Affiliate Industry

How can iGaming leverage AI to its full potential?

Published

8 months ago

September 13, 2023

George Miller

How can iGaming leverage AI to its full potential?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Author: Boris P, Head of Affiliates at Alpha Affiliates

No matter the industry or sector, AI has become a focal point for discussion, fuelled by ChatGPT and other large language modeling applications. Such technologies are highlighting AI can be used to drastically improve cost-effectiveness, operational efficiencies and customized experiences.

This is particularly true within the iGaming space. The industry at large is experimenting with AI across a range of services, understanding its potential, limitations and ways it can be effectively integrated. Such experimentation demonstrates the willingness of the iGaming industry to fully embrace innovation unlike other sectors which traditionally slow to react to new technologies.

However, with any new technological trend, I firmly believe a measured and objective approach is warranted. By this, I mean that rather than simply adopting and championing the benefits of AI, iGaming businesses need to be critical. The needs of their customers, partners and wider professional network has to be prioritized.

This has been our approach at Alpha Affiliates, and through our critical adoption and experimentation with AI, there have been three standout trends with the potential to drastically revolutionize the iGaming industry.

AI personalisation

Of all the advantages on offer from AI, the creation of tailored user experiences has been positioned as one of the leading benefits. By collecting and analyzing reams of data attributed to one particular customer, AI can identify trends and patterns, and in the case of online browsing, understand what types of content they are most likely to engage with and respond accordingly.

AI personalization was made famous by streaming giants Netflix and Spotify, demonstrating how it can be used and the unique content opportunities that can be delivered through its application. These are advantages that can be directly applied to iGaming.

We are seeing more tailored gaming experiences (or intelligent game development), led by the customisation of gaming difficulties, game recommendations through to the manner in which the aesthetics of a particular gaming interface is presented to the player. The use of AI to deliver targeted advertising and in-app purchasing can also support the long-term engagement strategies of website hosts.

From my perspective, however, the most significant element of AI personalisation is player satisfaction. We must always strive to deliver a satisfying gaming experience which aligns to each individual’s needs. Personalisation of games, gaming recommendations and engaging content are all part of this mission to create a satisfying customer experience. Ultimately, this is what players are seeking.

Fraud prevention

Fraud prevention is a core objective for all iGaming platforms to maintain trust, credibility and integrity to their players, third party partners and the wider industry. There are specific tactics used by fraudsters in an attempt to exploit iGaming platforms for monetary gain. These include creating multiple player accounts under different names, chargeback and self-exclusion fraud, using stolen IDs to bypass Know Your Customer checks, and using cloaking technology to evade IP blocks.

Countering such threats is a top priority for the iGaming sector, and one that requires significant investment of time and resources. Importantly, AI systems are ideally placed to identify and respond to fraud threats in real-time. This occurs through their ability to analyze patterns and anomalies in real-time, identifying suspicious activities such as cheating, and flagging the threat to a website administrator.

In addition, AI can prevent bonus abuse by identifying multiple accounts created by the same user, and detect affiliate fraud, which involves setting up false expectations and sending low-quality traffic that eats away at marketing budgets.

I firmly believe iGaming platforms need to actively embrace AI to maintain security and fairness. However, it should not be viewed as a silver bullet solution. In other words, AI is a tool to be strategically deployed by a website administrator, ensuring they are better positioned to protect their site from fraudulent activities.

Client support

A final trend to note is relevant not just to iGaming but the broader business environment, Client support is closely linked to personalization, providing players with 24/7 access to help and support via AI-powered chatbots.

Chatbots have been slowly integrated into customer support services, originally used as a way to address concerns that could be simply resolved. For more complex matters, these chatbots would refer a customer to a human agent. AI has made chatbots much more sophisticated, able to handle complex situations and present more tailored advice. By using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning, chatbots have become more human.

AI not only streamlines customer support processes but helps to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately retention. It is an area we at Alpha Affiliates have been particularly focused on.

Using AI to your advantage in iGaming

Client support, fraud prevention and personalization are just two of the many different ways in which AI is transforming iGaming. Other trends include real-time data monitoring, customer support and the use of AI tools to deliver responsible gambling initiatives.

Taking a step back from the implementation of AI, there is a bigger philosophical point I believe many people in the iGaming sector must take note of. Simply put, AI has the potential to deliver huge advantages. However, we need to take a measured approach and use AI as a tool to help achieve a bigger objective. To borrow a phrase, AI is a means to an end, not an end in of itself.

What I mean by this is that whenever someone in iGaming is looking to integrate AI, they must always ask themselves why. Why do I need this specific type of AI? What am I hoping to achieve? How will this improve the way in which we operate? It is all about being critical and avoiding a blind, widespread adoption of AI.

For me, these questions should be centered on two priorities. Protecting and improving the needs of the player, and setting a new industry benchmark that ultimately promotes greater trust and credibility.

We are only scratching the surface when it comes to understanding how AI can be used in iGaming. It is an exciting time, and so long as we approach AI with a critical and intelligent mind, there are significant benefits on offer.

Boris is Head of Affiliate Department at Alpha Affiliates – an industry leading director advertiser in iGaming. He has vast experience in affiliate marketing, communication with webmasters, and fraud identification. He has concluded major deals in Sweden and the Netherlands and has been responsible for boosting the reputation of Alpha Affiliates as an industry leader.

Related Topics:AI Alpha Affiliates Boris P Head of Affiliates at Alpha Affiliates ChatGPT iGaming leverage AI

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Affiliate Industry

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

Published

2 weeks 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

3 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

4 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