Affiliate Industry
Six Major Affiliates Form RGAA to Protect Consumers and Advocate Responsible Gambling
Gambling affiliates create new group to protect consumers: Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association (RGAA)
The RGAA, founded by the six major United States gambling affiliates, will serve as a trade association to advocate for reasonable regulation, responsible advertising and consumer protection.
Today, we are proud to announce the formation of the Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association (RGAA), a coalition of like-minded companies dedicated to nurturing an environment where gambling affiliate companies can serve the commercial needs of the regulated online gambling market.
The RGAA’s mission is to champion responsible gambling marketing and advertising practices, empower gambling affiliate companies to influence sensible regulation and protect consumer interests while effectively participating in the market.
Comprising six major players in the United States online gambling affiliate sector, the RGAA includes Better Collective, Catena Media, Gambling.com Group, oddschecker Global Media, Spotlight Sports Group and XLMedia plc. These initial members have recognized that affiliate marketing providers must participate in broader industry initiatives in the United States to advocate for sensible advertising regulation that balances consumer protection and the practicalities of digital advertising.
Although gambling affiliates are subject to significant regulation, there is potential for further improvement in elevating the standards of the affiliate marketing sector.
The new trade association is built on five strategic pillars:
* Promotion of competitive gambling markets, emphasizing the importance of open and competitive online gambling markets to ensure consumers can access a diverse selection of modern online gambling services.
* Industry education through developing an upcoming slate of initiatives to heighten visibility and generate greater recognition within the gambling sector for gambling affiliates including inviting additional businesses to join in time.
* Consumer protection, empowerment and choice that steers consumers towards their locally-licensed and regulated options, promoting greater product innovation, elevated customer service standards and maximized consumer experience.
* Advertising codes of conduct to ensure ethical marketing and advertising practices that play an important role in minimizing problem gambling while serving the commercial needs of the broader gambling industry.
* Responsible business practices based on thoughtful dedication, intelligent advocacy and a profound sense of responsibility toward both the industry and the consumers it serves.
The RGAA is currently in the process of hiring a permanent President to act as the figurehead of the organization and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of responsible affiliate practices, advocating the needs and interests of its members, fostering collaboration with industry stakeholders and advocating for the highest standards of integrity. A forthcoming announcement will be made once an RGAA President has been appointed.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to help empower our industry to promote gambling as entertainment and enable our customers to enjoy our products and services responsibly,” the Chief Executive Officer North America for Better Collective, Mark Frank Pedersen, said. “Having the industry come together with a unified approach to creating standards and guidelines puts the best interests of our consumers, customers and their families at the forefront. Not only is this the right thing to do for our customers, it’s the best thing to ensure the success and longevity of the industry and our businesses.”
“The United States gambling market is swiftly regulating and affiliates are vital to the overall industry,” the Chief Executive Officer for Catena Media, Michael Daly, said. “Catena Media is proud to be a founding member of the RGAA, an association committed to promoting responsible, positive wagering experiences through legal, regulated operators.”
“All stakeholders in the American online gambling market need to understand the critical role affiliate companies play in helping regulated online gambling operators achieve their growth targets,” the Chief Executive Officer for Gambling.com Group, Charles Gillespie, said. “Gambling.com Group is proud to be part of the new Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association to ensure that standards remain high among our peers and that the voice and message of the affiliate marketing community is heard loud and clear.”
“Our consumers are at the heart of everything we do so we, together with our fellow founding members, wanted to lead the way in promoting social responsibility in the affiliate industry and creating a safer gambling environment for consumers in the United States as that market continues to grow,” the Chief Executive Officer for oddschecker Global Media, Stuart Simms, said. “Our ambition is that the RGGA will support fair play for all.”
“Spotlight Sports Group has always been at the forefront of the responsible gambling ecosystem, consistently looking to go above and beyond regulatory requirements,” the Chief Executive Officer for Spotlight Sports Group, Mark Renshaw, said. “We are extremely proud to be a founding member of the Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association, which I believe will play a key role in ensuring the highest standards are set among the affiliate industry.”
