T RAF F I C
RISK
AND
REWARD
With regulated sports betting now part of the US gambling landscape,
Sabrina Dorio looks at how casino affiliates can best benefit from the change in the law.
Should they be expanding their offer to grab a piece of this lucrative new market?
WHEN NEW JERSEY PASSED a new law in 2013 that legalised
online casino and poker, it seemed that anything was possible.
Overnight, a new audience and lots of conversions were up for
grabs. It was a golden opportunity; surely whoever was there
first would catch the golden goose. After all, the US is one of the
world’s largest gambling markets, and despite multiple regulatory
frustrations, there would be plenty of openings for US casino
affiliates. Once you were in, it would be time to make money.
Five years ago, the audience was new but the players weren’t.
The average US casino player didn’t differ hugely from the average
EU casino player. Players were familiar with the offline casino
experience — slots, roulette, blackjack, etc. — but they were now
being offered an online experience from some of their favourite
household names from Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Game
providers were jumping in to get their share. It was a win-win
situation for everyone, affiliates included.
“Casino affiliates might have to come out
of their comfort zone and ask themselves:
do I need to branch out?”
What’s more, it was easy to target potential customers because
many US citizens weren’t aware that online gambling had been
legalised. A simple post or blog was all that was needed to drive
this new t