News
Things must change
James Ashton from FindMyUKCasino.com says that affiliates targeting self-excluded players are damaging the entire industry
The relationship between online casino operators and affiliates is under more strain than ever before as regulators and watchdogs continue to tighten responsible gambling requirements.
The UK Gambling Commission has made clear that operators are ultimately responsible for the content that is published on their behalf by affiliates.
This has forced online gambling brands and their affiliate managers to audit their publisher partners and set guidelines for the responsible marketing of their sites.
As a professional online casino affiliate committed to responsible and compliant marketing, we have welcomed this approach as we believe it is also our responsibility to protect players.
This has seen us carry out major changes to our site, from ensuring significant and full terms and conditions are always next to bonus offers via auditing and reworking content.
For example, our best online casino page only lists four of our partner online casino brands with those listed scoring the highest during our review process.
Other online casino affiliates list hundreds of online casinos under their best online casino pages in a bid to maximise revenues from what is usually a high-volume traffic page.
We believe players searching for best online casinos are looking for information about the brands that stand out above the rest – listing hundreds to maximise commission is therefore irresponsible.
There are plenty of online casinos affiliates just like us, affiliates that care about players and being responsible over trying to turn a quick profit. But there are some that are not.
Recently I have seen a growing number of online casino affiliates creating content aimed at UK players that have self-excluded, pushing them to non UKGC-licensed websites.
These publishers are writing ranking pages around terms such as “Online casinos not on GamStop” when we all know that UKGC-licensed operators must work with GamStop.
These ranking pages then list tens or even hundreds of online casino sites that hold licenses from Curaçao and other offshore jurisdictions.
The only reason for creating content around these terms is to target those that have self-excluded because they believe they have a gambling problem or acknowledge the have an addiction.
This is disgraceful behaviour on behalf of the affiliate and is doing untold damage to publishers that believe the foundation of their business is to protect all players, not just the most vulnerable.
Some publishers have stopped short of actually listing online casinos that are not on GamStop and that don’t hold a UKGC licence, but have still created content around these terms.
Again, this is clearly aimed at drawing players searching for these terms to their sites, and then pushing them to other articles and reviews where they are encouraged to sign up and play.
Online gambling operators should also be concerned; some of the publishers creating these sorts of pages are among the largest in the industry and also promote UK-licensed brands.
These operators should be concerned about what impact partnering with affiliates that undertake such black hat techniques might have on their licence should the UKGC find out.
This practice needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency; online casino affiliates publishing such pages should do the right thing and take them down.
UK-licensed online casino operators should better audit their partners – just Google “Online casinos not on GamStop” and you can easily see who is creating content around these terms.
Once they have identified the culprits, they should issue an ultimatum – remove the page or they will cease working with them. This is the only way to protect players and, ultimately, their licence.
On a personal and professional note, it really is a shame to see that some affiliates do not see that their ultimate responsibility is to ensure that players are properly protected.
To do this, they need to provide them with the information they need – including T&Cs – about online casinos to enable them to make an informed decision about where to play.
They should make players aware of the resources available to them if they do feel they have a problem, such as GamStop, and not use it as a technique for acquiring new players.
There are plenty of affiliates out there doing great things when it comes to responsible gambling and compliance, which makes it such as shame that a small number are behaving so badly.
This is not only damaging to online gambling operators and affiliates, but also to the UK players they are pushing to these offshore sites.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins “Best Affiliate Management Platform” at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026
ReferOn has been named the Best Affiliate Management Platform at the prestigious iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, marking another major milestone in the company’s growth. Announced live at iGB LIVE, the recognition follows a year of relentless product innovation, customer growth, and a continued focus on simplifying affiliate operations.
Turning Complexity into Clarity
Managing high-volume affiliate programs requires processing millions of data points every day. ReferOn was built to eliminate that complexity through automation, real-time insights, and streamlined workflows.
This year also marked the introduction of Refie, ReferOn’s integrated UX layer. Instead of forcing affiliate managers to navigate complex backend data, Refie turns raw operational data into clear, actionable insights. From onboarding to daily performance tracking, it helps teams spend less time on administration and more time driving strategic growth.
Alex Bukin, CEO of ReferOn, commented: “Winning the iGB Affiliate Award is a remarkable achievement for our entire team. As affiliate programs grow, so does the complexity behind them. From day one, our ambition has been to remove that complexity, so operators can focus on growth instead of operational friction. This recognition reinforces our belief that great B2B technology should be simpler, more intuitive, easier to work with, and built around the people who use it”.
Having secured major industry awards over the past 18 months, — including ‘Affiliate System of the Year’ at AffPapa and ‘Best Affiliate Software’ at SiGMA — ReferOn looks ahead with a roadmap that remains focused on making affiliate management even more intelligent, transparent, and effortless. Our upcoming developments will continue to simplify complex workflows, expand AI-powered assistance, and provide operators with even greater visibility and control over their affiliate operations.
Affiliate Success
Kongebonus becomes first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at iGB Affiliate Awards 2026
Kongebonus has become the first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, a landmark recognition that names the independent Norwegian guide as the world’s leading casino affiliate for 2026.
The award was presented on 2 July during iGB L!VE London, where the iGB Affiliate Awards celebrated the affiliates, programmes, networks, suppliers and individuals helping to drive the iGaming sector forward.
iGB Affiliate described first-time contestant Kongebonus as a “Norwegian local hero”, noting that the platform claimed the award in a close race and ended Gambling.com Group’s two-year reign in the highly competitive category. Independent judges praised Kongebonus’ “super smart” approach, highlighting its combination of innovation, engaged player community, and strong editorial presence across Google News and the media.
