News
What do Affiliates Need to Consider in NZ from a Regulatory Perspective?
Online gambling remains an increasingly popular pastime in New Zealand, thanks to a peculiar and surprisingly commonplace set of regulations in the market.
More specifically, while the country’s gambling laws currently prohibit natives from wagering within a private online casino based in New Zealand, there’s nothing in the Gambling Act of 2003 to prevent players from registering with an accessible international brand such as Betway.
This also creates an opportunity for affiliate marketers in the NZ iGaming space, although things may be about to change in the wake of a comprehensive legislative review by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). We’ll explore this in a little more detail below:
Can You Become a Gambling Affiliate in New Zealand?
Currently, there appear to be no restrictions on operating as an iGaming affiliate in New Zealand, while this is becoming an increasingly lucrative career option in the digital age.
After all, the figures demonstrate that New Zealanders have poured huge amounts of money into overseas casino websites and sportsbooks over the course of the last 18 months, wagering approximately $381 million during this period alone.
There are also numerous types of affiliates available in NZ, including platforms such as Onlinecasinonewzealand.nz. This operates broadly as a standalone and independent review site that compares reputable and accessible gambling brands online, while it is also categorised as an affiliate website.
This means that the platform receives commission from the virtual casinos that it lists, through the various links, products and verticals provided.
When visitors click on these links and subsequently open an account with the online casino in question, the commission is paid out at the agreed percentage and within a predetermined timeframe.
You will also find a large number of prominent casino affiliate programs in New Zealand, some of which promote a number of competing overseas operators and payout at various rates of commission.
Typically, however, these programs will offer a revenue share between 25% and 50% to affiliates, while some will provide two-tier commission plans and customised bonus plans depending on the players making deposits.
The availability of affiliate programs in NZ should not come as a surprise, with this innovative marketing channel widely accessible even in nations that have taken a more stringent approach to advertising in the iGaming space.
Take Italy, for example, as while the so-called “Dignity Decree” has placed a stringent ban on iGaming advertising of late, affiliate marketing continues to create a handy workaround for operators.
Will Affiliate Marketing Continue in New Zealand?
As we’ve already touched on, the review by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is well underway in NZ, while a number of potential reforms have been proposed to help expand the marketplace in line with its increasingly digital nature.
The good news is that none of these are likely to affect affiliate marketers in New Zealand adversely, and in fact, they are far more likely to boost affiliates and create more opportunities within the sector.
The most likely reform would actually create additional licenses for both domestic and operators in NZ, for example, while broadening the market considerably and removing control away from centralised agencies like Lotto and TAB (who regulate lottery games and sports betting respectively).
This would create an increased demand for affiliate marketers and reputable programs in New Zealand, allowing established affiliates to scale their market shares and newcomers to carve themselves a lucrative niche within the industry.
Even if the legislation was adjusted to simply grant additional licenses to international casino and betting brands, this would also boost demand for affiliates while enabling existing programs to snap up new operators with the minimum of fuss.
Perhaps the only potential reform that would not directly benefit affiliates would see the government agencies Lotton and TAB extend their centralised offering to provide more gambling products to customers.
This would probably only see a single, centrally controlled online casino enter the NZ marketplace, creating little in the way of additional money-making opportunities for affiliates in the region.
Ultimately, however, it is clear that iGaming affiliates in NZ have little to fear from the current DIA review of the 2003 Gambling Act.
In fact, they’re most likely to benefit from any reforms, irrespective of any additional controls or regulatory measures that may be conceived much further down the line.
News
Final Call for the N1 SEO Traffic Cup 2 Weeks to Win
N1 SEO Traffic Cup — the first tournament in the N1 Traffic Cups series by N1 Partners — is entering its final stretch, with April 30 being the last day of the promo. Over 250 teams are already actively driving traffic to N1 Partners brands, as anyone can win — no matter when they joined the race.
