Affiliate Industry
Exclusive Q&A with Alex Windsor, Director at Apps4 web media Limited
- Let’s begin with some introductory details about yourself. How did you enter the gaming sector?
I first got in to the gaming sector back in 2012. I was working in a call center at the time in a very different role that I do now; I was in B2B sales.
I was looking online for some info on betting apps and couldn’t really find what I wanted so thought why not make a website about it. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing at first. I started out with a WordPress site and just began slowly adding content. From there I really got in to marketing and started to read up online, visiting forums, downloading online courses, and generally reading whatever I could get my hands on to further my knowledge.
1 website eventually grew to 2, then 3, then 4 and I ended up with 12 sites in total, all aimed at the UK market.
- Did your professional background in mobile communication industry help in the gaming sector? On this topic, how important do you think it is for a potential gaming entrepreneur to have hands-on experience some other unrelated field?
Yes I would say by background did help. I’ve always been a big fan of technology so this definitely made things a bit easier for the transition from sales to marketing. I have always been a bit of a tech geek and love apps, mobiles, tablets, computers and anything with a screen and buttons on.
I saw the potential in mobile betting very early and knew it was a good niche to get in to as apps were very much the thing of the moment back in 2012.
I wouldn’t say experience plays a massive role. I had absolutely no idea about marketing when I got in to the industry initially. I would say a desire to learn, innovate and try new things is a few must have traits if anyone wants to succeed. We all need to start somewhere. You also need a never say die attitude and a hunger to work, work and then work some more.
- What is the background of founding Apps4web Media? Enlighten our readers with some stories, please!
Apps4 web media is actually my 2nd iGaming company. I sold my first portfolio of sites in 2015 and had 2 years out of the industry due to a non-compete agreement.
As soon as I was allowed to work again I registered the company and immediately got to work. I really missed working on sites, going to conferences, and chatting with other people in the industry.
I actually couldn’t wait to get started again and registered the company at 12.01am the day my non-compete expired. I had always worked on my own in the past but this time I decided I wanted to put a small team together. I now have 5 full time employees and we work with several other companies as well for design needs.
As well as running our own sites, we also do link building and marketing for other iGaming companies. We work with some of the biggest companies in the world and its an area we are currently growing and recruiting for.
- For the uninitiated among our readers, could you describe the major services that Apps4web Media provides?
The main services that we offer is affiliate marketing. We have over 12 sites that we run, most are now in the US, but we also have sites for the UK, Spain, and Italy.
As well as content for our own sites, we also provide content for a lot of other affiliates as well, on top of the link building services that we do also.
- On to affiliate marketing now. The field is quite crowded, especially in the gaming sector. How do you manage to carve your niche amidst such tight competition?
The market is a lot more crowded than it was 8 years ago that’s for sure. When I first started out, there was only a handful of sites promoting in the niche I worked in so there wasn’t a lot of competition. Fast forward 8 years and the landscape is a lot different. There are some enormous iGaming companies now with hundreds of sites and staff that just fill and dominate the SERPS.
Standing out from the competition is not an easy thing. I have always been good at offering my own unique spin on content and topics. I look for areas that other sites don’t cover and try and offer genuine help and experience. The UK market is very saturated now and its extremely hard to launch and make a new site successful.
- What are the major revenue streams for Apps 4Web Media?
Our main revenue stream comes from the agreements with have from operators. In the UK this is through rev share, but in the US its all CPA agreements.
We are also doing well with our link building services. A lot of our clients we have worked with for several years and appreciate our timely service and professionalism.
- You started out in the UK and then entered the US market. How is it going in the US? Could you share some stats? In how many states are you licensed to operate now?
The US is such an exciting market to be in right now. It seems like every week there is a new state that has just legalized sports betting, or is just about to.
So far I am really happy with how things are going over there, but we can always do more. Our main site gamble-usa.com is our largest site and covers all the states, although it is still fairly new. The market is that diverse and you really need to almost treat each state as a separate country. What you can and can’t wager on varies from state to state and whilst sports betting is being legalized in most states, online casino and poker is only available in a handful.
The company is licensed in 6 states at the minute, those being New Jersey, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Colorado, and Michigan. We have an application pending with the Virginia lottery that we hope to have available soon.
Because of these big state by state differences, we have launched state specific sites in a few states. In Indiana for example, we have our gamble Indiana site and gamble Colorado for the Colorado betting market. Tennessee is the latest state we launched a state specific site with gamble Tenn but this is still very new.
