Join GPWA Page 65 NOVEMBER 2021 GPWAtimes.org The Crypto Gambling Revolution A Guide to Core Web Vitals Live Industry Events Return to Amsterdam Adversity & Opportunity Ahead for Affiliates
The peaks and valleys of the iGaming industry can be extreme and here at the GPWA we have most certainly experienced many of these highs and lows over the years. COVID-19 sent us all into one of those deep valleys, but as the world recovers from what has hopefully been a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, our industry is back on the upswing. Newmarkets are beginning to open up around the world, bringing out a new pool of players. Live, in-person events are returning, albeit some with attendees required to wear masks and/or be vaccinated. Nonetheless, we are once again congregating, networking and reveling with new friends and old. And it feels great to be back! The “new normal” has created new challenges, as well as prime opportunities, and that’s the theme of the 51st issue of the GPWA Times Magazine. For our cover story, regular contributor Christina Thakor-Rankin breaks down the reasons behind some of the obstacles that now face us, with suggestions on how to not only overcome them, but turn them into a springboard for growth. Elsewhere, Lorien Pilling fromGlobal Betting and Gaming Consultants writes about the increased demand for crypto-gambling sites and what the future holds, while Tom Reaney from Blueclaw Media has an extensive breakdown of Google’s Core Web Vitals. For the first time since early 2020, we are thrilled to present a photo gallery from a live industry event with images from iGB Live! and iGB Affiliate Amsterdam. In addition to our other regular departments, we also present another Affiliate Interview Series featuring a pair of veteran GPWA members that know what it takes to survive and prosper in this ever-changing industry of ours, as well as Affiliate Manager interviews with folks from bet365 Partners and Boomerang Partners. This issue will be at SiGMA Europe in Malta, 16-18 November, and so will the GPWA, so please stop by our stand and say hello as we get back to our normal routine of attending live shows. Also, a reminder that a subscription to the GPWA Times Magazine is free – yes, FREE! To make sure you don’t miss another issue, simply visit GPWAtimes.org/subscribe/ to register. Michael Corfman Image by Visual Generation/Shutterstock iGaming Revival SUBSCRIPTIONS For a FREE subscription to the GPWA Times Magazine, visit GPWAtimes.org ADVERTISING To advertise in the GPWA Times Magazine, please e-mail: sales@gpwa.org Executive Director: Michael Corfman Program Director: Anthony Telesca Program Manager: Maria Florides Member Services: Richard Bard Marketing Director: Andrea Mullaney Managing Editor: Gary Trask Associate Editor: Dan Ippolito Designers: George Choi, Zoran Maksimovic´ LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR 4
J O I N A B U S I N E S S A T T H E TO P O F I T S G A M E Enjoy gambling responsibly. BeGambleAware.org 18+ bet365partners.com support@bet365partners.com Reach out and find out why we are the world’s favourite affiliate programme today.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Departments 4 Letter from the Director • 8 By the Numbers • 10 Quotables • 12 GPWA Poll 14 From the Forums • 18 iGaming Directory Rankings • 44 Affiliate Interview Series 58 Sponsors • 60 Affiliate Manager Interview Series • 68 Wall of Shame • 70 Event Calendar Challenges Abound for Affiliates With worldwide emerging markets and revolving regulations, Christina Thakor-Rankin points out that becoming a successful iGaming affiliate is getting more and more difficult. A Guide to Core Web Vitals Tom Reaney from Blueclaw Media explains why it’s important for affiliate webmasters to adhere to Google’s new rules and what tools to employ in order to achieve higher rankings. Crypto Gambling Revolution With the use of cryptocurrencies in online gambling on the rise, Lorien Pilling from Global Betting and Gaming Consultants explores the reasons for this growth and the risks and opportunities it presents for iGaming affiliates. Photo Gallery from Amsterdam With in-person events and conferences returning, iGaming industry experts, sponsors, operators, affiliates and exhibitors gathered for iGB Live! and iGB! Affiliate Amsterdam in late September and we present a collage of some of the sights seen in the Netherlands’ capital. 20 24 28 38 G P W A t i m e s . o r g 6
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BY THE NUMBERS 148% The percentage online gambling revenue increased in Colombia in H1 2021 compared to H1 2020 £500 The new monthly deposit limit set for FlutterEntertainment brands in the U.K. and Ireland for all customers under the age of 25 $25 billion The estimated amount of revenue the Canadian sports betting market could generate annually, with more than 80% coming via online sportsbooks, according to PlayCanada 45.4% The online poker tournamentmarket share for PokerStars in Italy during H1 2021 2022 The year Brazil hopes to have its sports betting regulations and market up and running by, in time for the 2022World Cup. $901 million The amount of online gambling revenue in the U.S. in Q2 2021, setting a newrecord Bribe photo by YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock, Burning money photo by bioraven/Shutterstock, Legislation photo by Uuganbayar/Shutterstock, Arrows illustration by VERSUSstudio/Shutterstock G P W A t i m e s . o r g 8
$90,000 The amount of the bribe allegedly accepted by a former chairman of Ukraine’snewGambling andLotteryRegulatory Commission, who, in return, granted gambling licenses $114 billion The amount the global online gamblingmarket is predicted to increase during 2020-2024, according to Technavio $171.3 million The amount legal online casinos, which launched in 2019, are expected to earn in Poland by 2026, according to H2 GamblingCapital $260 million The amount lost by New Zealand gamblers on pokies inpubs, clubs and TABs between April-June 2021, the highest amount since records began in 2007 $450 million The projected annual gross gaming revenue generated by 2025 if NorthernMariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, move forward with internet gambling 9 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