Winning main rewards is absolutely realistic — final results are based on your team’s efficiency; there’s not a limited number of spots to compete for. All participants who reach one of the four prize tiers get rewarded, so the key focus is scaling your performance metrics.
Learn how to strengthen your current positions within two weeks — or enter the race effectively at the final stage!
Tips to run traffic for N1 SEO Traffic Cup: expert edition
Improving your results is always possible, particularly when you have access to fresh analytics.
The N1 Partners team has made it easier for participants by sharing insights from SEO experts:
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- Best approaches for iGaming SEO
At the moment, classic SEO listings with an offerwall, cross-brand SEO and parasite SEO strategies across several Tier-1 GEOs are performing well.
- Best approaches for iGaming SEO
- Top products for SEO traffic in N1 Partners
Among the products showing the best conversion rates and stability are HollyWin, Slot Mafia, Lucky Hunter, RollXO, and Slot Lounge.
- Top GEOs for SEO traffic
Markets such as AU, DE, CA, AT, CH, NZ, and NO are delivering strong results and are popular among N1 SEO Traffic Cup participants. These GEOs have a wide solvent audience, allowing both high volumes and strong average checks.
Have you already chosen the GEO and approach? Register at the N1 SEO Traffic Cup landing page and get to the top leaderboard positions!
N1 SEO Traffic Cup: FAQ for final-stage entrants
The N1 Partners team understands that joining at a later stage can feel more challenging, so they’ve collected the most common questions from affiliates and shared practical advice.
Where should a newly registered affiliate start to make the most of the first 48 hours?
“If an affiliate joins during the final two weeks, the key to success is to stay focused. I would recommend immediately concentrating on familiar GEOs and brands to get the first FTDs as quickly as possible.
The next step is to evaluate whether you have the resources to work with multiple brands. In the N1 SEO Traffic Cup, the number of brands directly affects the Brand Coefficient and overall results. And of course, it’s important to sync with your affiliate manager from the very beginning to build the shortest path to your first results.
There is no single fixed prize — affiliates can reach any reward level. Even if an affiliate does not reach the Level, generating a minimum of 20 FTD on at least one brand still qualifies them for the prize draw. That means there are no losers, and you can join the game at any time,” says Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates at N1 Partners.
What mistakes do participants most often make when trying to speed up before the final?
“The most common mistake is trying to scale quickly by testing new GEOs and approaches where the team lacks expertise.
This usually leads to spreading resources unwisely, lower quality, and higher spend. The worst-case scenario involves campaign stoppages. At the final stage, it’s much more important to stay focused on stable sources and further optimise working strategies rather than testing new directions,” says Dmitry Filippov, Affiliate Team Lead (SEO) at N1 Partners.
Join the N1 SEO Traffic Cup — 2 weeks is enough to win!
N1 SEO Traffic Cup: conditions explained
Period: March 1 – April 30, 2026
Results: by May 10
Entry: from 20 FTD per brand
The mechanics are simple: you earn points (N1 Cup Score) based on generated FTDs, then multiply them by the brand coefficient.
The more brands you work with, the higher your multiplier and the faster your results grow:
- 1 brand — x1
- 2–3 brands — x2
- 4+ brands — x5
This means you can not only scale volumes but also accelerate growth by driving traffic to multiple products.
Learn more about the conditions and rewards here!
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program:
- 14+ casino and sportsbook brands with Reg2Dep up to 70%
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 45% + NNCO for top partners + hybrid models
Be number one with N1!
Awards
Casino Guru shortlisted in “Casino Affiliate of the Year” category in AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026
Casino Guru has been shortlisted in the “Casino Affiliate of the Year” category at the upcoming AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026, which will take place on May 20, 2026, wrapping up the final day of the AffPapa Conference Madrid.
Casino Guru is proud to receive this nomination, as it once again serves as proof of the company’s sustained focus on improving the wider industry ecosystem, prioritizing player protection, and championing a fair and transparent online gambling industry.