There are also states like Iowa and Illinois where no license is required that we operate in. For Illinois we have another new state specific site called gamble Illinois, which again is pretty new. There just literally aren’t enough hours in the day to do as much as we want with the sites.
- What are the good, bad and ugly, if any, about doing business in the USA?
The good is definitely the speed at which the market is moving. The US has a population of over 330 million people and they are nearly all sports mad. The legalization of sports betting only come back in to effect in 2018 so the market is still brand new.
I would say the bad is that sports betting isn’t legal in all states. There are over 20 states now with some form of legal sports betting but these states aren’t all open to affiliates. Some only have in person sports betting, whilst others only have 1 operator that is run by the lottery. As more states open up it will get better and better.
The ugly would be the licensing process. I am not against licensing at all as I think it is a good way to regulate the market. My issue is as a UK business we have to jump through a lot of hoops in some states. No application is the same, they vary from state to state. NJ for example is very easy to do. PA was more complicated. Most states you need a registered business address so things take a bit longer than say the UK where anyone can be up and running in a few hours.
- We believe there are others who would be planning to enter the US gaming market in some form. What are the common mistakes that European gaming entrepreneurs could do well to avoid in the USA?
The market is so new in the US for both affiliates and operators so we are all learning and all making mistakes. My biggest piece of advice is don’t take too much on. Focus on one state as each state has different rules about what you can and cant bet on, and also what forms of gambling are available.
- With the arrival of vaccines, Covid-19 is slowly moving out of our daily lives. Looking back, was the outbreak a problem or an opportunity for gaming industry as a whole?
Our sites all focused on sports betting so we were affected quite badly. A lot of Affiliates and operators I have spoken to, whose main verticals were casino and poker, have actually come out having done very well. Most sport was stopped including football and horse racing which had a huge impact on the UK economy as a whole. The same thing happened in the US with sports shut down.
Thankfully things seem to be getting better now and hopefully we are near the end of this dreadful period that the whole world has gone through.
The pandemic may have actually sped up the legalization of sports in a lot of states in the US. Like everywhere, governments are looking for ways to recoup the money they have laid out during the pandemic and raising funds through taxes is a very good way of doing this. Several state have actually pushed forward with looking to legalize sports betting as they are relying on the tax benefits.
- Finally, what is your take on the role of automation and AI in the affiliate industry?
I’m always a tad skeptical about AI. I think it will definitely have its benefits to some industries but affiliate marketing, I am not so sure. I have seen content written by an AI that is very very good.
If Machine learning can be used to help spot and detect early problem gamblers then I am all for it in that respect.
Powered by WPeMatico
Casino Kings, a top UK online casino and sportsbook, is proud to announce its nomination for two coveted categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025: Casino Operator of the Year and Bonus Offer of the Year. These nominations recognise Casino Kings’ ongoing excellence in delivering market-leading casino gameplay, innovative sports betting experiences, and outstanding promotional offers to its growing community of players.
AffPapa iGaming Awards – Recognising the Best in the Business
Now in its third edition, the AffPapa iGaming Awards celebrate top-tier performance across the online gambling industry, bringing together affiliates, operators, and B2B providers from around the globe. Organised by AffPapa, a leading affiliate network and iGaming directory, the awards highlight excellence in areas such as innovation, player satisfaction, partnership success, and marketing creativity.
. Winners will be officially announced at the much-anticipated awards ceremony on May 28, 2025.
Casino Kings: Where Rewards Reign Supreme
Built on a player-first philosophy, Casino Kings has quickly become a favourite among UK players. And this year’s bonus nomination came from some of its most exciting current offers:
- Bet £10, Get £35 in Free Bets – A must-try for sports fans.
- 150% Welcome Bonus up to £150 + 75 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza – One of the most generous welcome packages in the UK market.
- Deposit £10, Get £20 + 50 Free Spins – Perfect for new and returning players.
On top of these, players can always expect something new thanks to a steady stream of daily, weekly, and seasonal promotions. Whether it’s cashback on losses or VIP perks like exclusive bonuses and dedicated support, Casino Kings keeps loyalty at the heart of everything it does.
Committed to Excellence in Online Gaming
Fully licensed in the UK and loudly committed to responsible gambling, Casino Kings offers a secure, intuitive platform for casino and sports fans alike. With top providers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, and Evolution onboard, the game selection is second to none, whether you’re playing on desktop, mobile, or tablet.
“We’re incredibly honoured to be recognised by AffPapa this year,” said Daniel Shannon from Casino Kings. “These nominations are a testament to the hard work our team puts in every day to deliver an exceptional experience for our players. We’re super excited to be in the running, and grateful to our loyal community for their continued support.”
