Affiliate Industry

iGaming to become one of the biggest hubs of affiliate marketing

Published

4 years ago

December 12, 2019

iGaming to become one of the biggest hubs of affiliate marketing

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The world of entertainment is a diverse and engaging one. Billions of people around the world are united in this common urge to get away with everyday burdens and get some fun. And nothing in the entertainment industry is more popular than online gaming today.

The iGaming industry has been booming for many years now, expected to reach a total revenue of $152 billion this year. Now, this is a lot of money for one industry that’s solely based on online sales and acquisitions. And while things are already on a good pitch, there’s even more to expect in the future.

One of the ways in which the iGaming industry makes so much revenue is marketing. Ads, commercials, short videos, links, and other promoting techniques are constantly used to increase the popularity of gaming devices, accessories and games themselves. In turn, such high traffic generates sales and lastly, revenue.

Nowadays, marketing opportunities are expanding in every direction. And one of the most trending marketing strategies is affiliation. This method has been used in many industries, including entertainment, health, tech, and many more.

A different approach to marketing

Unlike regular marketing techniques, affiliation works a bit differently: it connects two parties that are focused on their product/service – one is the actual product seller (an advertiser), while the other focuses on promoting that product (a publisher). There’s no need for an advertiser to have its own marketing department that costs a fortune.

The two parties are connected on a platform called the affiliate network. Using its automated interface, the publishers and advertisers find themselves according to their needs and specific demands – no manual search is necessary. When the deal is closed, the publishers generate special links, ads, and banners that direct customers to the actual product pages. And the publishers are getting paid according to their actual performance.

That’s basically how affiliate marketing works. Now, let’s get back to why we brought up this subject in the first place. As mentioned above, online gaming is one of the biggest and fastest-growing industries in the world right now. And with the help of affiliate marketing, it’s poised to go even further.

How affiliation works in online gaming

Affiliate marketing in online gaming works somewhat the same way as it does in other industries: the publishers – who might be gamers that stream their gameplay on Twitch, game reviewers on YouTube, or even the gambling affiliate agencies – use their popular platforms to promote certain products or services.

Now, we didn’t mention gambling affiliates for no reason. The online casino industry has been following this trend for many years now, generating both high revenues and high traffic on their websites. For instance, the PlayAmoPartners.com affiliate program for casino sites has been around from at least 2015 and has a partner base that counts more than a thousand different affiliates.

And the online casino is just one fraction of this affiliation giant that’s slowly creeping in. It’s no wonder that the kids and even grown-ups today are dreaming about playing their favorite games online, stream the whole process, and get paid for no active work at all. Who doesn’t want to have a passive income that supports their dreams as well?

Affiliation makes gamers’ dreams come true

And what’s more important, their dream can really come true if they manage to attract a massive follower base on any popular platform. For example, PewDiePie is the biggest YouTuber right now with more than 102 million subscribers. Do you know how he started his channel? Right, game streaming! And according to Forbes, PewDiePie has earned a staggering $12 million via affiliate ads, links, and endorsement content.

In online gaming, and particularly in streaming, the affiliate links are what generate the most revenue. Check for yourselves: when PewDiePie plays Battlefield with a specific mouse, hundreds of millions of people are watching this stream and get interested in this product. In the video description, the YouTuber will have an affiliate link that directs the users to the actual webpage of this mouse and when they purchase it, PewDiePie gets a commission out of it.

Another big platform with the biggest streaming community is Twitch, which we mentioned earlier. And Twitch is probably the best place for game streamers to pursue their affiliation careers. The platform has its own affiliate programs that allow the content creators to earn money via the game sales or the in-game purchases, not to mention getting the paid subscriptions from their followers.

Advantages of affiliate gaming

One of the biggest advantages of online gaming that affiliate marketing can utilize is its diverse audience base. The publishers can effectively engage with various people with different tastes and preferences. And more often than not, they find their niche audiences that constantly demand the product/service that this particular publisher puts out. This, in turn, accounts for increased traffic and revenue for them.

