Maximizing World Cup Traffic Join GPWA Page 53 Build Loyalty, Not Just Clicks What Affiliates Really Want Photo Galleries from Lisbon & Rome Goal Rush JANUARY 2026 GPWAtimes.org
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 Copyright © 2026 by the GPWA. All rights reserved. ISSN 1941-9872 (print) ISSN 2834-2348 (online) Executive Director: Michael Corfman Program Director: Anthony Telesca Program Manager: Nicole Sims Member Services: Richard Bard Nancy Troy Editor-in-Chief: Gary Trask Associate Editor: Dan Ippolito Designers: George Choi Zoran Maksimovic´ LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR We’re kicking off 2026 in Barcelona for ICE and iGB Affiliate, as the city hosts both flagship industry events for the second year in a row. Reflecting on 2025, it was a busy year of global conferences, culminating with SBC Summit in Lisbon and SiGMA Central Europe in Rome. In this issue, our photo galleries highlight the best moments — perfect for reliving the action or catching up on what you may have missed. Looking ahead, the sports calendar will be dominated this year by the World Cup, which begins in June. In our cover story, GPWA member and regular contributor Milan Novakovic explains how affiliates can prepare, adapt, and react in real time to maximize opportunities during the world’s biggest tournament. Elsewhere, Lee-Ann Johnstone of Affiverse returns to share the habits and values that set trusted affiliate programs apart, while Connie Burstin, founder of The Affiliate Agency, breaks down how understanding user behavior and motivation drives content that converts and builds trust. Our regular features are back as well: an indepth Q&A with an intriguing GPWA member in our Affiliate Interview Series, a sit-down with the impressive Daria Maichuk, Affiliate Manager at N1 Partners, a “From the GPWA Forums” thread discussing leveraging AI as an iGaming affiliate, and a troubling, but well-deserved, new inductee to our hallowed APCW Wall of Shame. If you’re attending the Barcelona events, be sure to stop by the GPWA stand. Not subscribed yet? Remember, the GPWA Times Magazine is free! Sign up at GPWAtimes.org/subscribe. Here’s to a successful and prosperous 2026! Sincerely, Michael Corfman Game On 2026 Welcome to Issue 64 of the GPWA Times Magazine! GPWAtimes.org 4
SAVE THE DATES 18 - 20 January 2027 Fira Barcelona Gran Via www.icegaming.com | #ICE27 Scan here to register your interest
Departments 4 Letter from the Director • 8 By the Numbers • 10 Quotables • 12 GPWA Poll 14 From the Forums • 50 GPWA Seals of Approval • 54 Affiliate Interview Series • 60 Sponsors 62 Affiliate Program Interview • 68 APCW Wall of Shame • 70 Event Calendar 44 TABLE OF CONTENTS 18 Turning Kicks Into Clicks The World Cup brings traffic spikes unlike anything else in sports betting. Hirequarters CEO and Founder Milan Novakovic explains how affiliates prepare, pivot, and react in real time to get the most out of the biggest tournament on the planet. Photo Galleries: SBC Summit 2025 & SiGMA Central Europe In September, Lisbon packed in more than 30,000 people for the biggest SBC Summit yet, and then in November, SiGMA Central Europe matched the energy with its Rome debut and its own huge crowd. Dive into our galleries to see how both weeks came to life. 32 Traffic That Gains Traction Players aren’t all chasing the same bonuses. Connie Burstin, founder of The Affiliate Agency, shows how understanding user motivation, behavior, and regulated-market reality leads to content that converts, retains, and builds trust. 28 What Affiliates Really Want Long-term growth starts when programs build partnerships that actually help affiliates succeed. Affiverse Founder Lee-Ann Johnstone breaks down the habits and values that separate trusted programs from the ones affiliates quietly abandon. 24 GPWAtimes.org 6
BE THE FIRST REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
BY THE NUMBERS New York photo by TZIDO SUN/Shutterstock €2.65 million The amount BetEnt was fined by the Dutch Gaming Authority for failing to adequately protect young adults from excessive gambling and gambling addiction. 1 April 2026 The date Sweden’s proposed gambling bill would come into effect, requiring all licensed operators to prohibit players from financing gambling using credit. £10 million The fine issued to Platinum Gaming Limited, the operator of Unibet and UK.Bingo, by the U.K. Gambling Commission for antimoney laundering and social responsibility failings. $2.64 billion The amount New York mobile sports betting handle reached in October, breaking the U.S. monthly record, according to the New York State Gaming Commission. 25 million The number of active bettors residing in Brazil, as of the end of 2025, according to data released by Pay4Fun. TTD 9 billion The annual estimated amount of the illegal lottery market in Trinidad and Tobago, which led to plans to enforce harsher penalties on black market operators. GPWAtimes.org 8
$1 million The fine amount imposed on Norsk Tipping by the Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority for falsely letting thousands of players believe they won big from Eurojackpot. 11-to-1 The ratio of illegal operators to legal operators in Germany, according to the German Sports Betting Association. 5% The percentage increase in Poland’s gambling and lottery prize taxation, raising the levy on player winnings from 10% to 15%, as of January 2026. 1,000 The number of football players in Turkey’s professional leagues that were suspended by the Turkish Football Federation for wagering on games. €410.3 million The amount Spain’s online gambling revenue reached in Q2 2025, a year-over-year increase of 18.5%, according to the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation. 9 GPWAtimes.org
