“Super Show 2015 was all about being progressive”

Based on your conversations with European iGaming operators in Amsterdam, what would you say is the current state of play for the market?

There’s a lot of optimism about the future. At the same time, in certain jurisdictions like the UK it’s getting more expensive to find traffic, so operators are looking to other markets within Europe like Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. A number of guys I met with in Amsterdam are looking to target players even further afield – in Asia, South America and Africa.

In terms of verticals, sports betting remains as huge as ever. As with the wider industry, diversification was the name of the game in Amsterdam. I had some interesting chats with a couple of UK-based sportsbooks wanting to move into the Eastern European market. On the flip side, there were a number of continental European guys talking about getting UK licenses and diversifying into that market.

Outside of sports betting, the lottery vertical really stood out. Compared to last year, I’m seeing more and more lottery operators at the Super Show. And, of course, financial trading continues to get bigger and is seeing growing interest from iGaming affiliates, particularly towards the binary options brands.

You attended a daily fantasy sports (DFS) panel in Amsterdam. What are your thoughts on the future of DFS in Europe?

It was a really interesting discussion that was about fifty percent about the DFS vertical in the States and the other fifty percent about its potential in the European market. DFS hasn’t exploded in Europe like it has in the US, partly because the European sports-betting market is so big and well developed. That said, the fantasy sports market in Europe has been around for a long time, so while it hasn’t generated the buzz that DFS has had in the US, it is a part of the betting culture. It’s interesting to see the path each has taken to get to where they are today.

The big question discussed in the panel was whether it will be the leading US DFS brands like DraftKings and FanDuel that will dominate the market or whether it’ll be European operators. The next year will definitely be an exciting time for the DFS vertical in Europe – and that’s without even mentioning the US market, which continues to grow at an incredible pace.

What were the latest tech trends you heard about in Amsterdam?

Mobile apps are huge among operators in all verticals. What was interesting to me about this year’s Super Show, though, was just how many affiliates are starting to develop their own apps. Super affiliates and even the mid-sized guys are realising that apps are a big part of the industry’s future.

Aside from the mobile trend, it was fascinating to see how many B2B companies were there providing niche products and services to operators. One which was really stood out was Fresh 8, which let operators create dynamic content and HTML ads based on players’ preferences. It was also interesting to see so many B2B firms from outside the industry exhibiting in Amsterdam, as they start diversifying into the gaming space.

You moderated the Industry Huddle at the Amsterdam Affiliate Conference Event. What were the biggest takeaways from that panel discussion?

I’d say the biggest takeaway was the importance of transparency and trust in the relationship between operators and affiliates. For an affiliate programme to really work, operators need to be fully transparent with affiliates when it comes to their data, their terms and conditions, commission structures and related costs.

It goes both ways, though. Affiliates also need to be fully transparent with operators when they negotiate their deals. They also need to be fully transparent about their strategies and share as much information as commercial possibility on how they get their traffic. After all, successful affiliate marketing is all about partnerships. It’s about operators and affiliates working together and sharing their knowledge, experience and insights so both parties can mutually benefit.

Of course, the affiliate marketing business relationship also involves software providers like Income Access. During the panel, I emphasized that transparency and the partnership approach are at the centre of our business model.

What one word would you use to describe the Super Show 2015?

If last year’s conference was the mobile Super Show, then I’d say this year was all about being progressive. Operators and affiliates alike were looking at how they could move forward and evolve as a brand – whether that means moving into new markets, finding new sources of traffic, or exciting product development.