Rewarding Creativity

This year 2025, which is about to end, leaves us with very valuable lessons in Marketing for the iGaming industry. One of the clearest is that creativity has once again taken center stage.

Years ago, when the main platforms did not restrict casino advertising, being an affiliate did not require going the extra mile. There were few casinos, few markets to conquer, and advertising on Google was the simplest and most effective way.

That era is over. Restrictions have increased, Google, with its constant core updates, affects both paid and organic content, and it is increasingly difficult to stand out there. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Today, those who dare to think differently and try new things are the ones who get the best results.

You Have to Look Beyond Google

But Google is no longer the center of the universe. Platforms like TikTok, Reddit, Telegram, and strategic presence on different AI tools grew significantly during 2025, and all signs indicate that 2026 will follow this path.

Micro-communities and forums are gaining enormous importance within the iGaming ecosystem. It is similar to what happened when people in Marketing started talking about micro-influencers: small niches with highly committed audiences, capable of generating more movement than a mass channel.

For years, acquisition strategies in iGaming were focused almost entirely on Google. But the market has changed. Today, it's time to diversify.

Micro-communities are a hidden treasure for many, and those who have already incorporated them are seeing the real quality of the traffic and the level of engagement they generate.

A CRM Team that Understands All Channels

Of course, traffic coming from these micro-communities requires a completely different approach than traffic coming from Google or other channels.

That is why it is key for operators to have a CRM team that truly understands the origin of the traffic. Someone arriving from a conversation about slots on Reddit is not the same as someone arriving from a sports predictions Telegram channel, or someone arriving from a YouTube channel dedicated only to crash games.

If we don't understand where the player is coming from, it's impossible to speak their language.

This will be one of the biggest challenges for operators in 2026: training their teams to understand the full cycle of each channel. Because those who communicate in a massive way "for everyone who arrived through affiliates" are missing a huge opportunity.

Affiliate traffic is not all the same. Each channel has its own personality.

2026 World Cup: More Countries, More Communities, More Opportunities

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be special in the history of the sport. For the first time, 48 teams will participate, more than any previous edition, and it will be played simultaneously in three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This expansion not only broadens the diversity of teams and fan bases involved but brings with it a huge opportunity to create communities and content around this global event.

Football unites millions of people from different regions and cultures, and for those working in iGaming and affiliate marketing, this means more possibilities to generate engagement, create relevant content, activate micro-communities, and build deeper connections with audiences who are experiencing the World Cup like never before.

My Advice for Operators

Allocate a small part of the marketing budget every month to try something new. Carefully, yes, but with determination.

Assuming a minimal risk is healthy for any business. Those who always do the same thing run the risk of becoming obsolete, and in an industry as dynamic as iGaming, that is a luxury no one can afford.

Furthermore, it is key to train Marketing and CRM teams in new channels, understand which channel works best in each market, and adapt the strategy to that reality. Not all countries respond the same way or consume the same content.

Global events like the 2026 World Cup are a unique opportunity: operators who can anticipate, activate specific actions in the participating countries, and work with affiliates who already have communities and content around this event, will have a clear advantage over the rest.

*Karina Ferraioli, Co-founder and CMO of Master Affiliates Network, a project distinguished by its innovative model in the iGaming marketing industry. After being finalists for the SIGMA Europe Pitch, they will now also be finalists for the upcoming ICE Pitch.