QUOTABLES QUOTABLES “The elephant in the room for consumer protection is that consumers are to such a large extent absent from the legally licensed part of the gambling market. Instead, they have chosen the unregulated unlicensed market to an alarming extent, partly because of the very generous bonus systems offered there.” —Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt, refuting the argument that eliminating all bonus offers would strengthen consumer protection and specifically curb gambling among young adults. “I think this is the biggest threat I’ve ever known since I’ve been in the industry. On a 1 to 10, it’s a 10. All the alarm bells are ringing there. I believe by 2028 we will not have one single shop.” —Betfred Co-Founder and Chair Fred Done, in reference to the announcement that the U.K. Remote Gaming Duty is set to nearly double, increasing from 21% to 40%, beginning in April, while adding a 25% rate for online betting. “Declaring a platform illegal after years of validation, taxation and judicial recognition isn’t just wrong. It is deeply unethical. This ban was pushed through virtually without debate, without transition, nuance, or consideration of economic realities.” —India-based gaming lawyer Jay Sayta, commenting on the country’s sudden ban on certain gaming platforms. “If you look at all four of those products, they’re all identical . . . They all rip off the consumer, respectfully. You can only trade against the house. They can ban you if you make money and they can profile you as a user and change the prices based on you. That’s a scam. In traditional finance, that’s like a bucket shop. It’s a scam. Those are illegal.” —Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, speaking about traditional sportsbooks FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and BetMGM at the Axios BFD Summit in New York City in November. GPWAtimes.org 10
Do You Work More or Less When Using AI? Artificial Intelligence tools are becoming increasingly common in the day-to-day work of affiliates and site owners. From content creation to coding and research, many are using AI to speed up tasks. But how does it affect the total time spent working? In a recent GPWA poll, we asked our members whether using AI has led them to work more, less, or about the same. The results highlight that while AI can save time on routine tasks, it often opens the door to more complex projects, additional content, and new ideas. The poll results are listed below, along with a sampling of member feedback. For full details and all member comments, visit gpwa.org/492. 42%I work less. 37%I work about the same. 21%I work more. Comments from GPWA members kwblue PRIVATE MEMBER I spend more time because I can do a lot more, more quickly. AI helps in engineering tasks, building tools, coding, and even automating parts of site management. If you guide it correctly, it saves massive amounts of time, but hands-off use can lead to loops or errors. golfbettingsystem PUBLIC MEMBER I’ve used AI far more for various menial tasks, research and updates and now it’s an increasingly important part of how I work. It’s not perfect, by any means, and some stuff needs sense-checking and validating but it’s undoubtedly speeding up my work. Mattbar PRIVATE MEMBER Using AI generally reduces the time for many tasks, although in some cases it can cost you time when falling down rabbit holes. Like with any tech, it only changes the way you work. AI is just another tool. GPWA MEMBER POLL GPWAtimes.org 12
Association of Players Casinos and Webmasters • APCW.org • Sales@APCW.org Embedded in over 250 affiliate portals! Posted in the GPWA Forum & Social Media! Distributed via GPWA & APCW Newsletters! Get your message directly to affiliates with interviews of your program at major industry events! AFFILIATE PROGRAM INTERVIEWS AFFILIATE PROGRAM INTERVEWS AFFILIATE PROGRAM INTERVIEWS Have your brand featured in our weekly videos via sponsorship and commercial advertisements! APCW WEEKLY VIDEOS APCW WEEKLY VIDEOS APCW WEEKLY VIDEOS Partner with the APCW and get your affiliate program in front of the industry's best webmasters!
One of the most common early frustrations for new affiliates is seeing a steady stream of clicks but almost no sign-ups or first-time deposits. It’s the kind of problem that raises immediate questions. Is the traffic real? Is something broken in the funnel? Or is this simply part of the learning curve? A recent GPWA forum thread showed just how many factors can sit behind this issue. Some members noted that early traffic often includes bots, domain lookups, or curious visitors who were never likely to convert. Others pointed out that certain keywords, especially bonus-driven ones like “free spins,” attract users who click quickly but hesitate to register or deposit. Several members shared stories of dealing with analytics noise, misattributed clicks, and inflated numbers caused by crawlers from SEO tools and AI scrapers. The takeaway: high clicks with low conversions is not only common, it’s almost expected in the early stages. The real work is figuring out which traffic is genuine, tightening your funnel, and giving the site enough time to mature. To view the thread in its entirety, visit gpwa.org/493. To read thousands of other forum posts like this one, plus industry news and complete archives of our weekly GPWA newsletters and GPWA Times Magazine, please visit GPWA.org. *This thread was edited for clarity and length. The High-Traffic, Dilemma Low-Results FROM THE FORUMS 14 GPWAtimes.org
#1 Elliot_FreeSpins 30 August 2025, 7:29 a.m. Private Member Hi guys. I think some of my pages are starting to rank, and I’ve been promoting on socials too. Also, I have an aged keyword match domain with some decent direct traffic. I can see that the affiliate link clicks are pretty decent for the stage it’s at (some operators in the 100s of clicks), but registrations are very low (<10 across all partners, with one partner accounting for >50% of those) and FTDs are zero. I know it’s really early (going into the second month), and there’s a lot of noise at this stage. But when should I be concerned that I’m getting clicks but no conversions? “ Reply With Quote #2 allfreechips 30 August 2025, 7:57 a.m. Private Member Yes, it’s normal and if “free spins” is the keyword it will be that way between registration to deposit. You are most likely seeing bot traffic at this point, but you could track with a heatmap plugin to see better. “ Reply With Quote #3 chaumi 30 August 2025, 3:08 p.m. Private Member “I think some of my pages are starting to rank” Rank for what? You’ll need to understand that so you can potentially double down and try to build on what it’s ranking for (though at this stage, it would be a pretty big surprise if you are indeed ranking for anything). And if you can work out what’s coming from where (and how), you’ll have a better chance of understanding the click dynamics. But, even if it is real traffic, you probably have to get used to the idea that FTDs will be hard to come by. The site is about free spins, and players looking for free spins are (usually/exclusively) looking for free spins, not to gamble. It’s likely you’ll need some significant traffic, and work out how to present stuff to visitors that somehow entices them to look past the free stuff they wanted and take a risk. “Also I have an aged keyword match domain with some decent direct traffic.” Do you mean you think people are typing in freespins.casino? I’ll suggest that’s highly improbable, most “normal” people are unlikely to even be aware that .casino is a thing. I guess if some people are seeing an unlinked mention somewhere, then it’s possible they could go to the URL bar and type it in, but even that’s unlikely. “ Reply With Quote #4 Elliot_FreeSpins 30 August 2025, 3:52 p.m. Private Member Hey chaumi, thanks for the detailed reply. 