News
Game Lounge CEO Richard Dennys discusses compliance, QMRA membership and industry innovation in Exclusive QMRA Q&A

The Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (QMRA) is proud to present an exclusive Q&A with Richard Dennys, CEO of Game Lounge—an international leader in the iGaming affiliate space and a long-standing, valued member of QMRA.
In this insightful interview, Dennys shares his expert perspective on the evolving compliance landscape within affiliate marketing and how Game Lounge has embedded regulatory alignment into the core of its operations. As one of the first companies to join QMRA—successor to the Dutch “Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates” (KVA)—Game Lounge brings a wealth of experience and commitment to responsible affiliation.
With a global footprint, Game Lounge has become a benchmark for compliance excellence. Their proprietary platforms are designed to enforce and monitor regulatory standards in real-time across various jurisdictions including Sweden, the Netherlands, and beyond.
The conversation also highlights the benefits of QMRA certification, for instance in acquiring and maintaining ad privileges with platforms like Google and Meta, and the role of independent audits in validating responsible practices across Game Lounge’s expansive network.
QMRA Executive Director Steven Vrolijk commented: “Game Lounge exemplifies what it means to lead with responsibility in the affiliate sector. Their deep integration of compliance into business strategy and operations is exactly the kind of model QMRA was designed to support and recognize.”
From internal compliance training and dedicated legal teams to AI-driven content monitoring and sub-affiliate oversight, Game Lounge continues to push the industry forward. This Q&A offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the company is future-proofing its model in an increasingly regulated global environment.
To read the full Q&A with Richard Dennys, visit our website: https://qmra.eu/qa-with-richard-dennys-ceo-of-game-lounge/
News
EEGS Launches its First Affiliate Webinar of 2025: Exploring the Affiliate’s Role in Responsible Gaming

The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) is proud to announce the first edition of its Affiliate Webinar series for 2025, taking place on May 13 at 2:00 PM CET. Titled “Balancing Compliance and Conversion: The Affiliate’s Role in Responsible Gaming,” the session will explore the critical role affiliates play in today’s iGaming environment and the increasing importance of responsible practices in performance-driven marketing.
The webinar session will be led by Gjorgje Ristikj, a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the affiliate space. As the Founder of Gamblers Connect and Co-Founder & CEO of RankRadar, Gjorgje brings a wealth of knowledge from co-founding the first Macedonian Poker Affiliate website to leading award-winning projects like Gamblers Connect and consulting in iGaming Affiliate Management. He will share practical insights drawn from real-world examples, industry trends, and proven campaign strategies.
The webinar will cover a wide range of timely topics, including the evolving landscape of affiliate marketing, the importance of aligning with responsible gaming principles, and navigating today’s increasingly complex compliance requirements. Attendees will also learn how to leverage tools and technologies to support compliant and transparent operations.
Whether you’re an affiliate, operator, or marketing professional in the gaming industry, this session promises actionable strategies for balancing ethical practices with business performance.
Registration is free and open. All participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance after the session.
Secure your spot today and join the conversation on the future of affiliate marketing in iGaming: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FopPMF04SZ6uDB5AEBf_PA
News
Raketech Q1 2025: Driving Long-Term Value Through a Platform-First Strategy, and Enhanced Financial Flexibility

Quote from Johan Svensson, CEO “Q1 2025 marked a period of strategic consolidation and operational focus for Raketech. Despite a year-on-year revenue decrease we have made good progress in aligning the business around our platform-first model and long-term growth priorities. With AffiliationCloud now at the core of how we operate, and a strengthened financial position following key decisions, we are confident in our ability to scale efficiently and deliver sustainable value.”
Q1 2025 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
- In Q1 2025, revenues totalled EUR 9.8 million, down from a strong Q1 2024 of EUR 19.0 million, which included EUR 0.8 million from the divested advisory business. Adjusted EBITDA amounted to EUR 2.4 million, (EUR 5.1 million in Q1 2024), while reported EBITDA was EUR 2.1 million (EUR 4.3 million in Q1 2024). The adjustments include restructuring costs related to the strategic shift towards working with entrepreneurial partnerships.
