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Sports Betting Thriving Despite Lockdown

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Wanna Make a Bet?

The global pandemic put North American professional sports on the shelf for nearly five months but bettors soon found leagues that they never knew existed and, well, if you’re dying of thirst in the desert and someone offers you water, you don’t ask if it’s Fiji. Soon there were millions of experts on Belarusian soccer and Taiwanese paddle ball willing to put up or shut up. Even eSports became a mainstream betting vehicle with everything from League of Legends to Madden NFL simulations.

Sports betting may not be the oldest profession but it is quickly becoming one of the most compelling. After decades in the shadows, it has recently been legitimized due to it finally being legalized in many parts of the United States. But gambling, whether it be legal or illegal, will always be pervasive because it’s fun, and potentially profitable if you know what you’re doing.

Adam Burns, an industry sportsbook director, stated, “Business is booming. “We probably took in 10 times more money than last year on the 2020 NFL Draft. It goes to show people are looking for something to bet on. The draft is always big, but I couldn’t believe how much money [was bet] when I woke up the next morning.”

In April of this year, betting was up 50 percent at New Jersey sportsbooks over last year on sports other than basketball, football, and baseball, to the tune of $21.7 million.

Prior to the reopening of sports in North America, Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayUSA.com network, stated, “The rise in bets on nontraditional sports has been interesting, and with auto racing and golf closer to starting, that trend could increase.”

Books are Booming

Now that the NBA, MLB, and NHL are in full swing, business is booming even more as evidenced by reports from the best online sportsbooks in the industry. But with the king of kings, the NFL, drawing closer, the numbers are expected to soar as long as the leagues can remain open for business.

In August of 2019, a total of $744,065,765 was legally wagered in the United States and $61,762,233 in revenue was hauled in as a result. But industry experts are nearly unanimous in declaring that this August will dwarf last year’s take, not to mention what the offshore books will do as well.

But few believe the take this month will beat the record-breaking month of November 2019, when U.S. sportsbooks handled over $1.8 billion, due to the fact there is no preseason football. “It’s a reach,” opined ESPN gambling writer David Purdum when asked by US Bets whether the month that starts Saturday can break the November ’19 record, “especially without preseason football, which accounts for more than most would believe. Last August, around 25% of the total handle bet in Nevada sportsbooks was attributed to football wagers. The NBA will probably make up for the lack of football, but even then, eclipsing a regular-season football month seems unlikely.”

As Purdum noted, the NBA and NHL are both playing in August which is a first for both leagues and will only add to what should be a robust betting handle this month. SportsHandle Editor-in-Chief, Brett Smiley, echoed Purdum’s sentiments regarding his skepticism of a record handle in August of 2020, “There are so many moving parts here, including players going in and out of quarantine. Over/under on games played for any of these leagues, I mean, who knows? We’re in completely uncharted territory here and there’s too many unknowns in the equation. I think people may watch in record numbers, but hopefully people who have taken a serious economic hit — and that’s an awful lot of Americans — are not using limited resources to gamble on sports. Betting 10 bucks is fine, but that doesn’t impact handle much.”

Purdum referenced the uncertain economic times and the looming election as another hurdle to climb for a record-breaking month, “The U.S. betting market is expanding and growing. We have more visibility than ever at how much is being wagered, which may lead to some record-setting numbers in some states. Records seem to be set routinely these days. But, to me, the pandemic, the pending election, and uncertainty surrounding the economy and sports in general will, at some point, have a negative impact on the betting market.”

Whatever happens this month, one thing we do know is that Americans have a growing passion for the action. Sports betting is now mainstream and records will be routinely shattered for several years to come as more states enter the fray and become beneficiaries of all that additional tax revenue. Legalized sports betting in the USA has been a long time coming but at long last, we’re glad it’s arrived.

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Affiliate Announcements

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

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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
  • 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.”

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Affiliate Announcements

QMRA Recognition by Google & Meta in Denmark – A Milestone for Compliance

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QMRA has now been active for nearly a year, and we are proud to have welcomed many members who share our commitment to responsible affiliation. We continue to work towards becoming the leading compliance indicator for international affiliates.

Beyond compliance, we are expanding our efforts into advocacy. For example, in Finland, we have launched lobbying initiatives as the government considers restricting affiliate activities.

Most importantly, several QMRA members are actively seeking advertising licenses from Google and Meta in various jurisdictions. We are pleased to confirm that in Denmark, both platforms have recognized QMRA membership as a decisive factor in granting these licenses. This information has been directly communicated to us by our members.

This is a significant milestone for QMRA. It confirms that our compliance checks and the presence of the QMRA quality mark on an iGaming affiliate website are taken seriously by key industry players. Additionally, we know that in other markets, QMRA membership is already being considered in similar assessments.

We will continue to strengthen our position and expand our influence. Thank you for your continued support in upholding responsible affiliation standards.

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Awards

iGB Affiliate Awards to recognise industry excellence and innovation across 20 categories

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iGB Affiliate Awards to recognise industry excellence and innovation across 20 categories

 

Businesses of all sizes active in the igaming affiliate industry are being invited to enter the annual iGB Affiliate Awards which will take place 3 July in parallel with iGB L!VE.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday 28 March 2025 with the shortlist expected in early  May.

The Awards, which have become a must-attend celebration of the industry, will be presented at East London’s famous Art Deco Grade II-listed Troxy venue. Paying homage to its musical heritage, including staging performances by Liam Gallagher, Garbage, Morrissey, the Cure and Stereophonics as well as hosting the NME Awards, iGB Affiliate nominees and guests will enjoy an evening of Britpop-themed entertainment as they get to relive the cultural explosion of ‘Cool Britannia’.

Award categories comprise: Best Casino Affiliate, Best Sports Betting Affiliate, Best Bingo Affiliate, Best Poker Affiliate, Best Crypto Affiliate, Best Streaming Affiliate, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Affiliate Employer of the Year and Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year. Best Affiliate Manager, Affiliate Idol aka Lifetime Achievement Award. Best Affiliate Programme, Best Affiliate Network. Best Tech (NEW), Best Affiliate Management Platform (NEW), Best Digital Agency, Rising Star, Best Newcomer, Innovator of the Year and the publicly voted Game of the Year.

Widely regarded as constituting the most transparent and rigorous awards process in the industry, the iGB Affiliate Awards panel of external industry judges have been selected for their expertise on both the igaming affiliate sector and in specialist areas pertaining to individual awards, such as safer gambling.

Before joining the panel, judges are required to sign an NDA to keep all submitted information confidential and the winners’ names secret until the event has taken place. They are also obliged to declare all potential conflicts of interest prior to judging.

Naomi Barton, Global Porfolio Director responsible for iGB Events stated: “The decision to keep the iGB Affiliate Awards in London alongside the relocated iGB L!VE has been welcomed by the industry.

“The opportunity to experience the very best products and services on the iGB L!VE show floor during the day and then to celebrate the fantastic achievements of the igaming affiliate community amongst friends and colleagues at the Awards is a wonderful, once-in-a-year opportunity.”

She added: “Speaking with previous winners, being judged ‘best in class’ at what is the premier recognition platform for businesses of all sizes in the igaming affiliate industry demonstrates to current and future staff that you are a leading company, it helps attract talented employees and is a rich source of pride for the broader team.”

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