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The Outlook for UK iGaming Affiliate Marketing in 2021

Published

5 years ago

September 3, 2020

Photo credits: shutterstock_1118068061

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.

Related Topics:affiliate marketing iGaming industry UK online gambling brands

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Amusnet Joins Forces with Prominent Affiliate Chipy

Published

3 days ago

March 14, 2025

George Miller

Amusnet Joins Forces with Prominent Affiliate Chipy

Amusnet announces its partnership with Chipy, a leading affiliate platform dedicated to providing comprehensive insights into the online gaming industry. The collaboration will focus on delivering in-depth reviews of the casino provider’s extensive selection of top-notch casino titles to its large-scale of worldwide users.

“Joining forces with one of the most valuable affiliate platforms in the industry brings new opportunities to expand our reach and enhance the visibility of our games,” said Lillya Chatalbasheva, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at Amusnet. “We are excited to work with Chipy to showcase our innovative casino titles, especially our standout Coin Gobbler game, and can’t wait to bring even more engaging content to elevate the player experience.”

“I believe that partnering with Amusnet willadd significant value to our content, providing access to high-quality gaming content from a casino provider that is internationally recognized,” said Bogdan Romedea, PR Specialist at Chipy. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance the player experience and expand our vibrant community.”

Chipy.com provides a comprehensive database of over 2,000 online casinos, exclusive bonuses, and the latest gambling insights. Its mission focuses on maintaining up-to-date information, delivering genuine user reviews, and offering a customizable experience with advanced search filters. Beyond listings, the platform showcases games from top software providers and features over 15,000 games.

As we embark on this exciting partnership, we encourage gaming enthusiasts to explore the comprehensive reviews available on Chipy’s platform. With the spotlight on Coin Gobbler and other exciting Amusnet products, this collaboration promises to elevate the gaming experience and drive engagement in the online casino community. Stay tuned for more updates!

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ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona are in top 5% of business events in the world

Published

4 days ago

March 13, 2025

George Miller

ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona are in top 5% of business events in the world

ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona have been recognised as global leaders by event industry experts Explori. The agency, which collaborates with over 7,000 global events and conferences across a broad range of industry sectors, has ranked both ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona in the top 5% based on their Net Promoter Scores (NPS). This metric evaluates attendee satisfaction and their likelihood of recommending an event to colleagues and industry peers.

Using the findings of research conducted with attendees in the weeks immediately following the conclusion of the historic editions which were the first to be held in Barcelona, Explori calculated a net advocacy of +67 for ICE, up from the 2024 figure of +50, with iGB Affiliate recording an NPS of +68 compared to its 2024 score of +62

Ben Haley, Senior Research Manager, Explori Media Ltd stated: “The transition of ICE and iGB Affiliate from London to Barcelona has been a big success from an attendee advocacy perspective.

“With the Net Promoter Score improving notably year-on-year from +50 to +67 (ICE) and +62 to +68 (iGB Affiliate) both scores over index against Explori’s 36-month rolling tradeshow benchmark for attendee NPS, which sits at +29, and put both ICE Barcelona and iGB Affiliate Barcelona 2025 in the top 5% of events.”

Impressive customer satisfaction ratings were also recorded for both brands with ICE 2025 registering 4.45 out of a maximum of 5 up on the 2024 figure of 4.3. The figure for iGB Affiliate remained constant at 4.46 across both 2024 and 2025.

The research findings have been reflected by the sentiment of major stakeholders including the European Casino Association. Secretary General Hermann Pamminger confirmed: “The European Casino Association (ECA) is delighted to report that ICE 2025 Barcelona surpassed all expectations, showing a new era for this prestigious industry event. We want to congratulate Clarion Gaming for successfully moving the world’s biggest gaming shows to their new home in Barcelona.”

He added: “ICE 2025 in Barcelona showcased a masterful approach to event planning, with strategically separated conference facilities on the first floor and cutting-edge conference technology that significantly enhanced the overall experience. Thoughtfully designed common spaces in front of the conference rooms fostered valuable networking opportunities, allowing industry professionals to forge connections and exchange ideas effortlessly. The choice of Barcelona as the host city proved inspiring, with its compact nature and efficient transportation system making it incredibly easy for attendees to navigate between the Fira and other key locations.

“This perfect balance of professional development and cultural exploration added an extra layer of value to the event, making it a truly memorable experience for all involved. By combining state-of-the-art facilities, strategic planning, and the inherent appeal of one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, ICE 2025 in Barcelona set a new standard for industry events.”

Affiliate Announcements

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Published

5 days ago

March 12, 2025

George Miller

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, introduces significant updates to the Xsolla Partner Network, an advanced affiliate marketing engine designed to connect game developers with content creators. These updates enhance the experience for both developers and creators by introducing new interaction tools, expanded data accessibility, and deeper integrations with the Xsolla Rainmaker platform.

The growing influence of content creators on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok has reshaped game marketing strategies. Developers increasingly seek streamlined ways to discover, manage, and measure creator partnerships. The Xsolla Partner Network addresses this demand by providing an all-in-one solution for creating and scaling performance-based campaigns, now with added tools to enhance usability and campaign success.

New Xsolla Partner Network updates significantly benefit developers and creators, enhancing their ability to collaborate effectively and succeed in their goals.

For developers, the platform now offers:

Enhanced search functionality to discover, compare, and invite creators who best align with campaign goals
Detailed creator profiles with insights such as concurrent viewer metrics, games played, and campaign performance, enabling developers to make informed decisions
Integration with Xsolla Rainmaker data from Twitch and YouTube Gaming, providing robust analytics like streamer views, follower counts, and game-specific performance data for data-driven decision-making
Streamlined collaboration tools, including direct distribution of promo codes, tracking links, and game keys
A flexible revenue share model, allowing developers to set customizable commission rates for creators driving successful transactions

Creators gain access to a comprehensive creator toolkit designed to simplify campaign management and accelerate growth. The redesigned interface provides intuitive tools and features that make managing campaigns, engaging audiences, and enhancing content creation easier. By removing the 50-subscriber minimum threshold, the platform is now accessible to micro creators, enabling them to kickstart their careers.

Additional features for creators include:

Real-time performance tracking, offering insights into campaign results.
User-friendly account navigation, simplifying platform usage.
Opportunities to partner directly with game developers, helping creators grow their audience and monetize their work by driving sales for games and in-game content featured at Xsolla Mall.
Creator sites at Xsolla Mall enable creators to resell digital content, showcase campaign details, collect donations, and share links to all social media platforms to increase visibility.
Overlays, providing game-branded promotional graphics and animations for live streams to boost engagement and drive awareness.
Chatbot is designed to share tracking links and promo codes in real-time chats during gameplay, reward viewers, and engage the community.

With these updates, the Xsolla Partner Network empowers developers and creators to collaborate seamlessly, unlocking new opportunities for success in the evolving landscape of game marketing.

“The Xsolla Partner Network has always been a powerful tool for developers to grow their games and for creators to monetize their passion,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “With these new features, we enable seamless collaboration between developers and creators, ensuring both can achieve their goals more effectively.”