News
Is Investing in Online Gambling Still Viable?
It is not hard to realize why many have noticed the online gambling industry when it comes to investments. With growth over 224% in the US, it is hard to miss such a boom. But, many people question if investing in online gambling is still viable or has the train passed for the biggest winners.
The answer mainly depends on if the investor is planning to get rich quick or to establish him or herself in the industry. For the former, regretfully the peak has already passed if doctors and governments are to be trusted.
But, if you want to make a high-quality business that will bring regular growth and pay regular dividends, the so-called iGaming industry is the place to be right now. Even if the growth of the market slows down, it will not stop.
This is because the three main comparative advantages of online gambling will still be present even after people are allowed to visit brick and mortar establishments:
- Low regular overhead
- Access to global markets
- Ensured advantage
And the last point might be the most important if you are a concentrated investor. The superior stability of online gambling compared to regular casinos makes it much easier to plan your business, as well as borrow against the company.
Don’t Expect 2020 to Repeat
Investing now and expecting to triple your investment by this time next year would be very unwise. While substantial growth is possible, some normalization of the curve is to be expected.
By all accounts, a vaccine against the current pandemic is expected to arrive in early 2021, with the effects taking in by the spring of next year. This will mean that fewer people will spend time indoors, thus less time gaming on phones, tablets, and computers.
Still, most of the current user base is expected to remain and new users will join in as the word of mouth spreads globally. This makes a perfect chance for someone, especially if offering niche-specific services, to swoop in and fill that market.
Enough Players for Everybody
There is no territorial competition when it comes to online gambling. With the number of players entering and the demand for online gambling rising, the competition is very fair and very open between casino operators. This makes a very relaxed atmosphere if you are a new investor in the industry. Of course in some markets like Australia the players spend more on average than in markets like Romania so competition there is a bit more saturated.
But, keeping players on your platform as well as standing out will be difficult. Finding modes to increase your offering and improve your services will be crucial if you want to remain relevant and growing.
High-Entry / Low-Maintenance
With some new legislation that will be affecting both Malta and Curacao, the industry will probably become even cleaner. But, the licenses will become more expensive, which may dissuade smaller investors from chipping in.
Namely, the old Curacao license, usually taken out by new operators, will now cost roughly $120.000, which is a steep increase from the $35.000 which was the price so far and will be until January 1st, 2021.
But, for those who have the funds, this is where major expenses end and where income begins. As the costs for operations, security, services, and technical support all scale with the level of business, you will rarely find yourself bleeding funds in any way.
Generally, if you can make an arrangement with game developers for pay-to-play terms, you can have a very secure income with minimal expenses and only a basic payroll staff.
New Curacao License
While still being valued as a license that ensures trust and safety from the operator, Curacao has been seen as the ‘second-best’ for a very long time. This is because the rules for obtaining, as well as oversight, was much more relaxed than for the Malta GC license.
But, with the new deal made between Curacao and the Dutch authorities back in Europe, the value and price of this license will rise quite a bit.
For those who had the papers this year, the ~$85.000 increase won’t be an issue, but it might be for new operators looking to open an online gambling business in 2021.
Malta is the Gold Standard
A license provided by the Malta Gaming Commission is still the golden standard when it comes to online gambling. The rules now planned by Curacao have been enforced in Malta since 2009, and even new players are familiar with the significance of having such a document.
But, for many operators, this type of clearance is not necessary. If you don’t want to market towards EU players and don’t plan on predatory tactics in the first place, you may use the Curacao license and save some money initially.
Later, when you have your business established and your investment relatively secure, you can always take the Malta license as well and try to reel in some bigger whales that are hiding all over the world.
Awards
OLBG recognised in iGB Affiliate Awards for Dorking sponsorship
OLBG, Principal Partner of Dorking Wanderers FC since the start of the 2025/26 season, has received national recognition after their headline sponsorship campaign was shortlisted for Affiliate Campaign of the Year at the 2026 iGB Affiliate Awards.