100% agreed on the free spins angle, so I’ll jump into the rest. So, we’re definitely already getting impressions and a tiny amount of clicks for some very obscure search terms in GSC, and also around the same number of clicks and impressions on Bing according to their Webmaster Tools. As I say though, this is very low, and definitely doesn’t account for the number of visitors we’re seeing to the site. For context, our 28-day active visitors according to GA4 are 3.3k on month one, and we’re seeing this tail off only slightly as we go into month two. But, like you, I’m very skeptical of this. It’s my first casino affiliate site, but I’ve been a senior marketer for eight years in fintech, and I’ve not seen analytics data like this before on a brand new site with next-to-no promo. So I fully agree, it’s likely bot traffic. But here is where it gets weird. They are often viewing multiple pages, clicking links, active users are steady, and event count is high. Not to mention the majority of the traffic is U.S. + U.K. So, I’m a bit stumped. According to Wayback Machine, the domain has never really been developed before. I also invest/flip domain names and have done so for some years, and I’m always on the lookout for domains with a good backlink profile and decent DR, but this had neither (150 BL’s, mostly trash, and a 0 DR). So again, this doesn’t explain the traffic. GPWAtimes.org 15
FROM THE FORUMS #5 chaumi 30 August 2025, 4:51 p.m. Private Member Could it be domain buyer traffic clicking through? That might explain the direct traffic, assuming the listings aren’t hyperlinked. Not my world - flipping/selling - so don’t know if that sort of traffic happens, at any real volume anyway. Anyway, yeah it’ll all be guesswork unless you can see what’s really happening. Intriguing from the way you describe it, but there will be an explanation. “ Reply With Quote #6 Elliot_FreeSpins 30 August 2025, 5:05 p.m. Private Member That could account for a small portion of it, but the volume of prospective buyers is normally super low. A few hundred every couple of months maybe? So probably accounts for a bit but not the visitors we’re seeing. I’ll get some more data and update the thread here. Thanks for all the responses! Great forum so far! “ Reply With Quote #7 TheGooner 30 August 2025, 5:30 p.m. Private Member One of the biggest sources of (unwanted) traffic at the moment appears to be the AI bots - especially the ChatGPT bot. We are producing about 20 new pages per day, so there is always something to scan which may be why we attracted them initially, but they’re voracious and we are getting around 10,000 bot hits per day and as many as 1,000 hits on the same item in a day. They’ll typically run through the site reading any and all news posts and old linked items. They come from hundreds of IPs, over several different countries but the U.K. and U.S. are common - and they’ll follow most links recording clicks. For the most part, they behave like a hyperactive group of visitors. We’ve banned them via user agent now giving them a 429 response (too many requests) ... but still they pop-up at 4-5 per minute. There seems to be no way to tell OpenAI or any of these bots to f@%k off - I mean what point is there to hit the same page 1,000+ times per day? At peak (earlier this month), they were responsible for 70-80% of our daily requests. Check your control panel and find the visitors section and look over the User Agents - you’ll quickly see whether it’s bots and which ones. “ Reply With Quote #8 Elliot_FreeSpins 30 August 2025, 7:49 p.m. Private Member Hey TheGooner, that’s very interesting/frustrating and I expect I’m experiencing something similar. I expect you’re 100% right and it’s bots. Just got Wordfence setup so should have some data on that shortly. Thanks and appreciate the insights! Very keen to cut through the noise. “ Reply With Quote What’s interesting is, before I decided to develop this domain, my plan was to just flip it. I won it at auction. It’s still listed on third party marketplaces, and the listing has quickly become one of my most viewed domains by a long shot out of 200+ names. So, someone is looking for the domain, even if it’s not direct type in. (edit - meant to add, this reason alone was why I chose to develop it over all the other casino related .COM domain I have). It’s very strange, because I agree with you on all points, it’s an obscure TLD and it’s not something you’d directly type in. I think my next move will be as allfreechips suggested and get HotJar setup and see where people are clicking (or bots) and try and separate the wheat from the chaff. “ Reply With Quote 16 GPWAtimes.org
#13 Cash Bonus 17 September 2025, 9:14 a.m. Private Member Yes, of course it’s normal. There are some casinos in which I have really high traffic (clicks, impressions, downloads and registrations/signups) and yet I still never get any new FTDs. “ Reply With Quote #9 wonderpunter 31 August 2025, 2:51 a.m. Private Member Getting registrations after month two is a big sign, most people wait months, sometimes a year, to pick up. However, “free spins” almost never converts, especially when compared to real money keywords. It’ll get you lots of signups, but you will need mass volume to see any kind of result and even then the time you spend on it might be better spent on other converting keywords. Either way, you can use the domain as a jump ship to more valuable pages in the future. “ Reply With Quote #14 Elliot_FreeSpins 1 September 2025, 8:25 a.m. Private Member Thanks everyone for the input! We definitely have some dialing in to do on our stats and traffic sources, as well as rethinking our keyword targeting as it seems it’s a low conversion game on the free spins side of it. Will keep you updated! End of Thread #10 OnlineProxy 31 August 2025, 8:42 a.m. Public Member Yep, it’s normal at first to get a lot of clicks but few registrations or FTDs. However, this could be a red flag depending on the quality of your traffic and how your funnel is set up. If you’ve sent 300-500 clicks to an offer with almost no registrations, you should check for issues like mismatched landing pages, unclear bonus terms, or low trust signals. Social and early SEO traffic often attract people who click, but don’t convert. Make sure your CTA goes straight to the bonus, your offer terms are clear, and the page builds trust quickly. It’s still early. Use this time to optimize and test a lot. You’ll start to see better results in 1–3 months. “ Reply With Quote #11 eenzoo 1 September 2025, 11:13 a.m. Private Member One of the best pieces of advice I got 20 years back ... “Follow your plan, skip watching stats for six months.” “ Reply With Quote #12 FairCasinos 12 September 2025, 5:43 a.m. Brand New Member Nowadays, many companies make their own parsers. Bots are not on the rejection lists. Therefore, you can see many clicks that do not lead to registrations and, especially, to deposits. “ Reply With Quote Getting registrations after month two is a big sign, most people wait months, sometimes a year, to pick up. However, “free spins” almost never converts, especially when compared to real money keywords. GPWAtimes.org 17
