iGaming Affiliate Programs: What You Need to Know

The online gaming industry is rife with potential. As an iGaming affiliate, you have the opportunity to send players to sportsbooks and online casinos and reap huge rewards. However, the industry is over-saturated with competitors looking to make a quick buck. Because of this, you have the chance to stand out amongst the rubbish and create one of the best iGaming online casino affiliates. We’ll explain how to get started, what iGaming affiliate programs are, and how they make money. 

What is iGaming?

iGaming encompasses any type of online wagering, whether you bet on a sporting event, play blackjack at an online casino, or enjoy a virtual round of poker. Since the first iGaming site was launched in 1994 – shoutout to the Liechtenstein International Lottery – the industry has seen impressive growth. This international market is estimated to be worth about $70 billion today with no signs of stopping. Here at Betting Partners, we want you to get a piece of that $70 billion pie by creating your own iGaming affiliate.

iGaming Affiliate Programs: What are they?

In order cut yourself a slice of that billion-dollar pie, you’ll need to understand what iGaming affiliate programs are and how they work. These are programs designed to allow sites to partner with gambling operators (a fancy way to call the companies that own sports betting sites and casinos). When you create your site, through iGaming affiliate marketing, you’ll be sending players to operators after which you earn a cut. This commission is based on certain factors like the player you send making a deposit, using a certain bonus, or placing a set amount of bets. This will be predetermined when you sign your iGaming affiliate agreement so there are no surprises and you’re not left wondering when you’ll get a bite of that pie.

Types of iGaming Affiliate Programs

When looking for an iGaming affiliate network, there are certain factors to consider. Are you looking to partner with a casino or sportsbook? Are you hoping to funnel players to esports betting sites? Are you purely looking for a poker iGaming affiliate program? Let’s unpack each one.

Casino Affiliate Programs

Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos where people go to play roulette in person, these are programs specifically designed for online casinos. Through a casino affiliate program, you would set up your website to send players to reputable spaces where they can play their favorite casino games like blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, slots, etc. 

Sports Betting or Sportsbook Affiliate Programs

A sportsbook, also known as a sports betting site, is a full-service website where players can place wagers on outcomes of games, individual athlete milestones like number of touchdowns, and other bets such as point spreads. When you become an iGaming affiliate for sportsbooks, you’ll be sending players to sports betting sites. 

Esports Affiliate Programs

The esports market is booming. Between sponsorship for gamers that range from thousands of dollars into the millions, to audiences that can’t enough of watching people play Elden Ring, with the right iGaming affiliate marketing, you could see major profits. Your esports affiliate will send gamers to esports betting sites where you’ll get a cut of the earnings. 

Poker Room Affiliate Programs

As a poker iGaming affiliate, you’ll be sending players to poker-specific sites. Online poker doesn’t stop at traditional hands where beginners learn the rules of the game. There are different variations of poker like Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Omaha Lo, 7-card stud, and poker tournaments for the real stars. 

iGaming Affiliate Networks Explained

An iGaming affiliate network gives you a chance to earn payments for every player you send to a casino, sportsbook, or poker site. Your role is to create compelling call-to-actions (CTA) that entice people to click on the affiliate link. You can do this easily through marketing strategies. More on that below. But first, let’s get into how you earn money.

How iGaming Affiliates Make Money

There are three basic revenue models that you’ll be offered when you become an iGaming affiliate. Each commission structure allows you to earn money based on certain conditions. Before signing on the dotted line of any iGaming partnership make sure to read the fine print to ensure that whichever revenue stream you’re offered doesn’t come with bizarre caveats or unreachable clauses. 

Revenue Share

The revenue share model is designed to give the iGaming affiliate a share of what the players spend at the casino. When you send players to the casino, a set percentage of their deposit or spend comes back to you. Depending on the affiliate program, you could get anywhere from 10% to 40%. 

Cost-per-acquisition (CPA)

The CPA model is based on a flat commission structure where you receive a fee for referring players who deposit funds to their online betting account. The commission will depend on the type of deposit required but it’s generally around $100-$300 per player.

Hybrid

The hybrid model combines the best of both worlds (rev share and CPA). This model is ideal for beginner iGaming affiliates who aren’t sure if they’d prefer to receive a cut of the player’s revenue or acquisition. 

Promotion 101: iGaming Affiliate Marketing Strategies

The key to being a successful affiliate is to incorporate iGaming affiliate marketing strategies into your website. To do so you will need basic SEO knowledge to know what future players are searching for online when they’re ready to visit an online casino. You’ll also need a blog or news section to provide articles about the online betting industry to draw in readers. Finally, you’ll need call-to-actions on each page of your website. These CTAs need to pop like that bag of microwave popcorn you’re probably enjoying while researching how to join an iGaming affiliate network. 

How to Become an iGaming Affiliate

Now that you know what to do to become an iGaming affiliate, you’re one step closer to getting a piece of that $70 billion pie. The last step is to determine which mobile casino (a nice way of saying “a betting site designed to be played on the go”) you want to partner with. If you’re still unsure, we recommend looking into sites like OddsShark or GambleOnline to see how they do it.

iGaming Affiliate FAQ