Affiliate Industry

Exclusive Q&A with Marinos Shiapanis, CEO of Campeón Gaming Partners

Published

5 years ago

March 6, 2020

George Miller

Exclusive Q&A with Marinos Shiapanis, CEO of Campeón Gaming Partners

Reading Time: 5 minutes

We shall begin with the iGB award. How do you feel after winning this award? Had you expected this award?

We really didn’t. This was our very first time being nominated at the iGB Affiliate Awards and, given the fact that the competition was really high, we were not expecting to hear our name. Needless to say, we were – and we still are – overwhelmed and very excited. It was a team effort, and this is why we celebrated as a team after receiving the award in London.

This is the first time Campeon has been nominated for iGB Awards. And you hit the bull’s eye in the first instance itself. How do you see this honour: as a reward of your hard work or as a stepping stone for future innovation?

I think it is a little bit of both: it is definitely a reward and a recognition of the whole Campeón Gaming Partners team’s hard work and effort, but, at the same time, this is a stepping stone for us to do more, invest more in innovation, expand and further develop across all sectors. The whole team, and especially the Affiliate & Partnerships team, really devoted themselves to the company and they are the reason we have managed to win this award. Such an award is extremely important for us, as it shows how far we have gone in such a short period of time; we have managed to slowly establish ourselves in the iGaming industry, become a familiar face for affiliates in the market, expand our network and grow as a team and a brand. However, winning this award doesn’t mean we stop here; this is not just a motivation for us, but an obligation as well to work harder, focus more and deliver even better results. I think you will hear more of us the coming months.

The award recognises how Campeon stood out in terms of “transparency, inclusiveness and continuous support”. What are the things unique to the affiliate program of Campeon Gaming Partners?

Since the beginning, our vision was to create an affiliate program that would not only attract affiliates, but it would also keep them engaged. We started off with a small network and as we were building it up, we were also improving our program. Today, our network is comprised of over 1,000 affiliates and our affiliate team has managed to establish personal relationship with each and every one of them. To us, it’s crucial to put a face to the name; it’s not just about numbers, it’s about having a person who you know will listen to you and deal with your issues no matter how big or small. This is our way of thinking: we treat each affiliate’s request as equal, and I believe that our affiliates appreciate this.

In early 2019, our team dedicated themselves into redesigning the program’s strategy, aiming at building stronger, more interpersonal relationships with our partners, and providing them with better models in order to maximize their profits. At the same time, we optimized the affiliate experience, from the registration of the player, all the way to the affiliate statics’ analysis we have successfully merged, integrated, and incorporated all of the Campeón Gaming Partners’ brands into new platforms, ensuring that no affiliate activity was ever disrupted.

The award also mentions how Campeon offered tailor-made program to the affiliates. Could you shed more light into the deeply customizable affiliate programs of Campeon Gaming Partners?

Each affiliate has his or her own needs that looks into serving through a program. At Campeón Gaming Partners, we understand that, and every time we onboard an affiliate, we go into deep discussions with him or her to understand what they are looking for in our program. I think the most important fact for our affiliates is that we assign them their very personal point of contact, who is there for them whenever they are in need. So, when we onboard a new affiliate, we first assign him or her their point of contact, who makes sure to talk to him or her, understand his or her needs and goals and together they create a program tailor-made to the affiliate’s needs.

What are the qualities that you look forward to in an affiliate? Not all affiliates are likely to become successful, right? Based on your experience, what separates the successful affiliates from the rest?

We want our affiliates to treat us the same way we treat them: with respect and transparency. We always do our best to accommodate our affiliates’ needs, so we are looking into building partnerships based on trust. I think this is the most important part for us.

Regarding the second part of your question, I believe that definitely industry knowledge and audience play a significant part in separating successful affiliates from the rest. But besides these, I think that players are looking for affiliates who will be honest with them, affiliates they can trust; I believe it is the only way to build up a players’ audience.

New new social media platforms are increasingly micro-targetting the end customers and automated CRM tools are getting more and more advanced. In this scenario, how do see the future of affiliate marketing evolving?

