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Online poker: the biggest winner during the coronavirus pandemic

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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

Discover Affigates: BetConstruct’s Innovative Affiliate Network for the iGaming Sector

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Discover Affigates: BetConstruct's Innovative Affiliate Network for the iGaming Sector

 

Industry powerhouse BetConstruct is announcing the official launch of Affigates, a full-scale affiliate ecosystem that is set to redefine how operators and partners connect in iGaming.

 

What Sets It Apart?

Affigates brings affiliate software, affiliate program management, and a performance-tested network under one roof, designed from the ground up for scale, speed, and smarter growth.

From AI-aided management to a proprietary scoring system that filters the noise and finds real partners, Affigates removes the friction and delivers results that actually move the needle. With over 4500+ affiliates630+ active partner operators, and access to more than 30 million players, the ecosystem is already making a significant impact.

 

See It First at iGB L!VE

Affigates is making its global debut at iGB L!VE in London, where the sharpest minds in iGaming converge. You will find the ecosystem in action at its own stand, C40, as well as the dedicated team behind it.

Catering to both ready-to-scale operators and affiliates aiming higher, Affigates is here to deliver the affiliate solution the industry has been waiting for.

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Affiliate Announcements

Affilka by SOFTSWISS Unveils Updates for Affiliates

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Affilka by SOFTSWISS Unveils Updates for Affiliates

 

Affilka by SOFTSWISS, an award-winning affiliate management software platform, has announced a suite of new product updates for the affiliates. The latest release introduces a Traffic Report with advanced clicks analytics, an API for extracting campaigns and tracking links, and a sub-affiliate NGR-based revenue share model. 

Traffic Report: In-depth Click Analysis

This new Traffic Report focuses on detailed click-level analytics, offering in-depth insights into clicks, registrations, deposits, and conversion rates such as click-to-reg and click-to-FTD – all in one place. It includes several key features for flexible data analysis:

  • Multi-dimensional filtering and data grouping: The report enables users to filter and break down the data into granular views across multiple dimensions, offering detailed insights by traffic source, campaign, country, device type, IP address, and more. Notably, click data is transferred to the report in real time, providing instant visibility into user activity.
  • CSV data export: The report supports one-click CSV export, allowing affiliates to easily download raw data for offline analysis or sharing.
  • Historical data access: Affiliates can review traffic statistics from 1 January 2023, enabling year-on-year comparisons and long-term trend evaluation.

Gleb Bichan, Product Lead at Affilka by SOFTSWISS, comments: “At Affilka, we know how crucial it is for operators and affiliates alike to make data-driven decisions. That’s why we’re introducing tools like the Traffic Report to help partners become more productive and uncover new insights faster.”

API for Marketing Campaigns and Tracking Links 

In addition to the existing Reports API, affiliates can now access data on their marketing campaigns and tracking links directly via API, allowing for automated data extraction and custom integrations. With this API access, users can retrieve up-to-date lists of marketing campaigns, promo codes, and related performance metrics directly via API calls. This improvement helps Affilka clients automate their reporting workflows and integrate affiliate data with external BI tools, reducing manual effort and ensuring timely access to key information.

New Sub-affiliate Revenue Share Model 

Responding to client feedback, Affilka’s team also features a new sub-affiliate reward type. This allows affiliates to earn a commission based on the Net Gaming Revenue (NGR) generated by players referred by their sub-affiliates, offering a more direct revenue-sharing approach. By aligning earnings with the actual revenue brought in by sub-affiliates, the update incentivises collaboration and gives experienced affiliates a stronger stake in mentoring their referred partners.

Gleb Bichan adds: “For us, it’s important that affiliates not only use the product but also feel it’s built with their real needs in mind. We regularly gather feedback and implement improvements that make daily workflows more transparent and efficient. Features like the Traffic Report, API access, and new reward types are direct responses to partner requests – and we’re not stopping there. We plan to introduce even more tools designed to simplify affiliate operations, so stay tuned for upcoming updates.”

Affilka by SOFTSWISS will be presented at iGB in London from 3 to 4 July 2025. Attendees of the event can learn more about new features directly from the Affilka team and see how these innovations support better affiliate programme management.

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.

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Checkd Dev Launches New Affiliate-Focused AdTech Product Powered by BRUNO Platform

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Checkd Dev Launches New Affiliate-Focused AdTech Product Powered by BRUNO Platform

 

Checkd Dev, part of the award-winning Checkd Group, has unveiled a cutting-edge addition to its suite of betting technology solutions, a new Ad Tech Carousel, which aims to provide media owners and affiliates with increased Click Through Rates. The solution is powered by its proprietary and purpose-built, industry-leading platform: BRUNO.
The new product merges several affiliate features from the Checkd BRUNO platform; combining Checkd Dev’s Automated Betting Solution with its proven Smart Acca technology, but with a clear focus on the affiliate landscape. Building on its recent B2B momentum with operators, Checkd Dev is now delivering significant innovation to the affiliate market.

 

An All-in-One, Contextually Powered Ad Unit
At its core, the new AdTech solution delivers contextually relevant, curated, betting opportunities, dynamically embedded within a single ad unit. This modular format offers:
  • Seamless integration of sign-up offers, bonuses, promotions, and ambassador-led bets
  • A streamlined back end powered by Checkd’s Automated Betting Solution CMS, enabling affiliates to easily configure and control the full content proposition
  • A tailored, user-centric experience that boosts engagement and monetisation potential which is based on many years of Checkd’s learnings within the ultra-competitive UK affiliate landscape

 

Live with talkSPORT.com — Proven Performance
The product was launched in collaboration with talkSPORT.com, part of the News UK group. Checkd Dev has drawn on extensive insight from its Betting Hub community and a longstanding partnership with the talkSPORT betting team to iterate and refine the offering.
The results show a significant uplift in click-through rate (CTR) for TalkSPORT BET, which Checkd believes can be improved further to become industry-leading. The trial to date has been football-focused, across a wide range of events including the Premier League, Championship, and major European and international football competitions.

 

Executive Endorsements
Andrew Grimshaw, Commercial Director at Checkd Dev, commented: “We’ve once again taken a strategic look at market pain points and delivered a product that makes life easier and more profitable for media owners and affiliates working with major bookmakers.”
He continued: “We’ve already proven success in the UK, and working with other valued clients, we’re beginning to replicate results across multiple international markets. This product has strong global potential too.”
Gareth Williams, Betting & Gaming Director at talkSPORT BET, added: “Working with Checkd over the years has been incredibly rewarding. They understand the betting landscape intimately and are pretty relentless in their pursuit of solutions that help simplify and elevate partnerships between media owners and operators.”
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