Gone but not forgotten
While some feel that the industry is fighting for survival, others are reporting the fact that it is larger in terms of coverage and size than its real-money counterpart.
On closer inspection, and while there is no doubt that Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) closed its North America-facing brand, LuckyLand Slots, on Sept 14, that is not the full story. While ending an eight-year run of one of the most recognized names in the sector that was available in 44 states might not be optimum news for the affiliate industry, it is not all doom and gloom. In fact, it is far from it.
Phoenix, fires and greater opportunities
At the back end of last year, the parent company launched LuckyLand Casino. The site has seen considerable investment and is actually an upgrade on its predecessor. While it might share the name, LuckyLand Casino has always operated independently and features a much more advanced technical setup. Despite some high-level and high-profile problems at the parent company, which saw the founder, Laurence Escalante, step down as Executive Chairman and CEO in July, facing criminal charges, VGW is not shying away from investment in the sector.
While the closure of a high-profile site has consequences for affiliate partners, including potential lost conversions, player migrations, dead rankings and redirects, it also has plenty of opportunities. What matters is that affiliates get to work on checking out the latest site and seeing if it comes up to expectations. VGW announced that it has emailed all its existing customers to let them know about the closure. While they might be hoping to get direct traffic to their site and avoid affiliate payments, in a highly competitive market, many players are looking for the reassurance of reviews, rankings, and ratings.
Any on-the-ball affiliate will have been aware of what was on the horizon and taken the appropriate measures to ensure they are getting the correct web traffic and links between their site and VGW’s operating ones, including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Casino, and Global Poker.
Making the most of trust
Players can be nervous about switching to a new sweepstakes operator, even if it shares a name with a high-profile one. Many people are wary of dupes and scams, particularly in the unregulated market, so independent review sites like Casino.org become a go-to partner for players seeking reassurance and advice. The industry experts do not sit on their laurels but constantly update and refresh their recommended list of sweepstakes casinos to make sure they are offering players a solid and fun experience.
Affiliates that are paid to promote certain casinos, might have to scrabble around to change their marketing strategies, but for those that take an independent stance and base their judgement on merits, site closures and rebrands are less of a concern. It really depends on how proactive the affiliate is in building their own brand, traffic and profile. By becoming a trusted player partner, an independent review site minimizes risks when a casino operator changes direction. The affiliate is able to pivot to alternative sites by based on recommending alternatives that offer great gameplay, decent bonuses and all the other features that sweepstakes casino players are looking for. Quality content really matters, the affiliate site should bring so much more than just a bunch of links.
Short-term fixes for long-term gains
LuckyLand’s demise ultimately causes extra work for the affiliate’s administration team with regard to making sure that promised redirects do what they are supposed to do, but in the long term a more modern and technically capable site has to be of benefit to players and affiliates alike. Without a shadow of a doubt, the operator will benefit too! For a long time, sweepstakes and social casinos operated in the margins and did not get too much attention. Inevitably, as they grew in popularity, they drew the attention of gambling regulators and other lawmakers. Dual currency slots alone used to be satisfactory to attract players and stay on the right side of the law (or certainly to exist in a legal loophole).
Player demands for more sophisticated gaming, means that they have had to evolve. While huge swathes of players are still only looking for the social casino experience, they still want all the thrills and sophistication of the latest gaming advances. This means that the best sweeps and social casinos offer a full suite of games with up-to-date and well-known slot titles from the biggest software developers, to video versions of casino classics, live dealer gaming and even game-show-style quiz formats.
While some states try and restrain the gambling and gaming markets, the latest figures show that American residents have an appetite for all kinds of wagering and play, so affiliates have a great chance of succeeding if they can differentiate themselves.
Ever-evolving market
As the sites become ever more sophisticated, so too does the scrutiny. States that have outlawed real-money casinos might have been prepared to turn a blind eye in the past, but they are increasingly clamping down. States where real-money gambling is legal have never been keen on social and sweepstakes casinos, so they were the first to take action. However, opportunities always exist, and sites and affiliates are always coming up with alternative options to sidestep and stay ahead. A handful of operators are now offering parimutuel casino sites, and review sites are running free tournaments with real cash prizes to bring an alternative twist.
Building trust through solid advice and recommendations
Decent affiliates need to be completely up to date with all the legalities and technicalities to make sure that they are building trusted relationships with their readers. While it may be painful to have to turn down an affiliate payment because a player is in a state where sweepstakes have been prevented from operating, in the long run, building trust bonds and directing them to social and legal sites will pay off. While affiliate sites might once have been the unseen bridges between sites and players, the most successful ones are now coming out of the shadows, building brand profile and becoming recognized resources in their own right.
