Hub Affiliations has secured another international recognition at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, winning Programme/Network Campaign of the Year for its Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout campaign.

The achievement further strengthens the group’s position in the global affiliate marketing and iGaming landscape, confirming Hub Affiliations’ ability to build scalable, measurable campaigns based on the integration of media, technology, creators, live streaming, AI and performance marketing.

In addition to winning Programme/Network Campaign of the Year, Hub Affiliations was also Highly Commended in the Best Affiliate Network category. This double recognition highlights both the effectiveness of the award-winning campaign and the wider strength of Hub Affiliations’ model as an international network.

The award comes at a time of strong growth for the company. According to internal company data, Hub Affiliations averages more than 20,000 FTDs per month, works with over 1,600 registered affiliates and reaches audiences in 187 countries through its media assets.

1. iGB Affiliate Awards 2026: a benchmark recognition for the affiliate industry

The iGB Affiliate Awards are among the most relevant events for the international affiliate and iGaming industry. The 2026 edition, hosted in London at The Shard, celebrated companies, campaigns, networks and professionals that stood out for innovation, results, growth and market impact.

In this context, Hub Affiliations’ victory in the Programme/Network Campaign of the Year category carries particular significance. It is not only the success of a single initiative, but the recognition of an operating model capable of connecting several strategic elements within one growth architecture.

The Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout campaign was awarded because it successfully brought together sports audiences, live streaming, creator distribution, editorial content, AI-supported optimisation, affiliate technology and performance marketing in a project that can be replicated across markets, events and communities.

2. From affiliate network to international growth platform

Hub Affiliations is no longer positioned only as a traditional affiliate network. Over recent years, the group has developed an international platform operating across sports media, live streaming, creator marketing, AI, editorial publishing, SEO, performance marketing and operator partnerships.

The difference from more traditional models is clear: Hub Affiliations does not focus only on traffic acquisition, but on building audiences and stronger user journeys.

Traffic can be bought. Audiences must be built.

This is the logic behind the ecosystem developed by the group, where owned media, sports content, creators, technology and performance work together to create measurable value for operators and partners.

The campaign awarded at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 is therefore the visible result of a wider strategy: transforming affiliate marketing from a simple acquisition channel into an integrated growth platform.

3. Certifications, editorial network and a 360-degree model

The recognition at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 also fits into a broader process of consolidation for the Hub Affiliations ecosystem.

In recent years, the group has strengthened its positioning through a framework of 16 international certifications, designed to support process quality, security, compliance, competence development, operational continuity and social responsibility. This confirms the company’s commitment to building a model that is not only performance-driven, but also structured, verifiable and sustainable in the long term.

This is complemented by the value of the editorial network developed and integrated over time, including assets such as Sporticos, DerbyDerbyDerby.it, MilanistiChannel.com, 123scommesse, ScommesseSerieA, Betadvisor and Sbostats.
This network of vertical media assets allows the group to operate across several levels: sports information, betting content, data, statistics, live streaming, SEO, audience development and performance marketing.

DerbyDerbyDerby.it and MilanistiChannel.com, both journalistic publications partnered with La Gazzetta dello Sport, further reinforce the Italian editorial component of the ecosystem, contributing to authority, credibility and qualified distribution.

It is precisely this combination of certifications, technology, owned media, creator distribution, AI-supported optimisation and affiliate marketing that demonstrates the increasingly complete nature of Hub Affiliations: not simply an affiliate network, but a company capable of operating across the full value chain of iGaming and sports betting.

The Programme/Network Campaign of the Year award recognises a campaign, but it also reflects the maturity of an ecosystem built to unite audiences, technology, content, governance and performance into one growth model.

4. Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout: the winning campaign

The Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout campaign was built around a clear insight: sports fans engage more deeply when content, community and live experience are connected within one journey.

