iGaming voice by Yeva: Ellmount Group

Added: December 10, 2020

Category: Affiliate News, iGaming, iGaming Interviews, Top News

In a recent extensive interview with AffPapa, Myron Saacks, Head of Affiliates at Ellmount Group, explained how the benefits of responsible gambling, gives his future industry predictions and shows his ultimate love for his family.

Yeva: How do you make sure you are offering your clients the best value?

We are continually striving to be better. We are always looking at what we currently offer our clients both from a B2C and B2B perspective and making changes where needed and when needed. We like to be proactive and act on what people want and are asking for, rather than creating something that is a 1 for all product. We listen to our clients and we personalize our communications and gaming experience around the feedback we get to provide extra value to them. It also helps that we provide top-notch support.

Yeva: How do you ensure your clients that their information is safe in an age where security breaches are common?

We have the latest in SSL secure technology and encryption methodology in place, and from the payment side, we are PCI compliant and we don’t store bank card information.

Yeva: Your website states that you are “the casino that cares”. Tell us more about your stance on responsible gaming and how you help your players.

We take responsible gaming very seriously and have created a range of tools that are available to players to protect them from excessive gambling and to make sure they play responsibly. These include a self-test to decide if players are at risk, self-blocking ability, the option to place limits on accounts as well as a list of suggestions to help players play smart and a number of links to professional help if needed.

Yeva: Do you believe that the industry is saturated? Or is there room for newcomers?

This is a difficult one to answer. Is the market saturated? Well yes, I would say that it is. There are a lot of companies looking to have a piece of the same pie. However, there is 100% still room for newcomers, they will find it very competitive and hard to get a foothold but it is not impossible. The main thing is that they would need to bring a genuinely unique and innovative propositions, something that stands out from the crowd in many ways, to be a success.

Yeva: How do you stay ahead of the game when there are so many competitors?

We know what our strengths are, and we play to these. We do not over complicate things, we like to keep our gaming experience fun and exciting but simple and easy at the same time. We are always looking to innovate and looking for new ways to excite our audience, but we are very flexible and ready for change if we need it and we try to know the competition and keep watching what they are doing. We adapt our approach when we need to in order to keep ahead.

Yeva: How do you stay up to date in such a fast-paced industry?

I try make sure that I read other industry websites and sign up to the relevant newsletters so that I am continually up to date or as close to as I can be with our industry, I will always follow brands or people in our industry on my social platforms that I am impressed by, this way I can keep an eye on what they do or say and I can learn from them. I attend conferences and make sure I talk to others where possible to learn as much as I can. With my affiliate campaigns I am always checking the results and making changes when needed but I am also very open to test new theories or sources to see how these work.

Yeva: What factors is a good partnership measured by?

For me, the results of the campaigns are a key element to the success of a partnership. Obviously the better the results, the better the chances you would continue to work with certain partners. In saying that it is not all about results, you want people to communicate with you, always be honest and truthful and never hide anything, these are very important elements to a good relationship. Try to find out what your partners like and what their lives are like and get to know them on a more personal level, this also helps greatly.

Yeva: Your website shows details about the company’s licence at the bottom of the page. How important is it to assure players that your games are licensed and legal?

It is super important. People need to know that they are playing at a legitimate organization, so by having a proper license and showing people front and center, you are reconfirming that you have done everything needed and requested by the licensing bodies for them to give you the seal of approval and allow you to promote your business. It gives players peace of mind and it is important in building trust with players and clients.

Yeva: What skills do most failing casinos lack?

I think there is a belief that you can start a casino business with a single product idea, but in this industry you have to be able to have a product that is multi-faceted, so if one form of the business is not doing well, the other parts make up for it i.e. Have a sportsbook with a casino so when no sports are being played players would still be able to play Casino, there would be no need for them to leave your product and go elsewhere. It is important to do a ton of market research and have real understanding of the gambling industry as whole before starting not just your sector. In a highly regulated and competitive industry like gambling, a B2C start-up must get their new product designs exactly right and build it on a platform that is scalable and can change quickly and easily. A lot of casinos that are out there are not flexible and can’t change quickly enough but the key to this all is listen to what your customers want and give then that. A lot of operations don’t do this and fail.

Yeva: If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?

I would love to see gambling compliance becoming more global, by this I mean that all the regulatory bodies and compliance organizations need to sit together and come up with a set of rules that can be applied globally to compliance issues relating to gambling as it is extremely difficult to keep pace of all the compliance changes needed due to new regulated markets opening up more frequently, and each country having its own ideas on what is compliance and what is not.

Yeva: What is your approach to drawing traffic to your site?

I believe affiliates are key to the success of any casino business and we need them to thrive. However, you need to create a mix where affiliation is not the only way traffic is sent. So your traffic should be split between affiliates, SEO, PPC, Paid ads, social etc… You need to have a solid mix of all of these to succeed BUT also never be afraid to test new channels and fail as you can only learn if you fail. Try new things and do not be afraid things like Twitch and Tik Tok. These can be great traffic sources also.

Yeva: How do you decide what affiliates to work with?

I need to be able to trust the affiliate, so when it comes to an SEO affiliate, I would look at the affiliate site, make sure they are compliant, make sure links are working, check traffic stats before making deals etc… I do a proper audit to make sure that the site fits in with my overall strategies to grow the business. Trust, honesty, and communication for me are key factors in regards to who I work with. Most affiliates work with a lot of different companies so if you are ever unsure, just ask someone you know for their feedback as this would also help you in making the correct decisions on who to work with and who to skip over.

Yeva: Why do casinos give affiliates such a profitable deal?

Deals need to be good for both parties. It cannot be a deal that is weighted too heavily in the favor of the affiliate. Deals need to make sense for the company too since if we are not making money, then there is no point in having a deal. It must be fair for both: this is why communication and being able to talk to your affiliates is the key, as sometimes a deal is set and you test it and it is found to not work for you, then you should be able to re-negotiate that deal with the affiliate. Most affiliates today want long term deals and relationships and will always be open to negotiating a fair deal for both sides.

Yeva: Do you see yourself in the gaming industry in the long run?

I have been involved for 16 years now. It is what I know, but more importantly: it is what I love. I love this industry and would 100% want to try remaining if it for many years to come.

Yeva: What do you think the industry will be like in 5 years?

It is going to go from strength to strength with more markets regulating, and with the US opening itself up more, there is no end to the amount of growth we will see. We can already see the advancements happening now from the technology being used in new games to the new platforms being created for operators to not only run their business with but also to market and manage these with. I do feel Voice and AI will play a huge role in where we are in 5 years for sure.

Yeva: Aside from work, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I cook! I am a legend in the kitchen. I also love Manchester united, it is my biggest passion, so I’m always reading and watching football, but the biggest thing for me is my family, my kids and wife, so spending as much time as I can with them is my biggest joy.