The recognition reflects Kongebonus’ focus on detailed operator testing, transparent casino reviews, community-led content and player protection. The platform tests casinos with its own money before reviewing them, publishes its full methodology and continues to invest in responsible gambling resources, including practical guidance and support signposting for players.
David Nilsen, Editor-in-Chief at Kongebonus, said: “Winning Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards is a huge moment for Kongebonus and for everyone who has helped build the platform. To be recognised in a category alongside some of the biggest and most respected names in the affiliate industry is something we are incredibly proud of.
“I’ve spent more than ten years on the inside of this industry, and I’ve seen how big the gap can be between what a casino promises and what the player is actually left with. Closing that gap is the whole reason we test the way we do.
“What this award tells us is that being the most trusted guide matters more than being the biggest one, and that’s the only thing we’ve ever set out to build.”
News
Where to Drive Tier-1 Sport Traffic in July FIFA World Cup Final & More
July is one of the strongest months for sports traffic, with the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, Wimbledon finals, Formula 1, UFC, esports, cricket, and rugby driving high-value Tier-1 audiences.
Moreover, with N1 Sport Promo by N1 Partners running until July 20, affiliates still have time to increase their CPA while scaling quality sports traffic during the busiest weeks of the season.
Key sports events in July
The N1 Partners team has made a list of the biggest sporting events this month to help affiliates plan campaigns and capture high-intent traffic.
Soccer
The FIFA World Cup enters its decisive stage, with every knockout match generating significant spikes in betting activity, search demand, and social engagement.
- Until 07.07 | FIFA World Cup — Round of 16
- 09.07–12.07 | FIFA World Cup — Quarter-finals
- 14.07 | FIFA World Cup — Semi-final
- 15.07 | FIFA World Cup — Semi-final
- 18.07 | FIFA World Cup — Third-place Match
- 19.07 | FIFA World Cup — Final
Tennis
Wimbledon concludes with the biggest matches of the season before the tour moves to North America later in the month.
- Until 12.07 | Wimbledon
- 12.07 | Wimbledon Finals
- 26.07–02.08 | ATP Washington
- 26.07–02.08 | WTA Washington
Formula 1
Formula 1 will get high interest from sport lovers throughout July with three Grand Prix weekends.
- 19.07 | Belgian Grand Prix
- 26.07 | Hungarian Grand Prix
MMA
UFC maintains strong engagement in Tier-1 markets, especially around numbered fight nights where title implications and high-profile fighters drive consistent betting interest.
- 13.07 | UFC 329 McGregor vs. Holloway 2
Esports
The biggest esports competitions will go on attracting highly engaged audiences across Tier-1 markets.
- 06.07–18.07 | Esports World Cup 2026 (Dota 2)
- 21.07–02.08 | BLAST Bounty Season 2 (CS2)
Cricket
Cricket is still one of the strongest niches that generates huge traffic amonts across several Tier-1 GEOs.
- 07.07 | England vs India — Test Series
- 13.07 | England vs India — ODI
- 16.07 | England vs India — ODI
- 22.07 | Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire — The Hundred
- 23.07 | London Spirit vs Manchester Super Giants — The Hundred
- 27.07 | Southern Brave vs MI London — The Hundred
Rugby League
Rugby League continues to generate steady betting interest in key English-speaking markets.
- 17.07 | NZ Warriors vs Broncos
- 30.07 | North Queensland Cowboys vs Roosters
How to maximize results from event-driven traffic
The summer month offers affiliates working with N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter through N1 Partners a strong environment to attract new players, increase FTD volumes, and scale existing campaigns across Tier-1 GEOs, supported by consistently high audience demand. With N1 Sport Promo running until July 20, affiliates still have time to maximize higher CPA rates while sports engagement remains at its seasonal peak.
Top promos for N1 Partners projects in July
This July, partners can take advantage of exclusive seasonal campaigns for players across N1 Partners’ leading brands, designed to drive stronger performance and help them get more from every visitor they refer.
Road to Riches Lottery (RollXO, N1 Bet)
Period: 01.07–25.08
Prize pool: €500,000
Road to Riches is the biggest lottery campaign in the project’s history, featuring a €500,000 total prize pool, 8 weekly stages, and 700 winners. With weekly prize drops and increasing stage prize pools, the promotion is designed to boost player engagement, retention, and repeat deposits—helping affiliates maximize traffic value throughout the campaign.
Lucky Lottery (Retrobet, Spirit Casino, Jet4Bet, Slot Lounge)
Period: 22.07–27.07
Prize pool: €50,000
Lucky Loot Lottery (Slotlords, Slotsmines)
Period: 10.07–16.07
Prize pool: €10,000 (Slotlords), €7,000 (Slotsmines)
Around the World Lottery (Slot Mafia, Slot Hunter, LuckyHunter)
Period: 13.07–23.07
Prize pool: €8,000
Wanna learn more? Contact your manager right now!
Winning Tips for July Sports Traffic
- Treat the World Cup as a sequence of conversion peaks rather than a single final, as each knockout round has its own performance window under the promo.
- Shift budgets dynamically between sports instead of overfocusing on one event: Wimbledon, F1, UFC, and esports often perform better once football CPMs peak.
- Build creatives that reflect tournament progression (for instance, “Quarter-finals pressure” and “Road to the final”), not static team messaging.
- Combine Sports Betting and Prediction Markets on N1 Bet to capture different user motivations during the same event cycle.
- Reallocate traffic during promo weeks, as in the N1 Sport Promo timing can impact revenue almost as much as volume.
Join N1 Partners
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high LTV and Reg2Dep rates in Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.
Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.
Haven’t joined N1 Partners yet? Contact the manager, get involved and make the most of the 2026 sports season.
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