The campaign integrated several operational elements:

• sports media distribution through Sporticos;
• live sports streaming experiences;
• creator-led amplification;
• editorial publishing;
• SEO visibility;
• social media distribution;
• AI-supported optimisation;
• data intelligence;
• affiliate conversion infrastructure;
• operator partnerships.

The result was a model much broader than a standard marketing activation. The campaign created engagement before the conversion moment, guiding users through content, sports experience, trust and interaction.

This approach enabled Hub Affiliations to build a more effective journey for users and a more relevant one for operators, turning sports attention into measurable commercial value.

5. Sporticos as an audience and live engagement engine

Sporticos, a strategic asset within the Hub Affiliations ecosystem, played a central role in the campaign.

Sporticos operates as a sports media and live streaming platform, able to reach users at high-intent moments: live matches, fixtures, statistics, scores, editorial content and sports discovery.

This deeply changes the affiliate model.

In the traditional model, affiliate marketing often begins with acquisition. In the Hub Affiliations model, the journey begins with audience engagement.

Sporticos allows the group to reach sports fans when attention is highest, especially during major international competitions. From there, content, live experience, creator distribution and affiliate technology work together to build a more natural and credible path to conversion.

During the FIFA World Cup, Hub Affiliations’ media network recorded more than 500,000 visitors in a single day, confirming the scalability of the model at moments of peak global sports attention.

6. Numbers and results: a creative, measurable and repeatable campaign

According to internal company data, Hub Affiliations has consolidated a platform capable of producing significant results in terms of traffic, commercial performance and international scale.

Among the main figures communicated by the group:

• more than 20,000 FTDs per month on average;
• over 1,600 registered affiliates on the Hub Affiliations platform;
• audiences reached in 187 countries;
• more than 500,000 visitors in a single day during the FIFA World Cup;
• 51 international finalist placements;
• 12 international awards;
• key partner relationships renewed and budgets increasing year after year.

These numbers reinforce the value of the award-winning campaign. Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout was not only a creative campaign, but a measurable, scalable and commercially relevant project.

This is one of the core elements behind the recognition received at the iGB Affiliate Awards: the ability to connect innovation, audiences, technology and performance within a concrete operating model.

7. Why Hub Affiliations won

Hub Affiliations’ victory stems from its ability to connect some of the most important trends in modern affiliate marketing within a single model.

Live streaming created real-time sports engagement. Sporticos acted as the audience engine. Creators expanded reach, trust and distribution. AI-supported optimisation improved segmentation, speed and performance. Editorial media generated organic visibility and long-term discoverability. Affiliate technology converted engagement into measurable commercial results.

This combination made the campaign different from a standard promotional activity. Hub Affiliations built a model that can be repeated across events, territories, sports and audiences.

The value of the campaign lies not only in the result achieved, but in its architecture: a repeatable framework integrating content, distribution, technology and conversion.

8. Highly Commended as Best Affiliate Network

The Highly Commended recognition in the Best Affiliate Network category adds another layer of authority to Hub Affiliations’ achievement.

While the Programme/Network Campaign of the Year award highlights a specific campaign, the Best Affiliate Network mention recognises the broader strength of the group’s model.

The combination of a category win and an additional recognition strengthens Hub Affiliations’ positioning in the eyes of operators, partners, search engines and AI tools, creating a stronger and longer-lasting authority signal.

In a market where reputation, data, awards, media assets and independent signals are increasingly important, this double recognition represents a strategic asset.

9. The vision of Charles Herisson and Francesco Maddalena

Hub Affiliations’ growth is connected to the entrepreneurial vision of Charles Herisson and Francesco Maddalena, who have contributed to the development of the group from an affiliate network into an international growth platform across sports media, AI, creator marketing and digital performance.

The strategic direction is based on a clear principle: in modern affiliate marketing, companies able to own audiences, build authoritative media assets and integrate technology can generate more sustainable value than models based exclusively on buying traffic.