Casino Guru has worked consistently to improve the online gambling environment through its Complaint Resolution Center and Safety Index, both of which have become key pillars in helping players make informed choices.
Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Project Director at Casino Guru, commented on the nomination: “Casino Guru is once again nominated for an awards ceremony that feels important and impactful. It is recognition of our collective efforts as a company to push past commercial results and drive meaningful, deep-rooted, and lasting change in the online gambling industry. Casino Guru remains, as it always has been, committed to providing players with the support they need to make their online gambling experience the best it can be.”
The AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 place Casino Guru against a strong line-up of competitors vying for the accolade. The event itself also recognizes Operators and B2B companies, highlighting excellence across the wider industry.
Today, Casino Guru maintains one of the most comprehensive online casino databases, with frequent reviews ensuring accurate and up-to-date information on each brand. To simplify the research process, Casino Guru assigns a numerical score to each casino’s reputation, helping millions of players worldwide make better-informed choices about where to play.
Casino Guru is excited to celebrate the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 alongside some of the industry’s finest.
Furthermore, the month of May promises to be an exciting one for the iGaming industry, with the Casino Guru Awards entering their 4th annual edition and set to take place at The Xara Lodge, Malta, on May 25, 2026.
News
N1 Partners puts Deputy Head Vlad Chernov in the spotlight in N1 Faces
Why do some teams scale and grow consistently, while others start losing money as soon as they increase volume — even when working with the same offers and traffic sources? The difference rarely comes down to tools. More often, it’s about how the system is managed: how decisions are made, how responsibility is distributed, and how the team works with partners when performance starts to decline.
In the new episode of N1 Faces, the N1 Partners team introduces Vlad Chernov, Deputy Head of Affiliates. In this interview, Vlad shares how he entered affiliate marketing, what managing a team really means in a fast-moving environment, where money is most often lost during scaling, and what principles help build teams that actually drive growth.
How did you get into affiliate marketing, and when did you realize this was the field you wanted to grow in?
I entered the industry in 2020. Before fully moving into affiliate marketing, I worked in a range of roles — from Customer Support Manager to Operations Director. That gave me a broad understanding of processes, team management, and how the business operates from the inside.
Over time, I became more interested in the affiliate side: how deals are structured, how traffic is driven to casino products, and which sources partners rely on. When the opportunity came to move into affiliate marketing, I quickly realized this was the area where I could develop my skills, work closely with partners, and directly see the impact of my decisions.
What brought you to N1 Partners, and what was the deciding factor?
When I was just starting out in affiliate marketing, I was actively studying the market and consistently following N1 Partners — their positioning, their brands, and the fact that they were always among the top performers. I also paid attention to the team and saw professionals I genuinely wanted to work with and learn from.
The key factors for me were a strong brand portfolio and the flexibility to choose my direction — both in terms of the team and traffic sources. It was also important for me to join a company that values new ideas and supports initiative. I’ve always seen that as a critical part of professional growth.
What’s more challenging in team management: scaling results or developing the team itself?
Scaling results is definitely more challenging.
We operate in a highly dynamic environment where the market changes almost daily. What works today may stop working tomorrow.
That’s why both we and our partners often find it harder to maintain and grow performance — it requires constant attention to key metrics and the ability to adapt quickly.
At the same time, team development is an ongoing process. We’re continuously looking for ways to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and improve efficiency. We’re also gradually integrating AI into our internal processes to increase both speed and quality.
What qualities define a strong affiliate manager today?
First and foremost — strong communication skills. This is especially critical at the very first touchpoint with a partner. The way you communicate early on often determines whether you’ll even get a response.
Honesty and transparency are just as important. In this industry, building trust is essential because everyone is ultimately working toward shared results.
I would also highlight a deep understanding of analytics. An affiliate manager should go beyond basic metrics like average check or ROAS and understand profitability, traffic quality, and overall campaign efficiency.
And of course — multitasking. It’s unavoidable today. We work with 10+ brands, accept traffic from multiple sources, and constantly test new funnels and hypotheses together with partners.