GPWAtimes.org 18
By Milan Novakovic Clicks Kicks Turning Into very major sporting moment gives sportsbook affiliates a nice bump in traffic and conversions, but nothing hits harder than the World Cup. It’s the biggest event in global sports, and betting activity spikes at every level. For a little over a month, sportsbooks throw everything they’ve got into grabbing bettors’ attention through aggressive promos, boosted odds, and short-lived specials. Affiliates respond just as fast, pushing top-value deals to the front of their bonus pages and dialing up their onsite CTAs to capture the surge while it’s at its peak. In this breakdown, I’ll examine how affiliates and affiliate programs adjust their strategies during the world’s biggest sporting event to maximize returns and capitalize on the quadrennial betting boom. How affiliates should prep, pivot, and profit from the World Cup and other major event traffic spikes Images by Freer/Shutterstock; janews/Shutterstock. 19 GPWAtimes.org
Preparing for the World Cup doesn’t start when the first whistle blows. For serious sportsbook affiliates, the groundwork begins weeks out. The event is too big, too competitive, and too short to rely on last-minute changes. This phase is all about tightening site structure, refreshing high-value content, upgrading technical systems, and preloading promo blocks before the traffic surge hits. AHui gdhi t-iInngt eanntdPTa gi gehst e n i n g The first step is auditing every revenue-driving page: bonus hubs, promo directories, “best World Cup betting sites” rankings, and evergreen reviews. Affiliates comb through outdated promos, old screenshots, inactive brands, and broken links. Editorial and SEO teams work together to update bonus values, re-check availability by market, and refresh all above-the-fold elements that capture early users landing via organic or paid channels. Anything that slows the user down or kills conversion gets removed immediately: • Dead links • Sportsbooks that exited a market • Outdated content blocks • Unnecessary long-form recaps from previous tournaments A clean, accurate, high-intent page is the strongest starting point when early World Cup search volume kicks in. Panr edloDardaifnt igngHOigfhf e-Vr aBlluoec kPsro m o s Experienced affiliates never wait for Day 1. The World Cup moves too fast for real-time writing marathons. Instead, teams preload their sites with: • Pre-drafted promo blocks for the top 10–15 sportsbooks • Alternate versions ready in case operators change their terms and conditions • Pre-built comparison tables • Ready-to-drop CTA clusters tailored for World Cup bettors As kickoff approaches, placeholders get swapped out for finalized offers as soon as operators publish updated promos. Affiliates who can activate new deals within minutes gain a serious edge. Speed equals clicks, and early clicks shape the entire tournament’s revenue curve. SEO Refresh and Seasonal Clustering The World Cup is prime SEO territory. Affiliates run seasonal refresh cycles that include updating old tournament pages, reinserting internal links to soccer-related articles, and expanding longtail sections focused on high-intent search patterns like: • “Best World Cup promos” • “World Cup betting predictions” • “How to bet on [team]” Many large affiliates run internal “boost weeks” dedicated entirely to updating clusters so they can capture pre-event ranking momentum. With search interest surging globally, even minor improvements in page structure and keyword alignment can translate into significant traffic gains. Tt heec hTrnaicf faicl CSlpeiakneup B e f o r e Technical prep is the part most affiliates underestimate. Before traffic explodes, teams run full system checks across: • Tracking links • Tag managers and conversion pixels • Attribution setups • Mobile rendering • Page load speed Any lag, broken link, or pixel drop can result in thousands of lost conversions when traffic peaks. World Cup traffic is unforgiving. Users won’t retry if something fails. Instead, they instantly bounce to the next site. Fixing all technical bloat before the tournament starts ensures that every click counts. How Affiliates Prepare Before the World Cup Kickoff TURNING KICKS INTO CLICKS Social channels aren’t a primary FTD driver, but they generate rapid bursts of traffic during marquee matches when users are most responsive and willing to convert. It’s the perfect complement to on-site promo rotations. GPWAtimes.org 20
Once the tournament begins, the pace changes completely. Affiliates shift into rapid-response mode, updating promos, repositioning CTAs, and rotating operators faster than during any other sporting event. RonapMidatPcrhomDaoyRs otation Based Promo rotation speeds up dramatically during the World Cup. Offers that perform well during the morning may underperform by afternoon, especially when popular teams like Brazil, Argentina, England, France, or Germany are playing. Affiliates use internal “matchday heat maps” to determine when interest spikes and which teams drive the highest click-through rates. On those days, hero banners and promo blocks get swapped instantly, often multiple times before kickoff. Freshness keeps CTR high. Keeping promos tied to specific matches and national teams consistently outperforms generic offers during the tournament. PF rroiomriTt iizeirn-g1 OApgegrraetsosrisv e O f f e r s During the World Cup, tier-1 sportsbooks unleash their strongest promos: big odds boosts, insured bets, no-sweat bets, early-payout offers, and high-value bet credits. Affiliates adapt by adjusting: • Hero sections to feature top-performing brands • Floating CTAs near match previews • Sidebar