The business model behind affiliate marketing in the iGaming sector - What founders should know - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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The business model behind affiliate marketing in the iGaming sector - What founders should know - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
"Basically, the iGaming affiliate model is a performance-based partnership. Yet unlike 'traditional' advertising where companies pay for vague impressions or clicks, iGaming operators only pay affiliates when a specific, valuable action happens. This creates an alignment of interests and also a pretty clear separation of jobs. The main ways affiliates get paid are:"
"RevShare - the most common model. Here, the affiliate gets a pre-negotiated percentage generated by the players they refer, for as long as that very players are remaining active. The model builds long-term partnerships, as affiliates are incentivized to send over loyal players who will actually stick around and play, and not just chase a sign-up bonus. For the operator, it means their CAC is directly linked to LTV, which's a more sustainable way to grow, even if it's a slower burn."
"CPA - under this, the operator pays a fixed, one-time fee for each player who does a specific thing, usually making their first deposit. CPA is great for an operator's budget predictability - they know the exact cost of each new customer. For affiliates with firehoses of traffic, it's a faster, guaranteed payday. The downside is it can sometimes misalign incentives, therefore encouraging affiliates to focus on quantity over quality."
iGaming growth depends heavily on performance-driven affiliate marketing that pays only for valuable player actions rather than impressions. Affiliates earn via RevShare, CPA, or hybrid deals that align incentives differently: RevShare rewards acquisition of loyal, long-term players and ties CAC to LTV; CPA offers predictable, one-time costs and fast payouts but can incentivize lower-quality traffic. Hybrid deals mix upfront CPA with ongoing revenue to balance immediate cashflow and long-term value. The model creates a risk-reward symbiosis that reduces upfront operator spend and forces affiliates to prioritize player quality. Mastery of affiliate models is essential for founders competing in the sector.
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