News

How Will Gambling Affiliates be Affected by Rule Changes in the UK?

Published

3 years ago

June 30, 2021

As the iGaming market in the UK has grown exponentially since 2010, we’ve also seen associated money-making opportunities emerge in the sector.

For example, the most successful gambling affiliates can earn in excess of £20,000 per month when ranking well for competitive search volume keywords, simply by promoting a particular casino brand through their site.

However, given the recent proposals aimed at safeguarding players in the iGaming market and the wider impact of Brexit on the European gambling industry in the UK, the future for affiliates has become uncertain. But how will they be affected by any rule changes?

Exploring Current Affiliate Restrictions

During the House of Lords Select Committee meeting on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry in February, delegates discussed a wide range of measures to help protect vulnerable and underage gamblers.

They also entertained the ambitious proposals by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Gambling Related Harm, which included measures such as a £2 online slots betting cap and a comprehensive review of the licensing criteria imposed on operators.

Another key topic for discussion was the role of affiliates, and more specifically how operators feel about regulating these entities and the way in which they advertise to their customers.

Currently, there is a clear rule which makes operators liable for the actions of their affiliate partners, with this having been in place since the last review of the market in 2018.

This rule created a sense of accountability amongst operators and made them directly responsible for the marketing activity (and breaches) of their affiliates, resulting in a slew of financial sanctions for brands across the board.

This was also part of a wider drive to curb the publication of misleading information on affiliate sites, which could occasionally be utilized to target vulnerable or underage players.

Aside from misleading advertising, this body of rules and wider regulatory framework also covers specific database practice requirements, including the requirement to demonstrate explicit consent for any person who happens to be on an affiliate’s email marketing list.

By attempting to control sponsored iGaming messaging in this way, both the UK regulator and the government caused a considerable splash in the affiliate market.

For example, Sky Bet closed their affiliate program completely after the new rules were imposed, while a host of other market-leading operators listed on mybettingsite.uk ceased to partner with their most inefficient and untrustworthy affiliates.

This also contributed to the significant spike in mergers and acquisitions in the iGaming market during 2018/19, so it should come as no surprise that stakeholders are watchful in the event that new affiliate laws are passed.

So, What Does the Future Hold for iGaming Affiliates?

The main worry here is that the previous measures clearly have not resulted in the level of control and conformity that regulators would like, which is why alternative (and potentially stricter) measures may be under consideration.

In fact, the most logical and likely move would be to see the government (in conjunction with the UK Gambling Commission) attempt to regulate affiliates and their activity directly.

In theory, this could broadly follow the US model, where sports betting affiliates are required to register or license their operations in full before deals can be struck to promote online sportsbooks and iGaming brands.

This would not only potentially result in the formation of a new and standalone regulatory body, but costs may also be introduced to create a barrier to entry for new affiliates and make the practice less profitable for rogue operators.

Just as in 2018/19, any new rule changes could also trigger another wave of mergers and acquisitions.

In this instance, such strategic moves could well help smaller operators to absorb increased operational costs, while enabling larger corporations to strengthen their market share.

On a fundamental level, however, any new rule changes would require operators (and, to a lesser extent, affiliates) to boost their legal representation, in order to help minimize regulatory costs and pay for any external legal support that may be required.

These challenges will be compounded by Brexit, particularly for UK operators who may also be struggling with the increased RGD levy and other regulatory restrictions.

So, all stakeholders will be waiting with bated breath in the coming months, to see which of the new iGaming rules and regulations are likely to impact on the lucrative practice of affiliate marketing.

Related Topics:Affiliate Restrictions iGaming market in the UK

Up Next

What do Affiliates Need to Consider in NZ from a Regulatory Perspective?

Don't Miss

247Partners strengthens leadership with strategic appointment

Click to comment

News

ReferOn Insights Seminar: A Comprehensive Guide for Operators

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

George Miller

ReferOn, a state-of-the-art affiliate management system developed exclusively for casino and sports betting operators in the iGaming industry, announces the opening of a limited registration (closing 10th of May) for a free seminar. The seminar will cover valuable affiliate management tips directed at operators.

ReferOn brings several useful innovations to managing affiliate marketing in the form of a comprehensive set of tools and services – dynamic reporting, company grouping, a strong media module, easy flows for rewards, sub-affiliation, an IDC calculator, and many more. In its first year of operation, ReferOn has been recognized with industry nominations and awards including 5Star iGaming Media Awards, iGB Affiliate, SBC Casino Beats, and AffPapa Awards. Most recently, it has been shortlisted as an “Affiliate Software Provider” and “Rising Star Software” at the EGR B2B Awards.