“XLMedia is very proud to be a founding member of the RGAA, an association committed to promoting responsible online gambling,” the Chief Executive Officer for XLMedia plc, David King, said. “As an affiliate marketing company, we play a critical role in providing consumers with choice while supporting regulated online gambling operators to reach customers and grow their business.”
Learn more about the RGAA here: www .RGAA .org.
Casino Kings, a top UK online casino and sportsbook, is proud to announce its nomination for two coveted categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025: Casino Operator of the Year and Bonus Offer of the Year. These nominations recognise Casino Kings’ ongoing excellence in delivering market-leading casino gameplay, innovative sports betting experiences, and outstanding promotional offers to its growing community of players.
AffPapa iGaming Awards – Recognising the Best in the Business
Now in its third edition, the AffPapa iGaming Awards celebrate top-tier performance across the online gambling industry, bringing together affiliates, operators, and B2B providers from around the globe. Organised by AffPapa, a leading affiliate network and iGaming directory, the awards highlight excellence in areas such as innovation, player satisfaction, partnership success, and marketing creativity.
. Winners will be officially announced at the much-anticipated awards ceremony on May 28, 2025.
Casino Kings: Where Rewards Reign Supreme
Built on a player-first philosophy, Casino Kings has quickly become a favourite among UK players. And this year’s bonus nomination came from some of its most exciting current offers:
- Bet £10, Get £35 in Free Bets – A must-try for sports fans.
- 150% Welcome Bonus up to £150 + 75 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza – One of the most generous welcome packages in the UK market.
- Deposit £10, Get £20 + 50 Free Spins – Perfect for new and returning players.
On top of these, players can always expect something new thanks to a steady stream of daily, weekly, and seasonal promotions. Whether it’s cashback on losses or VIP perks like exclusive bonuses and dedicated support, Casino Kings keeps loyalty at the heart of everything it does.
Committed to Excellence in Online Gaming
Fully licensed in the UK and loudly committed to responsible gambling, Casino Kings offers a secure, intuitive platform for casino and sports fans alike. With top providers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, and Evolution onboard, the game selection is second to none, whether you’re playing on desktop, mobile, or tablet.
“We’re incredibly honoured to be recognised by AffPapa this year,” said Daniel Shannon from Casino Kings. “These nominations are a testament to the hard work our team puts in every day to deliver an exceptional experience for our players. We’re super excited to be in the running, and grateful to our loyal community for their continued support.”
The post Casino Kings Celebrates Double Nomination at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
When the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in 2018, it opened the floodgates to sports betting in the US. From the middle of 2018 to now, states with some form of legal sports betting went from the four states ‘grandfathered’ by PASPA to 39 states and Washington, D.C. allowing betting. That’s 36 jurisdictions legalizing in eight years.
Soon after the annulment of PAAPA, market activity exploded with several states legalizing and launching every year thereafter. Each state had millions of new customers that operators wanted to reach quickly, and unique regulatory constraints around marketing and betting. That’s where affiliate marketing stepped in, providing local expertise to help these operators rapidly establish a foothold with customers.
That gold rush has now ended. While states with significant populations like Texas and California remain without legal sports betting, the majority of players in the US have access to it. Several states won’t be legalizing sports betting every year like in the past.
If operators no longer rely on affiliates to help them conquer several new markets every year, what roles do these large, third-party marketing companies have to play moving forward? As the market matures, we’re seeing that affiliate marketing has a crucial role to play in the current marketing climate.
What the Mature Market Looks Like
Aside from the lurking possibility of states with huge populations like California and Texas legalizing sports betting, the market is broadly set. Many states that haven’t introduced betting are unlikely to change that position due to the political climate, like in Utah and Alaska.
