News
Online poker: the biggest winner during the coronavirus pandemic
The gambling industry has experienced both extremes during the coronavirus pandemic. On one side, land-based casinos and sportsbooks have been hit extremely hard.
The effects of lockdowns, quarantines, travel restrictions and social distancing measures have meant casinos have been forced to close for more than three months – and the financial consequences have been devastating. From Las Vegas to New Jersey, London to Macau – casinos all around the world are posting all-time low revenues.
Similarly, the lockdown of the vast majority of professional sport has seen sportsbooks grind to a halt, with sports betting companies in the United Kingdom and Europe experiencing slumps between 40 and 60 percent since March.
While the return of sport has helped the sector rebound to an extent, the cancellation of Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics have presented other challenges as such major, international events are prime opportunities for sportsbook companies to attract new customers.
However, while land-based casinos and sportsbooks have felt the full force of the Covid-19 outbreak, other areas of the gambling world have thrived.
Online gambling in the United States, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe has seen a record surge in the past few months as the very reasons that have damaged land-based casinos – such as lockdowns and social distancing – have directly benefited online operations.
For instance, New Jersey recorded record revenues in May for online casino betting, as companies, like BetAmerica, who offers this service profiting from the lockdown. Meanwhile The Stars Group in the UK reported a 92 percent increase in revenue the same month compared to 12 months ago.
While slots and gambling games have seen a major rise during the past few months, the big winner has been online poker.
Three of the four states in the US with legal online poker operations have reported a huge spike in revenues, while the fourth – Nevada – has not released the figures, but one can safely assume that they, too, have experienced an increase.
New Jersey saw online poker revenue jump from $1.57 million in April 2019 to $5.2m 12 months later, while Pennsylvania enjoyed 68 percent and Delaware 48 percent increases when comparing the same two months.
The trends are similar in Europe. In France, for example, online poker revenue is up 44.1 percent compared to the same month last year while UK-based gambling giant 888 has seen its share price surge.
Of all the online gambling games, poker has been uniquely placed to benefit from the current situation.
As friends and family members have been kept apart, poker has been a popular means of socializing. It explains the increased popularity of Poker Stars’ Private Home Games and the rush of competitors to launch similar services.
“It’s only natural. People are stuck at home, they’re bored and even though there are more live poker options starting right now, people are just hesitant to jump right back in because of the health risk implications,” said professional poker player Danielle Andersen.
Then there has been the move online for prestigious professional events which would otherwise have been cancelled or postponed.
It was announced in June that the World Series of Poker – which had been scheduled to take place from May 26 to July 15 at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas – would be held online throughout July through to the first week of September.
By taking the 2020 WSOP online, it has also increased the size of the player pool, allowing players from outside the United States to compete for WSOP bracelets.
While poker great Daniel Negreanu said the move online was a “classic case of making the best of it”, it has still allowed professional poker to continue – a luxury many other sports and competitions do not have.
Meanwhile, professional poker’s other flagship event, PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship, has been canceled.
Aware of the surge in popularity of online poker during these unprecedented times, operators have poured greater investment, marketing, and technology into their poker operations, which will only benefit the game in the long term and help attract and retain more customers.
As life gradually returns to normal, online poker will naturally see a relative decline in interest as millions of people are no longer confined to their homes and professional players are once again able to attend live events.
But what this pandemic has shown is that poker has not only been able to survive under such trying circumstances but has thrived.
Affiliate Announcements
Management Buyout Successfully Completed at ReferOn
ReferOn, an affiliate management platform for the iGaming sector, today revealed the successful conclusion of a management buyout. Former General Manager Alex Bukin purchases the platform, moving the company into its next stage of independent growth. Bukin will take on the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to advance the company.
