News
Twitch bans crypto-casinos, but all other forms are still allowed
Crypto-casino streaming has been banned by Twitch, but the platform still enables vast amounts of fiat currency gambling. The industry however should take care with promoting such high levels of gambling to young audiences, says Pavlos Sideris, director of Double Up Media.
The decision by the streaming giant Twitch to ban gambling websites whose content includes “slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed either in the US or other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection” has been described as a clampdown on gambling-related streaming.
It is true that the Amazon-owned group has, at a purely technical level, placed a ban on unlicensed gambling sites that stream players playing their online gambling products, but in reality it only refers to crypto-backed casinos, which make up so much of the casino content that is streamed.
Twitch however hasn’t banned ‘traditional’ online casino, sports betting or poker operators and affiliates that are regulated in the US (or other major markets).
This is no coincidence. It may be stating the obvious, but the reason Twitch decided to ban cryptocurrency-backed casino play from being streamed is because it is not regulated in the US and as a US company it doesn’t want to attract any more controversy than it already has when it comes to this issue.
The fact that crypto-casino is also not regulated in the UK and other European markets also played a part, but the audience levels generated by casino streamers in the US are that much more significant, while many of the biggest (regulated) casino channels have marketing agreements with major US brands and are highly active on the platform.
Streaming exposure
The lack of crypto regulation did not stop the large crypto brands such as Stake.com, Duelbits or Roobet from streaming online casino play and subsidising streamers with major sponsorship contracts to ensure they continue to broadcast to their thousands of followers.
This has given them significant exposure and, one imagines, enabled them to recruit huge amounts of players. These customers will have watched the rap superstar Drake win $12m on a single roulette spin on Stake.com, having lost more than $800k betting on sports a few hours before, and will have been enticed to open accounts with those operators.
In 2021 and as a nod to wanting to protect its audiences from too much gambling exposure, Twitch outlawed referral codes and affiliate links. The measure however will not have prevented thousands of consumers from easily finding the sites online; while the decision by some of the sites to not accept players from the US is easily circumvented by VPNs.
In fact, looking at its decision to ban crypto-casino streaming, one may wonder what has taken Twitch so long to adopt the measure. After all, crypto-backed casinos and sportsbooks have always been unregulated in the US, UK and other major markets.
Of course, the reason Twitch did not ban them earlier is commercial. The streams by celebrities like Drake and sponsored players such as Mizkif, Trainwrecks or Niknam attracted huge audiences and that would have been the only metric Twitch paid attention to.
Reputational concern
Conversely, the most likely factor to influence Twitch into banning crypto casino sites will have been reputational. Cheating scandals or streamers fleecing players out of significant amounts of money to fund their gambling activities have created huge controversies and shone a most unflattering light on Twitch’s ready acceptance of crypto casino play.
The site is owned by the e-commerce giant Amazon, which likely decided that the safest way to avoid further scandals is to ban crypto casinos outright.
The other obvious point to make is that Twitch on the whole appeals to much younger demographics than those that might play on ‘regular’ slot sites. The company’s advertising and media information says “nearly 75% of Twitch viewers are between the ages of 16 and 34”.
The idea that thousands of young Twitch watchers might have been led into opening accounts on sites that were (and still are) unregulated and where they may have spent huge amounts of money while potentially developing gambling problems would be enough to give any public affairs or compliance executive significant worries.
No gambling ban
In an echo of the point made at the start of this article, campaigners and industry observers have been quick to point out that the new measure by Twitch “isn’t an outright ban on gambling” but just “a blow to crypto casinos”.
Indeed, what some campaigners want is a complete ban on the streaming of online slots and other casino games on Twitch, because, they say, “it is objectively harmful to the website and its users” and Twitch’s ban on unregulated operators still means that “luck-based gambling will still be alive and well on the website on October 18th” when the ban on crypto casinos comes in.
A ban is unlikely to happen in the near or medium term at least and a quick scan of the ‘Slots’ homepage on Twitch shows that the crypto casino channels have now been replaced by more ‘traditional’ ones.
In addition, with competing streaming platforms such as DLive more than willing to accept crypto (or other) casino streamers, it seems unlikely that Twitch will broaden its ban to ‘traditional’ casino channels.
Mass availability
Twitch’s rise as a showcase for online slots and other casino games has been steady and long trailed over the past few years.
What the platform also shows is that live casino continues to evolve. From its original and current incarnation as a product aimed mainly at VIPs and ‘whales’ on regular casino websites, to one that, thanks to Twitch, is becoming more focused on online slots and has been made available to a much broader and younger section of the population.
Without wanting to be too alarmist, the fact that younger demographics are exposed to gambling products much earlier than might have been the case in the past should be a cause for concern for all of us as stakeholders.
There have already been a number of addiction or problem gambling stories of young players who became familiar with gambling through Twitch. Criticising the industry for not intervening earlier will be of no use if all gambling streaming eventually gets banned on Twitch.
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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