News
Can EURO 2020 Spark a Betting Boom for Britain’s Bookies?
With UEFA and football fans breathing a sigh of relief that EURO 2020 is finally to be held this summer, will UK bookmakers be celebrating too come July?
Clawing Back the Lost Pounds
The coronavirus pandemic has proved a disruption to every walk of life in the UK. Successive lockdowns, closed schools, homeworking, and furlough schemes have changed the entire country over the past 12 months.
And for sports fans and online bookmakers, the past year has been equally disruptive. 2020 should have been a bumper year for Britain’s bookies. Instead, many of the bookmakers’ most active markets were either curtailed or wiped completely from the calendar.
The English Premier League was suspended – although it eventually came to a spluttering end just before the summer – while Wimbledon was cancelled and the Grand National went virtual. By the time of the first national lockdown, gamblers were resorting to betting on the only football around – Asian Handicaps featuring actual Asian teams, and the far reaches of the Belarus Premier League.
In fact, total tax receipts for the period April 2020 to March 2021 came to “just” £2.83bn. That marked a staggering drop of £182m – or 6% – compared to the previous year.
But it was the cancellation of EURO 2020 that really hit bookies hard. Major football events are normally huge cash cows for online bookmakers. And 2020 was due to be an even bigger betting bonanza for the betting sites: Scotland had qualified for their first major tournament in over 20 years, while for England EURO 2020 would have been as close to a home tournament as they had seen since EURO 1996.
Betting Bonanza Expected This Summer
Betting companies recovered as 2020 came to a close. Most players migrated online as the continuing closure of retail betting shops and casinos continued. Indeed, poker activity and online casino gameplay helped to soften the blow.
But nothing compares to a major football tournament to turn around betting sites’ fortunes. At the last big footballing festival – the 2018 World Cup – over €136bn in bets were taken by the bookies.
And with EURO 2020 being held across multiple countries, including England, UK bookies will be looking forward to a release of cash from gamblers itching to put their bankrolls and footie knowledge to good use.
England will play all of their group games at Wembley, as well as a potential semi-final and final – if they make it that far. The better Gareth Southgate’s team does, the more money will be flowing through the UK bookies’ coffers. Simply put, England have a very real chance of winning their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. And that could translate into a big payday for the bookmakers.
Bonuses & Promotions for EURO 2020
To take advantage of an expected bumper EURO 2020, major brands will have exclusive offers and promos for the event. The tournament starts on June 11 but we already know the 24 teams taking part. And if the 2018 World Cup is anything to go by, bookies will be going all out with a raft of special deals.
England specials will almost certainly be on the table. Money back on losing England bets may be offered, as well as enhanced odds on the team’s home games. New players will also be able to claim free bets when they open their accounts.
Moving Forward: What’s in Store for UK Gamblers?
Despite a year of betting shop closures and delayed or cancelled sporting events, the UK sports betting industry rode the storm well. Revenues at the big betting companies like William Hill and Sky held firm.
In the case of the Sky Betting and Gaming Group (SBG), online sports betting revenue actually increased by 26%. New player acquisitions and more customers betting online seems to have helped companies weather the COVID-19 storm.
But assuming a good EURO 2020, what lies in store for the UK bookmakers? There is a review of the 2005 Gambling Act which may see some of the bookies’ powers scaled back.
Affordability checks are a definite possibility, and an ombudsman may come in to force betting forms to reduce stakes where needed. In addition, visible gambling advertising on football shirts may become a thing of the past. Indeed, more and more football clubs are terminating deals with shirt sponsors from the gambling industry.
For now, the betting companies will be concerned with the success of EURO 2020. And with football punters promised a first bonanza of football since the 2018 World Cup, expect a similar bonanza on the bookmakers’ sites.
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.
News
Sports bettor Kwiff supercharges its affiliate strategy with new RavenTrack partnership
Kwiff, the pioneer of the “supercharged” betting experience, has officially announced the appointment of RavenTrack as its primary affiliate tracking provider. This strategic partnership aims to enhance Kwiff’s affiliate operations through RavenTrack’s advanced platform-as-a-service (PaaS) technology.
By integrating RavenTrack’s sophisticated tracking solutions, Kwiff intends to streamline its affiliate program management, ensuring greater transparency, accuracy, and efficiency for its growing network of partners.
The move comes as Kwiff continues to scale its presence across the UK and international markets, leveraging its unique algorithm that randomly supercharges any bet, regardless of the sport or market.
“From our very first conversation, it was clear that Kwiff were looking for more than just a tracking platform, they needed a partner who could genuinely match their ambition and long-term strategic vision. We’re truly grateful that Kwiff chose RavenTrack in what was a highly competitive process, and I’m personally proud to have helped bring the partnership together,” said Kate Scowen, sales and growth manager at RavenTrack.
“The first few months of working together have already been fantastic, and it’s been a real pleasure working with their team. We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to building a strong, long-lasting relationship together.”
Jack Milner, campaign manager at Kwiff, commented on the partnership, saying: “RavenTrack came highly recommended and with a strong track record within the iGaming sphere. We have enjoyed a fantastic start, working with their brilliant and incredibly helpful team and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”
The collaboration aligns with Kwiff’s recent period of rapid expansion. RavenTrack’s reputation for providing high-performance tracking and exceptional customer support was a decisive factor in the selection process. As an industry leader in affiliate tech, RavenTrack will provide Kwiff with the robust infrastructure required to manage complex data sets and optimise ROI for its affiliate channel.
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