Sports betting has never been more popular, with total GGR for sports betting hitting $13.71 billion in 2024, according to the American Gaming Association. That was a 25.4% increase year-on-year. However, sports betting has also never been more competitive. Most US states have intense competition between operators competing in saturated ecosystems.
There’s evidence this is impacting affiliate companies, with Catena Media generating 35% less from US operations in 2024 compared to 2023. Another significant operator in US affiliate marketing, Better Collective, saw US revenues drop from $113 million in FY2023 to $112 million in FY2024.
However, this doesn’t spell the end of affiliate marketing. Without the potential to expand into new states, operators are looking to strengthen and grow market share in the states where sportsbooks are already operational and companies have already conducted marketing campaigns with affiliates.
Companies that have quickly grasped this new approach have shown positive signs. Gambling.com Group reported record Q4 revenues in 2024 and finished with full-year revenue of $127.1 million, a 17% rise from the year prior.
It’s made affiliates effectively take a u-turn to recover all the ground they covered so rapidly with the expansion of the market. For example, the first online sportsbooks launched in Michigan in January 2021, so there was a flurry of marketing activity in the state before that attention moved to other states that launched in the same year, like Arizona in September. Now, affiliates are returning to states like Michigan with new approaches.
Trust and Authority and Blitz Tactics
What do these new marketing approaches entail? Rather than acquiring as many users as possible in a short time, affiliates are now focused on increasing brand loyalty. Affiliates want to increase customer lifetime value (CLV), and are more aware of this metric than the base number of how many new users are added.
That’s led to more personalized advertising campaigns with features like exclusive offers, user engagement tools, and more to keep the focus on retaining players rather than adding more and more customers. Brands are looking to build authority and trust with customers.
Adding a few customers with high CLV is priceless for operators compared to hundreds of customers who will drop off quickly. Affiliate marketing supports these platforms with tailored campaigns using specific state knowledge and personalized customer retention measures.
More Sophisticated Customers
When sports betting first started spreading across the US, most people probably confused parlay bets with the French word parley used in popular movie franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean. That was the average American bettor’s education level on the topic.
So, early affiliate marketing efforts focused on introducing common sports betting terminology to customers while explaining the benefits of sports betting brands. Guides would explain how to sign up with a sportsbook and the difference between a moneyline and a point spread. That easy access to sports betting information made it more straightforward for a broader audience to get involved.
It’s a different market eight years on. Most bettors are far more educated than before and don’t need to be babyfed the basics. If an operator wants to appeal to bettors, it must do more than just offer betting.
That’s why affiliate marketing has shifted to a more detailed and data-driven approach. Rather than explaining how American odds work, affiliate marketing campaigns now compare the value of odds between operators and highlight the best value.
Unique betting features are more important to marketing campaigns as these can help attract bettors with accounts at other sportsbooks to sign up with a new platform.
This is where affiliate marketing can help operators in mature markets, as these campaigns can highlight those strengths against other brands and make each platform’s unique proposition clear to savvy bettors.
Broadening Audience Demographics
Considering odds regularly appear on major league broadcasts and are discussed by commentary staff for games, it’s clear that betting is becoming increasingly mainstream. As sportsbooks look to consolidate and compete in competitive markets, reaching new demographics is a valuable marketing tool.
While bettors in the US are more educated now, operators are looking to attract more than just players willing to learn all the jargon. New marketing strategies must make betting relatable and appealing to various ages and demographics.
The campaign to capture the attention of bettors in their 20s should look very different from one for older players, and the best affiliate marketers are helping operators tailor these campaigns to hit specific demographics.
Affiliates’ Role as Strategic Partners to Operators
The relationship between affiliates and operators has shifted as the operators need affiliate marketing companies to deliver different marketing services. Many operators see affiliates as strategic partners rather than just sources of traffic.
These new data-driven dynamics will let affiliates play a wider role in operators’ marketing schemes, providing data integration like live stats, API odds feeds, and more. Additionally, affiliates use years of knowledge and expertise to help these platforms run campaigns through different media sources, including mobile.
