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iGB Affiliate: Shaping the future of iGaming affiliation

20 November 2024
Naomi Barton

Naomi Barton

With "Nuevos Horizontes" (New Horizons) as its guiding theme, iGB Affiliate 2025 is embracing a new era as it makes the move to the vibrant city of Barcelona, 20-23 January 2005.

Leading this new journey is Naomi Barton, iGB Events' Global Portfolio Director, who shares with the GPWA her perspective on the strategic vision behind "Nuevos Horizontes" and how it aligns with the evolving needs of iGaming affiliates worldwide. She also discusses the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as the industry navigates an increasingly complex global landscape.

What has been the feedback to the Nuevos Horizontes’ creative and why is it relevant?
I have to say the response has been hugely positive. At the time of writing the volume of registrations for iGB Affiliate is tracking significantly ahead of the same stage last year, and whilst we do not expect that exponential rate of growth to continue through to January it provides a clear indication that the industry is tuned-in to the opportunities offered by participating at iGB Affiliate Barcelona. Our creative issues an invitation to do what every ambitious affiliate is doing and that’s to explore new horizons. The show will direct our community into previously uncharted territory, sparking a spirit of exploration that embraces emerging markets, innovative strategies, and untapped commercial opportunities. The show equips affiliates with the tools and insights needed to adapt, innovate, and conquer lucrative new international markets. I’m delighted that the marketing campaign has gained so much traction.

How would describe iGB Affiliate’s reach – is it a national, regional or a global event?
Just six weeks after going live I’m delighted to confirm that iGaming professionals from 55 nations have registered with the most represented nations comprising the UK, Israel, Malta, Cyprus, Spain, Italy and India. These figures mean that the show is on course to break through the 100-nation landmark for the first time. You can see that iGB Affiliate is very much a global event which means that all our stakeholders benefit from the broadest possible insights and influences from across the world.

Where do you think the geographical focus will be for affiliates in 2025 and what are the challenges of operating on a global scale?
LatAm, spearheaded by Brazil, is the main focus at the moment - a dynamic which is reflected in our data which shows that 35% of those customers who have registered are active in and conducting business in the region. LatAm has taken over from the US where the limited number of operators who are in play, and the slowdown in new states and casinos coming online combined with tax hikes have dimmed the appetite. Affiliates face the same challenges of adapting to local behaviors and tastes and navigating compliance hurdles alongside operator partners.

In Brazil, local brands, not being familiar with the affiliate model and its benefits, seem more focused on media and influencer partnerships. Player values are also low compared to Europe, so affiliates need to generate high volumes of traffic.

India represents a growth market for some affiliates. Localization is easier than in LatAm due to English language proficiency. But the 28% turnover tax levied by the Goods and Services Tax Council has prompted the exodus of some big brands, such as Betway. The sector is also seeing strong growth in some CIS countries.

What impact has AI had on the business?
The initial doomsday predictions of large numbers of copywriters, content writers and coders being laid off have given way to the strategic application of these technologies to streamline internal processes and automate what are largely mundane tasks. While some big affiliates are known to have invested in AI content engines, most run outputs through writing teams to ensure they don’t fall foul of Google’s rule that AI content must not be produced with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results. The impact has been significant and will undoubtedly be a major talking point at the show.

How has the iGB Affiliate move to Barcelona been received by the industry?
I think the response has been extremely positive. In fact, in a recent interview one of our stakeholders predicted that the first edition of the show to be held in Barcelona will be – and to quote him directly - a ‘really monstrous event.’ We continue to work closely with our customers to help deliver the best possible edition of iGB Affiliate and ensure that all our customers enjoy a pleasant and profitable experience in the process delivering a fantastic platform for the business year ahead.

One of your passions is to ensure that affiliates enjoy the best possible visitor experience – can you expand on this?
Our customers deserve a world-class experience, whether they are attending one of the iGB shows as a visitor or participating as an exhibitor or a sponsor. It’s our job to provide this – we are absolutely committed to delivering value not just via the leads that we can offer, but also in terms of the experience pre-show, onsite and year-round.

We recognize that our customers have many events to choose from – so we absolutely have to prioritize delivering the best experience and the highest satisfaction, alongside really strong business leads and exceptional networking opportunities at both iGB Affiliate and iGB L!VE, the next edition of which takes place July 2025 at ExCeL London. We will always have a sharp focus on delivering even more value and ROI for customers, exceeding their expectations and ensuring they can make great business connections in a ultra-professional environment.

Finally, how would you summarize the key components of the 2025 show and why should affiliates attend?
iGB Affiliate 2025 will feature a record 250 industry-leading exhibitors and sponsors and host a vibrant community of 8000+ iGaming Affiliates and Tech Vendors. The iGB Affiliate pledge is to facilitate outstanding business networking, deliver high-quality content, and provide thought leadership that fosters trust-based partnerships and drives growth throughout the iGaming affiliate ecosystem. By delivering on these core objectives, we plan to usher in an incredibly bright future for all our valued customers.

iGB Affiliate: Shaping the future of iGaming affiliation is republished from iGamingNews.com.


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