placements that highlight operators with the best margins Top-tier brands almost always dominate conversions during major tournaments, so affiliates give them priority placement to maximize EPC and overall revenue. IanncdoMr piocrraot-iMn go Pmreendtisc t i o n s , P r o p s , Predictions and props content becomes a major conversion driver during the World Cup. Affiliates add contextual offers around: • Goalscorer picks • Corner totals • Card markets • Shot props • Match predictions CTAs are placed directly below prediction blocks to capture users at their peak betting intent. During matches, some affiliates update “live articles” with rolling promo swaps that respond to injuries, VAR calls, or sudden odds shifts. Micro-moment marketing is highly effective during tournaments because users seek instant opportunities to bet. Uf osri nEgx tSroacRiaelaEc xhte n s io n s Even affiliates who typically don’t rely heavily on social channels activate them during the World Cup. The most effective formats include: • Short-form clips before major matches • Halftime promos • Quick graphics promoting limited-time boosts • Live updates tied to key moments Social channels aren’t a primary FTD driver, but they generate rapid bursts of traffic during marquee matches when users are most responsive and willing to convert. It’s the perfect complement to on-site promo rotations. H o wM Ai xf fDi lui ar it ne sg At hdej uTsot uTrhneai mr Pernot m o Image by RSplaneta/Shutterstock Image by BTPstudio/Shutterstock 21 GPWAtimes.org
Once the tournament is fully underway, affiliates enter what’s basically controlled chaos. Traffic behaves differently, promotions cycle faster, and user intent fluctuates depending on which teams are playing and where the odds shift. The affiliates who win during the World Cup are the ones who can react quickly without losing structure or breaking conversion funnels. MC oonnviet or sr ii onng RE Pa tCe,sCHToRu, ra-nbdy - H o u r Performance monitoring becomes almost real-time. Affiliates closely monitor EPC, CTR, conversion rate, and scroll-depth patterns, especially on days when popular teams are playing. Operators that underperform are pulled down the page, while brands with strong promotional engagement are bumped higher. It’s a constant rotation game: whoever is converting well gets the spotlight, and whoever isn’t gets sidelined until their offer improves. If an operator suddenly launches a flash boost or emergency promo, affiliates often react within minutes. RtoeMbaalxanimciinzeg MTraarffgiicnBetween Pages Not all traffic is equal during the World Cup, and affiliates know it. If predictions pages begin to outperform bonus pages, internal links are adjusted accordingly. If live-match articles spike, CTAs get repositioned closer to mid-article elements. Affiliates shift traffic toward the pages that produce the highest net revenue, even if those pages weren’t the top performers pre-tournament. Internal linking becomes fluid, not static. Everything is built around maximizing margin while the demand window is open. Filling Content Gaps Immediately The World Cup is event-driven, and news breaks fast: a key player gets injured, a red card flips the odds, a late suspended match changes the bracket. Affiliates seize these micro-opportunities immediately, publishing short updates or inserting fresh, propbased CTAs that match the moment. These small openings often convert better than evergreen content because users are already searching for an angle. Tournament chaos is where affiliate agility really pays off. TURNING KICKS INTO CLICKS RMe aal k- Tei mWeh Ae nd j tuhset mMeanr tkseAt fFfliol ioadt es s The World Cup is prime SEO territory. Affiliates run seasonal refresh cycles that include updating old tournament pages, reinserting internal links to soccer-related articles, and expanding long-tail sections focused on high-intent search patterns. Image by Wpadington/Shutterstock GPWAtimes.org 22
Once the final whistle blows, the work isn’t over. Smart affiliates transition straight into post-event optimization, cleaning up everything the World Cup cycle pushed to the surface. The first step is to archive short-lived promotions and remove any expired boosts, bonus codes, or match-specific blocks that are no longer relevant. Anything tied directly to a single fixture gets retired or repurposed. High-performing pages get converted into evergreen content, especially those that capture strong organic traction. For example, prediction pages that build backlinks or ranking momentum can be reshaped into broader soccer betting guides or season-long picks pages. Operators that performed well during the tournament often get upgraded placement in long-term rankings. This is also when affiliates delve into analytics, identifying which promotions delivered the highest EPC, which operators lagged behind, and which CTAs converted the best. Those insights shape the next big push, whether it’s the Euros, Copa América, NFL playoffs, or even the next World Cup cycle. Post-event cleanup is where affiliates lock in the long-term value of a chaotic but profitable month. Milan Novakovic is the CEO and founder of Hirequarters (hirequarters.com), a marketing agency established in 2017 and based in Serbia. The company specializes in writing content for the iGaming affiliate industry and caters to clients that are fully aware of the superiority a skilled writer armed with nuanced language and a creative spark still has over artificial intelligence. WrPaopspti-nEgv eUnpt tOhpe tTi mo uirzna taimo ne n t : 2026 WORLD CUP The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June with the championship game scheduled for 19 July in New Jersey. The event will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Matches will be played across 16 cities, with notable venues including MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Rose Bowl in California, and Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This will be the first time the tournament is hosted by three countries, and it will also expand to include 48 teams. TOP CONTENDER BETTING ODDS (provided by bet365 as of 15 December) Spain 9/2 England 11/2 France 8/1 Brazil 8/1 Argentina 8/1 Portugal 11/1 Germany 12/1 Netherlands 20/1 Norway 25/1 Italy 33/1 Belgium 33/1 Colombia 50/1 Uruguay 66/1 Mexico 66/1 USA 80/1 Ecuador 80/1 Morocco 80/1 Preparing for the World Cup doesn’t start when the first whistle blows. For serious sportsbook affiliates, the groundwork begins weeks out. The event is too big, too competitive, and too short to rely on lastminute changes. Image by Aleksandr Medvedkov/Shutterstock 23 GPWAtimes.org
