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Affiliate Marketplaces: Partner Discovery and Deal Flow
The iGaming sector is changing, and the affiliate market is no exception. New websites are interested in changing up the ways in which they discover new partners in the future. There are few people better qualified to discuss this issue than Sebastian Jarosch, who is one of the industry’s most industrious people.
The German entrepreneur is best-known as the founder of Mithrillium Media Ltd. The company got a lot of attention because of its focus on UX, rather than search engine optimization. During his time as CEO, Jarosch was honored with awards from EGR Nordics, SBC and Affpapa. He now works as a judge at Sigma and iGB, so we are quite grateful to have him answer some questions relating to the affiliate market’s future.
Affiliate marketplaces are becoming more prominent, what problem are they solving for operators and affiliates?
They help with partner discovery by matching affiliates with operators in terms of geo, traffic sources, and product. Operators get the contact details of affiliates, while affiliates can compare affiliate programs, commissions, terms and conditions, and discover new casinos. This reduces the time spent on research and helps speed up the deal-making process significantly.
How has partner discovery changed compared to traditional networking and direct outreach?
Partner discovery traditionally took place through search engines, affiliate conferences, social media, and direct relationships. Marketplaces make this process quicker with centralized offers, reporting tools, and communication. Networking is still important for forging strong relationships, but affiliate discovery has become much more efficient.
What factors matter most when affiliates choose programs through marketplace platforms?
Target markets, product offering, commission structures, brand reputation, payment reliability, affiliate platform, and affiliate support. Affiliates also prefer brands that do a good job with CRM and have a strong product with high conversion and retention rates. Good communication, competitive commissions, and fast payments are also very important.
Are marketplaces making the affiliate ecosystem more transparent, or simply more competitive?
Marketplaces make the iGaming ecosystem more transparent because affiliates and operators can compare offers and performance more easily. Being directly compared to competitors also pushes everyone to improve quality and professionalism.
How do these platforms influence deal structures, negotiations, and long-term partnerships?
These platforms act as a filter based on criteria like deal structures, products, or geos, which makes negotiations much faster. In the end, strong long-term partnerships are still based on trust, performance, and communication beyond marketplaces.
What role does data (performance metrics, reviews, ratings) play in shaping partner selection?
Platforms like Casino-Groups pay attention to conversion rates, retention, NGR, and payment reliability when choosing which programs to promote next. It is also common for operators to evaluate affiliates based on traffic quality, ROI, and compliance.
Do you see marketplaces reducing barriers for smaller affiliates to access top-tier programs?
Smaller affiliates can discover and connect with operators they might never have reached through traditional networking. This creates more opportunities for newer publishers with quality traffic and strong content.
How can operators stand out in a marketplace environment where many offers compete for attention?
By offering a strong product that converts well, fair terms, reliable payments, and outstanding support. Competitive commission structures are important, but retention and brand reputation matter much more to experienced affiliates.
Are affiliate marketplaces encouraging more short-term deals, or strengthening long-term collaboration?
That’s up to the strategy of each affiliate. Some affiliates prefer short-term opportunities with rotating partners, but the strongest partnerships are long-term collaborations built around trust, performance, and shared goals.
How might marketplace platforms evolve as the affiliate ecosystem becomes more structured and data-driven?
Marketplaces will become more automated and data-focused. Better filters, smarter matching algorithms, compliance tools, and deeper reporting will play a bigger role as the industry matures.
AffPapa is excited to announce that the official AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 ceremony is now only one week away!AffPapa iGaming Awards returns for its 5th anniversary...
