News
The Outlook for UK iGaming Affiliate Marketing in 2021
The iGaming industry can be quite lucrative for affiliates who know how to make the most out of available affiliate programs. UK online gambling brands from sportsbooks to casinos and everything in between rely on all types of online and offline advertising strategies to acquire and retain customers. Affiliate marketing is one such strategy that has evolved in importance over the years. This evolution is likely to continue in 2021.
Even though 2020 has been a rather rocky year due to COVID-19, iGaming affiliate marketing share in 2021 has the potential to grow with new online UK bookmakers establishing (and big-name online UK bookmakers re-establishing) a foothold in the profitable football betting market. Already, brand new bookies are starting to appear with the 2020/21 sports season set to begin. These new bookies mean the potential for more affiliate marketing opportunities because affiliate programs tend to be one of the most cost-effective methods for acquiring new customers.
Affiliate marketing spend has increased over the years
For sportsbooks and casinos, over the last decade, affiliate marketing has become an increasingly important marketing strategy for expanding their online reach to attract new punters via desktop and mobile channels.
According to a Regulus Partners report, in the past few years there has been massive growth in UK gambling online marketing spend, which increased form £376 million in 2014 to £725 million in 2017. As such, it comes as no surprise that this same report found that there was also notable growth in Affiliate marketing spend, with an increase from £274 million in 2014 to £295 million in 2017. This is quite the jump considering that affiliate marketing typically tends to be one of the least expensive forms of advertising.
It is highly probably that these figures will continue to climb higher into next year as more of Britain’s gamblers choose to bet online out of convenience, ease of mobile access and the pandemic crisis.
Current iGaming Affiliate restrictions
Presently, gambling online in the UK is at an all time high. According to the UK Gambling Commission’s gambling industry statistics covering the period between October 2018 and September 2019, gross gambling yield has grown. More specifically, some of the biggest increases have been seen in the remote (online) betting, bingo and casino markets. Focusing on betting specifically, the total gross gambling yield for remote betting during this time period was £2.1 billion, a 4.3% increase from April 2018 – May 2019.
However, while this may be good news for gambling operators and their affiliates, a growing concern about increased problem gambling and gambling addiction in the country, has lead to a call for tighter regulations to be placed on operators, specifically restrictions regarding advertising.
This isn’t the first time that restrictions have been placed on UK gambling-related advertising, including iGaming affiliate marketing. Three years ago, tighter regulations were placed on operators, making them liable for the actions of their affiliate partners to help try and curb advertising misleading information. This has resulted in betting firms being hit with fines rather than their affiliates when their affiliates advertised misleading information about the firm’s promotions.
These stricter guidelines were designed to motivate gambling operators to encourage their affiliates to stick to advertising regulations, otherwise the operator would be held responsible if the advertising was found to be in breach of Gambling Commission rules. As a direct result of these rules, some firms closed their affiliate programs altogether, including Sky Bet, who didn’t want to take a chance with untrustworthy affiliates.
What the future could hold for iGaming affiliates
However, in spite of the current affiliate marketing regulation responsibilities placed on operators, some feel that this is not enough. It is possible that, in the future, the UK government may take the next step and regulate iGaming affiliates directly. If this should occur, it could mean that affiliates would be required to register or license their operations before deals can be made to promote legal sportsbooks.
These changes could impact affiliates by introducing new:
- Regulation costs – A fee may need to be paid by affiliates to be regulated.
- Legal requirements – Affiliates would be required to ensure regulatory compliance, meaning that if they breach rules they would also be subject to a fine along with the operator.
- Increased acquisitions – Smaller affiliates are not likely to survive with the new regulatory changes, making it easier for larger affiliates to purchase them, reducing competition.
There is no question that if the Gambling Commission chooses to crack down further on affiliate marketing, this would have an effect on iGaming affiliate market share in the future. However, as it stands now, with new online bookmakers popping up onto the scene and the new football season ready to start, the outlook seems bright for iGaming affiliates in 2021.
News
N1 Brand Series: RollXO — Brand Breakdown & Traffic Setups
Picked a brand but not sure how to turn your traffic into profit? Looking for really working bundles? Want to understand the iGaming product better in order to scale efficiently?
N1 Partners team has launched N1 Brand Series — practical product reviews from experts with a focus on real working approaches, metrics, and peculiarities.
This article is dedicated to RollXO — read how to get the most out of the brand!
RollXO: product review
RollXO focuses on modern user experience, a wide range of game content, fast onboarding of players, a user-friendly interface and a diverse bonus program.

- Brand: RollXO
- GEO: AU, NZ, AT, DE, CA, CH, IE
- Main vertical: casino, betting
- Target audience: users aged 25-55 interested in online casinos, slots and live games, focused on a fast and convenient gaming experience
- Player value: ease of use, quick access to games, bonuses and promo mechanics
- Features / advantages: simple and fast registration form, user-friendly UX, a wide selection of slots and live games, as well as the speed of deposits/withdrawals and regular promos
- Reg2Dep:
PPC 40-55%
FB: 25-35%
SEO: 40-45% - Retention Rate: 25-35%
- LTV: up to 1500 EUR
Conversion and user behaviour
Conversion is influenced by traffic quality and relevance, registration speed, first deposit bonuses, the convenience of payment methods, and the level of trust in the product.
For retention at RollXO, the most effective tools are personalized bonuses, VIP/loyalty programs, as well as communication through SMS, push notifications, in-app messages, email, stories, and inbox channels with continuous updates of gaming content.
After the first deposit, player behavior largely depends on their initial experience: some continue actively following promotions through communication channels, while others engage with on-site offers within the product itself, such as promotions, tournaments, bonus offers, and other mechanics available on the website.
