1. Anton, you have been shortlisted for the Casino Guru Awards 2026 in the iGaming Changemaker of the Year category. What was your first reaction when you heard the news?

It is a great honor. My first reaction was gratitude – both to the organizers and, most importantly, to the team at Boomerang Partners and our affiliate partners worldwide. Initiatives like ours are never the result of one person’s work; they are built by a strong team and a community that shares the same vision.

For me personally, this nomination also recognizes the direction we have been building over the past few years – focusing on sports-driven affiliate marketing, investing in data and analytics, and creating initiatives that bring real value to partners. It’s rewarding to see that these efforts resonate with the industry.

2. How do you personally interpret the term changemaker in the context of the iGaming industry? What, in your opinion, distinguishes the people who truly drive change in the market?

In our industry, a changemaker is someone who doesn’t just follow market trends but helps shape them.

In my view, the key difference is mindset. Many people focus on short-term performance. Changemakers think about how the industry will evolve in the next few years and start building for that future earlier than others.

They also take responsibility for launching new ideas. Not every initiative has a clear precedent in our industry. But progress often comes from testing new formats, new partnerships, and new ways of working with affiliates.

The companies shaping iGaming are the ones willing to experiment.

3. Looking back at the past year, which initiatives or projects do you believe may have contributed to this nomination?

I believe the nomination reflects several initiatives our team developed over the past year.

One of the most visible projects was the second season of the Golden Boomerang Awards. We turned it into a large global affiliate tournament, with the final ceremony held at San Siro Stadium. In September and October, we also launched the Golden Boomerang League, our first affiliate tournament fully focused on sports traffic.

We also prepared the launch of the Sports Marketing & Betting Calendar 2026, a strategic guide where we shared our internal analytics and insights on sports traffic. The idea was to give affiliates a practical tool to plan campaigns around major sports events and traffic peaks throughout the year.

4. As the CMO of Boomerang Partners, how would you describe the company’s core philosophy when it comes to building and developing a partnership ecosystem?

Our core philosophy is simple: there is no universal model for working with affiliates. Every partner has a different traffic source, audience, and growth strategy, so our approach is always personalized.

Today, we work with more than 3,000 affiliate partners worldwide, and their number grew by 10% year-over-year in 2025. Managing an ecosystem of that scale is only possible if you treat partnerships as individual relationships rather than a standardized process.

5. Boomerang Partners continues to expand across international markets. What values and principles form the foundation of the company’s growth strategy?

Our growth strategy is built around long-term thinking. We are not focused on short-term expansion but on building a brand that partners trust and want to work with for years.

The second principle is specialization. Our ambition is to become the world’s leading sports-focused affiliate program. Sports traffic requires deep expertise, strong analytics, and a clear understanding of seasonality and audience behavior, so we invest heavily in these areas.

Visibility and industry leadership are also important. Our marketing activations at major industry events often attract strong attention, and over time, we see similar formats appearing across the market. For us, that’s a sign that we’re not just participating in the industry conversation but helping shape it.

6. The affiliate landscape is becoming increasingly competitive. From your perspective, what makes Boomerang Partners stand out as an ecosystem for partners?

For us, the key difference is how we approach partnerships. We don’t treat affiliates as traffic sources – we treat them as long-term partners.

As I said earlier, today, our ecosystem includes more than 3,000 affiliate partners worldwide, and maintaining relationships at that scale requires a highly personalized approach. We focus on understanding how each partner works and what helps them grow, whether that means analytics, marketing support, or joint campaigns around major sports events.

In affiliate marketing, strong ecosystems are built on relationships, not transactions.

7. The iGaming industry is evolving rapidly. Which trends do you believe are currently shaping the future of marketing and brand development in the sector?

The industry is becoming much more brand-driven. A few years ago, marketing in our sector was mostly performance-focused. Today, companies are investing much more in brand visibility, partnerships, and long-term positioning.

Another important shift is the growing role of sports in affiliate marketing. Major sporting events create natural traffic cycles, and affiliates are becoming more strategic in how they plan campaigns around them. This is why expertise in sports traffic and seasonality is becoming increasingly valuable.

We also see the industry moving towards stronger partner ecosystems. Affiliates are no longer just traffic sources – they are long-term partners who expect tools, analytics, and engagement formats that help them grow.

8. What are the key priorities for Boomerang Partners in the near future?

One of our key priorities is strengthening our sports-focused strategy. Our long-term ambition is to become the number one sports affiliate program globally, and we continue investing in the expertise, partnerships, and tools that allow us to move toward that goal.

Another major focus right now is preparing the third season of the Golden Boomerang Awards. Over the past two years, the tournament has grown into a large global competition for affiliate teams, and we plan to develop it further as an important platform for the affiliate community.

Our partnership with AC Milan will also continue to play a major role. It allows us to offer partners experiences that go far beyond traditional affiliate offerings.

And of course, we always have new initiatives in development. Those who work with us know that we like to surprise the market and launch projects that push the affiliate space forward.

9. Finally, what does this nomination mean to you personally, and what role have the team and partners played in this achievement?

Even individual nominations in our industry are never truly individual. They are always the result of teamwork.

Everything we achieve at Boomerang Partners is built together with our team and our partners. Their expertise, ideas, and daily work are what make these initiatives possible. For me, this nomination is a recognition of that collective effort. This confirms that we are moving in the right direction.

The post Anton Eshtokin, Chief Marketing Officer at Boomerang Partners: The companies shaping iGaming are the ones willing to experiment appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.