Affiliate Announcements
Bojoko special report: 45% rev shares as low as 8%
Online casino affiliate is calling for fairness and transparency around the fees operators apply to earnings after undertaking audit
Bojoko has created a special industry report looking into the fees operators apply to the revenues affiliates earn and the impact this is having.
Bojoko carried out an audit of the online casinos listed on its site that it has a 45% revenue share agreement with to see what it actually received once fees had been deducted.
The findings showed the lowest net revenue after fees were deducted came out at just 8%. Not only that, but 18 of the audit casinos delivered a revenue share after fees lower than 16%.
At the other end of the scale, the highest revenue share after fees was 40.8% but the average revenue share after fees was 23.9% – nearly half the agreed 45%.
Following the audit, Bojoko took the decision to create a special report to start a conversation about fees and how operators can be more transparent about when and how they are applied.
You can access the full report here.
To ensure the report was balanced and representative, Bojoko spoke with several operators as well as affiliate platform providers. It also includes input from Bojoko’s Chief Business Officer, Joonas Karhu.
The aim of the report is to not just get the conversation started regarding fees and transparency, but to actively suggest ways the relationship between operators and affiliates can be improved.
One of the ways Bojoko and Karhu are seeking to improve the situation is through the recently launched Professional Gambling Affiliates Association.
Its role is discussed in the report, as well as some of the early progress that has been made in ensuring contractual fairness and stability for affiliates.
Joonas Karhu, Chief Business Officer at Bojoko, said: “Our audit into and report on the fees applied to affiliates makes for interesting reading and shows that there is a lot more that needs to be done to improve the relationship between both parties.
“We accept the need to pay fees on revenue share agreements, but those fees must be fair and transparent so that affiliates have the opportunity to discuss them before entering into an agreement to promote and operator’s brand.
“But the report does more than just highlight this issue – it provides solutions and steps that can be taken to ensure fairness and transparency so that both parties can maximise the benefit of the relationship.”
Affiliate Announcements
CasinoBeats Summit Set to Offer a Laser Focus on Marketing and Affiliate Strategies
Amidst the whirlwind of Google’s relentless updates and the intricate web of affiliate marketing, the upcoming CasinoBeats Summit, with a laser focus on SEO, AI content, and innovative traffic monetisation strategies, will offer marketers and affiliates a platform to tackle pressing inquiries head-on.
The ‘Marketing & Affiliation’ track will occur across both core days of the CasinoBeats Summit, 22nd – 23rd May, at the InterContinental Malta. The track will provide 4500 attendees with an in-depth exploration of key talking points shaping the worlds of marketing and affiliation.
Discussions will encompass leveraging innovative technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive video content to engage new audiences, the power of alternative marketing channels, and gaining a competitive edge through SEO strategies.
The panel titled ‘Finding CRM harmony: Automation vs Experience’ will delve into the growing influence of customer relationship management (CRM) and the most effective strategies for its utilisation. Industry experts Matthias S. Kaiser (Head of CRM at Tipico), Alexandru Ababei (CRM Global Promotions Manager, Betsson) and Zurab Magalashvili (CMO, Adjarabet), will explore how CRM implementation can align with existing processes for player experiences and how CRM data can aid in proactive responsible gambling initiatives.
The conference session ‘Future-Proofing Marketing: Unveiling Trends Beyond the Hype’ will discuss the latest marketing trends and assess their long-term potential. Marketing experts Calvin Samut (Head of Brand, Socios), Cecilia López Boronat (Marketing Content Manager, Clobet Limited) and panel moderator Dennis Algreen (Marketing Director, SBC Events), will explore the longevity of these emerging trends, the danger of chasing trends and whether businesses should prioritise long-term brand stability over fleeting marketing fads.
The conference on the second day will commence with the panel ‘Monetizing Traffic Beyond Traditional Models’ focusing on the significance of alternative marketing channels such as Whatsapp and Telegram. Experts Silvia Almeida (Chief Media Officer, Clever Advertising), Leanne Muleba (Chief Operations Officer, Matching Visions), Eleonora Norbiato (Head of Acquisition, SKS365) and panel moderator Maria Tsnompilantze (Content Marketing Manager, SBC), will deliberate over how useful these alternative channels are, what metrics are particularly relevant for monetization purposes and whether the quality or quantity debate is over in the age of SEO.
The panel titled ‘The Uncharted Territory of Grey Hat SEO – Traffic, Cloaking, PBNs, Parasite SEO and More’ will delve into the nuances of SEO and PPC tactics, exploring the benefits of both Google-approved and grey hat strategies. Led by experts Vadim Aidlin (Chief Executive Officer, PushnotiAds) and Julia Logan (CEO & Founder, Zangoose Digital), discussions will encompass the use of PBNs, the impact of bot traffic, successful partnership SEO strategies and best practices regarding cloaking.
The first core day of the event will also feature a dedicated ‘SEO Trilogy’, hosted by Ivana Flynn alongside a host of industry experts as they tackle the continuously evolving SEO landscape.
The conference will also provide delegates with dedicated tracks covering key industry verticals such as casino, leadership, industry, and regulation and dedicated sessions for women in gaming. Moreover, attendees will be able to participate in innovative session formats such as hackathons, roundtables, and workshops.
Affiliate Announcements
Catena Media readies for online sports betting launch in North Carolina
Catena Media is well positioned to record a solid launch of online sports betting affiliation in North Carolina when the state opens for licensed sports wagering.
The group’s national brands, led by LegalSportsreport.com, are attracting North Carolina bettors with dedicated content, as is Catena Media’s state-focused NCSharp.com website. Alongside Catena Media’s own brands, the group has also published content in collaboration with media partners including Advance Local, owner of NJ.com and other news websites.
In the countdown to launch day, Catena Media held several top rankings for key organic search terms used by potential bettors to find relevant sports-betting-related content and offers.
Prior to the official go-live, the group has deals in place with five major operators offering sports betting platform access to North Carolinians. The customer agreements in North Carolina consist of a mix of revenue share and cost-per-acquisition (CPA) agreements.
North Carolina, with an adult population of 8.5 million, allows anyone aged 21 and over to place sports bets online.
Ryan Harper, Catena Media Vice President North America, said: “We have had a solid run-up to the launch date and are pleased with our efforts so far. We also expect the March Madness NCAA college basketball tournament later this month to be a big driver of new depositing customers in North Carolina.”
North Carolina expands Catena Media’s operational footprint in North America to 29 state and regional markets.
Affiliate Announcements
QMRA to enter Belgium, Poland and Estonia: Game Lounge joins immediately with Belgian website, Place2bet as well
QMRA was launched recently. QMRA is a Quality Mark for international iGaming affiliates, servicing the following markets initially: The UK, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Spain and USA Michigan.
Various websites joined already. Among which Leadstar Media with 4 German websites, BetterWorldCasinos.Com (UK, launching member), Unilead with a Swedish website and the Gaming Innovation Group with websites for three markets (UK, Germany, Sweden).
As of now, QMRA will be active within the following three markets as well: Poland, Estonia and Belgium.
For Belgium, the situation is interesting. All advertising, including affiliation, was initially banned under a Royal Decree. Recently though, the government decided to allow search engine affiliation (https://gamingcommission.be/nl/operatoren/kb-reclame) under the terms of article 10 of the named Royal Decree.
Compliance will be of high importance within the Belgium market. QMRA received applications for this market immediately.
Two new QMRA applicants:
Game Lounge, a well-known and large iGaming affiliate company (over 200 employees), applies with GuideCasino.Be. Place2Bet applies to QMRA as well, with Place2Bet.Be.