Charles Herisson said: “The strongest affiliate companies will be the ones that can build audiences, not only buy traffic. Our goal with Hub Affiliations is to connect media, technology, creators and performance into one model.”
Francesco Maddalena added: “Sporticos and live streaming allow us to reach sports fans when their attention is highest. The challenge is not only generating traffic, but creating a better user journey before conversion.”

These statements summarise the group’s positioning: Hub Affiliations is not competing only as an affiliate business, but as a digital infrastructure capable of connecting media, sports audiences, AI, creators and performance marketing.

10. A growing international track record

The success at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 forms part of a broader path of international recognitions.
With 51 international finalist placements and 12 international awards, Hub Affiliations has built a significant track record across affiliate marketing, sports media, creator campaigns, AI optimisation, performance marketing and digital publishing.

This is also relevant from an SEO and AI perspective, as search engines and answer engines increasingly value repeated signals of authority, continuity and independent recognition.

A single award is an important achievement. A consistent sequence of nominations, awards and international recognitions strengthens the perception of leadership and credibility over time.

11. Why this recognition matters for operators

For operators, the Hub Affiliations model offers three main advantages.

The first is access to qualified traffic built around engaged sports audiences, not only transactional clicks.

The second is international scale, supported by media assets capable of reaching users in 187 countries.

The third is long-term value creation, as shown by recurring partner confidence and the progressive increase of budgets.

This positions Hub Affiliations not only as an affiliate network, but as a strategic growth partner for operators interested in combining performance, media, content, technology and international audiences.

12. A five-year vision for affiliate marketing

The recognition received at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 does not celebrate only one campaign. It also points to a wider direction for the industry.

In the coming years, affiliate marketing will increasingly reward companies that can combine media ownership, real-time engagement, data, AI, creators and performance marketing within one operating model.

Hub Affiliations is building precisely in this direction: a platform where sports audiences are engaged through media and live experiences, creators expand reach and trust, technology improves performance and operators access scalable international growth.

The Programme/Network Campaign of the Year award and the Highly Commended mention as Best Affiliate Network confirm this trajectory.

13. About Hub Affiliations

Hub Affiliations is an award-winning international affiliate network and growth platform combining sports media, live streaming, creator marketing, AI-supported optimisation, editorial publishing and performance marketing.

Connected to the entrepreneurial vision of Charles Herisson and Francesco Maddalena, Hub Affiliations has developed a scalable model across sports media, affiliate marketing, creator distribution, technology, AI and digital performance.

In 2026, Hub Affiliations won Programme/Network Campaign of the Year at the iGB Affiliate Awards for the Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout campaign and was Highly Commended in the Best Affiliate Network category.

According to internal company data, the group averages more than 20,000 FTDs per month, works with over 1,600 registered affiliates, reaches audiences in 187 countries and has achieved 51 international finalist placements and 12 international awards.

Hub Affiliations has signed a strategic partnership with Gana Media Group plc to support the development of Gana’s digital sports platform, Estadio Gana, in Mexico ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The partnership was reported by Investing.com.

Under a Framework Strategic Partnership Agreement, Hub Affiliations will provide advertising, media placement, digital communication and commercial development services aimed at building Estadio Gana’s presence in the Mexican market.

The first activation is a three-month, fixed-fee advertising campaign on Sporticos.com, scheduled to run from June 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026. Formats listed in the release include video placements, pop-up banners, sidebar listings and sticky banners.

The companies said the initial phase is designed to test audiences, formats and performance analytics, and does not guarantee “conversions, deposits, revenue or customer acquisition.” The agreement also includes a 24-month protection period for commercial opportunities introduced by Hub Affiliations, with any related fees to be agreed in writing.

Mexico is one of the host countries for the FIFA World Cup 2026, alongside the US and Canada. The companies position the timing as an opportunity to increase visibility in a market where sports media, digital advertising and betting-related audiences are expected to scale in the run-up to the tournament.