Bonus policy
The RollXO brand uses a variety of bonus mechanisms: welcome and reload bonuses, free spins, free bets, cashback, VIP/loyalty rewards, lotteries, tournaments, loot boxes, wheel of fortune, a bonus shop, and limited-time promotions.
- Best-converting: simple and easy-to-understand bonuses that provide clear value to the player — enhanced welcome bonuses, free spins, cashback, and personalised offers.
- Less effective: complex mechanics with unclear conditions or overloaded/insufficient communication.
- Common mistakes: overly long communication texts without specific details or clear bonus requirements. In addition, an excessive volume of promotional communications can lead to lower player engagement.
Creatives and traffic types
At RollXO, creatives that focus on clear and specific value propositions perform best, for example, those that highlight a bonus or reward. It is also important to adapt creatives to the specific GEO, audience, and gaming preferences.
Creatives overloaded with bonuses perform poorly: three or more bonuses displayed on a small image can confuse players and discourage them from engaging with such communications. Additionally, the effectiveness of creatives declines over time if visuals and offers are not refreshed.
The most effective traffic sources depend on the region, creative quality, and audience-product fit. The primary channels are SEO, PPC, Influence, and Facebook.
Top 3 traffic setups for RollXO
Setup #1
This setup pays for itself due to the high quality of traffic. Despite a potentially high deposit cost (slightly above average), it can deliver strong results and attract an active audience.
- Traffic Source: Facebook
- GEO: AU
- Page Type: PWA
- Approach: The creative is built around the Dragon Train slot. Large multipliers x15 / x10 / x5 appear on the screen from the very first seconds, drawing attention to the possibility of a significant win.
The lower part of the creative displays the new player bonus as well as the payment methods available for making a deposit.
- Why it works: A static creative with a clear visual structure. The game and bonus are immediately visible, while all key information can be understood within 1-2 seconds without unnecessary visual noise.
- Risks / Limitations: Potentially higher deposit cost.
Setup #2
This approach can attract a broader audience, while its key advantage is a significantly lower deposit cost compared to average benchmarks.
If acquisition costs can be maintained at a low level, this approach can work effectively for scaling and blending traffic with higher-quality audiences.
- Traffic Source: Facebook
- GEO: NZ
- Page Type: PWA
- Approach: A popular influencer is selected based on the target GEO and age group, after which a high-quality deepfake with accurate lip-syncing is created. In the creative, the influencer talks about fast gameplay and winning opportunities: “If you have X amount of money, you can try this slot/casino.”
It is important that the mentioned amount exceeds the minimum deposit, as this helps attract a higher-quality audience. The video then showcases gameplay, including bonuses, multipliers, and winning spins. - Why it works: Trust in the influencer, their recognisability, the visual appearance of a physical casino, and the slot demonstration work together to capture audience attention effectively.
An additional advantage is the low entry threshold: the creative mentions a relatively small amount that users can potentially start with and still have a chance to win.
- Risks / Limitations: Lower audience quality.
Setup #3
This setup can attract a higher-quality audience, but the key factor is the consistency of the funnel. The PWA, FP, and domain should visually align with a specific land-based casino. This increases trust in the offer and positively impacts conversion rates.
- Traffic Source: Facebook
- GEO: CA
- Page Type: PWA
- Approach: The creative is centred around a well-known land-based casino shown from a visually striking angle that is immediately recognisable to the audience.
Bonuses and payment methods are displayed at the bottom, while the top section features the message “(Name of the land-based casino) is now officially online.” - Why it works: Recognition of the land-based casino increases trust in the offer, while all key information is communicated quickly and without unnecessary visual clutter.
- Risks / Limitations: Ad rejections.
Based on the RollXO review, several key factors make the brand a strong product for scaling. The brand delivers strong performance thanks to its user-friendly product, high player engagement, and effective retention mechanisms.
With proper creative adaptation, a well-structured funnel, and high-quality traffic, the brand can consistently generate profit and successfully scale volumes in Tier-1 markets.
Launch RollXO with N1 Partners, and scale your campaigns with top conditions:
- 14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep and LTV;
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs;
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates;
Be number one with N1!
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.
News
N1 Sport Promo Starts Soon: More FTDs, Higher Rates
N1 Partners is preparing a new promo for its partners, N1 Sport Promo, for the hot summer sports calendar and the main football event of the year, FIFA World Cup 2026.
The promo starts on June 10 and runs until July 20, when audience interest in sports reaches its peak and sports and prediction traffic gets strong potential for scaling.
During the same period, Wimbledon, the NBA finals, Formula 1 races, UFC Freedom 250 at the White House and the N1 Hype tournament will also take place, attracting the attention of millions of players worldwide.
N1 Sport Promo: first details
Within six weeks, partners will be able to receive additional bonuses for traffic to sports betting and Prediction Markets. The more high-quality FTDs a partner brings, the higher their potential reward.
The key mechanic of N1 Sport Promo is the opportunity to increase current rates.
Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates N1 Partners, comments on the upcoming promo:
“Major sporting events traditionally increase interest in betting and prediction markets, opening up additional opportunities for partners to attract traffic. With N1 Sport Promo, we have focused on mechanics that reward scaling and strong results. This promo is for those who are ready to work actively with traffic and get the most out of the sports season.”
All details, terms of participation and bonus amounts will be announced soon.
The countdown to the start has already begun.
Existing partners can contact their manager now to prepare for the campaign launch and learn more about the opportunities of working with sports and prediction traffic.
Haven’t joined N1 Partners yet? Contact the manager, get involved and make the most of the 2026 sports season.
Start working with N1 Partners:
- 14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep and LTV;
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs;
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates;
Be number one with N1!
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