QUOTABLES Q U O T A B L E S “Capping losses for under-25s at £500 amonth should not be applauded. Even£100-a-month losses would be disastrous. Self-regulation by industry does notwork and this is a clear example.” —Gambling addiction expert Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones responding to the announcement made by Flutter UK & Ireland in September to limit the amount gamblers under the age of 25 can lose per month “The police do not have powers under existing laws to take action against online gambling. We need to strengthen the law and that is the reason we are amending Karnataka Police Act.” —India’s Home Minister Araga Jnanendra after the Karnataka Cabinet decided to ban online gambling in September by amending the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 “It is very important thatwe create a safe space wherepeople are givenprotection if theyare gamblingonline, butwedonotwant todrive them away fromthe regulated sector and into theblack market. That is certainly something thatwewill bear inmindduringour considerationof these things.” —British Member of Parliament John Whittingdale during the final debate in the House of Commons before the summer recess regarding the Review of the Gambling Act, 2005 “Twitchhas taken a good first step to help protect young and vulnerable users by preventing the sharing of links to gamblingwebsites. However, muchmoremust be done.” —Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling Keith Whyte responding to Twitch banning links to gambling sites G P W A t i m e s . o r g 10
Would a vaccination requirement change the likelihood of you attending a trade show? GPWA MEMBER POLL COVID-19 vaccinationmandates have been a hot-button topic all over the world in recent months, and the gaming industry is no different. With live conferences resuming as the pandemic refuses to go away, event organizers are following a variety of procedures to minimize risk and ensure attendees are kept as safe as possible. Frequently, but not always, such policies are based on local government mandates. The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) instituted a directive that went beyond government-mandated requirements for the event that was held in Las Vegas in early October, insisting that all attendees show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Not surprisingly, when this news broke, it ignited some spirited debates. On the GPWA Forum, we ran a poll asking if such a mandate would decrease or increase the likelihood of our members choosing to attend a trade show and the results proved just how decisive this topic can be. See below for the voting results and a few comments from our members. To see more details about this poll and view all of the feedback we received, visit gpwa.org/441. 35%I would be much more likely to attend a show if vaccination was required. 3%I would be more likely to attend a show if vaccination was required. 26%It would not change how likely I would be to attend a show if vaccination was required. 3%I would be less likely to attend a show if vaccination was required. 33%I would be much less likely to attend a show if vaccination was required. Comments from GPWA members Juan Roman PRIVATE MEMBER Isn’t it then easier to just get vaccinated and travel virtually without any restrictions? Granted, the COVID protocols, all the paperwork, masks and restrictions are a pain, but I don’t want to spend my whole life being afraid and not leaving home at the first sign of trouble. PROFRBcom PRIVATE MEMBER I am currently in a location where mask mandates and vaccination passports are illegal. No one is dropping dead in the streets from a pandemic. wonderpunter PRIVATE MEMBER Only reason I’m getting vaccinated is so I can travel again. I had close family members in hospital and others still with long-term effects of COVID and another who passed away. So many peoples’ views will be based on their own personal experience. G P W A t i m e s . o r g 12
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It’s a classic “Which came first, the chicken or the egg” dilemma. When building out or developing your affiliate website, should you spend more time, energy and resources on quality content or optimal design? A new GPWA member posed this question on the forums with the general impression that the content piece of the puzzle was most important, but wanted to hear other thoughts and insights. As usual, our membership chimed in with some well-thought-out opinions, based on past experiences, successes and failures. While the majority of the responses leaned toward favoring content over design, there were compelling cases made that they were equally crucial, while there was also a sentiment made that neither should be made a chief priority. Excerpts from the thread are presented in the following pages. To read the entire conversation, visit gpwa.org/440. For more forum posts, industry news, and complete archives of our weekly GPWA newsletters and the GPWA Times Magazine, visit www.GPWA.org. FROM THE FORUMS * This thread was edited for clarity and length What’s more important: design or content? Design G P W A t i m e s . o r g 14
Illustrations by Thepanyo/Shutterstock #1 HQ Gambling 28 July 2021, 8:56 a.m. New Member Isn’t it better to put the time and effort into good content instead of a unique design? A unique design is not going to help you get new hits, but unique and good content is. Cookie cutter designs are working for a reason. Right? “ Reply With Quote #2 pircle 29 July 2021, 2:13 p.m. New Member Both design and content are important for internal and external optimization. “ Reply With Quote #4 ddm 29 July 2021, 8:53 p.m. Former Member Without good content, design will never matter because you will not get traffic. In outer space, nobody hears you scream. 1. Positive UX design bolsters your business’s reputation 2. Excellent UX design enhances customer loyalty 3. Great UX keeps visitors on your website longer It’s a freeroll. Originally Posted by chaumi “if you don’t get design/structure right (or at least as close to right as you can) at the start, you’ll very likely find it’s a lot harder/more time consuming to try and do that later”. ^ Truth. Plan before “doing.” Always have V1, V2, V3 in your mind if you change site architecture later on it will involve redirects which dampen page-rank flow somewhat, apparently. Originally Posted by HQ Gambling “Cookie cutter designs are working for a reason. Right?” They EXIST for a reason! Most often, affiliates with many sites to juggle, don’t want to have separate codebases, which can make updating tedious. #3 chaumi 29 July 2021, 5:20 p.m. Private Member Some elements of cookie cutter type designs obviously work and are worth using...but the strong suggestion would be to avoid looking exactly the same as 10,000 other sites and work on building some uniqueness in design/appearance/structure along with very strong content. So if you’re just starting out, yes, most time and effort is best placed into content, but if you don’t get design/structure right (or at least as close to right as you can) at the start, you’ll very likely find it’s a lot harder/more time consuming to try and do that later. “ Reply With Quote Some elements of cookie cutter type designs obviously work and are worth using... but the strong suggestion would be to avoid looking exactly the same as 10,000 other sites and work on building some uniqueness in design/ appearance/structure along with very strong content. 15 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
