News
Big Betting Brands to Build on New Revenue Streams in 2021

Rain, shine, regulation issues or pandemic, it seems nothing stops the UK sports betting industry from moving forward with new plans to evolve and find additional ways to turn a profit.
That being said, there’s no question that 2020 has been one of the more challenging years, even for the giants of the UK sportsbook sector. Beyond the lockdowns of physical betting shops as well as football and other major sports leagues shutting down for three months, regulation is always a concern. This is especially true when it comes to the protection of underage and problem gamblers.
For instance, recently, the Gambling Related Harm All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) called for a ban on gambling advertisements in the UK. The issue the APPG has isn’t specifically related to the ads themselves, but the serious negative effects they may have on individuals who are trying to distance themselves from the industry due to gambling-related problems, addiction or any other reason.
Still, even with the ongoing pandemic and the threat of tightening regulations, UK bookmakers, particularly the industry’s big bookies like BetFred, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral, to name a few, continue to push forward with the hopes of making 2021 a more profitable year than 2020.
Betfred Hopes to Make it Big in the US Betting Market
Taking a look at Betfred, this isn’t an operator that is keen to put all of its eggs into one basket and is quick to find new revenue streams whenever given the chance. For instance, it jumped on the mobile betting bandwagon years back when it became available and now the brand holds one of the most downloaded betting apps in the UK market. Meanwhile, Last year (2019), it entered the US betting market with big plans for its Betfred USA operations.
Even though Betfred USA had not yet launched online when everything shut down due to the pandemic, once Iowa casinos reopened and they launched in Colorado, the sport that has brought Betfred the biggest action in the US market has been MMA. While this certainly pales in comparison to the big US team sports such as the NFL, NBA and MLB, once these are back in full swing next year, the company expects to see an uptick in volume.
William Hill Intends to Merge its Retail and Online Businesses
William Hill is another big bookie making the news. William Hill is set to merge retail and online businesses according to a recent announcement made by the UK operator. Phil Walker, William Hill’s UK online managing director has announced that he will take over responsibility for the UK Single Market Division and will work alongside the head of the retail division, Nicola Frampton, during a six-month transition period before Frampton steps down.
The merger is William Hill’s new plan to overcome regulatory and economic obstacles, including the betting restrictions decision on FOBT in 2019, which resulted in the shuttering of 713 of its betting shops.
Ladbrokes and Coral Re-open Betting Shops
Wasting no time for the opportunity to welcome back profits from their physical betting shops, GVC announced the re-opening of its Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops in England back in June. Since 15 June, all 2,455 shops in England have opened their doors with the ease of the pandemic lockdown in the UK.
That said, new health and safety measures have been put into place to support social distancing and additional hand sanitizer stations. Moreover, there are pre-shop opening checks as well as clear guidance on maximum customer occupancy levels, which are based on the layout and size of each shop. GVC is gearing up to make the most of the remainder of 2020, readying to welcome in a more revenue rich 2021.
All in all, it will be interesting to see what other new steps UK bookies – big or small – will take to ensure that next year is a profitable one.
Affiliate Success
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.”
Awards
MightyTips is nominated for Affiliate of the Year at the AffPapa iGaming Awards

MightyTips has received a nomination for “Sportsbook Affiliate of the Year” at the prestigious AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. MightyTips hopes to follow in the footsteps of its parent company, SEOBROTHERS, which won the Affiliate Agency of the Year award at the 2023 ceremony and has received another nomination this year.
MightyTips’ nomination follows a year of expansion for the brand, which increased its portfolio of multilingual sites to 19. In addition to continuing to provide free daily football betting tips and in-depth bookmaker reviews, MightyTips also launched the MightyQs interview series, which spotlights some of the most exciting partnerships between online sportsbooks and high-profile sporting franchises such as Juventus and the UFC.
Held at Hacienda Nadales in Malaga, Spain, the fourth annual AffPapa iGaming Awards will take place on May 28th, 2025. The awards celebrate and recognise affiliates, operators, and B2B providers for hard work and innovation within the iGaming industry and commend those who are constantly pushing the boundaries and setting new standards.
One of the most notable and respected ceremonies on the industry calendar will be hosted as part of the iGaming Club Conference, a two-day networking event that will welcome over 1,200 industry delegates. Voting is open to the public and will close on May 11th.
Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, said: “We’re overjoyed to hear that MightyTips have been nominated for these prestigious awards. It’s fantastic to be evaluated for our hard work over the last twelve months, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of their efforts. This is a huge professional achievement for the brand.”
Awards
Slotsjudge Receives Double Nomination at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025

We are delighted to announce that Slotsjudge received two nominations for the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. Milestones like this highlight our team’s dedication and strong position in the iGaming industry.
Slotsjudge was nominated in two key categories: “Rising Star Affiliate of The Year” and “Slots Review Affiliate of The Year.” The first nomination recognizes our fast growth and impact in a competitive market, while the second one emphasizes the quality and reliability of our game reviews. We highly value the trust our audience places in us as a credible and influential voice within the industry.
What sets Slotsjudge apart is our honest, straightforward content. Our team creates reviews that players can rely on, helping them make informed choices. We actively encourage community engagement and user-generated content, ensuring our reviews reflect real player experiences. Our approach combines simplicity, transparency, and a direct connection with our audience. We believe that this strong content strategy and dedication to genuine player feedback are the reasons behind these nominations.
“We are very grateful and proud of these nominations,” said Jekaterina Dubnicka, Head of Marketing and Communications. “It is exciting to see our team’s hard work acknowledged. We appreciate our users and partners, whose support has been key to our success.”
The AffPapa iGaming Awards ceremony will take place online on June 20, 2025. Slotsjudge looks forward to attending and celebrating with the industry. We thank the jury for their recognition, and we are excited about the future, continuing to grow alongside our valued community and partners.
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