously enhancing the platform’s capabilities so our clients can solve the issues they are facing & achieve business goals.”
ReferOn brings reporting capabilities, robust back-office functions, and unique reward mechanics, all designed to simplify administration and enhance data control. With features like Sub-Affiliation and Independent Deal Calculations (IDC), ReferOn offers transparency and flexibility, helping users with tracking key metrics easily for quick data-driven decisions.
In addition to its technical improvements, ReferOn started educational initiatives & received good feedback from the audience. The team already conducted two free seminars, “ReferOn Insights” for Operators and Affiliates to provide valuable knowledge and strategies for maximizing affiliate marketing success.
The ReferOn team will be exhibiting at SBC Summit 2024 in Lisbon and will showcase its latest developments and offerings at booth F430 from 24-26 September. Visitors will be able to ask ReferOn representatives questions and learn more about the platform’s advanced features and innovations.