But probably more importantly, online gaming is an environment where people come together for their shared love for games. Here, they exchange their ideas, communicate with one another, and make meaningful connections. According to the Washington Post, video games can especially help people with disabilities to find friends and engage in society. And creators are part of this process too.

When the audience hears their favorite streamer talk about a certain product or service, they’re not running away with distrust and doubt; quite the contrary, they almost always check out that product and even purchase it in some occasions, because they trust the medium that made them aware of it.

Future of affiliation in iGaming

As time goes on and the online gaming industry expands, the methods for making money out of gaming become more sophisticated and effective. Today, affiliate marketing holds the center stage of iGaming and people – YouTubers, Twitch streamers, game reviewers, online casino partners – all make money from their partnerships.

And they’re not the only ones benefitting from this partnership. The advertisers themselves have bigger incentives to opt for this option since it minimizes their marketing expenditures and maximizes sales performance. This is truly a win-win situation for both parties of the agreement.

And while things are certainly looking up in the future, some cannot hide their concerns about the responsible use of affiliate marketing. They indicate that the majority of affiliates don’t even disclose their partnerships with advertisers on YouTube. This, in turn, makes things a lot harder for the regulators who are determined to guarantee the safe and stable marketing environment in every industry, including gaming.

Affiliate Industry

47 New Brands in Q1’24: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2024

George Miller

47 New Brands in Q1’24: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Affilka by SOFTSWISS, a leading affiliate management software provider, is approaching a new milestone of 360 brands in Q1’24.

The first quarter of the year brought remarkable achievements to the Affilka by SOFTSWISS team. The Asian gaming community recognised the company’s affiliate management software as the Best Affiliate Marketing Solution on the market.

This year, Affilka’s team participated in iGB Affiliate London 2024 with a dedicated stand for the first time. During the concurrent iGB and ICE events, the team had nearly 200 meetings over several days. First agreements quickly followed and were signed shortly after the exhibition period.

Affilka by SOFTSWISS experienced substantial growth, adding 47 new brands to its partner network, bringing the total to nearly 360 brands in Q1 2024. More than 33 thousand new affiliate accounts were registered during this period, marking a 118% increase compared to the previous year’s last quarter.

The rise in new affiliate accounts has led to an acceleration in new player registrations, exceeding 7.4 million over the first quarter of the year. Compared to the last quarter of 2023, this metric demonstrated a 106% increase.

The number of unique clicks on referral links with Affilka by SOFTSWISS during this period showed 115% growth and reached almost 436 million in absolute numbers. The rising metrics underscore the crucial role of effective affiliate management in achieving success within the iGaming industry.

Moving to the financial metrics of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, stable growth is evident over the first quarter of 2024 compared to the last quarter of 2023. The affiliate GGR revealed a 112% increase, while the player deposit amount showed a 113% enlargement. The growth within affiliate payments amounted to 117% in Q1’24 compared to the previous quarter.

Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, summarises: “The recent product performance showcases a steady and continuous growth trajectory, a testament to our ongoing investment in innovation and user experience enhancement. Acknowledging affiliate marketing’s crucial role in the iGaming ecosystem, we prioritise delivering exceptional service to exceed our clients’ expectations.”

The global affiliate marketing industry is expected to double in size within the next five years. Finding a reliable affiliate marketing platform provider ensures a competitive edge in the rapidly expanding market.

The team is ready to share valuable industry insights and unveil the upcoming updates at the SiGMA Americas Summit in San Paulo on 23–25 April. Clients and potential partners can book a meeting with the Affilka team at stand i70 on the SOFTSWISS events page.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

Affiliate Industry

StatsDrone data reveals MyAffiliates as the most used affiliate marketing software by the iGaming industry

Published

2 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Wladimir P.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

New research from StatsDrone – the affiliate programme stats tracker – today, Thursday 11 April, unveils MyAffiliates as the most used affiliate marketing software in the gaming industry.

