Part 2: The US affiliate opportunity
The DFS database issue has effectively been
confronted head on by Better Collective, which bought
out leading DFS-related affiliate RotoGrinders in May.
top of the gaming experience of Stars. Bet365, the US affiliates but there are others. Land-based
of course, may have more of a need for affiliate registration processes as adopted in some states,
marketing and that, along with many other particularly Illinois, for instance, will be the cause of
reasons, is why the Stoke company’s entrance on obvious problems, as will states that don’t initially
the US scene is exciting so much interest. opt for online operations at all, such as New York.
To an extent, the DFS database issue has
There is a layer of cultural and consumer context
effectively been confronted head on by Better that also needs to be addressed, according to
Collective, which bought out leading DFS- Charles Gillespie, chief executive at Gambling.com
related affiliate RotoGrinders in May. As Søgaard Group, which also has US ambitions.
acknowledged, this “brings an audience”. BC has
“Particular types of content and the maturity
also subsequently added to its US presence by of the consumer differ significantly from Europe
snapping up two tips sites, VegasInsider.com and so the actual execution does require a different
ScoresandOdds.com. approach in terms of product,” he says.
“These two websites have been the platforms
This was also mentioned by Søgaard on the
preferred by millions of visitors and they have the earnings call. “We also expect it will need a
potential to become the largest revenue-generating different and dedicated approach,” he said. “Each
assets for Better Collective in the coming years,” state is like an individual country. Some products
Søgaard said during the earnings call. can work across the entire US market whereas
With both the RotoGrinder and VegasInsider
and ScoresandOdds deals, it is clear that Better
others need to be tailored for a single state.”
The cultural differences extend to the
Collective has gone for established brands. “With regulatory level. Gillespie points out that US
the regulated market, these sites are already state regulators tend to “prioritise suitability”
reaching the exact demographic we want to over other aspects of corporate probity. As he
target,” said Søgaard. “That’s why we see such a says, this is to, “make sure that the people in
big opportunity.” the business have a clean background and are
Moreover, in partnering with NJ.com, one
of the largest publishers in New Jersey, Better
Collective is also aiming at pressing home its
suitable enough for the privilege of operating in
the regulated gambling sector”.
However, this approach makes some
message with a wider mass audience. “Clearly assumptions about “suitable” businesses making
we see this as an important business going decisions regarding their commercial objectives
forward, as we are teaming up with publishers and to what extent the business should be
that have huge traffic already,” said Søgaard, pushed to hit target.
who noted that the profit split on the NJ.com
deal was in Better Collective’s favour.
“But businesses need black and white objective
rules handed down by the regulator to tell them
where the boundaries are, or they will simply push
Further US hurdles as hard as they can,” he says. “The US regulators,
The existing database issue is one problem for by and large, do not prioritise the issues that
iGaming Business • Affiliate Monitor • October 2019
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