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Editor ’ s Letter
Strains of optimism
The second-quarter results of the listed affiliates were eagerly awaited as they were expected to provide a clear picture on how this sector of the gambling ecosystem had been impacted by the novel coronavirus ( Covid-19 ) pandemic .
By and large , the results showed that affiliates had fared relatively well thanks to the heavy focus on casino among the large affiliates . In fact , rather than simply managing to cope with the crisis , the latest results shows that some thrived during it , with year-on-year revenue increases for almost all of the companies covered . The big exception was Better Collective due to its strong skew towards sports betting .
With sports having resumed across most of the world , there are already signs that the situation is returning to pre-crisis levels , with both casino and sports betting revenues moving back towards more historical norms .
There is also some optimism that the pandemic caused a greater portion of the gambling market to move online , and that this will be of long-term benefit to the industry .
One thing affiliates are perhaps less optimistic about is the increasing inevitability of affiliate licensing in European jurisdictions , especially the UK . But as several commentators opine in this report , this can bring benefits for affiliates .
The same is true of the gambling advertising restrictions that seem to be spreading across Europe . As the experience of some affiliates in Italy shows , even with restrictive measures in place there are opportunities for affiliates .
It ’ s harder to find the positives in bonus restrictions , however , with even the Swedish regulator conceding its Covid-19 induced bonus crackdown had possibly taken things a step too far . Add in the new bonus bans in Spain and it ’ s understandable that concern is mounting over the future of what has long been one of the most important tools in the affiliate toolkit .
“ There is also some optimism that the pandemic caused a greater portion of the gambling market to move online , and that this will be of longterm benefit to the industry ”
Stephen Carter Editorial director , iGB