I believe that affiliate marketing is already changing and with these new tools it will change even more in the future. We are now entering a new era: the digital and customized era. Customers are increasingly becoming more and more demanding; they now know they don’t have to compromise anymore with mass solutions, so they are asking for customized ones. They demonstrate their needs and preferences and demand for an experience tailor-made to them. I believe this is where affiliate marketing will focus in the future, and all the new or upcoming tools available, will give us the advantage of analysing the customers’ behaviours and providing the best solutions to them. Affiliate marketing of the future will evolve around customized player’s experience, in my opinion.

Finally, tell us about any big announcement in the near future. Expanding to more countries? Launching or integrating new products? Or a new marketing campaign? Our readers will be eager to read something first here.

A couple of weeks ago, we launched our first Pay N Play platform for the Scandinavian market, SvenPlay. In a few days, we will be launching our brand new, themed platform, Sons of Slots. This is a challenge for us, as it will be the first time we are introducing such a themed platform to our players. The Sons of Slots story goes back to the motor gangs of the US and it all evolves around that; rough street battles, leather jackets and ripped jeans, long hair, and endless road trips on their Harleys. This is what inspired us and we wanted to bring something very exciting to our players. Entering the Sons of Slots platform, our players will be transferred to a new world, the world of American motor gangs; they will play their favorite games in a new, adventurous environment, with exciting features, which will take their gaming experience to a whole new level. To bring this project to life, we have invested heavily in technology and this is why we partnered with a major agency, MaxCreate, specialized in bespoke front-end design, in order to be able to offer more flexible and versatile platforms to our players and to our affiliates.

I think 2020 is our year, and people will hear more of us: exhibitions, PR, awards… We will make it happen.

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Affiliate Industry

Casino Guru shortlisted in 2 categories for EGR Operator Awards

Published

3 days ago

September 5, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

EGR has revealed the shortlists for the EGR Operator Awards nominating Casino Guru in two categories, “Affiliate of the Year” and “Casino Affiliate.”

Being shortlisted for these prestigious awards highlights Casino Guru’s unwavering effort to build one of the world’s most comprehensive and complete database of casino websites.

The honor of competing against some of the industry’s biggest companies demonstrates Casino Guru’s unfaltering commitment to upholding the best standards as an affiliate company, which focuses on data-driven, fact-checked, and human reviews, as part of a growing database, running in the thousands.

Another integral part of the Casino Guru operations is the website’s commitment to Responsible Gambling and raising safer gambling practices in the industry through the company’s dedicated Gamtegrity platform. Gamtegrity is a multi-faceted effort that naturally underpins Casino Guru’s efforts in providing players and professionals with a better understanding of the pitfalls commonly associated with gambling.

Casino Guru Head of Content Maros Gasparik said: “We are committed to raising the standards in terms of our own website and the value we bring to our visitors, but also in terms of the online gambling industry as a whole – making it better and safer for players. I believe the two nominations reflect these values, and we are always happy to see our efforts being acknowledged by reputable organizations such as EGR.”

The value proposition that Casino Guru builds does not stop with simply reviewing a casino. The process involves a comprehensive behind-the-scenes work where dedicated data teams revisit and review casinos in the library to ensure that the website brings the most up-to-date information that players will ever need to find out about a brand, accounting for local regulation, safer gambling practices, terms and conditions.

The team fastidiously examines each casino’s offer to ensure that it presents consumers with an easy and clear understanding of the value each brand stands to bring. This process is then repeated throughout the year to ensure that the allocated value under the Safety Index, Casino Guru’s advanced rating system, is always accurate.

Casino Guru has repeatedly upheld its core principles of equity, fairness, and transparency, helping players not just read reviews but also mediate issues with casinos. The Casino Guru’s Complaint Resolution Center has already achieved unprecedented success early in 2024, returning $4,905,200 up to July.

