Canada
Skrill USA Enhances Digital Wallet for iGaming
Skrill USA, the digital wallet from leading specialized payments platform Paysafe, unveiled a major product revamp to make it easier and faster than ever to wager online with iGaming brands. The first of several planned upgrades equips the Skrill wallet, which is specifically tailored for iGaming, with all the features that players want – from instantly funding deposits and receiving payouts to an effortless and intuitive user experience (UX).
With Paysafe’s Q4 2020 research revealing that U.S. sports bettors consider fast and frictionless payments the top factor when choosing an online sportsbook (and more important than brand reputation, odds, sports markets, and bonuses), Skrill USA has responded to better support operators and their customers. For the NFL football season, it now takes seconds for new and existing Skrill customers to register or log-in, fund their player account and start wagering. Through Skrill, players can fund a wager direct from their bank account via instant online bank transfer, and also load funds to the wallet balance using a credit or debit card, and paysafecard or Paysafecash eCash solutions.
The iOS, Android, and desktop Skrill applications have been enhanced with a state-of-the-art “look and feel” and streamlined UX developed to meet the needs of the casual or VIP player on-the-go in 2021. The all-new “tiled” display centralizes the vital info a player needs to deposit, ensuring the payments experience is quicker and uninterrupted.
Following a frictionless registration process for first-time Skrill users, their bank accounts are rapidly yet securely linked to their Skrill accounts to allow instant deposits, and with funds fully guaranteed to gaming operators by Skrill. Alternatively, Skrill customers can simply enter their credit or debit card info or use either paysafecard or Paysafecash, which are both available at thousands of U.S. in-store retailers, to seamlessly fund their Skrill accounts, and then deposit to wager with iGaming brands.
For returning players, the depositing process is even simpler. The log-in page’s “remember me” functionality allows customers to skip straight to funding their deposit, now taking a single click, streamlining the ability of customers to rapidly repeat a deposit.
Receiving payouts is just as simple, with winnings accessible to players in their Skrill account in real time. Payouts can be spent online and offline using the Skrill Visa Prepaid Card1, withdrawn directly as cash at an ATM or transferred into players’ linked bank accounts. Customers can even decide to invest their winnings directly into cryptocurrency through Skrill’s integrated crypto exchange feature.
“We’re excited to roll-out a major product upgrade for our digital wallet. Players using Skrill USA to wager with U.S. iGaming brands will enjoy the wallet’s sophisticated user experience and find it’s faster than ever before to make a deposit and to receive payouts of their winnings,” Paul Jardon, CEO and CFO of Skrill USA, said.
“Payments are one of the main pillars of customer conversion for U.S. iGaming brands. With an unparalleled payments experience, the new Skrill USA digital wallet will give operators an edge when it comes to customer acquisition and retention – we feel it’s a game changer for the increasingly competitive U.S. market,” Zak Cutler, CEO of North America iGaming at Paysafe, said.
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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.
Canada
St8 expands Octoplay aggregation deal to Ontario and the UK
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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