Affiliate Announcements
Catena Media appoints Manuel Stan as new CEO

Catena Media’s board of directors today announces the appointment of Manuel Stan as CEO, an experienced business executive in the online sports betting and casino gaming industry.
Manuel will lead Catena Media’s North American and global market operations from Las Vegas, where he is based. He will assume his position on July 1, 2024.
A veteran of almost 20 years in the industry, Manuel spent 16 years at Kindred Group, where he led marketing teams and served as Senior Vice President North America. At Kindred, Manuel led marketing teams for six years and played a core role in shaping the group’s affiliate marketing programme. He also has experience of customer marketing, business development, financial planning and analysis, and corporate governance.
Manuel holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business and Economics from Bucharest University of Economic Studies and an Executive Management Programme Diploma from Yale School of Management.
He said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to drive Catena Media forward on the next stage of its journey as the group takes on new challenges while further advancing its presence in North America. This is a strong business with talented employees and I look forward to working with the teams to capitalise fully on the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Göran Blomberg, Catena Media Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: “Manuel was the outstanding candidate for this position among the names considered and we are extremely pleased that he is joining us. He is a leader with proven leadership skills and wide-ranging experience within our industry. His close knowledge of the North American market and of both the operator and affiliate sides of the business will be a significant asset for Catena Media and our North America-focused organisation as we begin this new chapter for the group.”
Affiliate Announcements
Experienced execs launch new UK affiliate, YourTopCasino

A team of experienced iGaming executives has launched YourTopCasino, a new UK-facing affiliate brand designed to help players make smarter, safer choices when selecting an online casino.
The founding team – led by Chris Prentice and comprising marketing, retention and design experts – brings more than 30 years of industry experience with them from senior roles at companies including Grace Media, ActiveWin and Betable Group.
The brand enters the market with a fresh perspective, including a focus on responsible gaming, with reviews including detailed assessments of session limits, deposit limits, time-out tools, and self-exclusion options.
“The YourTopCasino team brings together years of experience across all parts of the iGaming value chain, so a move into affiliation was a logical next step,” said Chris Prentice, co-founder and director at YourTopCasino.
“We saw a gap in the market for an affiliate brand that doesn’t just prioritise conversions, but actually helps players engage with online casinos in a healthy and informed way. By building YourTopCasino around trust, transparency, and responsible gaming, we’re creating long-term value for both players and operators.”
In addition to expert reviews, the site offers a growing library of responsible gambling resources.
As the UK market continues to evolve, YourTopCasino’s player-first approach positions it as a timely and forward-thinking addition to the affiliate space.
Affiliate Announcements
XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, introduces significant updates to the Xsolla Partner Network, an advanced affiliate marketing engine designed to connect game developers with content creators. These updates enhance the experience for both developers and creators by introducing new interaction tools, expanded data accessibility, and deeper integrations with the Xsolla Rainmaker platform.
The growing influence of content creators on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok has reshaped game marketing strategies. Developers increasingly seek streamlined ways to discover, manage, and measure creator partnerships. The Xsolla Partner Network addresses this demand by providing an all-in-one solution for creating and scaling performance-based campaigns, now with added tools to enhance usability and campaign success.
New Xsolla Partner Network updates significantly benefit developers and creators, enhancing their ability to collaborate effectively and succeed in their goals.
For developers, the platform now offers:
- Enhanced search functionality to discover, compare, and invite creators who best align with campaign goals
- Detailed creator profiles with insights such as concurrent viewer metrics, games played, and campaign performance, enabling developers to make informed decisions
- Integration with Xsolla Rainmaker data from Twitch and YouTube Gaming, providing robust analytics like streamer views, follower counts, and game-specific performance data for data-driven decision-making
- Streamlined collaboration tools, including direct distribution of promo codes, tracking links, and game keys
- A flexible revenue share model, allowing developers to set customizable commission rates for creators driving successful transactions
Creators gain access to a comprehensive creator toolkit designed to simplify campaign management and accelerate growth. The redesigned interface provides intuitive tools and features that make managing campaigns, engaging audiences, and enhancing content creation easier. By removing the 50-subscriber minimum threshold, the platform is now accessible to micro creators, enabling them to kickstart their careers.
Additional features for creators include:
- Real-time performance tracking, offering insights into campaign results.
- User-friendly account navigation, simplifying platform usage.
- Opportunities to partner directly with game developers, helping creators grow their audience and monetize their work by driving sales for games and in-game content featured at Xsolla Mall.
- Creator sites at Xsolla Mall enable creators to resell digital content, showcase campaign details, collect donations, and share links to all social media platforms to increase visibility.
- Overlays, providing game-branded promotional graphics and animations for live streams to boost engagement and drive awareness.
- Chatbot is designed to share tracking links and promo codes in real-time chats during gameplay, reward viewers, and engage the community.
With these updates, the Xsolla Partner Network empowers developers and creators to collaborate seamlessly, unlocking new opportunities for success in the evolving landscape of game marketing.
“The Xsolla Partner Network has always been a powerful tool for developers to grow their games and for creators to monetize their passion,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “With these new features, we enable seamless collaboration between developers and creators, ensuring both can achieve their goals more effectively.”
Affiliate Announcements
QMRA Recognition by Google & Meta in Denmark – A Milestone for Compliance
QMRA has now been active for nearly a year, and we are proud to have welcomed many members who share our commitment to responsible affiliation. We continue to work towards becoming the leading compliance indicator for international affiliates.
Beyond compliance, we are expanding our efforts into advocacy. For example, in Finland, we have launched lobbying initiatives as the government considers restricting affiliate activities.
Most importantly, several QMRA members are actively seeking advertising licenses from Google and Meta in various jurisdictions. We are pleased to confirm that in Denmark, both platforms have recognized QMRA membership as a decisive factor in granting these licenses. This information has been directly communicated to us by our members.
This is a significant milestone for QMRA. It confirms that our compliance checks and the presence of the QMRA quality mark on an iGaming affiliate website are taken seriously by key industry players. Additionally, we know that in other markets, QMRA membership is already being considered in similar assessments.
We will continue to strengthen our position and expand our influence. Thank you for your continued support in upholding responsible affiliation standards.
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