The nomination celebrates the leading sports betting and casino community’s collaboration with the Surrey-based club. Their partnership has helped shine a wider spotlight on non-league football through fan-focused content, social engagement and community-led activations.
Alongside the Dorking Wanderers campaign nomination, OLBG has also been shortlisted for both Best Sports Betting Affiliate and Best Casino Affiliate, underlining the brand’s continued growth across the wider iGaming industry.
Since announcing the long-term partnership in 2025, OLBG and Dorking Wanderers have launched a range of initiatives designed to bring supporters closer to the club, including branded fan engagement campaigns and social activations that have generated significant traction online.
Founded in 1999, Dorking Wanderers have become one of the most recognisable names in English non-league football following their rapid rise through the pyramid under owner and manager Marc White. The club has built a substantial national following through viral social media clips and documentary-style football content.
The iGB Affiliate Awards are regarded as one of the leading award ceremonies in the global affiliate and online gambling sector, recognising standout campaigns, partnerships and businesses from across the industry.
This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony on 2 July.
OLBG CEO Richard Moffatt said: “After winning two awards at last year’s iGB Affiliate Awards, it’s fantastic to see OLBG shortlisted again across three categories this year.
As OLBG continues to grow as a broader sports fan engagement brand, it’s been rewarding to see ideas and learnings from partnerships such as Harry Derham Racing continue to evolve across new collaborations.
It’s especially pleasing to see our work with Dorking Wanderers F.C. recognised in the Campaign of the Year category. We were honoured to win this award last year for our partnership with Harry Derham Racing and, much like that collaboration, our work with DWFC has centred around long term storytelling, helping our partners move closer to their ambitions while giving fans a deeper connection to the sport they love.
A huge thank you goes to everyone at Dorking Wanderers F.C., Bunch of Amateurs and the OLBG team whose energy, creativity and commitment have made the partnership such a success.”
News
N1 Partners Shortlisted at iGB Affiliate Awards
N1 Partners was shortlisted for the iGB Affiliate Awards in two categories: “Best Affiliate Program” and “Marketing Campaign of the Year”.
iGB Affiliate Awards is a prestigious award in the affiliate industry, annually honouring companies and experts who develop the iGaming market, influence its future, and set industry standards. For N1 Partners, these nominations reflect the high results of the past year.
N1 Partners received nominations in two categories at once:
- Best Affiliate Program
N1 Partners creates the best conditions for partners by providing a portfolio of 14+ betting and casino brands in 10+ Tier-1 GEOs. Moreover, in 2025, the average monthly volume of FTDs driven by partners increased by 150%. This is one of the most striking indicators of company scaling and effectiveness. N1 products are also constantly evolving and expanding, with 4 new brands added in 2025 with high conversion rates and extensive scaling capabilities.
- Marketing Campaign of the Year
N1 Puzzle Promo has become one of the largest promos in the affiliate industry in 2025, with 350+ partners, reaching over 6 million views in 50+ media. With a prize pool of €500,000 and the main gift, Robinson R22 helicopter, the campaign brought partners from around the world together and provided an opportunity to receive solid rewards for traffic achievements.
At the same time, N1 Partners continues to create competitive mechanics for partners in 2026 — the N1 Traffic Cups tournament series continues to strengthen partner engagement and develop the affiliate community.
This year, the company also launched sports traffic on three brands — N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter — and released a new vertical, Prediction Markets, a betting format for real events with simple “yes/no” mechanics.
Scale your results with N1 Partners:
- 14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates
Be number one with N1!
News
Behind the Game What Makes Products Convert
In iGaming, registration does not bring value — the result appears only when the user makes the first deposit. Therefore, the Reg2Dep metric plays a key role: it shows how much you will earn from each attracted user.
Behind the Game is a series of expert materials where specialists from the N1 Partners affiliate program across different teams break down how strong iGaming products are built from the inside.
