News
Why Gambling Affiliate Companies are Key for Smaller American Sportsbooks
As online sports betting continues to expand in the United States, gambling affiliate companies in the country are also growing in number.
The primary objective of affiliate companies is to earn their own small share of the multi-billion dollar market, but they also play a big role in helping new and smaller sportsbooks find their feet in the industry.
The American sports betting market is dominated by a handful of sportsbooks, with FanDuel alone owning about 50% of the market. DraftKings and Caesars are also solidly placed on the podium, making it very difficult for new operators to break through.
This is where gambling affiliate companies come in. Partnering with affiliate sites is a financially-prudent way of online marketing, as the cost is often directly related to the success of the campaign.
Swedish-based affiliate company Leadstar Media is one of many European companies that have turned their focus on the American market, launching a wide array of US focused products, including bonus comparison site, Betting Bonus USA.
Lee Cooper, editor-in-chief at Betting Bonus US, believes affiliate sites are important to all sportsbooks, but even more vital to new and smaller operators.
“For established sites like FanDuel and DraftKings, it is all about consolidating their positions at the top of the market”, he said.
“They have got the big bucks to run sponsorships and advertisements, but they also want to be on top of every list and not give room for complacency”.
“Many smaller operators don’t have the financial muscle to compete with the big guys, and rely heavily on affiliation to get customers and push their brand”, Cooper observed.
Having already enjoyed great success in other countries like Brazil and the United Kingdom, where they send thousands of new players to their partners on a monthly basis, Leadstar Media are confident of having similar success in the United States, considering the enormous potential of the country.
“We have invested a lot of quality resources into the United States, and are beginning to reap the dividends of all that effort”, Cooper stated.
The American gambling market is already quite big, but it is still nowhere near its full capabilities. Sports betting is now legal in some capacity in over 30 states, but significantly fewer states in the country allow online casino gambling.
With more states set to open their doors to the different forms of online gambling, there are many more new customers to be had. This again highlights the importance of affiliate gambling sites to smaller operators in the American market.
It is difficult enough for a new operator to break into the American market, given the different regulations across the states and fairly high licensing fees and taxes. It is even more difficult to usurp the established order and run the business profitably.
The big players look set to keep hold of their positions for the foreseeable future. They’ve already amassed a lion share of the gambling revenue, and are in a vantage position regarding advertising.
Gambling affiliate sites offer a more level playing field for the smaller operators to rub shoulders with the current market leaders and compete for customers. It’s a much fairer fight for the newbies!
Affiliate Success
First iGB Affiliate Manager Academy to shine a light on effective AI-Driven affiliate recruitment strategies
Organisers of July’s edition of iGB L!VE – the first to be held in London – have announced the launch of the AI focussed iGB Affiliate Manager Academy which will be held July 1 as part of London iGaming Week.
The training and mentorship program which is being curated in partnership with Affiverse, founded by veteran affiliate marketer Lee-Ann Johnstone – and which guides businesses on how to launch, scale and grow successful affiliate programs, has been designed to help organisations of all sizes understand how to leverage new tactics and simple AI tools to recruit, retain and activate affiliates more effectively.
The Academy will offer a mix of practical learning, tactical assessments and personalised coaching providing affiliate managers with an invaluable opportunity to learn from industry leaders. Each unique session will include topical insights drawing on the dominant trends in the market.
Looking ahead to the Academy Lee-Ann Johnstone said: “I’m delighted that Clarion has invited Affiverse to develop a bespoke training academy specifically for iGaming Affiliate Managers.
“In an industry that’s constantly evolving, and which is powered by the early adoption of new technologies, businesses and affiliate managers have to keep learning in order to remain competitive. The only way we get to understand the affiliate space and all the complexities it entails is on the job – from others!
“It has always been important to me that those who have knowledge pay it forward and I’m really excited to be given the task of leading the curation of this unique event bringing the best of the best together in order to teach, train and coach affiliate managers as we move forward.
“The gap between AI-empowered affiliate managers and those relying solely on traditional methods is widening every month. The iGB Affiliate Manager Academy will provide the bridge to ensure businesses are on the right side of that divide.”
Reflecting on the importance and objectives of the iGB Affiliate Manager Academy, Global Portfolio Director Naomi Barton said: “Our live events are all about delivering real value to our international community of stakeholders. Lee-Ann and her team at Affiverse are spearheading the academy syllabus and content stream alongside IGB’s events production team to provide tailor made training and mentoring for new and existing affiliate managers as well as those who want to learn and scale their affiliate programs faster.
“The workshop will provide insider access to the exact AI-driven techniques that are assisting brands to deliver real results. Most significantly this isn’t just theory — instead it’s a hands-on expert-led roadmap focussing on immediately implementable tactics that will transform your program performance.”
MightyTips has received a nomination for “Sportsbook Affiliate of the Year” at the prestigious AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. MightyTips hopes to follow in the footsteps of its parent company, SEOBROTHERS, which won the Affiliate Agency of the Year award at the 2023 ceremony and has received another nomination this year.
MightyTips’ nomination follows a year of expansion for the brand, which increased its portfolio of multilingual sites to 19. In addition to continuing to provide free daily football betting tips and in-depth bookmaker reviews, MightyTips also launched the MightyQs interview series, which spotlights some of the most exciting partnerships between online sportsbooks and high-profile sporting franchises such as Juventus and the UFC.
Held at Hacienda Nadales in Malaga, Spain, the fourth annual AffPapa iGaming Awards will take place on May 28th, 2025. The awards celebrate and recognise affiliates, operators, and B2B providers for hard work and innovation within the iGaming industry and commend those who are constantly pushing the boundaries and setting new standards.
One of the most notable and respected ceremonies on the industry calendar will be hosted as part of the iGaming Club Conference, a two-day networking event that will welcome over 1,200 industry delegates. Voting is open to the public and will close on May 11th.
Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, said: “We’re overjoyed to hear that MightyTips have been nominated for these prestigious awards. It’s fantastic to be evaluated for our hard work over the last twelve months, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of their efforts. This is a huge professional achievement for the brand.”
We are delighted to announce that Slotsjudge received two nominations for the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. Milestones like this highlight our team’s dedication and strong position in the iGaming industry.
Slotsjudge was nominated in two key categories: “Rising Star Affiliate of The Year” and “Slots Review Affiliate of The Year.” The first nomination recognizes our fast growth and impact in a competitive market, while the second one emphasizes the quality and reliability of our game reviews. We highly value the trust our audience places in us as a credible and influential voice within the industry.
What sets Slotsjudge apart is our honest, straightforward content. Our team creates reviews that players can rely on, helping them make informed choices. We actively encourage community engagement and user-generated content, ensuring our reviews reflect real player experiences. Our approach combines simplicity, transparency, and a direct connection with our audience. We believe that this strong content strategy and dedication to genuine player feedback are the reasons behind these nominations.
“We are very grateful and proud of these nominations,” said Jekaterina Dubnicka, Head of Marketing and Communications. “It is exciting to see our team’s hard work acknowledged. We appreciate our users and partners, whose support has been key to our success.”
The AffPapa iGaming Awards ceremony will take place online on June 20, 2025. Slotsjudge looks forward to attending and celebrating with the industry. We thank the jury for their recognition, and we are excited about the future, continuing to grow alongside our valued community and partners.
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MightyTips is nominated for Affiliate of the Year at the AffPapa iGaming Awards
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