Affiliate What Makes an Affiliate Program Friendly? By Lee-Ann Johnstone Illustrations by VectorMine/Shutterstock GPWAtimes.org 24
Long-term growth starts when programs focus on being affiliate-friendly every step of the way have seen hundreds of affiliate programs come and go. Some barely last a year before affiliates abandon them. Others build thriving communities of partners who stick around for the long haul. The difference? The ones that survive do so without the need to pay aggressive commissions to receive traffic or offer player incentives that show bold creative assets. While these are great marketing tactics to gain attention, they often don’t build long-term partnerships with win-win rewards. Being “affiliate friendly” means creating an environment where affiliates can actually succeed. It means respecting their time, their traffic, and their business. So many affiliate programs still get the basics of managing partners effectively so wrong. So what separates the programs that affiliates rave about from the ones they quietly drop? Here are the top tips I recommend to clients that make an affiliate program genuinely affiliate-friendly: 1. Great Offers That Convert Here’s the truth: affiliates don’t care how impressive your brand heritage is if your player offers aren’t compelling enough to help them convert. Affiliates are running their businesses, and they need commercials and incentives that make sense for both their audiences and their bottom line. Great offers start with market-related commission structures, don’t be fooled into thinking that performance marketing has a onesize-fits-all approach. Qualified traffic costs money — sometimes you’ll have to step away from the tried and trusted “revenue share” and incentivize based on how the traffic is priced, sourced and delivered. The best programs understand their affiliates’ traffic sources and tailor incentives accordingly for a win-win to occur. A content site with high-quality players needs a different offer structure than a bonus aggregator with volume traffic. What really matters is commercial flexibility. The programs that win affiliate loyalty offer bespoke deals when warranted. They understand that a proven affiliate with quality traffic deserves better terms than someone just starting out. They’re willing to negotiate, test different structures, and adjust based on outcomes and performance. I’ve watched affiliates double their efforts for programs that offered creative incentive structures like tiered commissions, player milestone bonuses, or seasonal bonuses. These aren’t just about paying more than your competitor to seal a deal — they’re about showing you understand how affiliate businesses work and that you’re invested in mutual growth. Make sure your landing pages actually convert. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen affiliates abandon programs because they’re sending quality traffic that converts poorly due to broken user experiences, lengthy registration processes, or unclear value propositions on the operator side. 2. Onboarding That Sets a Tone You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and onboarding your affiliates is where many programs lose out before they’ve even started. The application process should be straightforward, not an interrogation. Yes, you need to vet partners, simultaneously running auto-approve campaigns can be dangerous. Find the right balance. Ask enough to keep compliance and regulatory rules in check, but make it easy for them to join at the point of interest when they’re looking for your offer and brand. Once approved, send a proper welcome. A templated email with broken links to outdated marketing materials doesn’t cut it. The best programs assign a dedicated contact from Day 1, even if it’s just for the initial setup period. Reach out proactively, don’t wait for the affiliate to figure everything out alone. Your affiliate dashboard should be intuitive. If your affiliates need a manual to understand how to grab a tracking link, you’ve Being “affiliate friendly” means creating an environment where affiliates can actually succeed. It means respecting their time, their traffic, and their business. 25 GPWAtimes.org
already lost them. Your creative assets and marketing materials should be current, properly tagged, and actually useful. I’ve seen too many programs with asset libraries full of banners from 2019 that nobody wants or even uses anymore. Keep the selection lean and fast to access. You need to decide what your affiliates should push as customer messaging. Always make time for a quick call to discuss your partner’s traffic sources, content plans, and growth strategies when you onboard them. This shows you’re not just collecting numbers, you’re interested in building partnerships. 3. Clear NGR Calculations (No Surprises) Nothing, and I mean nothing, destroys trust faster than confusion around revenue calculations. Net Gaming Revenue (NGR) seems simple: player deposits minus withdrawals, bonuses, and admin adjustments. But in practice? I’ve seen affiliates spend hours trying to reverse-engineer why their commission doesn’t match their players deposits and wagering activity. Affiliate-friendly programs are crystal clear about what gets deducted from gross revenue and why. They explain their bonus policies upfront. They’re transparent about adjustment timelines. They don’t wait until payment day to mention that 30% of the month’s revenue came from a promotion that wasn’t commission-eligible. The best programs provide detailed reporting that breaks down NGR calculations at the player level. You can see exactly what bonuses were issued, what adjustments were made, and how that impacted your commission. There’s no black box, just clear math. When things do go wrong (because they sometimes do), there’s a straightforward process for querying calculations. Not a month-long email chain with three different people giving conflicting answers. Just a clear dispute resolution process with reasonable timeframes. 