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the brands that want to move into that market ,” he says . “ Everyone understands the situation and realises that affiliates and operators need to adapt to the regulations together .”

THE AFFILIATE VIEW With no limit on the number of operators that can receive licences , and an exciting new market of users to connect with , it ’ s an ideal time to be an affiliate with a presence in Ontario . Additional operators will likely be going live over the coming months , presenting a prime opportunity for affiliates to connect with new brands and offer their audience the best possible content .

The regulations have been a large part of the conversation surrounding Ontario in the igaming market , but there ’ s a positive side that affiliates should consider focusing on . While the relatively strict marketing rules may challenge affiliates , according to Hedlund : “ It also helps ensure responsible gaming practices and safe payment to protect users .”

The liability for advertising compliance being on the side of operators in Ontario lessens the burden on affiliates . However , affiliates do need to ensure they follow the regulations very closely to maintain productive relationships with operators . As operators are assuming the risk , they ’ ll want to work with affiliates whose marketing

strategies are watertight from a regulatory perspective .

On the other hand , one of the difficulties that affiliates have faced concerns the know your customer ( KYC ) checks , which makes it difficult for users to enjoy a seamless registration and sign-up process with a brand .

“ Even if [ the KYC policy ] is there to protect players , it causes them some headaches as they need to provide all their information to an operator ,” says Hedlund .

“ In general , users want to engage with a product that is fast and efficient . Since the KYC policy slows the process down quite a bit , and some players don ’ t want to include all their information , we have seen that some operators don ’ t convert as well as others with a simpler registration .”

KEY TAKEAWAYS As Ontario makes up nearly 40 % of the total Canadian population , it was bound to be an enticing market for operators and affiliates . A few months in and the race to connect with this massive audience continues . Operators are flocking in , presenting a major opportunity for affiliates . By following the rules outlined by the government gaming regulator , establishing strong relationships with operators and emphasising the positives of the expanded Ontarian igaming market , affiliates will ensure they are taking full advantage of this burgeoning space .

GEOFFREY SMORONG is VP , Operations for Paysafe ’ s Income Access . A driven leader with 10 years of experience in igaming and affiliate management , he ’ s been an important contributor to Income Access since 2012 , when he started on the team as an account manager .

Ontario report