FROM THE FORUMS They are “minimum viable product” technically and functionally, generally. Design and repeat visitors / brand are secondary considerations. These types of sites are generally to just drive clicks / leads / conversions one time, IMO. “ Reply With Quote #8 ScoreBetting 30 July 2021, 8:52 a.m. Private Member The 100% truth is neither particularly matters. What matters is getting backlinks. Google will put any old crap at the top as long as it has lots of backlinks. “ Reply With Quote #6 johan_s 30 July 2021, 6:58 a.m. Private Member Content, content, content. When you get over 15,000 visitors per month, start focusing some on the design. “ Reply With Quote #7 gil.langelaan 30 July 2021, 7:50 a.m. Private Member I would say in the beginning it’s better to focus more on content to attract more visitors to your website. But also you need to improve at least some (the most important) design elements. UX now is one of the most important SEO ranking factors. Do not forget about that, too. “ Reply With Quote #5 wonderpunter July 2021, 2:49 a.m. Private Member Both are important. You can have the best content in the world, but if the design sucks it is unusable. If it is complicated, then no conversions. It’s not a case of design or content. It’s both. “ Reply With Quote Both are important. You can have the best content in the world, but if the design sucks it is unusable. If it is complicated, then no conversions. It’s not a case of design or content. It’s both. #9 Dingo 1 August 2021, 2:47 p.m. New Member I think good design is mandatory from the beginning. Five to 10 years ago, you might not have thought about design, but now the visitor has a choice. The visitor opens five tabs, then he chooses where he feels more comfortable to read, which site he trusts more. If there is no design, the site loses behavioral factors. Going live without a design in 2021 is to immediately bury the project. “ Reply With Quote #10 Cash Bonus 2 August 2021, 1:01 a.m. Private Member Of course content is the most important factor, and it should be above anything else. You must have the valuable and relevant content that your audience is searching for that will lead them to an action. By giving your audience this relevant content that’s specifically GPWAtimes.org 16
#12 Andy Brown 2 August 2021, 4:36 a.m. Private Member I think your web design and content are equally important. It’s very simple: Good web design will get people on your site, good content will keep them there. “ Reply With Quote #11 dannyx 2 August 2021, 1:41 a.m. Public Member I think it’s a type of comparison which is more important in the car? The engine or the gear box? Of course, good content is important to be authoritative and rank. However, I think that even if we are in the ranking and someone will visit our website and it will be simply ugly with poor navigation and general UX, I will not trust such a website and I will not register with a bookmaker through it. “ Reply With Quote made for them, they’ll begin to place their trust in you in due course. Having a good design that’s appealing is also crucial. “ Reply With Quote #13 FreekCasino 3 September 2021, 7:17 a.m. Public Member Start with focusing on content and upgrade your design when you get traffic. “ Reply With Quote I think your web design and content are equally important. It’s very simple: Good web design will get people on your site, good content will keep them there. Content #14 CasinosBroker 13 September 2021, 6:49 a.m. New Member Both are important, I believe UX and content are equally important. Providing a great copy on your website can make huge differences when it comes to selling “products” or “services.”’ Amazing UX combined with great content can do wonders. Let’s not forget about site speed, as well. “ Reply With Quote 17 GPWAtimes.org
iGamingDirectory.com The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the entire gaming industry and remnants of its impact remain. The sports betting vertical was among the hardest hit as live events all over the world came to a screeching halt last year, something that has never happened before simultaneously. While the volume of betting took a major nosedive initially, the situation wasn’t entirely bleak. Many retail sports bettors turned to online platforms as brick-and-mortar sportsbooks were shuddered. Meanwhile, with unexpected “down time,” casual sports fans always intrigued by betting on their favorite teams finally took the plunge and opened online accounts to help pass the time during lockdown. During unpredictable times like these, it’s valuable for those of us in the industry to have a resource at our fingertips where you can clearly analyze the numbers and see the tangible impact of outside factors. And that’s exactly one of the reasons we launched iGamingDirectory.com back in 2017. The site is not only the world’s most comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date guide to the websites, contacts, owners, operators, software suppliers, payment processors, regulatory jurisdictions, affiliate programs and other industry businesses, but this vast amount of data is presented in an easy-to-use format. Thanks, in part, to the support of our longtime friends at bet365 Partners, we offer private GPWA members and sponsors free access to the site and its massive amount of data. As an example, for this issue, we present the top 25 sports sites on a global level, with rankings based on the weighted power mean of a variety of independent andmulti-sourced traffic-based statistics, such as number of visitors, visits and page views, and total estimated time spent on a site by all visitors. You can also see the change in rankings from Q1-Q3 2020 to the recently ended Q1-Q3 2021 time period. On the opposite page, we list the top sports sites for Q1-Q3 2021 from Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America, once again, with their change in ranking compared to Q1-Q3 2020. As this issue went to press, the iGamingDirectory.com database featured more than: • 1,700 businesses that own online gaming sites • 4,000 casino, poker, sports betting, bingo and