The post Casino Kings Celebrates Double Nomination at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
When the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in 2018, it opened the floodgates to sports betting in the US. From the middle of 2018 to now, states with some form of legal sports betting went from the four states ‘grandfathered’ by PASPA to 39 states and Washington, D.C. allowing betting. That’s 36 jurisdictions legalizing in eight years.
Soon after the annulment of PAAPA, market activity exploded with several states legalizing and launching every year thereafter. Each state had millions of new customers that operators wanted to reach quickly, and unique regulatory constraints around marketing and betting. That’s where affiliate marketing stepped in, providing local expertise to help these operators rapidly establish a foothold with customers.
That gold rush has now ended. While states with significant populations like Texas and California remain without legal sports betting, the majority of players in the US have access to it. Several states won’t be legalizing sports betting every year like in the past.
If operators no longer rely on affiliates to help them conquer several new markets every year, what roles do these large, third-party marketing companies have to play moving forward? As the market matures, we’re seeing that affiliate marketing has a crucial role to play in the current marketing climate.
What the Mature Market Looks Like
Aside from the lurking possibility of states with huge populations like California and Texas legalizing sports betting, the market is broadly set. Many states that haven’t introduced betting are unlikely to change that position due to the political climate, like in Utah and Alaska.
Sports betting has never been more popular, with total GGR for sports betting hitting $13.71 billion in 2024, according to the American Gaming Association. That was a 25.4% increase year-on-year. However, sports betting has also never been more competitive. Most US states have intense competition between operators competing in saturated ecosystems.
There’s evidence this is impacting affiliate companies, with Catena Media generating 35% less from US operations in 2024 compared to 2023. Another significant operator in US affiliate marketing, Better Collective, saw US revenues drop from $113 million in FY2023 to $112 million in FY2024.
However, this doesn’t spell the end of affiliate marketing. Without the potential to expand into new states, operators are looking to strengthen and grow market share in the states where sportsbooks are already operational and companies have already conducted marketing campaigns with affiliates.
Companies that have quickly grasped this new approach have shown positive signs. Gambling.com Group reported record Q4 revenues in 2024 and finished with full-year revenue of $127.1 million, a 17% rise from the year prior.
It’s made affiliates effectively take a u-turn to recover all the ground they covered so rapidly with the expansion of the market. For example, the first online sportsbooks launched in Michigan in January 2021, so there was a flurry of marketing activity in the state before that attention moved to other states that launched in the same year, like Arizona in September. Now, affiliates are returning to states like Michigan with new approaches.
Trust and Authority and Blitz Tactics
What do these new marketing approaches entail? Rather than acquiring as many users as possible in a short time, affiliates are now focused on increasing brand loyalty. Affiliates want to increase customer lifetime value (CLV), and are more aware of this metric than the base number of how many new users are added.
That’s led to more personalized advertising campaigns with features like exclusive offers, user engagement tools, and more to keep the focus on retaining players rather than adding more and more customers. Brands are looking to build authority and trust with customers.
Adding a few customers with high CLV is priceless for operators compared to hundreds of customers who will drop off quickly. Affiliate marketing supports these platforms with tailored campaigns using specific state knowledge and personalized customer retention measures.
More Sophisticated Customers
When sports betting first started spreading across the US, most people probably confused parlay bets with the French word parley used in popular movie franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean. That was the average American bettor’s education level on the topic.
So, early affiliate marketing efforts focused on introducing common sports betting terminology to customers while explaining the benefits of sports betting brands. Guides would explain how to sign up with a sportsbook and the difference between a moneyline and a point spread. That easy access to sports betting information made it more straightforward for a broader audience to get involved.
It’s a different market eight years on. Most bettors are far more educated than before and don’t need to be babyfed the basics. If an operator wants to appeal to bettors, it must do more than just offer betting.
That’s why affiliate marketing has shifted to a more detailed and data-driven approach. Rather than explaining how American odds work, affiliate marketing campaigns now compare the value of odds between operators and highlight the best value.
Unique betting features are more important to marketing campaigns as these can help attract bettors with accounts at other sportsbooks to sign up with a new platform.
This is where affiliate marketing can help operators in mature markets, as these campaigns can highlight those strengths against other brands and make each platform’s unique proposition clear to savvy bettors.
Broadening Audience Demographics
Considering odds regularly appear on major league broadcasts and are discussed by commentary staff for games, it’s clear that betting is becoming increasingly mainstream. As sportsbooks look to consolidate and compete in competitive markets, reaching new demographics is a valuable marketing tool.