In this article, you’ll learn how the product affects Reg2Dep: what helps bring the player to the deposit, where the conversion is lost, and which solutions provide stable growth.
Top 3 must-have factors of a successful iGaming product: what has the strongest impact on Reg2Dep today?
Alignment between the offer and the player’s expectations (shaped by the traffic), including proper game selection in the lobby, plays a major role.
It’s also important to pay attention to bonus policy. The bonus offer must match the audience’s expectations and be easy to understand.
Speed is equally important — everything should be tested, from page loading to payment confirmation. Alignment between the offer and the player’s expectations (shaped by the traffic), including proper game selection in the lobby, also plays a major role.
Top-3 factors that stand out:
- First, the product must provide the maximum number of local payment methods with high approval rates.
- Second, it needs strong retention and VIP retention — achieved through CRM, bonus mechanics, and gamification.
- And of course, the foundation is a stable, fast platform without technical issues.
If you want to work right away with products where this system is already well-established and generates stable profit, join N1 Partners!
What do partners need to know when choosing a product and which red flags can’t be ignored?
You should pay attention to all product weaknesses, especially:
- Low payment approval rates.
- Confusing or irrelevant bonus terms.
- Slow support and weak brand reputation in the community.
- Unstable website performance on mobile devices.
Most often, the quality of the payment infrastructure and the availability of local solutions are underestimated.
Partners also don’t always consider retention depth and VIP segment management, as well as basic factors like page load speed and product stability.
Which onboarding elements determine whether a player makes the first deposit and where do users most often drop off?
Players don’t like to wait — fast and simple registration is crucial (1–2 steps, no unnecessary fields). There must also be a clear and understandable welcome offer, and the path to deposit should be direct and fast, with helpful prompts. If these conditions are met, players won’t drop off at the earliest stages.
Convenience is important for players at every stage of the way to the deposit, so the main points of the user loss look like this:
- At the payment method selection stage.
- At the data entry stage — if the form is too long or complicated.
- During redirection to a PSP — especially if there are payment approval issues.
- At the stage of exploring bonuses or choosing content and games — if the terms or interface are not clear enough.
Which UX changes in N1 Partners projects have recently driven the biggest conversion growth?
The greatest impact came from three areas: increasing the number of local payment solutions, personalising offers immediately after registration based on traffic type, and updating the cashier.
The new payment area became clearer and more stable for players, which directly improved conversion rates.
How does player behaviour differ across GEOs, and how do N1 Partners products adapt to Tier-1 GEOs?
User behaviour differs significantly depending on the GEO, from preferences in payment methods to the perception of bonuses.
In Tier-1, players are more demanding: product speed, transparent conditions, user-friendly UX, and a wide range of local payment solutions are critical for them.
In Tier-2, users are more sensitive to bonuses and retention mechanics, take longer to make a deposit decision, and react more strongly to the size and terms of the offer.
N1 Partners products adapt to these features through localisation of payment methods, UX development, and gamification.
Which product hypotheses most often drive Reg2Dep growth?
The most consistently effective hypotheses are those focused on simplifying the deposit flow and expanding the list of payment methods. Additional growth comes from personalised welcome offers tailored to the traffic source and type.
Which features of N1 Partners products help achieve high conversion?
A key role is played by strong payment expertise and extensive localisation of payment solutions. Conversion is further boosted by a fast registration form, a flexible bonus system with clear terms, and advanced gamification. All of this is continuously optimised through A/B testing at every stage of the funnel.
To sum up, a high Reg2Dep is the result of a systematically built product: strong payment infrastructure with local methods, fast and intuitive UX, and relevant bonus logic. This combination determines whether traffic turns into revenue.
If you want to drive traffic to strong products designed for players, start working with N1 Partners. The affiliate programme unites 14+ casino and sportsbook brands with high Reg2Dep, operates in 10+ Tier-1 GEOs, and offers competitive scaling conditions — payouts up to €700 CPA for top partners and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO.
Be number one with N1!
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