game sites with traffic rankings • 1,000 affiliate programs and affiliate networks • 13,000 web portals and their owners • 1,000 game and platform suppliers • 19,000 games • 200 regulatory jurisdictions • 1,800 annual reports of online gaming businesses • 900 payment methods • 16,000 gaming executives with their associated LinkedIn profiles For more details and free access, please visit: iGamingDirectory.com/GPWA Sports Site Rankings Free access to iGamingDirectory.com for GPWA members Global Q1-Q3 2021 Change from Q1-Q3 2020 Website Owner 1 bet365.com bet365 Group 2 sports.caliente.mx Grupo Caliente 3 13 wplay.co Aquila Global Group 4 8 betking.com SV Gaming 5 2 nesine.com DOL 6 3 betplay.com.co Corredor Empresarial 7 3 unibet.com Kindred Group 8 bovada.lv Lynton 9 5 williamhill.com William Hill 10 7 betway.com Betway Group 11 9 bet9ja.com KC Gaming Networks 12 6 betfair.com Flutter 13 1xbet.com Bonnal 14 4 hkjc.com Hong Kong Jockey Club 15 sportybet.com SportyBet Kenya 16 28 bet365.mx bet365 Group 17 6 betika.com Shop and Deliver 18 13 sportingbet.com Entain 19 5 bet365.es bet365 Group 20 1 tab.com.au Tabcorp 21 14 ladbrokes.com Entain 22 1 fonbet.ru Fon 23 22 rushbet.co Rush Street Interactive 24 186 betmgm.com MGM Resorts International 25 9 betway.co.za Betway Group G P W A t i m e s . o r g 18
Sports Site Rankings Africa Latin America North America Europe Q1-Q3 2021 Change from Q1-Q3 2020 Website Owner 1 betking.com SV Gaming 2 bet365.com bet365 Group 3 1 bet9ja.com KC Gaming Networks 4 11 bolabet.co.zm Bolabet 5 betway.co.za Betway Group 6 3 sportybet.com SportyBet Kenya 7 23 winnersgoldenbet.com 8 1 betika.com Shop and Deliver 9 3 1xbet.com Bonnal 10 2 betway.com.gh Betway Group 11 13 pmbet.co.tz Playmaster Gaming 12 8 gsb.ug 13 1 betway.co.zm Emerald Bay 14 1 premierbet.com Editec UK 15 5 forzza.com 16 7 mozzartbet.co.ke MozzartBet Kenya 17 3 soccabet.com Wingatebet 18 1 sportingbet.co.za William Hill 19 26 supabets.com.gh Supabets Ghana 20 152 sportpesa.co.ke SportPesa Q1-Q3 2021 Change from Q1-Q3 2020 Website Owner 1 bet365.com bet365 Group 2 sports.caliente.mx Grupo Caliente 3 2 bet365.es bet365 Group 4 1 betplay.com.co Corredor Empresarial 5 5 apuestatotal.com Free Games 6 2 betfair.com Flutter 7 1 bet365.mx bet365 Group 8 1 rushbet.co Rush Street Interactive 9 3 sportingbet.com Entain 10 591 wplay.co Aquila Global Group 11 2 betsson.com betsson 12 3 betway.com Betway Group 13 6 coolbet.com GAN 14 84 superbets.do 15 inkabet.pe betsson 16 6 doradobet.com 17 5 1xbet.com Bonnal 18 2 sportsbet.io mBet Solutions 19 8 twinspires.com Churchill Downs 20 6 rivalo.co Teclino Q1-Q3 2021 Change from Q1-Q3 2020 Website Owner 1 1 bovada.lv Lynton 2 1 bet365.com bet365 Group 3 2 tvg.com FanDuel Group 4 4 sportsbook.draftkings.com DraftKings 5 1 twinspires.com Churchill Downs 6 17 betmgm.com MGM Resorts International 7 1 betonline.ag CommissionKings 8 8 betus.com.pa Firepower Trading 9 4 hpibet.com Woodbine Entertainment Group 10 1 nyrabets.com New York Racing Association 11 betway.com Betway Group 12 1 nj.bet365.com bet365 Group 13 11 mybookie.ag 14 4 betrivers.com Rush Street Interactive 15 3 sportsinteraction.com Mohawk Online 16 1 sportsbetting.ag CommissionKings 17 1 pinnacle.com Ragnarok Corporation 18 4 bodog.eu Bodog 19 17 pointsbet.com PointsBet Australia 20 2 bookmaker.eu BMX Entertainment Q1-Q3 2021 Change from Q1-Q3 2020 Website Owner 1 bet365.com bet365 Group 2 betfair.com Flutter 3 4 bet365.es bet365 Group 4 pmu.fr PMU 5 1 fonbet.ru Fon 6 2 bet365.it bet365 Group 7 4 atg.se ATG 8 2 stoiximan.gr Kaizen Gaming 9 41 novibet.com Novigroup 10 2 bet365.gr bet365 Group 11 2 tipsport.cz Tipsport 12 1 williamhill.com William Hill 13 1 betcityru.com BetCity 14 6 paddypower.com Flutter 15 10 winline.ru Winline 16 11 sisal.it Sisal 17 12 sports.ladbrokes.com Entain 18 3 unibet.com Kindred Group 19 8 sts.pl Star-Typ Sport 20 3 adjarabet.com Aviator 19 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
By Christina Thakor-Rankin From the decision by Twitch to ban the promotion of online gambling to new markets opening up with cumbersome player restrictions, the road to success and profitability is proving to be more difficult for iGaming industry affiliates Challenges Affiliates Abound for Illustrations by VectorMine/Shutterstock, Golden Sikorka/Shutterstock, Mix3r/Shutterstock G P W A t i m e s . o r g 20
or some time now, the worlds of gambling and gaming have been moving ever closer together as sports betting and gambling providers look to esports and gaming as a means of tapping into a new market and engaging a new generation of customers. This symbiotic relationship took a huge leap forward in August when Entain, one of the world’s largest gambling operators, acquired Unikrn, one of the world’s biggest esports betting platforms. The driver for the acquisition was neatly summed up by Entain CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen as an opportunity to “triple our business here, just looking at how this market will multiply.” And what an opportunity! For those who aren’t familiar with the surging esports betting market, here’s a very quick high-level overview. Esports is competitive gaming (mainly video games such as FIFA, Dota, Counter-Strike, etc.) and played by individuals or teams. Esports betting is wagering on the outcome of the games. Streaming is watching the game in real time or live. There are a number of streaming platforms (just like TV channels) that allow people to watch people playing video games live. “Streamer betting” – betting on the game being played – has, just like its older sports-betting cousin, become massively popular. And just like sports betting, what started as wagering simply on the winner of the game has morphed into a range of betting markets, like in-play. The interesting twist is that streaming platforms are no longer limited to watching people play video games. They have evolved to include other types of games, including gambling games. Viewers now tune in to watch players playing gambling games such as slots and casino games live. That’s right. People are tuning in to watch streamers play a slot or casino game live. People watch streamers playing a game on an operator site and then might go try it themselves. Not surprisingly, it is estimated that up to 6% of the 1,000 top streamers on Twitch, the world’s biggest gaming streaming platform with over 15 million daily active users, have or had a relationship with a gambling operator at some point. Some even have sponsorship deals with gambling companies. Streamers use referral, bonus and promotion codes in the same way as the established acquisition route or have sponsorship