4. Transparent, Robust Tracking Your tracking needs to work. Full stop. This isn’t negotiable. Affiliates are sending real traffic and often pre-paying for it. When tracking fails and conversions go unattributed, they don’t just lose commission, it impacts their business, how they pay their staff and how they afford to keep being an affiliate in your program. That’s often when affiliates can lose faith in your partnership. Robust tracking means cookies that actually persist, server-side tracking as a backup, and proper attribution across devices. It means your system doesn’t “lose” conversions during peak traffic times. The program’s affiliates provide granular data: conversion rates by creative, player value by traffic source, retention metrics, and lifetime value trends. Transparency also means being honest about attribution models. Are you last-click? First-click? Some hybrid model? Tell you’re affiliates upfront what you’re paying them for and then allow them to validate that information in their reports daily, weekly, and monthly too! 5. Pay them on time! This should be obvious, but it bears repeating: pay affiliates on time, every time. Payment terms vary, and that’s fine. Net 30, net 45—whatever works for your cash flow. However, once you’ve committed to a payment schedule, stick to it religiously. Nothing says “we don’t value you” quite like missing payment dates without any upfront communication. The best programs don’t just pay on time—they make the payment process simple and painless. Multiple payment options, low minimums (or none), and clear payment statements that match their reporting is really all affiliates will require. No mysterious deductions that appear on payment day with no prior explanation. And when there is an issue like a public holiday, a system problem or a delay - communicate proactively. Don’t make affiliates chase you for money they’ve earned. Send an email explaining the delay and when they should expect payment. Basic respect WHAT MAKES AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM AFFILIATE FRIENDLY? The best programs understand their affiliates’ traffic sources and tailor incentives accordingly for a win-win to occur. A content site with highquality players needs a different offer structure than a bonus aggregator with volume traffic. GPWAtimes.org 26
With over two decades of digital marketing and affiliate performance experience earned within the E-commerce/ retail, Fintech and iGaming industry, Lee-Ann Johnstone is a veteran influencer in the affiliate and performance marketing industry, having started her career in this space in the early 2000s. She’s the host of The Affiliate Marketing Podcast and she created Affiverse, an award-winning performance and affiliate marketing agency and media company based in the U.K. Visit affiversemedia.com to find out more about how Lee-Ann and her team are helping the world do affiliate marketing better. goes a long way. I’ve seen affiliates stick with programs paying lower commissions simply because payments were reliable and hassle-free. I’ve also seen affiliates abandon high-paying programs after two or three payment issues as trust was broken. Consistency matters more than you might think. 6. P r oBmu iol dt eABf rf ialni adt eVLaol uyeasl tayn d Here’s what separates good affiliate programs from great ones: they treat partnerships like actual partnerships, not suppliers who provide transactions. The programs that earn long-term loyalty have account managers who genuinely care about affiliate success. They proactively share insights, suggest optimizations, and celebrate wins together. They remember that affiliates are real people running real businesses, not just traffic sources to be exploited. Brand values matter too. Affiliates increasingly want to work with programs that operate ethically, treat players fairly, and contribute positively to the industry. They are not just promoting products or offers. They’re putting their reputations behind them. If your brand gets caught in a scandal or treats customers poorly, that reflects on them. The best programs create community. They host affiliate events (virtual or in-person) where partners can connect, learn, and share strategies. They recognize top performers publicly. They ask for feedback and actually implement changes based on what they hear. Loyalty is a two-way street. Programs that stick with affiliates during slow months, that offer support during algorithm changes or traffic challenges, that invest in the relationship beyond just monthly stats, are the programs that build devoted partner bases. I’ve built my entire career on relationships, and I can tell you that affiliates remember how you treat them. They remember when you went to bat for them with your compliance team. They remember when you adjusted terms to help them through a rough patch. They also definitely remember when you don’t. The Bottom Line Being affiliate-friendly isn’t about grand gestures or revolutionary technology. It’s about consistently executing the basics with professionalism and respect. It’s about recognizing that when your affiliates succeed, you succeed. So, if you’re running an affiliate program, ask yourself: are you genuinely affiliate-friendly, or are you just going through the motions? In this industry, affiliates do have a lot of options. They’ll work hardest for the programs that work hardest for them. Make it easy for affiliates to succeed, treat them with respect, and watch what happens. It’s not complicated, it’s just good business. 27 GPWAtimes.org
Traffic Traction That Gains Use behavior and motivation as the blueprint for content that converts By Connie Burstin GPWAtimes.org 28
n a regulated market, responsible gambling is not optional; it is essential. Affiliates play a critical role in helping users make informed, safe decisions. Understanding player motivation must go hand-in-hand with protecting their well-being. For years, iGaming affiliates have relied on broad, bonus-driven strategies designed to appeal to the mass market. Comparison sites typically promote the biggest welcome offers, list casinos in simple rankings, and focus on incentives as the primary conversion tool. While this approach appeals to bonus hunters, it neglects many other types of player segments with different motivations, different concerns, and different expectations from an online casino. The truth is that players are not one homogeneous group, and affiliates who understand this can build more meaningful, higher-value relationships. When you identify underserved segments and create content that speaks directly to their needs, you attract users who convert better, stay longer, and trust your recommendations. In today’s crowded landscape, hyper-relevant content has never been more important. This article cuts through the usual broad advice and focuses on practical ways affiliates can uncover these audiences, understand their motivations, and build data-driven campaigns that deliver far better results than the usual bonus-focused approaches, all while supporting responsible gambling in regulated markets. WA rhe yt hUenNd ee wr s eGrrvoewd tAh uOdpi pe no rc teusn i t y Players are overwhelmed with information