Gaming in Europe will host a new webinar titled “The rise of illegal affiliate marketing explained: Methods & countermeasures” on April 16 at 14:00 CET, aiming to raise awareness about the growing threat illegal affiliates pose to regulated online gambling markets.

As digital channels continue to gain importance—particularly amid tighter restrictions on broadcast and print advertising—affiliate marketing has become a key discovery tool for players seeking iGaming operators. However, this shift has also fueled the expansion of illegal affiliate networks that promote unlicensed operators.

These actors not only increase the visibility of offshore gambling offers but also undermine licensed operators by limiting their online presence. The upcoming webinar will break down the tactics used by illegal affiliates to dominate search rankings and digital traffic, while also outlining practical countermeasures for legal stakeholders.

The session will further explore how regulators, licensed operators, and compliant affiliates can collaborate to mitigate the impact of these practices and protect market integrity.

With offshore operators and illegal affiliate networks typically operating across borders, the issue has become a pan-European challenge. As such, the webinar is expected to be relevant for stakeholders in regulated and emerging markets including Germany, Spain, Netherlands, and Finland.

Commenting on the initiative, Willem van Oort said the webinar aligns with the organization’s broader mission to support legal stakeholders against unfair and illegal competition, summarized in its #ReclaimTheMarket campaign. He noted that the session will not only expose questionable practices but also highlight actionable solutions to counter them.

The webinar will feature insights from leading industry professionals, including Timothy Malmros Genach, Dr. Andreas Ditsche, and Frank op de Woerd.

Attendance is free, with registration open to all interested participants.