Affiliates also play a helpful role in compliance and responsible gambling. Each state has its own requirements, and while no new markets are opening, states that already permit betting can shift rules around what’s available. Scrutiny from regulators is also increasing. Therefore, affiliate marketing can provide operators with tailored campaigns that take a state-by-state approach.
Conclusion
Affiliate priorities have shifted, moving into 2025 and beyond. The gold rush is over, and the market is consolidating. Affiliates need to expand their services to keep up with the evolving demands of sports betting operators, focusing on longer-term customer acquisitions rather than adding masses of low-value players.
Successful affiliate sites will be the platforms that adapt to the new mature market the fastest and with the most effective strategies. Affiliates are no longer just tools that operators use to attract broad traffic. These companies must provide ongoing data and personalized marketing strategies to provide the best support to operators.
Author: Shmulik Segal, Founder and CEO of Media Troopers
The post What a Mature Market Means for US Affiliates appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Affilka by SOFTSWISS reports its business performance in Q1 2025, continuing its steady growth as one of the industry’s leading affiliate marketing platforms.
The first quarter of the year marked a period of significant achievements for Affilka by SOFTSWISS. In January, it was named Affiliate Company of the Year at the International Gaming Awards 2025, highlighting its growing recognition in the industry.
In the first three months of 2025, 44 new brands joined the Affilka platform, bringing the total number to over 450 brands. During the same period, affiliate GGR rose by 2.7%, the number of visits increased by 3.1%, and affiliate payments grew by 13.2% compared to Q4 2024. Overall, Affilka now supports over 400 thousand affiliate accounts (+23.1% vs Q4 2024) and tracks more than 98 million registered players, up from 87 million in Q4 2024.
Alongside its financial gains, Affilka maintains an active pace of product development. The team is now preparing to release a new feature: Cross-Brand Player Duplicate Detection. It will enable operators to detect identical player accounts across multiple brands within a single affiliate program. The tool will allow operators to optimise their marketing costs and improve traffic quality.
The innovation is the third major update released by Affilka in the last six months. Earlier, the platform introduced the Geo-Distributed Redirect feature, which reduces user redirect times by fivefold and boosts player conversion. The most recent tool, the Cohort Analysis Report, enables operators to track and evaluate player behaviour more effectively.
“Affiliate marketing is evolving fast, and Affilka evolves with it,” says Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS. “We’re focused on helping our partners meet emerging challenges – whether that means offering new ways to analyse player behaviour, refine traffic strategy, or cut costs without losing efficiency. The Cross-Brand Duplicate Detection tool is one more example of how we turn real-world operator needs into functional, high-impact solutions.”
Anastasia Borovaya recently participated as a guest lecturer at the Academy of Gaming Operations, where she led a session on the Affiliate Management course. She is expected to return to teach the course again in the second half of 2025.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS complies with a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 27,800 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post 44 New Brands Growth in Q1’25: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Africa4 weeks agoAssociation of Gaming Operators in Kenya Announces New Regulations
-
Press Releases4 weeks ago
Swintt stacks up a pyramid of wins in Egypt King Pearl Upgrade
-
Australia4 weeks ago
WATERHOUSE VC SECURES OPTION IN MAINCARD, THE “SHOPIFY OF ONLINE BETTING”
-
Balkans4 weeks ago
Evoplay partners with Hrvatska Lutrija to expand reach in Croatia
-
Balkans3 weeks ago
SYNOT Games Signs Strategic Partnership with Star Bet
-
Press Releases4 weeks ago
Cash Pig 2 is here and it’s bringing even more Vegas-style thrills to the reels!
-
Press Releases3 weeks ago
PG Soft unleashes Knockout Riches title
-
Giorgia Kasat3 weeks ago
Reals Appoints Giorgia Kasat as New Head of HR, Strengthening Organizational Strategy in the Betting Industry
