Affiliate Success
Ad Fraud and Affiliate Marketing Strategies: How Online Gaming Companies Can Transform Their ROI
![Ad Fraud and Affiliate Marketing Strategies: How Online Gaming Companies Can Transform Their ROI](https://gamblingaffiliatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/metcalf.png)
By: Richard Metcalf, Global VP, Sports Betting & Online Gaming, TrafficGuard
Betting companies can adopt cutting-edge technology and offer the very best odds, but amplifying your brand is still difficult in a saturated industry. As a result of relaxing regulations, international players can break into an increasing number of new markets but reaching local target audiences can be a challenge. For these businesses, affiliate marketing is a vital channel in driving new user acquisition and some of the largest sportsbooks like Paddy Power and DraftKings are among those utilising the strategy.
With competition fierce, businesses are in a constant battle to keep costs low. Cost-per-thousand (CPT) payment models for traditional TV advertisements are progress towards paying for performance, but vendors still cannot guarantee that exposure will translate to depositing customers. Affiliate marketing provides a cost-efficient, low-risk alternative because businesses pay for conversions only.
But with money to be made, affiliate advertising fraud is rife and affiliate partners are likely delivering invalid engagement. If betting companies are looking to expand their user base and market amongst big players, they must improve their visibility over affiliate partners’ traffic.
Tracking Affiliate Activity
From smaller players to large conglomerates, there’s an exciting opportunity for betting companies to establish their presence across global markets. In the US especially, rapid legalisation across multiple states has turned betting into a million-dollar industry and created a profitable opportunity for overseas operators to move into the new market.
However, marketing globally can be expensive and driving brand awareness in a new location is often time-consuming and resource-heavy. With affiliate marketing, betting companies can create a network of partners from across the globe and easily access international audiences. This strategy is also much more efficient and expansive than physical marketing methods as it removes the difficulties that are tied to building a target audience from scratch.
Although affiliate marketing is a valuable marketing tool for increasing brand awareness and authenticity, affiliate management platforms aren’t prioritising fraud. The measures they put in place themselves are often basic and easy to get around and fraudsters can easily fly under the radar by taking advantage of the lack of protection. The nature of affiliate marketing means there is a disconnect between the promotion, analytics and payment, preventing companies from getting a holistic view of the fraud impacting them in addition to paying out for valueless traffic.
Affiliate fraud in the betting industry includes any deceitful action taken by a third party to exploit marketing techniques. This can include click fraud, where fake clicks are generated on ads to earn commission payments; or cookie stuffing, where fake cookies are placed on computers to hijack affiliate sales. Malicious affiliate ad programs do this so they can earn money from false clicks or sales and target high-investment marketing campaigns.
Research by Forrester revealed that 81% of advertisers include affiliate marketing as part of their marketing strategy. The growth of the market, paired with the increase in competition, is why many are turning to affiliate marketing. However, by being cost-effective through performance-based pay, there is an increased attraction from fraudsters. Sports betting companies are not well-equipped to address the problems they face with ad fraud.
Statista predicts affiliate marketing spending in the US alone will reach $8.2 billion by the end of 2022. With the vast amount of money involved, sports betting companies are a target for fraudsters.
Getting Instant Access
In order to prevent fraudulent traffic, betting companies must increase the visibility they have over affiliates. By keeping track of partners’ activity, including reviewing their demographics, reputation and quality of traffic, they can increase the quality of their affiliate partners.
Betting companies can do this using third-party technology that can indicate that affiliate scams are taking place in real-time to deliver the most reliable fraud protection. Intelligent software that uses behaviour analysis, such as machine learning, can track the volume of data required to deliver an accurate, instant analysis of which traffic is valid, invalid and fraudulent. Machine learning can identify granular details such as an unusually high number of clicks on an ad, or a high number of sales from a single IP address to confidently assess and deal with invalid traffic so the betting company doesn’t have to pay out.
With this data, operators gain the confidence to cross reference the engagement affiliates charge them for, prevent any partners from trying to outmanoeuvre them and safeguard their business against malicious activity. With more protection over advertising campaigns and a larger proportion of clicks coming from conversion-ready leads, companies can build cleaner audience groups from high-value affiliate partners.
Better Visibility, Better ROI
Reaching a market size of $231 billion in 2022, the sports betting industry is becoming increasingly attractive to international operators and fraudsters alike. If you’re running an affiliate marketing program, there’s a high chance you’re paying out for partners’ invalid traffic.
Only using the data your affiliate program partners declare means you’re at risk of being misled. Affiliate programs need to be monitored to avoid scams and program fraud. By understanding which affiliate partners are directing invalid traffic to their websites and charging a premium price for it, sportsbooks can optimise their pay-outs and exceed competitors’ efforts.