deals with gambling companies. Six percent may not sound like a lot, but within the context of over 15 million daily users and a market size of over one billion, it could amount to quite a lot of money. (The esports betting market is currently valued at around £2 billion, however, some analysts are suggesting that this could grow to as much as £20 billion in the next few years). Great news for the gambling industry. Great news for players. And great news for affiliates too, right? Wrong. On the day that Entain acquired Unikrn, Twitch implanted its new ban on the promotion of online gambling through affiliate links and referral codes on its platform. This isn’t just bad news for those affiliates focused on the relatively young esports betting market, it is disastrous for all affiliates given the speed at which streaming and social media channels are replacing the traditional acquisition routes for gambling - especially when looking for new customers or emerging markets where technology has skipped a whole generation. While some may be taking comfort in the fact that there are other streaming platforms (some of them dedicated to betting and gambling) - the question is for how long? The Twitch decision came after much lobbying, not just around the dangers of problem gambling, but also concerns around the With somany restrictions, it can only be a matter of time before the regulatedmarket starts to face the predicted stiffcompetition fromthe black or unregulated market experts have beenwarning about, leaving affiliates tomake some toughdecisions. F 21 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
platform being used to promote illegal and unregulated gambling operators. According to Twitch, it wants to be a safe platform and the ban aims “to prevent harm and scams created by questionable gambling services that sponsor content on Twitch.” “We will prohibit sharing links and/or referral codes to sites that offer slots, roulette, or dice games,” Twitch explained. Couple this with the fact that some gambling streamers who have made money through gambling affiliations, such as Ismael Swartz (“Roshtein” described as “a casino-philosopher with an incredible technique”) appear to be endorsing the Twitch ban and saying that it “could be going into the right direction.” The question must surely be - how long before others, including YouTube, are forced to adopt Twitch’s approach to safety? Watch this streaming space. There have been other developments that might also cause affiliates a few sleepless nights. The continued growth of sports betting in the U.S. is now starting to garner some interest from big names and brands from outside the world of gambling. Both Jay-Z and Ben Affleck have been linked to new betting license applications in New York submitted by Kambi. Their success means that an already competitive affiliate and acquisition market is going to be flooded with newcomers from other sectors. For some, this will create an opportunity and help boost revenue. For others, it could result in slimmer margins and a fight for survival. There is also the ongoing challenge of emerging markets and evolving regulation. The latest big market to go live is Germany, historically one of the big European gambling hubs and a strong market for affiliates. Alas, it seems this is no longer the case. The start of the newly regulated market also saw the end of affiliate revenue share models, now prohibited under the new regulations. This has meant many have had to revert back to a more general Cost per Click and Cost per Acquisition strategy. Usually, this would not be such a big concern, and especially not for a market where there is a known and established gambling audience. The problem here is that the new German regulations massively restrict the types of products allowed, with some of the products known to support affiliate acquisition not available. The new regulations also include mandatory stake and deposit limits. A maximum stake of €1 and a mandatory player deposit limit of €1,000 per month. This is per player not operator. With so many restrictions, it can only be a matter of time before the regulated market starts to face the predicted stiff competition from the black or unregulated market experts have been warning about, leaving affiliates having to make some tough decisions. The same could be said of some of the other evolving or emerging markets around the world. The Netherlands appears CHALLENGES ABOUND FOR AFFILIATES This isn’t just bad news for those affiliates focused on the relatively young esports bettingmarket, it is disastrous for all affiliates given the speed at which streaming and social media channels are replacing the traditional acquisition routes for gambling - especially when looking for new customers or emerging markets where technology has skipped a whole generation. G P W A t i m e s . o r g 22
Christina Thakor-Rankin has over 25 years’ experience in the global betting and gambling sector. She is currently Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd working with start-ups, investors, operators, regulators, law enforcement and industry groups across the world, advising on all aspects of the betting, gaming and gambling cycle. to be is starting from a position of social responsibility and player protection, and both Sweden and Belgium look set to continue with their efforts in this area going forward. The great unknown currently is the biggest European market of all, the U.K. The review into the Gambling Act 2005 has long predicted new and more stringent measures to safeguard players, including mandatory deposit limits and affordability checks as well as new restrictions on advertising, marketing and incentivised play. With arguments for and against more restrictive measures, the latter being that greater restriction will drive customers to the unregulated and black market (not dissimilar to the arguments in Germany) it is too early to say what the future will look like. At time of writing, nothing is certain, however, following the closure of the call for evidence at the end of March and the government has stated its intention to publish its white paper before the end of the year, at which time affiliates might get an idea of what the U.K. landscape could look like. Not a great outlook. But not all doom and gloom either. Where doors in Europe may be closing, others are moving closer to be opened. Parts of Latin America, and also markets in Africa, are moving towards stability. For those affiliates who understand the customer psyche and can navigate the line between land-based bookies and casinos and a predominantly cash-based economy, the opportunity is there for the taking. More exciting still, Canada has moved toward a more robust regulated sports market, with the launch of single-event sports betting. Ontario, a huge market, is looking set to go even further faster. Same goes for Ireland and New Zealand. All three are significant gambling markets and fall into familiar affiliate territory. While all have focused on social responsibility being a key part of their regulatory framework there is no indication yet that they are likely to mirror the more stringent restrictions in Europe, so, don’t fret, at least affiliates have some reason to be cheerful. The growth of sports betting in the U.S. is starting to garner interest from big names and brands from outside the world of gambling . . . For some, this will create an opportunity and help boost revenue. For others, it could result in slimmer margins and a fight for survival. REGULATIONS 23 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