- Financial results were impacted by continued low performance from Casumba within Affiliation Marketing and ongoing challenges in Paid Publisher Network (SubAffiliation). In contrast, the remaining casino and sports assets showed stable or improving trends, adjusted for seasonality, compared to Q4 2024.
- We’re in the final stage of the strategic review of our non-core US tipster and subscription assets. These assets and related US operations had a negative EBITDA impact of EUR 0.3 million in Q1.
- Free cash flow before earnouts totalled EUR 1.7 million in Q1 2025. EUR 6.0 million of the earnout was settled during the quarter, with EUR 2.0 million due in Q2. The remaining earnout of EUR 20.6 million has been extended to March 2028.
OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
- As part of our previously announced review of our operating model, we achieved cost savings of 34% in Q1 2025 (excluding publisher costs) compared to the first quarter of last year.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS AFTER THE END OF THE PERIOD
- On May 6, Raketech announced an agreement with the sellers of Casumba to extend the remaining earnout payment period to March 2028, while removing the option for partial settlement in shares. This revision enhances our financial flexibility, with a commitment to ongoing instalment payments and an ambition to repay the earnout as early as possible.
- Revenues for our Affiliation Marketing assets in April 2025 remains consistent with Q1 2025. However, the lower margin Paid Network (SubAffiliation) continues to face headwinds.
CEO COMMENT
Q1 2025 marked a period of strategic consolidation and operational focus for Raketech. Despite a year-on-year revenue decrease we have made good progress in aligning the business around our platform-first model and long-term growth priorities.
With AffiliationCloud now at the core of how we operate, and a strengthened financial position following key decisions, we are confident in our ability to scale efficiently and deliver sustainable value.
Financial Overview
Q1 2025 revenues amounted to EUR 9.8 million compared to a strong Q1 2024 of EUR 19.0 million (including EUR 0.8 million from the divested advisory business). Adjusted EBITDA of EUR 2.4 million (EUR 5.1 million), with reported EBITDA of EUR 2.1 million (EUR 4.3 million). The adjustments include restructuring costs related to the strategic shift towards working with entrepreneurial partnerships.
We’re in the final stage of the strategic review of our non-core US tipster and subscription assets. These assets and related US operations had a negative EBITDA impact of EUR 0.3 million in Q1.
Strategic Execution & Direction
Platform-First / AffiliationCloud – Building a leading commercial platform: Raketech continues to strengthen its position as a platform first performance-based marketing company by focusing on what we do best: enabling scalability and long-term growth through a structure built on commercial and operational expertise. Through AffiliationCloud, we integrate assets managed in-house and via entrepreneurial partnerships (Affiliation Marketing), along with our Paid and Organic Publisher Network (SubAffiliation), into a single, unified system. This structure supports more efficient operations, better use of data, and greater predictability across all areas.
Entrepreneurial Partnerships – Decentralizing Affiliation Marketing Assets: Our entrepreneurial partnership model remains a core pillar of this approach. In Affiliation Marketing, approximately 50 percent of revenue now comes from these partnerships, and a strategic focus for us is to grow this further during 2025. The partnerships allow Raketech to retain ownership while leveraging its centralized capabilities in commercial agreements, finance, reporting, data, and technology. Our partners contribute deep expertise in areas such as SEO, content, and product development, creating a structure that fosters scalability and efficiency.
Win-Win for Operators and Publishers – SubAffiliation: In SubAffiliation, we apply the same principle by delivering high-quality traffic to operators and offering publishers the best possible commercial terms through AffiliationCloud.
The strategic focus within this area is expanding exclusive network commercial agreements with operators, onboarding new publishers, and investing in our platform infrastructure. These initiatives are laying the foundation for long-term value creation while enhancing daily execution across our network.
Business Area Updates
Affiliation Marketing
Keeping Momentum: Affiliation Marketing generated EUR 6.0 million in revenue during the quarter with continued decline for the Casumba assets. Adjusted for Casumba, the remainder of the Affiliation Marketing portfolio decreased only marginally compared to Q4, reflecting stability despite softer seasonal trading and the shorter reporting period in February. Activity levels in the latter part of the quarter were more in line with Q4, reinforcing our view of a stable and resilient portfolio.
