News
How Vera & John became the market-leading online casino in Japan
In most places of the world, gambling and casinos are outlawed. Likewise, under the law and regulation of Japan, gambling is prohibited as well. There is no availability of any physical form of casino or gambling in Japan.
People who live in Japan do look forward to such activities. Most of the population is a hidden fan of gambling or casinos due to the reasons for much better opportunities for earning money despite the fact that various laws prohibit the physical forms of casinos.
But no law bans gambling through online platforms. And due to such cases, Japan is now on the verge of becoming the best market for online casinos. It is also believed that the government of Japan will be turning Osaka city into a casino hub.
It will increase tourism and travel in the country. Which, in turn, will increase the profit and money flow into the country. This step has made online gambling successful and much of this is due to the efforts in recent years of Vera and John.
The main reason due to which the online casino has flourished in Japan is primarily due to the hard work of Vera and John who were one of the first online casino operators to enter the Japanese market.
How the Vera & John reputation was built?
Ever since their entrance into Japan, VJ (as they are commonly known in the industry) have been at the center of the online casino world. They built a platform that the local audience could connect with including a character with appeal to the Japanese graphical style, local language and support for the local currency – the Japanese Yen.
They backed this up with payment and withdrawal methods that the Japanese would also be familiar with and are unique to Japan. And best of all, it didn’t take them long to develop this platform and offer all these services to their customer base. At its heart, Vera & John’s success could be said to be built on their understanding of the local market and creating a platform that speaks to their audience:
- Japanese language
- Currency support
- Marvelous graphics
- Good customer support
- Wide range of transactions. For example, e-wallets, debit, and credit cards. Allowance of international wire transfers, bank transfers, etc.
Not only that, VJ has all the best slot games and live casino options – many of which can’t be found in physical casinos. Plus, it constitutes many different popular video and traditional games.
Welcome offers and strong website user experience
Vera and John also have a generous welcome bonus. These types of welcome offers are now common in the industry and each online casino has its own version as a way of attracting new customers. However upon launch in Japan, VJ sat almost on its own in offering a generous amount of free spins when a customer signs up and deposits on their website. A simple marketing strategy that took advantage of the fact that not many people had seen this type of offer before from an online casino.
One of the other key aspects of Vera & John’s success was their easy withdrawal procedure. This option allows the users to collect their winnings whenever they want. There are no restrictions or long procedures to draw your cash. Unsurprisingly, within the online casino industry this is something that typically frustrates customers when they are unable to withdraw their earnings immediately.
Such initiatives are the reason for Vera & John’s popularity. Their market entry, localisation and timing was all aligned to make their efforts a success to date.
A final word on casino safety
For Japanese casino enthusiasts, they now favor an online environment for many reasons. Partly due to the strict laws and casino regulation around playing games in physical casinos – an online environment offers way more variety. Equally through the recent global pandemic, many online businesses have seen growth and the online casino space is no different, giving players the ability to play their favorite games from the comfort of their own home – online casinos don’t need to close for social distancing or any other virus related measure.
Vera & John have mastered the art of entering into a new market, a new culture and timing it to perfection and the results speak for themselves. Needless to say, competition has increased significantly of late as other casinos have seen the opportunity and appetite of the Japanese players. Only time will tell if Vera & John can stay top of the pile.
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!
Conferences
G GATE CONF 2026 — June 26–27, Tbilisi
G GATE CONF (ggateconf.com) will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia — a multi-vertical affiliate conference bringing together industry professionals from around the world in one venue.
The event will be held at Expo Georgia, the country’s largest event hub, occupying four pavilions as well as the open-air space between them. In 2026, the organizers expect up to 7,000 participants from the CIS, Europe, Asia, and other regions.
When and Where
Dates: June 26–27, 2026
Location: Expo Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
Event Scale
G GATE CONF is a two-day event with a rich business and networking program:
- 2 stages featuring industry speakers
- 100+ company and service booths
- 50+ zones and activities for networking, learning, and relaxation
- Open-air zones for informal networking
Some formats are developed exclusively by the G GATE team specifically for the conference and are not repeated at other events.
Who Attends
The audience of G GATE CONF 2026 includes:
- Media buying teams and solo arbitrage specialists
- SEO specialists and agencies
- Company owners and C-level executives
- Advertisers and CPA networks
- Affiliate market service providers: payment solutions, trackers, anti-detect browsers, proxies, creative agencies
Verticals
Main conference verticals: iGaming, White Hat, Crypto & Finance
For the first time at G GATE CONF, the following verticals will be featured: Dating, Adult, mVas, Sweepstakes
Each vertical will have dedicated activities and engagement formats to help participants quickly find relevant contacts and solutions for their needs.
Special Projects and Activities
In 2026, the conference will include 7 special projects, such as:
- PITCH — a startup competition for launching and scaling affiliate industry projects
- G GATE AWARDS — an industry award with a gala dinner honoring companies and market leaders
- Merch Shop, SEO Shop, Match Point, and other interactive formats
Special attention is given to the afterparty, a large-scale evening event featuring headliners and dedicated networking zones, including VIP areas.
Why Attend
G GATE CONF focuses not only on content but also on the density of valuable contacts. The conference brings together multiple verticals and formats in one place, allowing participants to:
- Achieve partnership goals
- Discover new traffic sources and services
- Connect with industry professionals beyond the standard “booth-card” format
Tbilisi was chosen as a convenient meeting point for participants from different countries, and the summer dates allow for a seamless combination of work, leisure, and networking.
Affiliate Announcements
Management Buyout Successfully Completed at ReferOn
ReferOn, an affiliate management platform for the iGaming sector, today revealed the successful conclusion of a management buyout. Former General Manager Alex Bukin purchases the platform, moving the company into its next stage of independent growth. Bukin will take on the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to advance the company.
Assessing the platform’s path three years after its launch, Alex Bukin, CEO of ReferOn remarked: “This is a significant moment for ReferOn and marks the start of a new phase for the company.” The management buyout offers us the long-term perspective needed to consistently enhance the platform. We uphold our dedication to product development, enhancing our solutions for partners, and facilitating ReferOn’s ongoing expansion in significant markets.
The acquisition comes after a significant phase of advancement for the firm. Established on a base of operational effectiveness and scalable technology, ReferOn persists in expanding its footprint throughout the industry. In its initial year, the platform announced 35.7 million clicks, 2.4 million sign-ups, 18,000 affiliates, and 136,000 active trackers. The company’s extensive range of tools enhances flexibility for operators and affiliates, generating momentum that recently led to ReferOn being recognized as the “Best Affiliate Platform” in 2025 and 2026 by key industry players.
This change will not impact daily operations; assistance and current collaborations will continue as normal. As part of its continuous growth strategy, ReferOn is enhancing its product lineup with the introduction of new features, such as Refie, the integrated interface layer of the platform. The platform continually improves user experience and security via dynamic reporting, Company Grouping, Sub-Affiliation, Independent Deal Calculation (IDC), two-factor authentication (2FA), and thorough mobile optimization.
To maintain operational continuity, the current leadership team stays intact, guaranteeing stability as the company moves into its next phase of growth. With Bukin’s appointment as CEO, Vlad Bondarenko has moved from Head of Product to Chief Product Officer, and David Harris, who was previously Operations Lead, has become Chief Operations Officer. As the organization embarks on its next phase, it continues to prioritize equipping operators with top-tier tools and a dedication to providing the future of affiliate management.
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