How does team growth impact the quality of partner relationships, and what’s critical to avoid a drop in service when scaling?
Team growth and the level of expertise among managers form the foundation of everything that follows. We’re very selective in hiring and place a strong emphasis on analytics and understanding traffic sources, as this directly impacts our ability to scale.
As the team grows, processes become just as important as people. It’s essential to have a transparent system in place: clear standards, shared understanding of goals and key metrics, and consistent approaches to working with partners. This ensures stability and maintains service quality even as volumes increase.
At the same time, the level of the team remains critical. Strong specialists set the bar and shape the overall approach. That’s what allows you to scale without losing quality.
What are the most common pitfalls when working with partners, and where do teams usually lose money?
Most losses happen during scaling, when quality starts to drop as volume increases. A typical mistake is choosing the wrong scaling strategy — pushing all ad sets instead of focusing only on those that have already proven performance with strong CTR and EPC on the affiliate side, as well as solid player activity and ROI on the advertiser’s side.
Another key factor is offer selection. Chasing an offer with a 10–15% higher CPA doesn’t always make sense if the conversion rate is lower. In the long run, this directly impacts profitability.
From our side, we focus on selecting offers that perform best in real time for a specific traffic source. We can also provide actual performance proof and help partners secure the most competitive terms available on the market.
How do you build relationships with key partners so they don’t just stay, but grow with you?
I focus on a personalized approach and building trust-based relationships with a long-term perspective.
I’d rather start with a small test, scale gradually, and increase the rate later than run multiple tests and stop working together — even if early results are not ideal.
We work toward win-win conditions and continuously test new approaches and hypotheses. With the right strategy and offer selection, I’m confident that mutual growth is always achievable.
What helps you stay focused and make decisions under constant pressure?
Prioritization and structured task management are key.
It’s important to assess situations objectively, double-check information, and base decisions on data rather than emotions. Staying calm and focused allows me to work effectively under pressure, adapt quickly, and take responsibility for decisions with confidence.
If you weren’t in iGaming…
I’d likely still be in a related field. One option would be marketing in another industry, where I could apply my experience. Another would be returning to operations, focusing on building and optimizing processes in a high-risk environment.
Either way, I’d want to stay in a fast-paced, high-responsibility environment with challenging tasks — that’s what drives me.
Top-3 Blitz
What mistakes most often prevent affiliate teams from growing?
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- Choosing the wrong strategy and chasing higher payouts instead of conversion and sustainability.
Teams often choose offers based on CPA alone, ignoring conversion, even though conversion drives long-term results. - Lack of communication with the manager.
Teams sometimes stop traffic without notice and draw quick conclusions without investigating deeper. The issue might not be conversion, but something like incorrect postback setup.
- Choosing the wrong strategy and chasing higher payouts instead of conversion and sustainability.
- Mixing traffic from different sources without proper segmentation.
These flows need to be agreed upon and segmented to maintain quality and properly analyze performance.
What do you look at first when evaluating a partner?
- Audience fit and traffic quality.
The traffic must match our target audience and meet internal profitability benchmarks. - Flexibility and willingness to collaborate.
The ability to adapt quickly and find win-win solutions is key. - Previous performance.
I look at historical data, results in other campaigns, and how consistently the partner meets agreements.
What factors most influence traffic profitability today?
- Cost of acquisition and player retention.
It has become harder to both acquire and retain users. - Funnel and landing page optimization.
Even high-quality traffic can drop off if the funnel is too long or complex. - Continuous campaign optimization and bid adjustments.
Daily monitoring of metrics and fast adaptation—from both the partner and advertiser side—is critical.
Working with N1 Partners
Partners who want to discuss a launch, tailor conditions to their traffic, or test an offer can reach out to Vlad directly.
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with strong LTV and Reg2Dep rates of up to 70% across Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €650-700 and RevShare up to 45%, 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.
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