for iGaming Affiliates A Core Web Vitals Guide Like it or not, Google’s Core Web Vitals are a crucial factor in the ranking of your site. Tom Reaney from Blueclaw Media explains why it’s important for iGaming affiliate webmasters to adhere to the new rules and what tools to use to identify recurring issues and achieve higher rankings. By Tom Reaney, Blueclaw Media Ltd. Back in May 2020, Google announced its latest ranking factor, Core Web Vitals. Since then, Core Web Vitals have proven to be a fundamental factor in how Google ranks a site. Previously, Google would rank sites on a primarily semantic basis, with the algorithm trying to match the best quality content relating to the searcher’s intent. With the introduction of Core Web Vitals, Google shifted the focus more towards user experience. The Core Web Vitals have been designed to provide a measure for three different aspects of user experience: 1. Page loading 2. Ease of interaction 3. Visual stability Essentially, this shift from Google means that even sites whose content is highly optimized towards the searcher’s intent should still pay strong attention to Core Web Vitals as even with high level content, a page can still receive low Core Web Vitals scores. The three metrics designed by Google for the Core Web Vitals are as follows: 1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) The first of the Core Web Vitals is Largest Contentful Paint or an LCP rating. LCP has been designed as a way to measure the page loading aspect of user experience. In essence, LCP tests the render times of the most substantial blocks of content visible to visitors. Ultimately, page loading is one of the most critical aspects for sites to show concern to, as faster loading times are proven to have a strong correlation with longer session times and a higher frequency of further interactions on the site. What is meant by the most substantial blocks of content are both media and text, which Google has classified as the most meaningful aspects of a page to a user. Thus, LCP is beyond just how quickly the page loads; it is instead just how quickly a user can access the central bodies of content that is most applicable to them. LCP scores are assigned at page level, with Google setting the expected standard for an individual page’s content to load within 2.5 seconds. Therefore, if the loading time for a page’s content body takes longer to appear than 2.5 seconds, the page will receive a lower LCP score to reflect this. G P W A t i m e s . o r g 24
High levels of JavaScript can drastically increase loading speeds. Not only this, but it can also cause elements to move across the page as the JavaScript loads in. 2. First Input Delay (FID) First Input Delay was designed to measure the interactivity of a page. How FID works is by measuring the latency of an input from a user on the site, essentially meaning how quickly the site takes to respond to the users’ clicks/touches. Google measures FID in milliseconds, with a score of 100ms or less being considered as meeting industry standards. As already mentioned above, there is already proven to be a strong correlation between the speed of a page and longer session times. Therefore, it is still applicable here for FID, meaning a website that is correctly optimized towards FID should also reap the same benefits of longer sessions, as the experience is noticeably quicker for the user. 3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) The final measure of the Core Web Vitals is Cumulative Layout Shift, which has been designed as a way to measure the visual stability of a site from the user’s perspective. CLS assesses whether a site’s buttons, text and images remain in one place while a user loads a page and then moves around the page. CLS relates to the user experience because if the elements of a page are not maintaining the same position, a user is more likely to have accidental clicks, which ultimately leads to a sense of frustration from the user as it takes them away from the content they were on the page to see. WHY ARE CORE WEB VITALS IMPORTANT FOR IGAMING? Now, I know what you’re thinking. How does Google’s Core Web Vitals relate to iGaming, and why should this be an essential consideration when running an iGaming site - especially an affiliate iGaming site? Presently, many iGaming sites currently score poorly in terms of core web vitals, meaning that they are not optimized toward user experience. Most frequently, the lack of user-friendliness amongst iGaming sites lies in the fact that there is often minimal focus within the industry on SEO. Partner the low level of focus on SEO Illustrations by Zouls/Shutterstock, M.Stasy/Shutterstock, masmas/Shutterstock, Sensvector/Shutterstock 25 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
