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Affiliate Monitor Executive summary
Executive summary
WELCOME
WE HAVE , IT seems , reached a definitive point in the evolution of the listed affiliate sector , and by definition the affiliate sector as a whole , with the final emergence of Better Collective as the dominant player in the space .
The rise to the top has taken a while . Indeed , the final coup de grace that leaves the Danish affiliate behemoth as the first among equals was delivered via the € 45m sale of the AskGamblers business by Catena Media to rival Gaming Innovation Group .
That move signalled the ending of Catena ’ s ambitions to match Better Collective on both sides of the Atlantic and will see the company focusing almost exclusively on the US in the years ahead .
So Better Collective is left atop the tree . Now the question turns to how it can exploit its position .
A DIGITAL SPORTING LIFE
According to chief executive Jesper Søgaard on the third quarter earnings call , its ambitions now lie very much outside the traditional remit of the gaming affiliate as it sees itself as a digital sports-media play . It will be up to investors to decide if that one will fly .
In the meantime , the rest of the sector continues to get on with attempting to realise the North American market opportunity to the best of its abilities . As our company-bycompany summaries make clear , signs are that across the board , the sector is enjoying the sugar rush of state-by-state openings in the US .
THE LONG GAME
But a valid question , given the slowing calendar of states , is whether the major affiliates with a presence in the US and Canada will be able to manoeuvre themselves into being trusted long-term partners of the USlicensed operators .
Better Collective is leading the way as far as getting operators signed up to revenueshare agreements and it will be interesting to see how that develops and whether the other leading players manage to make progress in that direction .
Meanwhile , with the major operators all looking at how to achieve profitability quicker in the US , the opportunity to make more of affiliation ’ s low-cost route to the players will be tested . iGB Affiliate Monitor