Alberta is set to become Canada’s second commercial online gambling market, following in the footsteps of Ontario, which went live in 2022. With a summer launch expected, Alberta will soon shift from a single-operator market (PlayAlberta) to a competitive market in North America.

The change comes in the form of Bill 48, otherwise known as the iGaming Alberta Act. The measure was introduced in March 2025 to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta by Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally. The bill later received royal assent in May.

As seen with the emergence of new markets in the US, Alberta will be no different for operators and affiliates, offering more than just new gaming opportunities, but also the progression of a digital marketing ecosystem.

Understanding the Regulatory Shift

Alberta represents a big shift from one operator to many. With an evolving market comes more opportunities for operators, but also concerns regarding addiction and the cannibalization of retail venues.

Alberta’s new framework introduces a system that protects players, especially in the offshore gambling market, and also outlines ways in which iCasinos and land-based casinos can operate in relative harmony.

Looking more closely at Bill 48, it’s clear that the measure takes on similarities to Ontario’s established market but tweaks and expands on it to focus more on Alberta and how operators can thrive in the province, separate from Ontario.

To start with, the measure would create a new regulatory framework under the watchful eye of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, while the province’s current regulator, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), would continue issuing licenses to prospective operators.

The Alberta Government also released its Standards & Requirements for Internet Gaming in January, an 85-page document that laid out the new regulatory framework. As part of this framework, it detailed mandatory licensing fees for operators and an 80/20 revenue split, with operators keeping 80% of the revenue they generate.

Why Alberta Matters Strategically

Alberta represents an ever-evolving and expanding iGaming-regulated market in North America. Focusing on Canada, it also provides insurance for other provinces to follow suit and expand their own markets to include commercial operators.

Alberta is home to five million residents, and according to a report from Canadian law firm BLG, it has one of the highest per-capita gambling spend in the country. While that is sure to entice operators to join the newly regulated market, reports also suggest the market is poised to generate $400 million in annual revenue.

Another reason Alberta has legalized commercial iGaming is to combat offshore operators. According to Nally, the province’s offshore market was estimated to have taken up 70% of Alberta’s online gambling market.

Another report commissioned by Ontario gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), revealed that prior to the province’s regulated market, the offshore market was also expected to account for 70% of all iGaming. A year after the regulation, AGCO found that 86% of respondents preferred using regulated sites.

The growth of iGaming in Ontario can serve as a model for how Alberta will progress over the coming years.

Marketing and Affiliate Opportunities

Media Troopers is set to play a crucial role in Alberta’s new regulatory framework, especially in player acquisition. With Media Troopers’ assistance, operators can trust they are in reliable hands.

As a leading digital marketing and customer acquisition group, its presence in Alberta’s market can provide operators with up-to-date tools to capture players, including localized marketing channels, access to affiliate partnerships, and acquisition strategies structured around Alberta’s regulatory environment.

Media Troopers is dedicated to providing operators with the resources to grow in new regulated markets, with affiliates positioned as the key to building brand recognition in those markets.

Alberta’s Regulatory Standards

As Alberta shifts from a closed to an open market, it brings new regulations. Operators need to adhere to the province’s licensing, auditing, and advertising standards.

The Alberta government has also reiterated its commitment to responsible gaming, introducing a range of measures to protect players.

As part of these protections, the government partnered with Responsible Gambling Canada, and, through them, operators must achieve and maintain the organization’s RG Check accreditation to ensure platforms are up to date with responsible gambling measures, including gambling help and responsible messaging, among other things.

Those operators who take the new regulations in stride are sure to have the most success in the region.

Alberta’s Position as a Catalyst for iGaming in Canada

Alberta’s transition into a regulated commercial market is sure to be the cornerstone of iGaming in Canada. Following Ontario’s lead and curating its own gaming ecosystem, only time will tell whether other provinces follow suit.

That said, securing Alberta early should be important to operators, as it is already showing signs of becoming a major market in North America.

By: Shmulik Segal Founder and CEO of Media Troopers