The research was conducted this month – April 2024 – on a sample of 1,100 affiliate programs with the latest StatsDrone data revealing that MyAffiliates is used by almost 16% of gaming operators, followed by Affilka (11.8%), Income Access (10.5%) and NetRefer (7.8%).

MyAffiliates is an established affiliate marketing software platform, empowering iGaming operators to combine all of their gaming brands and products under one umbrella affiliate system. It has been in operation since 2007.

The findings of the latest research, affirms MyAffiliates’ position as the preferred choice among gaming operators and, with nearly 16% of operators utilizing its software, has today cemented its position as a market leader.

Furthermore, with 17% of gaming operators still relying on proprietary software, the potential for solutions such as MyAffiliates is significant. As a ready-built solution, MyAffiliates seeks to further expand their market share and empower more operators to optimize their affiliate marketing strategies.

John Wright, CEO of StatsDrone, expressed his insights regarding MyAffiliates’ dominance in the iGaming industry, stating, “We know that MyAffiliates has an advanced platform for operators and is one of the reasons we know that MyAffiliates has become the most popular affiliate platform in iGaming. We hear from affiliates it is one of their preferred platforms to work with so, for us, it isn’t much of a surprise to see why operators choose MyAffiliates. In the last 6 months, we’ve noticed more MyAffiliates brands being requested on our platform, and I can’t see why that trend won’t continue.“

Clemence Dujardin, MyAffiliates Group CEO comments: “Considering this significant milestone, we at MyAffiliates extend our heartfelt gratitude to our clients and partners for their unwavering trust and support. This achievement underscores not only the effectiveness of the MyAffiliates platform but also the dedication of our team to continually innovate and provide unparalleled service to our users.” She added, “As the leading affiliate marketing software in the iGaming industry, MyAffiliates remains committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower gaming operators to maximize their affiliate programs’ performance and ROI.”

Affiliate Industry

Affilka by SOFTSWISS Announces Partnership with 10bet

Published

3 weeks ago

April 5, 2024

George Miller

Affilka by SOFTSWISS Announces Partnership with 10bet

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Affilka by SOFTSWISS, a leading provider of affiliate tracking software for the iGaming industry, announces a new collaboration with 10bet, a prominent player in the iGaming realm.

10bet operates in diverse markets, including Europe, LatAm, and Africa. Offering both casino and sportsbook solutions, 10bet brings over 20 years of global experience and expertise to the table.

This partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies as they join forces to enhance affiliate marketing strategies and expand their market reach. 10bet has already launched seven brands through the collaboration with Affilka by SOFTSWISS. Five of these brands were successfully migrated, while two were created from scratch, with another one to follow shortly.

Notably, 10bet made a strategic decision to transition from third-party software to leverage the advanced features and tailored solutions offered by Affilka by SOFTSWISS. Thanks to a designated Project Manager in the 10bet team, the integration process was smooth and seamless. Allocating a single point of contact is crucial to ensure effective migration and ongoing success.

“We are delighted to partner with Affilka by SOFTSWISS,” says Yotam Peretz, VP of Acquisition at 10bet. “The platform provides us flexibility, reliability, and personalised support. That’s exactly what we need to optimise our affiliate programs and drive growth in our target markets. I’m sure this collaboration marks the beginning of an exciting and successful journey.”

Angelika Antonova, Head of Sales at Affilka by SOFTSWISS, comments on the recent partnership: “This migration serves as further validation of Affilka’s superiority over existing solutions in the market, highlighting its distinct advantages. We are happy to welcome 10bet to the Affilka family. This partnership signifies our shared vision for excellence in affiliate marketing. We look forward to collaborating with the 10bet team to deliver outstanding results and unlock new opportunities in the dynamic iGaming landscape.”

Affilka by SOFTSWISS is ready to present valuable industry insights and unveil the upcoming reporting system updates at the SiGMA Americas Summit in San Paulo on 23–25 April. Clients and potential partners can book a meeting with the Affilka team at stand i70 on the SOFTSWISS events page.

About SOFTSWISS