GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 47 - July 2020

GPWA AFFILIATE INTERVIEW SERIES to the U.S. market, but I was a bit late to the party. New Jersey was already live and already crowded. I just didn’t have the time to pursue it, especially on a shoe-string budget. Not knowing a lot about U.S. sports did not help so it was taking hours to try and write a 500-word preview! What was the process of getting licensed in NJ like? For me, it was easy. I have not tried to get licensed for revenue share, which I believe is a lot more complicated. With the majority of your business being sports betting, how did the COVID-19 pandemic and cancellation of many events affect you? This is where the idea of Compareukcasino.com came from. I have wanted to start a casino site for a while now and this was the per- fect opportunity to look into that market. The majority of my sports betting affiliate accounts are on rev share deals, so although I’m expecting a big drop in revenue, people are still betting on things like horse racing abroad and lesser known football leagues. Do you still gamble? I do enjoy a punt on football or horse racing. I still like to go into shops to place bets though, it feels more authentic. I’ve not been to a brick- and-mortar casino for a few years now, but in the past I would sometimes spend a cou- ple of hours in there with friends, mainly watching other people bet, but I do enjoy blackjack and roulette. What advice would you give to some- one who told you they were going to try and become an iGaming affiliate? I think it’s tougher than ever to get start- ed now. However, there is definitely still money to be made even though it is a very crowded market. I’d advise focusing on a couple of very small parts of the industry and trying to build a brand that people trust. Pick and choose your programs as well, some of the new T&Cs that have come in are doing very little except taking money away from affiliates. What traits do you look for in an affil- iate manager and affiliate program? For me, an affiliate manager has to be one that doesn’t pester you 24/7, but also is prompt in replying to questions. I experi- enced this when starting up Compareuk- casino.com. There is nothing worse than an AM pestering you via Skype or email. It makes me not want to work with them, to be honest. I think for most affiliates, payment is a big issue. If you get paid on time, you’re happy. The newT&Cs that are sneaking into affiliate programs are a worry too – these businesses know they have affiliates over a barrel in that if we stop promoting them, eventually the account will be closed. Wirral photo by Chee Hoong Loh/Shutterstock; West Yorkshire photo by Maksim Gordon Bell/Shutterstock; Steak and chips photo by Chee Hoong Loh/Shutterstock; about A little bit more Andy C. He is 32 years old His favorite food is Steak and chips His sites are Thatsagoal.com Compareukcasino.com His favorite book is How to Be a Footballer , Peter Crouch His hometown is Wirral, England He is living in West Yorkshire, England G P W A t i m e s . o r g 50