Entrepreneurial Partnership Gaining Ground: Entrepreneurial partnerships now represent approximately 50 percent of revenues in this business area. Operational momentum for the new partnerships, most of which commenced in March, has been strong. While it is too early to see a material financial impact in Q1, we are optimistic that these partnerships will play an increasingly important role during the remainder of the year.
Moving Beyond SEO: Additionally, we continue to focus on diversifying our traffic streams to reduce dependency on SEO. Key initiatives include expanding CRM activities and investing in products with a higher proportion of returning visitors, such as the TV sport guides.
SubAffiliation – Organic Publisher Network and Paid Publisher Network
Navigating Paid Network Headwinds: SubAffiliation generated EUR 3.4 million in revenue during the quarter. The Paid Publisher Network faced a marked decline from March due to external factors like algorithm changes. This volatility has made traffic volumes and monetization less predictable. We do not expect a meaningful recovery in the near term and are putting continued focus on the more stable Organic Publisher Network, but we remain prepared to scale up again should volumes return.
Organic Publisher Network Gaining Ground: The Organic Publisher Network made solid progress. We have onboarded new publishers and expanded our pipeline of exclusive commercial network agreements with operators. The number of active revenue-generating publishers increased to over 80, up from around 50 last year, demonstrating strong interest. As of today, we have four exclusive network commercial operator agreements in place, and expanding this base remains a top priority.
This business area mirrors our partnership model in Affiliation Marketing, with Raketech managing commercial structures and partners providing high-quality traffic. This ensures scalability, value creation, and compliance.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Q1 2025 reflects strategic progress. In Affiliation Marketing, our entrepreneurial partnerships gained traction, and in SubAffiliation, the Organic Publisher Network showed promising growth. Simultaneously, challenges in the Paid Publisher Network reinforced our decision to focus on more stable, predictable sources of lead generation.
The revised Casumba terms have improved our financial flexibility, enabling us to invest in areas with the highest long-term potential.
By aligning commercial strength with operational efficiency across both internally managed assets and those run through entrepreneurial partnerships within Affiliation Marketing, we deliver measurable results and drive sustainable growth. With a growing base of trusted publishers and exclusive network commercial agreements with operators within SubAffiliation, we are well positioned to drive traffic, convert leads, and create long-term value for shareholders.
Johan Svensson, CEO
News
Digital Footprints Shortlisted for Three Prestigious EGR B2B Awards

Digital Footprints, a leading full-service iGaming marketing agency, is proud to announce its shortlisting in three major categories at the upcoming EGR B2B Awards 2025. The agency has been recognised for excellence in the following categories:
- Marketing Services Supplier
- Corporate Services Supplier
- Best Customer Service
The EGR B2B Awards are widely regarded as the benchmark for performance and innovation within the online gaming industry, celebrating the very best service providers across all verticals.
“This recognition from EGR reflects the dedication, creativity, and expertise of our team,” said Sharon McFarlane, Managing Director at Digital Footprints. “Being shortlisted across three highly competitive categories not only validates the results we’ve achieved for our clients, but also showcases our commitment to exceptional service and forward-thinking strategy in the iGaming space.”
A Testament to Innovation and Service Excellence
Digital Footprints has consistently delivered high-impact marketing solutions to some of the industry’s most recognisable brands, combining data-driven strategies with creative execution to drive measurable results. The agency’s inclusion in the Marketing Services Supplier category underlines its reputation for cutting-edge campaign management, performance marketing, and brand development tailored specifically to iGaming audiences.
The Corporate Services Supplier nomination recognises Digital Footprints’ ability to deliver robust support solutions that help clients scale sustainably and compliantly in an increasingly regulated environment.
Meanwhile, the Best Customer Service shortlist position reflects the agency’s people-first approach and relentless focus on providing transparent, responsive, and personalised support to every partner.
Looking Ahead
Winners of the EGR B2B Awards 2025 will be announced at the official awards ceremony on 2nd July, where industry leaders will gather to celebrate innovation and service excellence across the iGaming ecosystem.
Digital Footprints is honoured to stand alongside the industry’s top performers and remains committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in iGaming marketing.
Media Contact:
Sharon McFarlane
Managing Director
Digital Footprints
📧 [email protected]
📞 +44 7885 910 472
🌐 www.digital-footprints.co.uk
The post Digital Footprints Shortlisted for Three Prestigious EGR B2B Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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