with the complexity of most iGaming sites, and suddenly you have a fairly substantial issue with a site’s Core Web Vitals scores. The iGaming industry as a whole often lags behind from an SEO perspective, most frequently due to sites not featuring large bodies of content. Therefore, if you were an owner of an iGaming site, it would prove to be a wise move to shift your focus towards Core Web Vitals to provide a critical edge over your competition in the rankings. Moreover, in addition to any potential ranking benefits gained through optimizing towards Core Web Vitals, the overall page experience for the site’s visitors should improve. This improvement to the user experience due to optimization towards Core Web Vitals would also see the mobile-friendliness increase as a result. An increase in the mobile-friendliness of the site would then ultimately lead to a higher ranking due to Google’s preference for mobile-first indexing. HOW TO IDENTIFY CORE WEB VITALS ISSUES Diagnosing Core Web Vitals issues can be done in a variety of different ways and using several types of software. The first of which would be Lighthouse 6.0, which has now included three newmetrics used to assess Core Web Vitals in a lab environment: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) andTotal Blocking Time (TBT). The first two of those metrics are precisely what Google measures with Core Web Vitals; however, TBT differs slightly fromFID but is still being used tomeasure input delay. Another of the most popular ways to identify Core Web Vitals issues could be by using PageSpeed Insights (PSI) in your Chrome browser. PSI differs from Lighthouse in the sense that it will provide reports for both lab and field tests, meaning that PSI will provide an insight into the real-world application of how a real visitor would interact with a site. PSI also has Lighthouse integrated within its current build, meaning it is close to the best of both worlds while also providing an overview from a pageby-page basis, which even sets PSI apart from Search Console. KEY CORE WEB VITAL ISSUES ON IGAMING SITES One of the most frequent things we see with iGaming sites from a Core Web Vitals perspective is issues with LCP and CLS caused by sites that have substantial amounts of JavaScript running on the site. High levels of JavaScript can drastically increase loading speeds. Not only that, but it can also cause elements to move across the page as the JavaScript loads in. Furthermore, relating to the heavy reliance on JavaScript, another of the most critical factors affecting Core Web Vitals scores among iGaming sites is the widespread decision to opt for client-side rendering. Although client-side rendering often portrays itself as the most cost-effective hosting method for sites, it means that when a user visits a page, they are met with a loading screen until all the JavaScript has fully loaded in. These loading screens can often become tedious for visitors if they have a slower internet connection if there are substantial amounts of JavaScript on the page, which has already been identified as a common issue for iGaming sites. Whereas, if iGaming sites were to adopt server-side rendering, there would be a significant increase in page loading speeds, thereby improving the sites Core Web Vital scores and improving the overall user experience. HOW TO MONITOR CORE WEB VITALS PERFORMANCE Here at Blueclaw, we have designed a Core Web Vitals report that can record the page experience of an entire site at a page level, allowing us granular access to data that allows us to make recommendations that can significantly improve a site’s performance. In addition to allowing us to provide these recommendations, these reports also allow us to track any significant changes on a month-by-month basis. Alternatively, for a briefer overview of your sites Core Web Vitals, you can create your own Chrome User Experience (CrUX) dashboard. A CrUX dashboard is connected through to Google Data Studio with pre-built templates. However, the majority of the pre-built CrUX dashboards lack any page-level depth, instead preferring to give an overall report for the whole site. Ultimately, page loading is one of the most critical aspects for sites to show concern to, as faster loading times are proven to have a strong correlation with longer session times and a higher frequency of further interactions on the site. As a Digital Marketing Executive at Blueclaw Media Ltd, Tom works with leading operators and affiliates across sportsbook, casino, poker, bingo, slots and lottery markets. As part of Blueclaw’s award-winning SEO team, Tom is dedicated to developing exceptional search marketing strategies that drive growth and increase ROI. A CORE WEB VITALS GUIDE FOR IGAMING AFFILIATES G P W A t i m e s . o r g 26
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Online casinos have been utilizing cryptocurrencies for nearly a decade. But due to increased government regulations and an overall acceptance within the industry, the volume of bets and payments has experienced a rapid and steady rise since early 2020. By Lorien Pilling Gambling has often been an early adopter of new technologies, be it for communications or payments, and it has been the same for cryptocurrencies. The first crypto casinos began launching in 2013, but there has been a significant increase in crypto-gambling activity since early 2020. SoftSwiss, the iGaming software supplier, reported that it saw crypto gambling’s volume of bets rise from 6% in Q1 2020 to 26% in Q1 2021, versus fiat currencies. Exploring the reasons for this growth can help affiliates understand the risks and opportunities in crypto-gambling. As of mid-2021, there are almost 2,700 active cryptocurrency coins. But only 75 coins have a market capitalization greater than $1 billion. Three coins – Bitcoin, Ether, Tether – account for the majority of the total market value. This market domination is reflected in the cryptocurrencies accepted by gambling websites. Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC) reviewed a range of crypto-gambling websites and Bitcoin was the most widely accepted coin, followed by Ether. Litecoin and Dogecoin were also widely accepted. SoftSwiss stated that Bitcoin accounted for 83% of crypto-gambling on its platform in Q1 2021, with Ether taking a 10% share. Crypto Gambling Revolution The G P W A t i m e s . o r g 28
COINS ACCEPTED BY CRYPTO-GAMBLING SITES Source: GBGC analysis TAKING ADVANTAGE OF REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS One reason for the recent growth in crypto gambling has been the internet gambling regulations introduced by various jurisdictions, especially in Europe. Germany, for example, finally launched its new iGaming regulations in July 2021, after a sixmonth transition period. The regulatory structure includes: a tax rate based on turnover, a customer spending cap of €1,000 per month, and a staking cap of €1 per spin for online slots. This combination of measures makes it difficult for operators to earn a profit in the German market and limits the activity of high-spending customers. But Germany is not alone in introducing such measures. Sweden used the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to impose online casino deposit limits, gambling session time limits and bonus limits. These measures were meant to be temporary, but the Swedish government extended the restrictions twice, and they will now run until at least November 2021. Bitcoin Bitcoin Cash Cardano Dai Dash Dogecoin EOS Etherium Litecoin Monero Ripple Stellar Tether Tron USD Coin Zcash 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Illustrations by Yuzach/Shutterstock and Andrew Krasovitckii/Shutterstock 29 G P W A t i m e s . o r g
