News
How Vera & John became the market-leading online casino in Japan
In most places of the world, gambling and casinos are outlawed. Likewise, under the law and regulation of Japan, gambling is prohibited as well. There is no availability of any physical form of casino or gambling in Japan.
People who live in Japan do look forward to such activities. Most of the population is a hidden fan of gambling or casinos due to the reasons for much better opportunities for earning money despite the fact that various laws prohibit the physical forms of casinos.
But no law bans gambling through online platforms. And due to such cases, Japan is now on the verge of becoming the best market for online casinos. It is also believed that the government of Japan will be turning Osaka city into a casino hub.
It will increase tourism and travel in the country. Which, in turn, will increase the profit and money flow into the country. This step has made online gambling successful and much of this is due to the efforts in recent years of Vera and John.
The main reason due to which the online casino has flourished in Japan is primarily due to the hard work of Vera and John who were one of the first online casino operators to enter the Japanese market.
How the Vera & John reputation was built?
Ever since their entrance into Japan, VJ (as they are commonly known in the industry) have been at the center of the online casino world. They built a platform that the local audience could connect with including a character with appeal to the Japanese graphical style, local language and support for the local currency – the Japanese Yen.
They backed this up with payment and withdrawal methods that the Japanese would also be familiar with and are unique to Japan. And best of all, it didn’t take them long to develop this platform and offer all these services to their customer base. At its heart, Vera & John’s success could be said to be built on their understanding of the local market and creating a platform that speaks to their audience:
- Japanese language
- Currency support
- Marvelous graphics
- Good customer support
- Wide range of transactions. For example, e-wallets, debit, and credit cards. Allowance of international wire transfers, bank transfers, etc.
Not only that, VJ has all the best slot games and live casino options – many of which can’t be found in physical casinos. Plus, it constitutes many different popular video and traditional games.
Welcome offers and strong website user experience
Vera and John also have a generous welcome bonus. These types of welcome offers are now common in the industry and each online casino has its own version as a way of attracting new customers. However upon launch in Japan, VJ sat almost on its own in offering a generous amount of free spins when a customer signs up and deposits on their website. A simple marketing strategy that took advantage of the fact that not many people had seen this type of offer before from an online casino.
One of the other key aspects of Vera & John’s success was their easy withdrawal procedure. This option allows the users to collect their winnings whenever they want. There are no restrictions or long procedures to draw your cash. Unsurprisingly, within the online casino industry this is something that typically frustrates customers when they are unable to withdraw their earnings immediately.
Such initiatives are the reason for Vera & John’s popularity. Their market entry, localisation and timing was all aligned to make their efforts a success to date.
A final word on casino safety
For Japanese casino enthusiasts, they now favor an online environment for many reasons. Partly due to the strict laws and casino regulation around playing games in physical casinos – an online environment offers way more variety. Equally through the recent global pandemic, many online businesses have seen growth and the online casino space is no different, giving players the ability to play their favorite games from the comfort of their own home – online casinos don’t need to close for social distancing or any other virus related measure.
Vera & John have mastered the art of entering into a new market, a new culture and timing it to perfection and the results speak for themselves. Needless to say, competition has increased significantly of late as other casinos have seen the opportunity and appetite of the Japanese players. Only time will tell if Vera & John can stay top of the pile.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins Prestigious “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards
A milestone achievement as ReferOn continues to impress
ReferOn, the next-generation affiliate management platform, has taken the title of “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at the SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards, held in Rome.
The award recognises ReferOn’s rapid growth in becoming a leader in iGaming. It distinguishes the platform for its cutting-edge architecture, exceptional product innovations, and measurable impact on affiliate operations.
Redefining Affiliate Management
In a short amount of time since its inception, ReferOn has become one of the most recognised names in affiliate technology, leading the way by creating user-centric features that help the real needs of affiliate managers.
The platform recorded rapid adoption, supporting an influx of tens of thousands of affiliates and millions of clicks while continuously evolving and growing with new features and refinements. The platform’s approach to innovation and user-facing experiences is its new living interface, Refie. Refie brings awareness and human-like interaction to the platform, helping make affiliate operations more personable and accessible.