While bettors in the US are more educated now, operators are looking to attract more than just players willing to learn all the jargon. New marketing strategies must make betting relatable and appealing to various ages and demographics.
The campaign to capture the attention of bettors in their 20s should look very different from one for older players, and the best affiliate marketers are helping operators tailor these campaigns to hit specific demographics.
Affiliates’ Role as Strategic Partners to Operators
The relationship between affiliates and operators has shifted as the operators need affiliate marketing companies to deliver different marketing services. Many operators see affiliates as strategic partners rather than just sources of traffic.
These new data-driven dynamics will let affiliates play a wider role in operators’ marketing schemes, providing data integration like live stats, API odds feeds, and more. Additionally, affiliates use years of knowledge and expertise to help these platforms run campaigns through different media sources, including mobile.
Affiliates also play a helpful role in compliance and responsible gambling. Each state has its own requirements, and while no new markets are opening, states that already permit betting can shift rules around what’s available. Scrutiny from regulators is also increasing. Therefore, affiliate marketing can provide operators with tailored campaigns that take a state-by-state approach.
Conclusion
Affiliate priorities have shifted, moving into 2025 and beyond. The gold rush is over, and the market is consolidating. Affiliates need to expand their services to keep up with the evolving demands of sports betting operators, focusing on longer-term customer acquisitions rather than adding masses of low-value players.
Successful affiliate sites will be the platforms that adapt to the new mature market the fastest and with the most effective strategies. Affiliates are no longer just tools that operators use to attract broad traffic. These companies must provide ongoing data and personalized marketing strategies to provide the best support to operators.
Author: Shmulik Segal, Founder and CEO of Media Troopers
The post What a Mature Market Means for US Affiliates appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Affilka by SOFTSWISS reports its business performance in Q1 2025, continuing its steady growth as one of the industry’s leading affiliate marketing platforms.
The first quarter of the year marked a period of significant achievements for Affilka by SOFTSWISS. In January, it was named Affiliate Company of the Year at the International Gaming Awards 2025, highlighting its growing recognition in the industry.
In the first three months of 2025, 44 new brands joined the Affilka platform, bringing the total number to over 450 brands. During the same period, affiliate GGR rose by 2.7%, the number of visits increased by 3.1%, and affiliate payments grew by 13.2% compared to Q4 2024. Overall, Affilka now supports over 400 thousand affiliate accounts (+23.1% vs Q4 2024) and tracks more than 98 million registered players, up from 87 million in Q4 2024.
Alongside its financial gains, Affilka maintains an active pace of product development. The team is now preparing to release a new feature: Cross-Brand Player Duplicate Detection. It will enable operators to detect identical player accounts across multiple brands within a single affiliate program. The tool will allow operators to optimise their marketing costs and improve traffic quality.
The innovation is the third major update released by Affilka in the last six months. Earlier, the platform introduced the Geo-Distributed Redirect feature, which reduces user redirect times by fivefold and boosts player conversion. The most recent tool, the Cohort Analysis Report, enables operators to track and evaluate player behaviour more effectively.
“Affiliate marketing is evolving fast, and Affilka evolves with it,” says Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS. “We’re focused on helping our partners meet emerging challenges – whether that means offering new ways to analyse player behaviour, refine traffic strategy, or cut costs without losing efficiency. The Cross-Brand Duplicate Detection tool is one more example of how we turn real-world operator needs into functional, high-impact solutions.”
Anastasia Borovaya recently participated as a guest lecturer at the Academy of Gaming Operations, where she led a session on the Affiliate Management course. She is expected to return to teach the course again in the second half of 2025.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS complies with a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 27,800 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post 44 New Brands Growth in Q1’25: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Baltics5 days agoHIPTHER Confirms Exciting Networking Venues and Stage Themes for MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit 2025
-
AGCO5 days ago
AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures
-
Carey Theil5 days ago
Greyhound Advocates Applaud Oregon Governor Tina Kotek for Signing Historic Internet Betting Ban on Greyhound Races
-
Australia4 days ago
AUSTRAC Announces Expansion of Fintel Alliance
-
Compliance Updates4 days agoMinimum Deposit Casinos Warns of Sweeping Changes as States Crack Down on Online Sweepstakes Casinos
-
Caesars Entertainment4 days ago
OLG Selects Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider for Windsor Casino
-
Brazil4 days ago
Wildly popular ‘Fortune Tiger’ game among PG Soft Brazil rollout
-
CT Interactive3 days ago
CT Interactive Enters into Strategic Partnership with Playcet