Assessing the platform’s path three years after its launch, Alex Bukin, CEO of ReferOn remarked: “This is a significant moment for ReferOn and marks the start of a new phase for the company.” The management buyout offers us the long-term perspective needed to consistently enhance the platform. We uphold our dedication to product development, enhancing our solutions for partners, and facilitating ReferOn’s ongoing expansion in significant markets.
The acquisition comes after a significant phase of advancement for the firm. Established on a base of operational effectiveness and scalable technology, ReferOn persists in expanding its footprint throughout the industry. In its initial year, the platform announced 35.7 million clicks, 2.4 million sign-ups, 18,000 affiliates, and 136,000 active trackers. The company’s extensive range of tools enhances flexibility for operators and affiliates, generating momentum that recently led to ReferOn being recognized as the “Best Affiliate Platform” in 2025 and 2026 by key industry players.
This change will not impact daily operations; assistance and current collaborations will continue as normal. As part of its continuous growth strategy, ReferOn is enhancing its product lineup with the introduction of new features, such as Refie, the integrated interface layer of the platform. The platform continually improves user experience and security via dynamic reporting, Company Grouping, Sub-Affiliation, Independent Deal Calculation (IDC), two-factor authentication (2FA), and thorough mobile optimization.
To maintain operational continuity, the current leadership team stays intact, guaranteeing stability as the company moves into its next phase of growth. With Bukin’s appointment as CEO, Vlad Bondarenko has moved from Head of Product to Chief Product Officer, and David Harris, who was previously Operations Lead, has become Chief Operations Officer. As the organization embarks on its next phase, it continues to prioritize equipping operators with top-tier tools and a dedication to providing the future of affiliate management.
News
Sports bettor Kwiff supercharges its affiliate strategy with new RavenTrack partnership
Kwiff, the pioneer of the “supercharged” betting experience, has officially announced the appointment of RavenTrack as its primary affiliate tracking provider. This strategic partnership aims to enhance Kwiff’s affiliate operations through RavenTrack’s advanced platform-as-a-service (PaaS) technology.
By integrating RavenTrack’s sophisticated tracking solutions, Kwiff intends to streamline its affiliate program management, ensuring greater transparency, accuracy, and efficiency for its growing network of partners.
The move comes as Kwiff continues to scale its presence across the UK and international markets, leveraging its unique algorithm that randomly supercharges any bet, regardless of the sport or market.
“From our very first conversation, it was clear that Kwiff were looking for more than just a tracking platform, they needed a partner who could genuinely match their ambition and long-term strategic vision. We’re truly grateful that Kwiff chose RavenTrack in what was a highly competitive process, and I’m personally proud to have helped bring the partnership together,” said Kate Scowen, sales and growth manager at RavenTrack.
“The first few months of working together have already been fantastic, and it’s been a real pleasure working with their team. We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to building a strong, long-lasting relationship together.”
Jack Milner, campaign manager at Kwiff, commented on the partnership, saying: “RavenTrack came highly recommended and with a strong track record within the iGaming sphere. We have enjoyed a fantastic start, working with their brilliant and incredibly helpful team and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”
The collaboration aligns with Kwiff’s recent period of rapid expansion. RavenTrack’s reputation for providing high-performance tracking and exceptional customer support was a decisive factor in the selection process. As an industry leader in affiliate tech, RavenTrack will provide Kwiff with the robust infrastructure required to manage complex data sets and optimise ROI for its affiliate channel.
News
N1 SEO Traffic Cup First Chapter is Over — Winners and Results
The first tournament of the N1 Traffic Cups series, N1 SEO Traffic Cup, has ended.
Over the course of two months, more than 300 teams drove SEO traffic to N1 Partners casino and betting brands, competing for prizes and demonstrating the efficiency of their strategies.
Learn which teams made it to the top and their levels, key facts and figures, as well as comments from the winners about their experiences, strategies, and results achieved.
N1 SEO Traffic Cup in figures: prizes and participants
It is important to note that the teams’ results were evaluated not only in terms of traffic volumes but also in terms of scaling and diversifying traffic between several brands.
