Affiliate Industry
The Football Pools adds trio of legends to famous Pools Panel
Michael Owen, Derek Johnstone and Rachel Brown-Finnis join esteemed panel as world-famous football gaming company relaunches affiliate program
The Football Pools is celebrating 60 years of its famous Pools Panel with the addition of football icons Michael Owen (Liverpool, Manchester United), Derek Johnstone (Rangers) and the panel’s first-ever woman expert, former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis.
The announcement comes as The Football Pools and The Pools relaunches its affiliate program, with casino and sportsbook affiliates being offered a range of generous deals to promote both brands to their audiences in the UK.
The trio joins existing member and Liverpool veteran, Ian Callaghan, and will predict the results of postponed matches. They will use their 50 years of expertise, and some strong opinions, to decide the all-important score draws and wins which could help make Pools fortunes.
Michael, who has gone on to become a successful football pundit since retiring from the game in 2013, said he was delighted to become part of a football gaming institution that means so much to fans:
“The Football Pools has been a tradition for generations of families and mine is no different. My dad used to do the Pools and he would even let me get involved in picking some of the games.
“Now I can no longer affect results as a player, I’m delighted to have been asked to sit on the panel to hopefully put my knowledge of the game to use to help others.”
John Stevens, Managing Director of The Football Pools and The Pools, said creating such an illustrious new Pools Panel was a fitting way to celebrate its 60th year.
He said: “Since the Pools Panel was set up in 1963, we’ve had some of the biggest names in the game predicting results.
“Our new members represent football from different generations, from both sides of the border and we’re very proud to have our first ever woman panellist with Rachel. We are confident that we’ve created a winning team in what is such a landmark year for us.
“It is great to be announcing the new Pools Panel at the same time as we are relaunching our affiliate program and looking to engage with new publishers about promoting our brands to their audiences.”
The Pools affiliate program is powered by Income Access and allows publishers to promote two of the most established and trusted gambling brands in the UK to their players via a range of tailored commercial agreements and deals.
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Affiliate Industry
MelBet Partners to Bring UFC Champion Kamaru Usman to SiGMA Central Europe
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SiGMA Europe is one of the most significant events in the iGaming industry. This year, the event is taking place in Rome and will bring together over 30,000 attendees, 1200 sponsors and feature four stages with 550+ top speakers.
On November 05, in partnership with MelBet Partners & Affiliates, former MMA legend and World Champion Kamaru Usman will join the event as a special guest. At booth 5067G attendees of SiGMA Central Europe have the chance to take photos, hear insights and what it takes to rise to the top on a global stage.
During the conference, there will be two activities available for guests at MelBet’s booth:
Punch Challenge. Anyone can come to the booth on November 4 and test their punching power. The person with the strongest punch will have the honour of competing against Kamaru Usman himself.
Want to get exclusive merchandise and take a photo with the MelBet Partners & Affiliates championship belt? Visit the booth. Follow MelBet’s official Instagram account and take a picture with the belt. Those who post a story with the championship belt and tag MelBet will automatically be entered into a drawing for exclusive UFC-themed merchandise.
There will also be a private party, Triumph of the Gladiators, exclusively for the partners and representatives of MelBet Partners & Affiliates, which Kamaru himself will attend. This evening will be an epic event, where history and modernity merge into one.
The post MelBet Partners to Bring UFC Champion Kamaru Usman to SiGMA Central Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Affiliate Industry
When Logic Finds a Face: Meet Refie, ReferOn’s New Living Interface
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Refie, the new living interface inside ReferOn, it’s here.
ReferOn, the next-generation affiliate management platform, has launched Refie — a built-in interface layer that gives the platform its own awareness, making interaction faster, clearer, and more human.
Refie represents a new level of interaction within ReferOn, designed to make complex affiliate data easier to perceive and act on through visual feedback that turns system logic into something instantly understandable. He now lives inside the platform’s interface, appearing on onboarding screens and system state pages, where he reflects how the system feels and responds in real time.
Refie isn’t a chatbot or a mascot — he’s an integrated UX layer that connects technical precision with human intuition. By reducing noise and guiding attention naturally, he helps affiliate managers work faster while avoiding mistakes and staying aligned with live performance data.
We like to call this approach “lazy intelligence” — systems that think before you do so you can focus on what actually matters. Refie is the first visible step toward that.

Roadmap: From Awareness to Assistance
Refie’s introduction marks the beginning of ReferOn’s next development stage.
He’s the foundation for what comes next: gamification, engagement, and, ultimately, intelligent assistance. Through him, we’ll introduce a more interactive, rewarding experience where every action feels meaningful. Over time, Refie will evolve from a visual signal into a personal AI agent — the intelligent core of the ReferOn platform.
Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented, “Refie isn’t just an add-on or feature — it’s a reflection of how our platform and team think. For years, affiliate platforms have been built for reporting, not for people. We wanted to change that. Refie was born to simplify. He embodies how we think about technology: clarity, control, and connection should feel natural, not forced.
With Refie, ReferOn has learned how to say hi — not with words, but quietly, through awareness. It’s how the system shows it understands what’s happening. He represents the moment ReferOn moved beyond functionality and toward awareness, emotion, and intelligence. The launch goal is to show that the era of faceless B2B tools is ending.”
The ReferOn team will showcase the platform’s latest innovations at SiGMA Central Europe in Rome (Booth 5044). There, attendees can explore the system in action, connect with the team, and experience Refie — the living interface making its first public debut.
The post When Logic Finds a Face: Meet Refie, ReferOn’s New Living Interface appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Affiliate Industry
IZIGROUP and Gamblers Connect Enter a New Partnership
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Gamblers Connect, a leading and trusted iGaming Medium & Affiliate website for the iGaming sector, is excited to announce its latest strategic partnership with a true pillar of the European gaming industry: IZIGROUP.
Based in Malta, IZIGROUP is one of the most respected and established operators in the iGaming world. Its influence is immense, serving as the exclusive concessionaire for the National Lottery of Malta through their subsidiary, National Lottery plc. They also operate Malta’s most iconic land-based casino, the Dragonara Casino, a name synonymous with quality and heritage since 1964. The group also has a sports and casino betting platform, IZIBET.
But this partnership isn’t just about land-based prestige. IZIGROUP has powerfully translated its decades of experience into the digital realm with a formidable iGaming presence. This includes their flagship online brands, Dragonara Online Casino and IZIBET which are rapidly expanding beyond Malta into international markets.
Gamblers Connect’s mission has always been to act as the essential bridge, connecting its community with the most trusted, innovative, and responsible operators in the industry.
This partnership is a perfect embodiment of that goal. IZIGROUP’s entire operational philosophy is built on the same values: a deep commitment to safe, responsible, and engaging gaming experiences.
With €920 million in total gaming turnover last year and a clear strategy focused on digital innovation, IZIGROUP represents the gold standard of a modern, successful, and ethical gaming operator.
Gamblers Connect is proud to feature IZIGROUP’s brands and to provide users with a direct connection to their world-class portfolio. This collaboration strengthens the network and, more importantly, reinforces a promise to only partner with the best.
Gregory Busuttil, Acquisition & Retention Executive at IZIGROUP, commented: “This feels like a true partnership, not just another campaign — and that’s what sets it apart.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO at Gamblers Connect, stated: “Our collaboration with IZIGROUP marks an important milestone for Gamblers Connect. Joining forces with a reputable Malta-based brand allows us to combine credibility with reach, delivering stronger exposure, better performance and a more mature presence in the industry. We see this partnership not as a campaign, but as the beginning of a long-term strategic relationship.”
The post IZIGROUP and Gamblers Connect Enter a New Partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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