Building Beyond the Standard
Alex Bukin, General Manager at ReferOn, commented on the win, “This award is more than recognition. It empowers and validates our team, encouraging us never to stop building. At ReferOn, we always aim to shape how affiliate marketing should work. At its core, it should be simple, transparent, and powerful. Every new integration and feature comes from a team that deeply understands the product and what real affiliate managers need. This helps us refine our platform to be the best it can be. And we’re only getting started!”
Continued Momentum
ReferOn’s win at SiGMA Central Europe marks another significant achievement. In 2025, the platform conducted multiple migrations and released groundbreaking features to transform affiliate operations. Its sights are set on 2026 — a year that will be focused on product refinements, sustainable growth through key industry partnerships, and delivering more key solutions for real affiliate managers.
Affiliate Success
Casino Guru secures SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards’ Best Affiliate 2025 distinction
Casino Guru has won the “Best Affiliate 2025” category at the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards, distinguishing the company’s efforts in delivering the best online casino database and guiding players to the safest casinos of their choice.
Via Tuscolana hosted the ceremony on Tuesday, November 4, in Rome, Italy, distinguishing a number of companies, among which was Casino Guru, which secured the landmark accolade for itself.
Commenting on the win, Casino Guru’s Head of Casino Research, Matej Novota, said: “Winning the Best Affiliate 2025 award at the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards is a meaningful milestone for us as we approach the end of the year. At Casino Guru, we are honored to be recognized in this category. Our mission has always been to build the world’s most comprehensive online casino database and to offer impartial insights that empower players to make informed decisions. This award strengthens our resolve to continue serving as a trusted bridge between players and operators, while upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and fairness in everything we do.”
Casino Guru has been awarded for its unflagging commitment to providing players with the most reliable up-to-date information about casinos and bonuses.
At its core, Casino Guru is committed to making the gambling industry safer and promoting best practices in Responsible Gaming. The company plays an active role in shaping these standards, drawing on its extensive experience, expertise, and firmly held values of fairness, integrity, and transparency.
Platforms such as the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative and Casino Guru Academy have been created to foster a better understanding of Responsible Gambling and how players and industry professionals can leverage it to their benefit.
Notably, the Casino Guru Awards have become a trend-setter in actively encouraging change on the part of industry stakeholders, and distinguishing deserving individuals and companies across numerous categories, such as Rising Star in Responsible Gambling, Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative, Fairest Bonus Policy, Industry Culture Shaper, and more.
Casino Guru has worked tirelessly, developing the world’s most complicated ranking system, the Safety Index, which carefully examines each casino’s offer, focusing on criteria favored by players, and issues an objective score that is also regularly updated.
Besides the Safety Index, Casino Guru has launched and maintains a world-beating independent adjudication service, the Complaint Resolution Center, which has returned more than $50m to players, including closing cases that involved more than $1m disputed by a single player.
Casino Guru is proud to receive the latest accolade from the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards, celebrating the company’s commitment to making gambling safer and better for everyone out there.
Conferences
Palms Bet Takes Center Stage as General Sponsor of the EEGS Affiliate Conference
The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) is proud to announce Palms Bet as the General Sponsor of this year’s Affiliate Conference, taking place alongside EEGS 2025 – where innovation, regulation, and strategic collaboration converge.
As one of Bulgaria’s leading gaming and entertainment brands, Palms Bet has played a pivotal role in shaping the local and regional iGaming landscape. Its continued investment in digital innovation and affiliate partnerships reflects a deep commitment to responsible growth and industry excellence.
The Affiliate Conference at EEGS will gather affiliate leaders, operators, digital marketers, and regulators to explore the evolving landscape of player acquisition, data-driven marketing, and compliance in regulated markets.
Through its support, Palms Bet reinforces the mission of EEGS — to create a dynamic space for learning, networking, and advancing the future of the gaming and affiliate ecosystem across Europe.
🎯 Save the date:
🗓️ 26 November 2025
📍 Inter Expo Center, Sofia
Join us for an inspiring edition of EEGS and the Affiliate Conference, powered by Palms Bet!
Let’s shape the future of iGaming together – where innovation meets collaboration, and affiliates lead the way!
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