GPWA Times Magazine - Issue30 - October 2014

Lotus Affiliates outsources its affiliate program to your company, Affiliates Portal. Many online gambling companies run in-house affiliate programs. When do you think outsourcing makes sense? What are some of the advantages of out- sourcing an affiliate program? I can only answer from my own experience in that Lotus Affiliates chose to outsource to me because they recognized the need to bring fresh perspective to the program, and at the same time were looking for a novel merger of “old and new,” if I can phrase it like that. According to your company profile on LinkedIn, your clients' interests range from insurance, financial and debt solu- tion campaigns to, with Lotus Affiliates, online gambling. How different are the affiliate programs in these industries? Not so different at all. Affiliate programs have one sole purpose and that is to drive revenue. The biggest challenge is the vari- ations of mediums used to generate this revenue. While the insurance, financial and debt recovery sectors are geared more toward lead generation where Iframe and SMS marketing seem to be the key focus, the online gaming industry has staple towers of strength in the banner and di- rect download form of marketing, and in conjunction with that, any innovative and interesting way to reach your audi- ence. This is almost an organic process as you’ve got to keep up with changes and developments while at the same time ca- tering uniquely to the target. You've only been working with Lotus Affiliates for a few weeks now. While there's still a learning process, what are some of your initial observations about the online gambling affiliate marketplace in general? What are your thoughts about Lotus Affiliates? This is not actually my first time working within the gaming industry. I was introduced to the online gaming industry in 2006 via another program where I started as an af- filiate assistant and climbed the corporate ladder to manage their mobile casino. The Lotus Affiliates program could be con- sidered fairly young, which always pres- ents a great opportunity to grow within a group. What I like about the program is that it’s unsullied. They have maintained a good standing with their affiliate part- ners and are uncompromising about pro- fessionalism and integrity. You've worked in Internet marketing for nearly a decade. What attracted you to the industry? Is it still as interesting now as it was when you first started? And how has online marketing changed in that time? This field held an interest for me from an early age. I initially wanted to pursue a career in graphic design/online marketing and this morphed into where I am now. The nature of technology means constant change and development, and a continual learning curve. The only thing you can be sure of from day to day is that there WILL be a new development, a novel way of doing something, and faster, better and quicker access all the time. I’m highly appreciative of this journey and feel lucky to be in an environment where I experience the results firsthand. With technology, what may seem impossible now will be possible in the near future. Lotus Affiliates is the affiliate program for Lotus Asia Casino, Black Lotus Casino and fone casino. What markets do these casinos target, and what differentiates these properties from other online ca- sino offerings? Our reach is global with the exception of a handful of countries due to gambling legislation. Currently the focus seems to be Asia. With large-scale growing interest we’re focused on estab- lishing a unique product niche and to communicate our key elements that will keep players coming back for more. Hav- ing said that, I want to add that you can expect an inventive and updated version for all three brands in the future. And I’m extremely excited about future prospects as the direction of these developments will launch the Lotus Brands into a new realm in the immediate future. fone casino was developed specifically for mobile phones and tablets. How does it cater to a mobile audience? What design elements maximize the mobile experience? And how important is the mobile/tablet market in the industry? Mobile casinos were destined to elevate gaming to another level because of choice, accessibility, comfort and instant excite- ment, and you can get it all wherever, whenever. It’s a crucial element in the online gaming industry and the undeni- able star of the future. Our software offers a seamless experience with crystal-clear sound effects, stunning HD graphics and one of the largest selections of games available on all mobile devices. One of the most important issues online casinos must address is problem gam- bling. What do the properties that Lotus Affiliates promotes do to try to identify and help players with gambling prob- lems? As a responsible gaming provider we are committed to creating a responsible and safe online casino gaming environment for the members who use our services. It is one of our most important and main pri- orities. We educate our staff to recognize responsible gaming patterns, and in order to assist our players in gaming responsi- bly we provide a selection of options to help, including self-exclusion, direct links to responsible gambling organizations, and tools and management systems to protect against compulsive gamblers. It's one thing to bring in new people to a site. It's another thing entirely to get them to stick around. What do your properties do to retain players sent by affiliates? We actively strive to maintain a very high level of retention, and we en- sure that every player gets personal at- tention, no matter his or her level of play. From recreational to high stakes, we are focused on rewarding players in a tailor- made way that suits their play. Automatic membership to our Loyalty Club gives players the opportunity to redeem points earned while they play. AFFILIATE MANAGER INTERVIEW SERIES FAIZEL ABDOOL Lotus Affiliates Affiliate Manager Interview Series