Tournament in figures:
- 14 teams reached the prize levels;
- 54 teams with Participant status that are not included in the prize levels will participate in an additional prize draw;
- 300+ teams drove SEO traffic during the tournament.
Among the prizes at various levels are attending top global sporting events – from F1 in Monaco to the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in the USA; flying in zero gravity; an all-inclusive dream vacation in the Maldives; BMW and Ducati bikes; Apple gadgets; Cartier jewellery; Rolex watches and much more.
Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates at N1 Partners, also notes the importance of the event for the company and partners: “N1 Traffic Cups is a reflection of how we see the promo: with transparent mechanics, an emphasis on real results and the opportunity for partners to scale and earn more. This is not just a promo; it is a motivation system for our partners.
The N1 SEO Traffic Cup has once again proved the value of a strong partnership: the high engagement, expertise, and strong results of the participants show that such events are equally effective for both partners and N1 Partners, building long-term interest, trust, and mutual engagement.”
Winners’ shortlist
Two months of competition, scaling, and testing to ensure that only the strongest remain in the finals. Below are the teams that have reached the prize levels and are among the winners of the N1 SEO Traffic Cup.
Depending on the number of points scored, participants reached one of four prize levels with rewards worth: €25,000, €15,000, €7,000, and €5,000 per team, based on their final tournament ranking.
Winners about N1 SEO Traffic Cup
How the tournament unfolded, what motivated the winners to keep climbing higher through the ranks, and the emotions they experienced along the way — told firsthand by the participants of the N1 SEO Traffic Cup.
Alfaleads Network
“Our result became possible due to a combination of factors: firstly, we specialise in SEO traffic and have many strong and stable SEO partners, both large and small. In addition, we would like to note that the N1 products have good CRs, so we got a real win-win here.
For our team, the coolest prize at Level 3 is the Kronos massage chair. In our field, sometimes you just want to switch off and exhale, so this is the most relevant thing. Moreover, such a chair will definitely never be empty in the office,” emphasises the Alfaleads Network team, Level 3 winners.
Advertise
«Strong products, competitive conditions, and a team that’s always ready to help and quickly resolve any issues are what truly motivate performance in N1 Partners promos.
We took part in the N1 Puzzle Promo last year and were excited to join the N1 SEO Traffic Cup this time. Back then, the main prize was a helicopter, along with additional rewards available throughout the tournament. This year’s level-based format with different prize categories is a smart move — it allows you to choose rewards based on your preferences.
At our Level 4, the most appealing prize is Apple glasses. However, for us, the most practical option is the cash reward, which we’ll use to reward the entire team that contributed to the final result,” said a representative of Advertise, a Level 4 prize winner.
RevenueLab
“In many ways, our result is about a combination of product understanding and constant work with traffic. When you know the strengths of the offers, it is much easier to find the right traffic for them and build working links.
We tried to analyse traffic from the web more deeply, look at user behaviour, see the quality of sources and how stable the result is over time. Everything that showed potential was quickly scaled up, but weak bundles were not kept — they were either refined or disabled.
Of course, interaction with N1 managers played a big role: there was always quick feedback, openness to hypotheses discussion and help with optimisation, which greatly accelerated the work.
As a result, it was this combination of product expertise, analytics, and live communication that produced this result.
In our segment, the MacBook looks the coolest, but each prize offered is unique. Separately, we would like to note that N1 always has the best gifts and rewards!” the RevenueLab team, the winner of Level 4, comments.
For teams with Participant status who did not enter the prize levels of the tournament, scoring from 20 to 499 points, an additional prize draw was held — PlayStation 5 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and exclusive N1 Partners merch.
The results can be found in the N1 Partners Instagram on May 8th!
The second tournament from the N1 Traffic Cups series is coming soon — don’t miss the updates from N1 Partners!
Work with N1 Partners:
- 14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates
Be number one with N1!
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