In the U.K., there has long been an argument about VIP gamblers and the introduction of affordability checks and bet limits. The U.K. government is currently undertaking a review of the Gambling Act 2005, which is predicted to include stricter measures on advertising, responsible gambling and affordability checks. There is a definite trend in regulated gambling markets for license holders being required to obtainmore information fromcustomers as part of KnowYour Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks. Some customers resent this intrusion. Crypto-gambling sites, which inmany cases are not licensed in these regulated markets, can be seen as a less intrusive option. In general, there are fewer limits and checks on crypto-gambling sites, although several sites do still havemaximumbet limits (varying by coin) and maximum profit limits for some games. Linked to fewer bet limits, crypto-gambling is better able to accommodate higher-spending VIPs – indeed, some sites are invitation only – without restricting bet amounts if a player has some winning bets. The threshold to even be classed as a VIP is very high in crypto-gambling – losses equivalent to $1.5 million might not even be enough. VIPs also appreciate the privacy given by crypto-gambling. Crypto-gambling’s current regulatory freedom comes from the fact that many operators do not appear to hold any kind of gambling license. Most of the crypto-gambling websites GBGC assessed did not make it clear on their website where, or if, they held a gambling license. Curacao was the most common jurisdiction for those operators which stated they held a gambling license. Choosing to operate without a gambling license saves the companies money because of lower regulatory and compliance costs. ‘PROVABLY FAIR’ There could be the perception that because crypto-gambling is “provably fair” and more transparent with verifiable transactions, there is no need for a gambling license. “Provably fair” is the mantra of the Crypto Gambling Foundation. It aims to bring greater transparency to online gambling and the process of random number generation: • “Formerly, these random numbers were generated solely by the host of a game, leaving complete control in the hands of operators. Participants had to trust the host not generating results in favor of anyone. Casinos operating on these merits caused conflict of interest for those seeking a fair gambling experience.” • “Proving that the outcome of a wager is computed fairly and transparently should be performed by anyone at any time. We strongly believe in widespread use of provably fair algorithms throughout the gaming industry.” Using cryptocurrency is certainly gambling with “money or monies worth,” somost jurisdictions would class it as gambling and expect an operator to hold a license, and comply with associated regulations like KYC, AML and social responsibility. The claim might be that crypto-gambling is “provably fair,” but things can still go wrong and, when they do, affiliates and customers need to know who they can turn to for help. In October 2020, the crypto-gambling site Ethercrash reported that $2.5million in digital currency had been stolen from its wallets. Allegations on social media claimed it was an “inside job” because the funds were taken from a “cold wallet,” one that was supposedly not connected to the internet. THE CRYPTO GAMBLING REVOLUTION G P W A t i m e s . o r g 30
In each round of the game, a player: (1) chooses how many fractions of their preferred coin they want to stake, and (2) enters a multiplier they wish to cash out at (e.g. a 2x multiplier would result in a player doubling their stake). The game then begins. A simple graph shows the multiplier level rising. • The multiplier begins at 1.00x and begins to increase. • If the multiplier level surpasses the player’s selected multiplier before it “crashes,” the player wins their stake multiplied by their selected multiplier. Crypto-gambling’s growth is partly a reaction to the constant streamof new gambling regulation, which seeks to obtainmore and morepersonal information about gamblers’ identity, income and behavior, and limit people’s spending until the information is provided. For this reason, VIPgamblers find crypto-gambling particularly suited to their needs. Without a regulator overseeing an operator, and often with little information about the company behind a crypto-gambling site, affiliates, suppliers and customers have few options to pursue, if an unlicensed crypto-gambling operator hits problems. ISLE OF MAN & MALTA: EMBRACING CRYPTOCURRENCIES There are options for operators to obtain licenses. The Isle of Man, for example, is a jurisdiction that has embraced both blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission offers a B2B Software Supplier license for token and blockchain platforms and software. Isle of Man licensee Real Time Games Holdings (luckbox.com) offers CryptoPay as a deposit method, alongside more traditional e-wallets, whilst Shelgeyr Limited has a license for a pure Bitcoin gambling website (btb88.com) Malta has also been investigating the use of Bitcoin for gaming and other sectors and is keen to position itself as a regulated virtual currency jurisdiction and center for initial coin offerings (ICO). The Malta Gaming Authority issued an initial “call for interest” in December 2017 for parties interested in cryptocurrency projects, with the aim of constructing a live test environment for exploring the use of cryptocurrencies in the iGaming sector, in conjunction with theMalta Digital Innovation Authority. The test environment for blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies has been extended until 31 December 2021. In May 2021, Moneybite, a Bitcoin payment provider, was granted a Virtual Finance Assets (VFA) license by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Moneybite’s focus will be on offering its services to Malta’s iGaming operators. The regulation of cryptocurrencies, and associated activities, is following a similar path to internet gambling. The early adopters are the smaller, often offshore, island economies, whilst the world’s larger economies are taking a more cautious approach. CRASH GAMES One category of gaming that has been developed specifically for cryptocurrency gambling is crash games. Crash games are fast-paced, easy to understand and compelling to play. THE CRYPTO GAMBLING REVOLUTION G P W A t i m e s . o r g 32
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