GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 33 - October 2015

You’ve been in the online gaming indus- try for almost a decade. When you were first getting started, did you expect that you would build a career in the industry? I certainly did not expect such an excit- ing career path when I got my first job in the industry, taking bets over the phone. That position was simply a temporary job while settling in a brand-new country — so I thought! While in that position, I managed to ex- cel very quickly and within four months, I moved to another betting company in the sales department; this is when it got really interesting. By the end of that year, I was promoted to senior account manager, which, naturally, was a huge leap in my career progression. Luckily, the high-pressure sales en- vironment and dealing directly with sports bettors equipped me for what was coming next.  I discovered the affiliate world and ap- plied for the affiliate acquisition role; the rest is history! I absolutely love working with affiliates; it has truly been the top driver for me. I also went back to school to study marketing and researched the fun- damentals on my own, giving me more ability to do what I love — I can proudly say I love my career! You’ve been the Head of Affiliates for the U.K. for 138.com for a little more than a year. What drew you to 138.com? As I mentioned, one of my strengths is acqui- sition, and I genuinely enjoy all aspects of it. I wanted to team up with the best “up and coming” betting start-up in the industry, where I could make a difference from the beginning, and that brought me to 138.com. 138.com bought 50% of the shares from a group of bookmakers with more than 150 betting shops in the U.K. They were also opening 138.com physical betting shops in various metropolitan districts in the U.K., creating a clear indication that they are fi- nancially stable and destined for growth. I negotiated a role that would allow me to have a full handle on the program — the best career move I’ve ever made! 138.com used to be 138sungame.com. Can you explain the thought process behind the rebranding effort? We knew we needed to rebrand when we decided to go global; it was crucial. 138.com’s re- branding came in at a seven-figure price and was worth every penny. Just think about it: Everyone can remember and type “138.com”! 138.com is unique in that its marketing campaigns and promotions are specifi- cally tailored toward the Asian commu- nities in Europe and Canada. Why did the company take this approach? 138.com is not your typical bookmaker. There are already too many bookmakers out there and they all look and feel the same — simply not enough variety. 138.com is af- ter a niche market: the Asian community in the U.K and in all regulated markets worldwide. Not only that, but there are so many non-Asian players betting with us because of the high limits, Asian handicap odds, larger bonuses, top software and so much more. How does 138.com tailor its marketing toward Asian players? Customers like the sense of belonging at 138.com; they relate with our brand on a personal level. Our players know that they can go on our live chat and within seconds, get great service in their language. Additionally, we have designed the brand around the players’ needs and favorite games, com- ing straight from the source, giving them exactly what they want — a thrilling expe- rience with top-notch game options. How do Asian players differ from the broader European market? Most notably, there are some particular casino games, like sic bo, baccarat and roulette, which are statistically played more by Asians. Given our knowledge of the Asian market (and the European one), we see a great difference in the time duration for play- ing between these two markets, with the Asian market playing for the longer dura- tion. Compared to the U.K and European markets, the Asian market is much more profitable and has proven to be loyal to the 138.com brand. What role have affiliates played in gener- ating new depositing players at 138.com? There are new affiliates signing up every day, so naturally, the depositing players follow! In the near future, expect to see much more of 138.com in various sports betting and casino websites, as we are working hard and strategically in our growth. Affiliates are a key source for bringing in new bettors, and generally speaking, we perform really well with mid-size affiliates who feature us on their home page. 138.com became a GPWA platinum spon- sor three years ago. Why is it important for affiliate programs to sponsor the GPWA? And how has 138.com benefited from its sponsorship? The GPWA is known as a trustworthy portal for affili- ates to find information on all the avail- able affiliate programs. It is beneficial for us to team up with such a prestigious website to acquire new affiliates, natu- rally, as we are easy to find, maintaining a top spot on its list of affiliate programs. 138.com offers affiliates a tiered rev- enue share from 30-45%, based on net monthly revenue. Why did you settle on this commission plan? Simply put, not all affiliates are equal. Depending on their demographics and the nature of their website, the readership will vary and suit our markets differently. Some affiliates have the ability to send higher-margin players or a larger volume of depositors, and those affiliates work their way up the commission ladder much faster or nego- tiate a higher percentage from the start. More quality traffic, better commission! How do you ensure that payments are sent out on time? And when do your payments go out? Because we don’t have negative carryover, payments are very straightforward — the way they should be. We have a designated team of affiliate managers who follow a structured pro- cedure to pay affiliates efficiently and on time, anticipating payments after the 15th of every month. Depending on the de- AFFILIATE MANAGER INTERVIEW SERIES STEPHANIE WYNTERS 138.com Affiliate Manager Interview Series