Affiliate Success
Game Lounge Swedish Website (SveaCasino.Se) now QMRA Compliant
![Game Lounge Swedish Website (SveaCasino.Se) now QMRA Compliant](https://gamblingaffiliatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/QMRA-1.png)
QMRA is a Quality Mark for iGaming affiliates, launched in February 2024. QMRA is available for the following jurisdictions: Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA Michigan, UK, Poland, Estonia, Ontario
QMRA is a follow up from successful Dutch Quality Mark KVA, which currently has most affiliates as members and works with several operators (like LeoVegas, TonyBet, HardRockCasino, 711 and Tombola).
QMRA now has various prominent members, like: Gaming Innovation Group (Gentoo), Applied Digital Media Group, Leadstar Media (for Germany) and Game Lounge as well.
Game Lounge joined QMRA with GuideCasino.Be before, and has now joined QMRA with various markets. For Sweden, the first website has been found compliant: SveaCasino.Se
Having the Quality Mark will instill trust in Swedish consumers, authorities and operators.
SveaCasino.Se is a well known Swedish website, with estimated traffic (SEMRUSH) of about 100.000 per month. SveaCasino.Se will be carrying the QMRA mark from now on. This means that the website has been checked against the QMRA Compliance Code:
- Channelling objectives
- The affiliate shall not advertise or promote the offer of unlicensed operators.
- The affiliate shall not make use of brand imagery, call-to-actions or make other references to the website and offer of unlicensed operators.
- Responsible advertising
- The affiliate shall never aim their advertising activities at persons that have not reached the age of 18.
- The affiliate shall add an 18+ characteristic to every webpage of their website and to any marketing activities on social media. The characteristic shall be clearly identifiable and visible to the consumer.
- The affiliate shall be mindful of the design of their marketing activities, as to not directly or indirectly target or exploit minors.
- The affiliate shall not make use of minors, directly or indirectly, in any marketing activity or imagery used in relation to marketing for games of chance.
- The affiliate shall not aversely influence excluded persons in a way that may convince or encourage them to start gambling, discourage them from further self-exclusion or target them in any marketing activity targeted at advertising games of chance.
- Careful and balanced design
- All marketing activities shall use no uncertain terms or mislead the consumer as to the nature, workings, prizes, risks and odds of the offer.
- The affiliate shall not use any uncertain terms or mislead the consumer as to their affiliation, role or activities. The affiliate shall clearly disclose their role as a marketeer.
- The affiliate shall not imply or state that the consumer may have a predominant influence on the outcome of a game of chance, or that the outcome may be influenced in any other way other than chance.
- The affiliate shall clearly state the type of game of chance is offered.
- The affiliate shall clearly state the license status of the operator.
- The affiliate shall not claim that it is quick or easy to win often or a large amount of money in any game of chance.
- The affiliate shall not encourage excessive or irresponsible gambling behavior.
- The affiliate shall not claim that the offer is free, the best, the cheapest or on sale in any way.
- Contributing to responsible gaming
- The affiliate shall share information regarding the risks associated with gambling for money.
- The affiliate shall share information and the means to get help with a (developing) gambling addiction. This information shall be:
- The national support helpline for gambling addiction;
- Parties that offer further assistance for a gambling addiction;
- Further information on gambling addiction;
- The possibility of self-exclusion and the Swedish Gambling Authority.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Announces Second Seminar for Affiliates: ReferOn Insights
![ReferOn Announces Second Seminar for Affiliates: ReferOn Insights](https://gamblingaffiliatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/referon-insights-20.png)
Following the success of the first seminar for operators, ReferOn is delighted to announce its second seminar, “ReferOn Insights,” specifically designed for affiliates. This highly anticipated event will take place on Thursday, 11th July at 2 PM CET and promises to deliver invaluable knowledge and strategies for affiliates in the iGaming industry.
The seminar will be led by David Harris, B2B Affiliate Team Manager at ReferOn, who boasts over 8 years of experience in the iGaming market. He will be joined by Alexia Gauci, B2B Sales Manager at ReferOn, who will serve as the moderator for the session.
What to expect at the seminar:
- Data Discovery and Reporting: Gain insights into effective data analysis and reporting techniques to optimize affiliate performance.
- Tracking Methodology: Learn about advanced tracking methods and how to implement them for better accuracy and efficiency.
- Management tips: get advice on security, optimizing payment processing, processes and technical support team resources.
Additionally, following the main seminar program, there will be a Q&A session – participants will have the opportunity to speak directly with David Harris and Alexia Gauci and have their individual questions answered.
Join this opportunity to elevate your affiliate strategies and network with industry leaders. Spaces for the seminar are limited, so sign up promptly to secure your spot. The seminar will take place just a few days before the ReferOn team travels to one of the main iGaming industry events of the year iGB Live! You can be the first to find out online what ReferOn is preparing to present at booth 10-F38 at RAI Amsterdam from July 17-18.
Affiliate Success
Casino Guru wins Affiliate of the Year at AffPapa Awards for third consecutive time
![Casino Guru wins Affiliate of the Year at AffPapa Awards for third consecutive time](https://gamblingaffiliatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/Casino-Guru-wins-Affiliate-of-the-Year-at-AffPapa-Awards.png)