Canada
Pocket Gamer Connects reveals an exciting lineup for it’s big return to Seattle, May 9-10
Join more than 500 companies as the leading international conference for the global mobile games industry heads to the US West Coast.
Pocket Gamer Connects, the leading b2b mobile games industry conference, is heading back to the US for a live event after more than two years of digital conferencing through the pandemic. The event takes place on May 9-10 and will welcome some 1,000 professionals from 500+ leading companies representing the entire games industry ecosystem.
This May, Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle attendees will have the opportunity to meet and connect with one another both on-site in Seattle and virtually through Zoom, as well as have full access to seminars, talks and panel discussions delivered by more than 150 industry experts across an inspiring two day schedule.
Pocket Gamer Connects is an unparalleled opportunity to network with top games industry companies from across the globe. Since the first Connects conference in 2014, the team has developed a stellar reputation for delivering the highest quality games industry events with the very best opportunities to expand your network and make moves that will push your business forward. Attendees will have the chance to connect with more than 500 leading companies including Netflix, Wizards of the Coast, Super Evil Megacorp, Xbox Games Studios, Hyper Hippo, Bungie, Riot Games, Wargaming and many more.
Alongside a wealth of opportunities to do business, you can also expect to see some of the most exciting speakers in the games industry right now discussing all the hot topics from monetisation and growth strategy, to industry visions and values, live ops and global trends. The speaker lineup includes Playrix’s Marianna Vallejo, Riot Games’ Josh Menke, Pearl Abyss America’s Jeonghee “JJ” Jin, Netflix Games’ Leanne Loombe, Xbox Games Studios’ Crystin Cox, Bungie’s Jon Chu, Activision Blizzard King’s Kathy Shin and more than 150 other industry leaders with priceless knowledge to share. The full conference schedule is available online now so you can see all of the insightful sessions and elements that make up this exciting two-day event.
The future of games is here: Explore Blockchain, NFTs, Web3 and the Metaverse
As part of Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle, you can also attend the Blockchain Games NEXT Summit: a dedicated two-day summit focusing on the next wave of web3 games technology.
Blockchain, NFTs, web3 and the metaverse are undeniably the hottest topics in the gaming space right now and this summit is designed to provide a space to explore the potential scale of the market and the best way to implement these technologies. Attendees can expect to hear inspiring and future-gazing talks from the likes of Ten Square Games’ Patrick McGrath, Survios’ Alex Silkin, Pole To Win’s Kaley Hurst, THNDR GAMES’ Desiree Dickerson, The Sandbox’s Mathieu Nouzareth, COM2US USA’s Kyu Lee, M2 Insights’ Wanda Meloni and many more.
Connecting the global mobile games industry in Seattle
Steel Media COO Dave Bradley is looking forward to being back on the US West Coast in just a few short weeks: “It’s going to be wonderful to be back meeting people, networking, doing business, and making new connections. That’s why it’s called Connects! Seattle is a buzzing scene – the home of so much innovation and creativity, so we can’t wait to return in person, after a couple of years of only seeing friends and colleagues on Zoom.”
He continues: “Across three stages at the Grand Hyatt, our international experts will be sharing insights on everything from the basics of finding the right monetization method for your game to succeeding in the metaverse. Talks are short and sharp so there’s always something new to discover. It’s going to be a really intense, productive couple of days downtown.”
Secure your spot at Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle today and meet with leading games industry figures this May 9-10.
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affiliate marketing
SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta
SEOBROTHERS Chief of Business Development Aleksandra Drigo says Alberta’s move toward a regulated online gambling market is likely to raise the cost and complexity of affiliate acquisition, reshaping competition for SEO-led publishers. Drigo shared the view in an exclusive interview with SiGMA News focused on Canada’s affiliate landscape.
Drigo said regulation can bring more transparency, but also higher compliance demands and tougher economics for smaller players. “Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” she said.
She added that regulated markets typically advantage well-funded affiliate groups with the ability to invest in legal and compliance support and tracking infrastructure. “Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
On partner selection, Drigo said affiliates are increasingly weighing operators on operational quality and regulatory readiness, not just commercial terms. “We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Drigo also pointed to communication and access to performance data as major friction points in operator-affiliate relationships. “Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
Looking ahead, Drigo said affiliates targeting regulated North American markets will need stronger localisation, trusted brands and more diversified traffic strategies as search behaviour changes. “With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Affiliate Industry
SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates
In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.
She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.
Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape
As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.
“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.
Bigger brands gain the advantage
According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.
“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”
Compliance is now a deciding factor
Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.
“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”
Communication matters more than financial disputes
Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.
“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”
The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation
Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.
“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”
The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
St8 has extended its content partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK, expanding distribution of Octoplay’s casino games in two regulated markets. The companies announced the move on 2 July, 2026.
Under the expanded agreement, St8 will make Octoplay’s full portfolio available to operators in both jurisdictions through St8’s single API integration.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said:
“Expanding our partnership with Octoplay into Ontario and the UK is another important milestone as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with premium content from leading suppliers.
“Octoplay has built an excellent reputation for developing engaging, high-performing games, and we’re delighted to extend this collaboration into two highly strategic regulated markets. This agreement enables our operator partners to access even more quality content through a single integration while supporting their growth in competitive jurisdictions.”
Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay added:
“We’re pleased to expand our partnership with St8 into Ontario and the UK, making our full portfolio available to even more operators through its aggregation platform. St8 has established itself as a trusted technology partner for regulated markets, and we look forward to building on our successful collaboration together.”
The post St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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