Affiliate Success
Hitting for six
Tom Wardman, Business Development Executive at Independent Content Services, offers affiliates advice about how to use content to drive engagement during the Cricket World Cup
The Cricket World Cup got underway last week and is expected to attract a global audience in the billions between now and its conclusion in the middle of July.
For online sportsbook operators, it is a huge opportunity to engage new punters while re-engaging existing customers with generous promotions and a great range of odds and markets.
Indeed, it has been reported that 34% of tickets purchased for the tournament have been done so by people who have never attended a cricket match before.
This presents tremendous upsides for affiliates who can use their skills as content creators to engage new cricket fans and push them towards the sportsbooks they are partnered with.
But to succeed, affiliates must put in place a clear plan of action and a detailed strategy to be sure they are targeting the right audience with the right content.
Let’s consider the audience that affiliates should be targeting during the Cricket World Cup.
The tournament has a global audience but is particularly big in India, where the sport is a national obsession. But with online sports betting largely illegal, affiliates must focus elsewhere.
This means tailoring content to meet the needs and expectations of fans and bettors in markets such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where online betting is more widely available.
The good news for affiliates is that English is the standard language in these countries, so translation is not so much of a concern for content created around the tournament.
But what sort of content should affiliates be creating, and how can they use content to ensure that punters signed-up during the World Cup continue to engage with their sites afterwards?
It is important for affiliates to understand that they are not just competing with other affiliates, but also the major sports media brands, some of whom also offer sports betting.
Content must therefore go beyond general news stories and include things like match previews and reviews, player analysis, interviews, stats and data.
More feature-based pieces are also popular, including top tens (scores, best LBWs, comebacks, etc) as well as input from pundits and former players.
While most of this content will take the written form, affiliates should also create and publish audio and video content as this can unlock even higher levels of engagement. These are particularly good to share on social media.
Take audio, for example. Affiliates can partner with content providers to offer live, ball-by-ball match commentaries that their readers can listen to.
This allows readers and potential punters to stay engaged with the tournament if they are unable to attend in person or watch it on TV.
Broadcasts can also be tailored to individual affiliates to include calls to action that encourage listeners to sign up with particular sports betting brands.
For example, “England are now 2/1 to beat Pakistan. Sign up now at Sportsbook Operator A and receive a free bet.”
In addition to radio, affiliates can provide audio blast score updates, analysis bulletins and even podcasts. All of this can be done very cost-effectively.
It is really about helping the audience remain engaged with the Cricket World Cup via the affiliate site wherever they are, whatever they are doing.
They may not bet all of the time, but with regular calls to action built into audio content, when they are ready to sign-up to a sportsbook and bet, they are more likely to do so via the affiliate.
Affiliates wanting to offer something truly exciting should also plan for video content as this allows them to leverage the phenomenon of second screening and also the power of social media.
Content providers such as ICS offer cost-effective video in the form of match previews and reviews, video blasts and score updates, plus Gillette Soccer Saturday style shows.
Again, this content can be tailored to individual affiliates and include bespoke calls to action that drive viewers back to their sites and to the sportsbook brands they work with.
The other great thing about video content is that it is sharable across social media, and delivers high levels of engagement. This in turn drives brand awareness among new audiences.
Of course, the real challenge for affiliates is ensuring any new players remain engaged after the Cricket World Cup – this is often easier said than done.
But content is a powerful retention tool. Once the tournament is over, affiliates should put together a content plan for the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League as well as the Ashes.
The key thing to remember here is that 50-over cricket is different to 20-over or Test cricket, and you can’t always assume there is a mutual interest.
But so long as the quality and variety of the content is on point, and ensures that players remain connected to the affiliate’s brand, there are plenty of opportunities for retention.
The Cricket World Cup is one of the largest sports tournaments in the world, and smart affiliates that prioritise content will be hitting for six now and throughout the year.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins “Best Affiliate Management Platform” at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026
ReferOn has been named the Best Affiliate Management Platform at the prestigious iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, marking another major milestone in the company’s growth. Announced live at iGB LIVE, the recognition follows a year of relentless product innovation, customer growth, and a continued focus on simplifying affiliate operations.
Turning Complexity into Clarity
Managing high-volume affiliate programs requires processing millions of data points every day. ReferOn was built to eliminate that complexity through automation, real-time insights, and streamlined workflows.