like global news, endless online ads, social media noise, and a constant stream of promotions. Because of this, they are more selective than ever. They want clear, reliable, meaningful information that helps them make a decision quickly and confidently. Yet many affiliate sites still take a one-size-fits-all approach: • Big bonus lists • Repeated templates • Surface-level reviews • Basic comparisons This may reach the masses, but it doesn’t resonate with players who have more specific needs or motivations. By identifying what those players truly value, affiliates can create content that actually stands out. SEGMENT 1 P l aCyuesrtso mW ehro SPurpi oproirt ti z e One of the most overlooked player segments values fast, reliable, human customer service. Many users do not want to scroll through FAQ pages or search entire websites for answers. They want: • Quick access to support • Accurate, consistent responses • Clear troubleshooting • A sense of reliability For these players, customer service is not an afterthought; it’s the deciding factor. Affiliates who highlight support quality, response time, and real user experiences immediately differentiate themselves. This segment is loyal and tends to stay with a casino longer than bonus-focused players, which makes them highly valuable. SEGMENT 2 Players Who Care About Payment Methods and Withdrawals Payment methods are a major source of obstacles in the user journey. Some players use only credit cards. Others prefer e-wallets. Some are comfortable with cryptocurrency, while others want nothing to do with it. What frustrates players the most is complexity, especially when withdrawal rules differ by jurisdiction. For example: • When users can deposit with a method but not withdraw with it • When withdrawals require creating third-party crypto wallets • When fees or multi-day waiting times are revealed only after signup • When the waiting time to get a withdrawal can take up to months Affiliates who clearly explain payment options, withdrawal processes, processing times, and regional restrictions provide tremendous value. This segment converts well because financial convenience and transparency matter deeply to them. SEGMENT 3 P lBaayseerds Wo nhGo aCmh eo oPsreo Cv iadsei rnso s Some players care less about bonuses and more about game experience. They trust certain providers because they understand the mechanics, volatility levels, RTP, win potential, and gameplay style. To serve this segment effectively, affiliates can showcase: • Provider-specific reviews • Minimum and maximum bets • Maximum win potential (upfront and visible) 29 GPWAtimes.org
• Volatility ratings • Key game features • New releases by the provider/studio This information reduces friction and helps players feel confident before creating an account. It’s a powerful way to stand out from generic comparison sites that rarely go deeper than listing available games. SEGMENT 4 Players Who Focus on Regulation and Licensing Regulation has become a major priority for many players, especially those who value safe gambling environments, responsible gaming tools, and fair dispute resolution. In any regulated market, the primary goal is to protect the player. Because of this, many players actively look for clear information about: • Where a casino is licensed • Whether it complies with the rules of their jurisdiction • What responsible gambling protections are available • What standards operators must meet under that regulator • Whether tools such as cooling-off periods, deposit limits, and self-exclusion options are offered Affiliates play an important role by presenting this information in a simple, non-overwhelming way. Users who prioritize regulation and safety tend to be highly engaged and often more loyal because they feel confident navigating a secure, well-regulated environment. By highlighting licensing details, responsible gambling features, and the protections offered by regulators, affiliates can effectively serve this growing segment of players who want assurance that they are choosing a trustworthy and compliant gaming experience. SEGMENT 5 S hP ol ar yt -eTresr Mm oPt ri vo amt eodt i bo yn s In markets where promotional communication is allowed, some experienced users look specifically for: • Seasonal bonuses • Holiday events • Tournaments • Cashback periods • Time-limited challenges These players already understand the basics of online gaming. They look for ways to maximize their value during specific time frames. Affiliates who provide calendars, event highlights, or monthly promotion breakdowns can capture this segment effectively. UT hnrdoeur gs thaBnedhi na vg iPolraayl eIrn Ms i goht itvsa t i o n Identifying underserved segments is only part of the strategy. The other part is recognizing what their behavior tells you. Behavioral data offers powerful insights. Monitoring the most visited pages, commonly clicked sections, and repeating browsing patterns reveals what users care about most. For example: • High traffic to “withdrawal” content indicates payout-focused players • Repeated visits to “game provider” pages suggest provider-driven motivation • High engagement with support-related pages points to trust-driven users These signals help affiliates refine their content and build more precise audience profiles. When done transparently and ethically while respecting privacy laws and compliance standards, this kind of analysis becomes one of the most effective ways to discover new segments naturally forming within your audience. TGhaemRbol ilne go fi nR ePsl payoenrs Pi brloet e c t i o n In a regulated market, responsible gambling is not optional; it is essential. Affiliates play a critical role in helping users make informed, safe decisions. Understanding player motivation must go hand-in-hand with protecting their well-being. Responsible gambling content ensures players: • Understand the risks associated with gambling • Have tools to set limits or self-exclude • Recognize signs of problematic behavior • Know where to seek help • Make informed decisions before signing up Including this information throughout your site not only meets regulatory expectations but also builds trust with readers who want straight answers. Players appreciate transparency and guidance, and many actively look for brands and affiliates who value their safety. TRAFFIC THAT GAINS TRACTION When you identify underserved segments and create content that speaks directly to their needs, you attract users who convert better, stay longer, and trust your recommendations. GPWAtimes.org 30
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDIzMTA=