News
QMRA Research – Warning on potential Affiliate Ban in Finland

Lessons from the Netherlands Show the Risks of Eliminating Regulated SEO Affiliates
Finland is planning to ban affiliate marketing in its newly regulated online gambling market. The Finnish Government proposal HE 16/2025 VP sees affiliate marketing as problematic for the following reasons: risk of misuse by presenting incorrect information, blurring legal boundaries (difficulty distinguishing licensed and unlicensed operators), a lack of consumer protection (by not being neutral) and tax avoidance (as most affiliate operators are foreign registered).
New research from Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (QMRA) warns that such a ban could have severe unintended consequences, including a rise in illegal gambling operators dominating search engine results.
Drawing on lessons from the Dutch market, where online gambling has been regulated since 2021, the report underscores the crucial role of SEO affiliates in directing consumers to legal, licensed operators and countering the influence of unregulated platforms.
The Netherlands has witnessed firsthand the challenges of illegal gambling platforms using SEO and Google Ads to attract vulnerable players. Research by Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) found that when legal affiliates are restricted, search results are quickly overrun by unlicensed operators. These sites often target minors and self-excluded gamblers, lack responsible gambling protections, and operate with minimal oversight.
Steven Vrolijk, QMRA Director: “The Dutch market has taught us a lot about how illegal operators adapt. We’ve also seen that proactive, responsible affiliates play a crucial role in pushing back against them. SEO affiliation is a form of advertising that only appears when a consumer is actively searching for gambling options. If Finland bans legal affiliates, its search results may soon be dominated by illegal results.”
The report highlights key risks associated with an affiliate marketing ban:
- Increased visibility of illegal gambling sites – Without regulated affiliates, players will primarily encounter unlicensed operators.
- Lack of consumer protections – Illegal sites do not enforce responsible gambling measures or age verification.
- Higher risk of fraud and money laundering – Many unlicensed operators accept cryptocurrency and other anonymous payment methods.
- Targeting of vulnerable players – Minors and problem gamblers are more likely to be exposed to unregulated gambling.
Instead of a full ban, QMRA recommends Finland implement a structured affiliate marketing framework.
Download the full report
The full report provides an in-depth analysis of the risks and offers data-driven recommendations.
Affiliate Announcements
Discover Affigates: BetConstruct’s Innovative Affiliate Network for the iGaming Sector

Industry powerhouse BetConstruct is announcing the official launch of Affigates, a full-scale affiliate ecosystem that is set to redefine how operators and partners connect in iGaming.
What Sets It Apart?
Affigates brings affiliate software, affiliate program management, and a performance-tested network under one roof, designed from the ground up for scale, speed, and smarter growth.
From AI-aided management to a proprietary scoring system that filters the noise and finds real partners, Affigates removes the friction and delivers results that actually move the needle. With over 4500+ affiliates, 630+ active partner operators, and access to more than 30 million players, the ecosystem is already making a significant impact.
See It First at iGB L!VE
Affigates is making its global debut at iGB L!VE in London, where the sharpest minds in iGaming converge. You will find the ecosystem in action at its own stand, C40, as well as the dedicated team behind it.
Catering to both ready-to-scale operators and affiliates aiming higher, Affigates is here to deliver the affiliate solution the industry has been waiting for.
Affiliate Announcements
Affilka by SOFTSWISS Unveils Updates for Affiliates

Affilka by SOFTSWISS, an award-winning affiliate management software platform, has announced a suite of new product updates for the affiliates. The latest release introduces a Traffic Report with advanced clicks analytics, an API for extracting campaigns and tracking links, and a sub-affiliate NGR-based revenue share model.
Traffic Report: In-depth Click Analysis
This new Traffic Report focuses on detailed click-level analytics, offering in-depth insights into clicks, registrations, deposits, and conversion rates such as click-to-reg and click-to-FTD – all in one place. It includes several key features for flexible data analysis:
- Multi-dimensional filtering and data grouping: The report enables users to filter and break down the data into granular views across multiple dimensions, offering detailed insights by traffic source, campaign, country, device type, IP address, and more. Notably, click data is transferred to the report in real time, providing instant visibility into user activity.
- CSV data export: The report supports one-click CSV export, allowing affiliates to easily download raw data for offline analysis or sharing.
- Historical data access: Affiliates can review traffic statistics from 1 January 2023, enabling year-on-year comparisons and long-term trend evaluation.
Gleb Bichan, Product Lead at Affilka by SOFTSWISS, comments: “At Affilka, we know how crucial it is for operators and affiliates alike to make data-driven decisions. That’s why we’re introducing tools like the Traffic Report to help partners become more productive and uncover new insights faster.”
API for Marketing Campaigns and Tracking Links
In addition to the existing Reports API, affiliates can now access data on their marketing campaigns and tracking links directly via API, allowing for automated data extraction and custom integrations. With this API access, users can retrieve up-to-date lists of marketing campaigns, promo codes, and related performance metrics directly via API calls. This improvement helps Affilka clients automate their reporting workflows and integrate affiliate data with external BI tools, reducing manual effort and ensuring timely access to key information.
New Sub-affiliate Revenue Share Model
Responding to client feedback, Affilka’s team also features a new sub-affiliate reward type. This allows affiliates to earn a commission based on the Net Gaming Revenue (NGR) generated by players referred by their sub-affiliates, offering a more direct revenue-sharing approach. By aligning earnings with the actual revenue brought in by sub-affiliates, the update incentivises collaboration and gives experienced affiliates a stronger stake in mentoring their referred partners.
Gleb Bichan adds: “For us, it’s important that affiliates not only use the product but also feel it’s built with their real needs in mind. We regularly gather feedback and implement improvements that make daily workflows more transparent and efficient. Features like the Traffic Report, API access, and new reward types are direct responses to partner requests – and we’re not stopping there. We plan to introduce even more tools designed to simplify affiliate operations, so stay tuned for upcoming updates.”
Affilka by SOFTSWISS will be presented at iGB in London from 3 to 4 July 2025. Attendees of the event can learn more about new features directly from the Affilka team and see how these innovations support better affiliate programme management.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
News
Checkd Dev Launches New Affiliate-Focused AdTech Product Powered by BRUNO Platform

-
Seamless integration of sign-up offers, bonuses, promotions, and ambassador-led bets
-
A streamlined back end powered by Checkd’s Automated Betting Solution CMS, enabling affiliates to easily configure and control the full content proposition
-
A tailored, user-centric experience that boosts engagement and monetisation potential which is based on many years of Checkd’s learnings within the ultra-competitive UK affiliate landscape
-
iGB7 days ago
Royal Partners is touching down in London for this year’s most anticipated conference!
-
News6 days ago
North Star Network acquires BasketUSA.com and BasketEurope.com
-
News6 days ago
Checkd Dev Launches New Affiliate-Focused AdTech Product Powered by BRUNO Platform
-
Affiliate Announcements5 days ago
Affilka by SOFTSWISS Unveils Updates for Affiliates
-
Affiliate Announcements5 days ago
Discover Affigates: BetConstruct’s Innovative Affiliate Network for the iGaming Sector