This year also marked the introduction of Refie, ReferOn’s integrated UX layer. Instead of forcing affiliate managers to navigate complex backend data, Refie turns raw operational data into clear, actionable insights. From onboarding to daily performance tracking, it helps teams spend less time on administration and more time driving strategic growth.
Alex Bukin, CEO of ReferOn, commented: “Winning the iGB Affiliate Award is a remarkable achievement for our entire team. As affiliate programs grow, so does the complexity behind them. From day one, our ambition has been to remove that complexity, so operators can focus on growth instead of operational friction. This recognition reinforces our belief that great B2B technology should be simpler, more intuitive, easier to work with, and built around the people who use it”.
Having secured major industry awards over the past 18 months, — including ‘Affiliate System of the Year’ at AffPapa and ‘Best Affiliate Software’ at SiGMA — ReferOn looks ahead with a roadmap that remains focused on making affiliate management even more intelligent, transparent, and effortless. Our upcoming developments will continue to simplify complex workflows, expand AI-powered assistance, and provide operators with even greater visibility and control over their affiliate operations.
Affiliate Success
Kongebonus becomes first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at iGB Affiliate Awards 2026
Kongebonus has become the first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, a landmark recognition that names the independent Norwegian guide as the world’s leading casino affiliate for 2026.
The award was presented on 2 July during iGB L!VE London, where the iGB Affiliate Awards celebrated the affiliates, programmes, networks, suppliers and individuals helping to drive the iGaming sector forward.
iGB Affiliate described first-time contestant Kongebonus as a “Norwegian local hero”, noting that the platform claimed the award in a close race and ended Gambling.com Group’s two-year reign in the highly competitive category. Independent judges praised Kongebonus’ “super smart” approach, highlighting its combination of innovation, engaged player community, and strong editorial presence across Google News and the media.
The recognition reflects Kongebonus’ focus on detailed operator testing, transparent casino reviews, community-led content and player protection. The platform tests casinos with its own money before reviewing them, publishes its full methodology and continues to invest in responsible gambling resources, including practical guidance and support signposting for players.
David Nilsen, Editor-in-Chief at Kongebonus, said: “Winning Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards is a huge moment for Kongebonus and for everyone who has helped build the platform. To be recognised in a category alongside some of the biggest and most respected names in the affiliate industry is something we are incredibly proud of.
“I’ve spent more than ten years on the inside of this industry, and I’ve seen how big the gap can be between what a casino promises and what the player is actually left with. Closing that gap is the whole reason we test the way we do.
“What this award tells us is that being the most trusted guide matters more than being the biggest one, and that’s the only thing we’ve ever set out to build.”
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Shortlisted for Two EGR B2B Awards 2026 Following Record Platform Growth
ReferOn, the data-driven affiliate management platform, has been shortlisted in two categories at the EGR B2B Awards 2026: “Affiliate Software Supplier” and “Full Service Platform of the Year (under 5 years)”.
These nominations reflect ReferOn’s rapid evolution from a fast-growing platform into a mature affiliate management solution trusted by operators seeking greater scalability, automation, and operational control.
Solving Affiliate Management Complexity at Scale
Over the past year, ReferOn has focused on solving one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: managing affiliate programmes efficiently at scale. By automating key affiliate management processes and transforming fragmented data into actionable insights, the platform enables operators to scale partner programs more efficiently while maintaining full visibility and control.
Turning Data Into Faster Decisions
As platform capabilities expand, Refie serves as an intelligent UX layer that makes complex data instantly understandable. By translating backend logic into intuitive visual guidance, it helps users move faster, make better decisions, and spend less time navigating reports.
By translating technical precision into intuitive visual feedback, Refie eliminates the need to dig through dense reports, guiding users toward real-time performance and faster decision-making. It moves beyond simple functionality; it’s about giving teams their time back by making complex data instantly readable.
Alex Bukin, CEO at ReferOn, commented: “These nominations reflect the momentum behind ReferOn’s evolution into an award-winning platform built for operators who refuse to compromise between sophistication and usability. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about the opportunities ahead.”
The winners will be announced at the EGR B2B Awards ceremony, taking place on June 3 at City Central, HAC, in London.
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