INSIGHT
A HIDDEN OPPORTUNITY ?
AFFILIATE MARKETING IN THE US IN 2017
A seminar put together by iGB Affiliate at ICE in London explored the hidden opportunity of affiliate marketing in the US market with representatives from across the main verticals . Speaker Alana Levine of Income Access shares some of the key insights from the discussion .
AFFILIATE MARKETING CONTINUES
TO be a driving force for the growth of regulated igaming markets around the globe . However , when it comes to the United States , many affiliates remain cautious to enter the market , and for a variety of reasons – high costs , time investment , and strict legislation , to name a few .
The most exciting change to date came in 2013 with the regulation of real-money gaming in New Jersey , which meant brands could now offer online poker and casino for customers physically within the state . This news , plus talk of future states such as California and Pennsylvania regulating , certainly brought the spotlight back to the United States . However , with no states taking any concrete steps forward in the past few years , affiliates turned to other countries and markets where prospects of growth are more readily available .
Despite what these recent trends may suggest , the consumer appetite for gambling products in the United States remains strong , and there are several verticals that currently exist in addition to real-money igaming . Not only are these opportunities lucrative , they are readily available for affiliates to explore . To really showcase the market , we held a seminar at ICE Totally Gaming in London in February , where we spoke alongside influential representatives from each vertical about what US igaming really means for affiliates .
Real-money casino isn ’ t the only game in town The US igaming landscape is diverse . The market varies state by state , and across diverse audiences , products , and brands . Regulated igaming is only one of five key verticals in the US igaming market . Some have existed and established themselves well before the re-emergence of real-money casino and poker , and others are evolving in a similar fashion to igaming .
The list of notable verticals includes horse race wagering , daily fantasy sports ( DFS ), social casinos , and iLottery ( sports betting is a sixth worth mentioning , although now only available in Nevada ). Many affiliates that have US traffic and an interest in any or all of these verticals have an opportunity to promote any one of the many brands that operate in the US .
Established verticals paving the way Horse race wagering in the United States is the most historic gambling product available in the US , having launched the first online wagering product with TVG in 1993 . Since then , the vertical has grown into a $ 3 billion market , with the largest brands Twinspires ,
BetAmerica , TVG , and Xpressbet dominating the market . Advanced deposit online wagering is now offered in 40 states and has increased its share of total handle ( online versus on-track ) to just over 30 %.
In a similar vein , despite what many be perceived as only a recent development , DFS has actually been in the United States for nearly a decade , with the launch of FanDuel in 2009 . DFS is a deviation of traditional season-long fantasy sports , in which games are conducted over shorter periods of time . It , too , is a multi-billion dollar market and available to sports fans in 40 states ..
Newcomers on the block As with many industries feeling the pressure to move online , state lotteries in the US are no different . Michigan Lottery has pioneered the way with its approach to iLottery , including becoming the first to offer a dedicated affiliate marketing program . iLottery represents a very new and quickly growing vertical , expected to reach nearly $ 100 billion in gross gaming profit this year alone , according to Michigan ’ s Digital Products Director Jason Lisiecki . Michigan is one of nine states to offer lottery products online , with Georgia , Michigan and Kentucky selling instant win and other traditional draw-based games .
56 iGB Affiliate Issue 62 APR / MAY 2017