The Referon Insights Seminar will be led by David Harris, B2B Affiliate Team Manager of ReferOn with 7+ years of experience in the iGaming market together with Alexia Gauci, B2B Sales Manager at ReferOn as a moderator. This event will help operators, both existing partners and those who are interested in the product, learn valuable information on what ReferOn can deliver to the user with the following agenda;

Data Discovery: Dashboard, Statistics, Reporting and APIs
Tracking Methodology: Creating a campaign, Creating a media item, Setting deals individually or in bulk, and Bulk actions
Management Tips: Company adjustments, Master affiliate adjustments, Manager reassignments, Password setting and 2FA, Payment method checks, and Support reminders.

The duration of the first seminar will be approximately 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A session. Following the seminar, a set of useful instructions will be published and sent to the participants of the event.

David Harris shared details about the upcoming seminar, “Our goal is to give operators useful hints and tools they need to optimize their processes and scale their affiliate marketing efforts into new markets and regions. We look forward to sharing our knowledge and experience with the community.”

ReferOn’s team invites all interested operators to join us for this seminar. The number of seminar participants is limited and there is no fee to participate in the session.

Mark in your calendar: 15 May 2024, 2 PM (GMT+2).

News

L&G esports team founded by Alona Shevtsova won the national Dragon EC Cup tournament

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2024

TheVoice

Ukrainian esports team L&G won the Dragon EC Cup tournament, held on the 20th of April by Dragon Esports Club. Four teams competed in the tournament’s final: Lazer Cats, L&G, which received a direct invitation to the final stage, EsportsBattle, and ThunderFlash, which had open qualifiers. During the Grand Final, the L&G team competed with Lazer Cats on Mirage, Anubis, and Vertigo maps.

“This victory is a testament to the exceptional talent and commitment of our players, as well as the collective effort of our coaching staff and support personnel,” said Alona Shevtsova, founder of L&G Esports. “We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the unwavering support of our fans.”

L&G is among the top 5 Ukrainian teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It was founded in 2021. The previous name was Leogaming, and it was created on the initiative of the famous Alona Shevtsova from the fintech sector.

The team began competing in top tournaments and almost immediately made it to the Advanced division of the ESEA League Europe competition. The team also participated in and took prizes in European tournaments such as the SCL League, WhiteBit Crypto Open, Phoenix League, and local competitions. The team players are marat2k, r0ublE, kr1vda, kL1o, OneUn1que, rji (coach).

The winners received a 50,000 UAH prize. Dragon Esports Club also prepared a 15-skin giveaway for the broadcast’s viewers.

It is worth mentioning that the L&G team created its merch items, which are available for order worldwide. To get more information about the team, visit the L&G Instagram page, Twitch, or Telegram Channel.

Affiliate Announcements

WA.Technology Launches WA.Affiliates

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2024

George Miller

WA.Technology, an award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, announces the launch of WA.Affiliates, a next-gen iGaming affiliate management platform. WA.Affiliates empowers operators to manage and optimise their affiliate programs for enhanced profitability, broader market reach, and streamlined, successful operations.

WA.Affiliates combines an intuitive user interface with a clean, functional design, facilitating simple affiliate performance management. The platform solution is built on real-time optimisation and informed analytics so operators can expand their reach, increase traffic, and boost revenue with maximum efficiency.

Key features include personalised and customisable agreements for each affiliate, integrated user tracking for intelligent insights, and an optimised iGaming-oriented back-office. WA.Affiliates’ support includes zero setup fees alongside free panel transitions and integrated wallets for transaction security and straightforward migration.

Operators can reap the benefits of effortless management thanks to WA.Affiliates’ user-friendly dashboard configuration. Around-the-clock support offers real-time assistance and uncomplicated navigation, giving operators the upper hand in the global marketplace. Hourly insights, detailed reports, and in-depth analysis perfect data-driven decisions for improved acquisition and retention strategies. WA.Affiliates also motivates affiliates via its engaging gamification system, and intelligent user-tracking provides accurate information on campaign performance.

Tim Scoffham, CEO of WA.Technology, shared his enthusiasm for the launch, saying, “With WA.Affiliates, we’re forging a new path in the iGaming industry, creating a platform that not only meets but anticipates the needs of our partners. Our focus on innovation and customised solutions makes WA.Affiliates a key player in driving growth and profitability. We’re simplifying affiliate management to deliver tangible results, demonstrating our commitment to leading the way in digital excellence. At WA.Technology, we’re not just following the path to excellence – we’re creating it.”