Chief Business Officer promoted to top job while current CEO Toni Halonen starts new role as Chief Product Officer

Bojoko, the award-winning online casino affiliate site, has appointed Joonas Karhu as Chief Executive Officer amid a management reshuffle.

Joonas moves into the top job from the role of Chief Business Officer, with current CEO and Bojoko Co-founder, Toni Halonen, moving to the newly created role of Chief Product Officer.

The reshuffle will see Joonas take over the day to day running of the business and take on the task of ensuring Bojoko becomes the first globally recognised online gambling affiliate brand.

He will also be responsible for strategy development and execution, driving growth, overseeing resources and development and inspiring and motivating the wider team.

In his role as Chief Business Officer, Joonas has developed strong relationships with a wide range of industry stakeholders which he will continue to work with as CEO.

As Chief Product Officer, Toni will focus on taking the Bojoko product and user experience to levels the industry has never seen before and further establishing the company as a leader in the sector.

This comes after several major product upgrades, including the launch of two in-house developed game training apps that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play store.

Joonas Karhu, Bojoko Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am honoured to have been named CEO of Bojoko, a business that I have been proud to be a part of since the very beginning.

“Over the past four years, I have watched it grow into an award-winning, market-leading online gambling affiliate organisation with a presence in markets around the world.

“I have always worked closely with Toni in my role as Chief Business Officer and believe I am in a strong position to take over the reins and continue to drive the business forward and on to greater success.

“I’d like to thank Toni and the other co-founders for putting their trust in me and promise to do all I can to achieve the goal of Bojoko becoming the first globally recognised affiliate brand.”

Toni Halonen, Chief Product Officer at Bojoko, said: “In Joonas we have the perfect candidate for the CEO role; he knows the business and also has unrivalled knowledge of, and experience in, the market.

“This reshuffle allows me to refocus on my passions – technology and SEO – and to ensure that Bojoko continues to push the boundaries in the areas of technology and user experience.

“This really is an exciting chapter for the business, and I look forward to seeing the incredible things we can achieve under Joonas’ leadership.”

Income Access, the marketing technology and services provider from Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE), today announced the launch of a new affiliate programme in partnership with The Football Pools, the world’s oldest football gaming company and operator of The Pools sports-betting and casino website. The launch will see the UK-based brand use the Income Access affiliate marketing platform as well as its affiliate management services to expand its customer base and market presence.

Founded in 1923, The Football Pools launched The Pools in 2018 with the site since expanding into a formidable blend of pre-match and in-play betting, along with a catalogue of video slots, live casino offerings and virtual games. Licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, the brand offers fans another unique wagering experience through Footie5, a weekly free-to-play football prediction game featuring a £25,000 jackpot. All games are also available on The Pools mobile app.

Complementing this strong product offering, the launch of The Pools affiliate programme with Income Access will provide marketing partners with access to a robust multi-channel tracking and reporting solution to help them employ informed, data-driven marketing strategies. Combined with expert guidance from the company’s knowledgeable team of affiliate marketers, The Pools will be equipped with the tools necessary to achieve long-term acquisition and retention success.

Affiliates promoting The Pools will benefit from a dedicated Income Access affiliate manager who will be available to assist with creative assets and marketing campaigns. In addition, affiliates will have access to a flexible compensation model with the chance to earn up to 35% revenue share. Further supporting promotion of the brand are a wide range of casino and sports-betting players promotions.

Andrea Foley, Marketing Manager at The Pools, said: “We have been growing digitally, inventing new games for new audiences, while remaining faithful to our heritage. Following the launch of The Pools as our new sports betting and casino site along with a mobile app we have joined with Income Access to offer our marketing partners best-in-class reporting, marketing assets, and dedicated support for our new affiliate programme.”

Tara Wilson, Chief Operating Officer at Paysafe’s Income Access, said: “The Pools is an exciting brand with an incredibly rich history and we have seen that as the market continues to evolve, so does the brand. By bringing together our team of dedicated affiliate marketing experts with The Pools’ all-inclusive suite of products, we aim to further the company’s acquisition efforts and contribute to the brand’s long-term success.”

Contact The Pools for more information about the affiliate programme and its partnership with Income Access.

The IGB judges said the company’s innovative work with SEO “helped Blexr stand out as a winner, and we liked the deposit guarantee that they offer to their customers”.

The judges added: “Their selective way of working means Blexr only collaborates with top quality partners, which judges felt had helped contribute to their impressive growth over the last 12 months.”

IGB also mentioned how “Blexr’s charitable work within the community helped them stand out as an affiliate to be highly commended”.

Blexr is a lead generation company which operates in the iGaming, sportsbook and forex affiliate markets. It also owns the Home Grounds website, which serves a community of home baristas.

Ian Hills, Blexr’s general manager in Malta, said: “We’re delighted and thrilled to be recognised by IGB this way.

“We pride ourselves on recruiting smart people with innovative ideas and winning a prestigious award like this one is a lovely way for the whole team to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication.”