Affiliate Industry

Amusnet Announces Partnership with CasinoLandia

Published

6 days ago

September 2, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Amusnet has announced partnership with CasinoLandia, a leading affiliate platform dedicated to providing comprehensive insights into the online gaming industry. The collaboration will focus on delivering in-depth reviews of the casino provider’s extensive selection of top-notch casino titles. It will also feature exclusive interviews with Amusnet’s C-level management, providing unique insights into the company’s vision and business strategy.

“We are thrilled to partner with a platform that embodies the innovative spirit and commitment to quality that we value at Amusnet. Looking forward to gaining positive results about CasinoLandia’s in-depth reviews, especially for our standout Coin Gobbler game, and can’t wait to bring even more engaging content to elevate the player experience,” Lillya Chatalbasheva, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at Amusnet, said.

“We are pleased to announce our partnership with Amusnet, a recognized leader in slot game development. At CasinoLandia, we highly value the outstanding graphic quality and innovative designs of Amusnet’s slot games. Their commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with our mission to provide top-tier gaming experiences. We look forward to a successful collaboration that enhances our offerings and benefits our players,” Nikola Miroslavov, Chief Operating Officer at CasinoLandia, said.

CasinoLandia is recognised for being a guide to online gambling, brimming with articles, analysis and detailed iGaming reviews. Their team is dedicated to creating thorough reviews of significant online slots, covering the best online casinos, emerging casino sites, the latest bonus promotions, software developers, crypto casinos, sports betting options and much more. CasinoLandia provides expert insights into how the mechanics of online gambling work but also helps players identify the best gambling destinations tailored to their needs and preferences.

Affiliate Industry

QiH Group unveils full sports betting vertical ahead of Premier League kick off

Published

4 weeks ago

August 14, 2024

Wladimir P.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

UK-based top affiliate QiH Group has diversified into the online sports betting arena for the very first time ahead of the new Premier League season this Friday.

The new launch will cover four sports initially – horse racing, football, boxing and the NFL – across digital marketing channels Google, PPC, SEO, programmatic, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter.

The launch will be led by the affiliate’s new-look Podium Bets brand, which showcases the best online sports betting operators alongside daily promotions, best odds guaranteed, and free-to-play games.

QiH capitalised on the intense interest during this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament to perform a successful soft launch of the sports betting division.

This culminated in the execution of 350 campaigns across paid channels, which delivered a prospect list of more than 25,000 sports customers and approximately 7,500 conversions.

Double trouble

The number of operator partners onboarded into QiH sports also more than doubled in the last two months, as the quality of the customer offering was improved and implemented.

QiH Group chief marketing officer David Murphy expects the new division to contribute 15% to revenue activity in FY ‘24/’25.

“The Euros were the launchpad of a long-held ambition for the company to expand into sports and it has been a fantastic success,” says Murphy.

“It is a strategic goal for QiH to deliver not just volume, but also quality, by targeting sports enthusiasts in quality channels while ensuring that our partners can jointly prosper in our vertical expansion.

“We are committed to providing sports fans with the same level of excellence and innovation that has defined our market-leading casino offerings.

“I am incredibly proud of our team’s efforts to expand into sports betting. This is just the beginning, and we have a lot more in store for end users and crucially, our operator partners,” Murphy concludes.

Sports-focused Podium Bets has gone straight into the QiH brand portfolio alongside premium casino offerings such as SlotsWise and StrikeWild.

Camilla Rodrigues, Affiliate Manager for Betrino, said: “Since partnering with Podium Bets at the beginning of this year, we’ve seen remarkable growth in our business. Their team has been exceptional in understanding our unique needs and crafting strategies that have yielded fantastic results. Thanks to their expertise, we’ve not only exceeded our initial expectations but have also been able to onboard more brands, further expanding our reach and success in this space.”

James Dominique, Affiliate Manager at Lottoland, said he’s been impressed with Podium Bets’ results in just a short amount of time: “We’ve recently launched with Podium Bets and have seen some fantastic results so far. Our account manager has been outstanding in onboarding our unique brand, which isn’t a typical sportsbook, and finding a way to make it profitable for us.”