On May 13th, the Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) hosted a dedicated affiliate webinar exploring one of the most pressing challenges in iGaming today: how affiliates can stay commercially effective while adopting an increasingly responsible role in player protection. The session, titled “Balancing Compliance and Conversion: The Affiliate’s Role in Responsible Gaming”, featured Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect and Co-Founder & CEO of RankRadar.
The conversation took place against a backdrop of increasing regulatory oversight and market saturation, emphasizing the transformation of the affiliate segment into an essential part of the iGaming ecosystem. As highlighted during the discussion, affiliates are no longer peripheral actors, but full-fledged digital media businesses, operating with substantial investment in content, compliance, analytics, and brand credibility.
Ristikj pointed out that modern affiliates are increasingly taking on roles traditionally associated with in-house marketing teams, from advanced SEO operations and audience segmentation to responsible gaming communication and transparency standards. These shifts are not merely cosmetic. As he noted, operators now rely on affiliates not only to drive traffic, but also to strengthen brand integrity, especially in competitive or newly regulated markets.
One of the main themes discussed was the growing expectation for affiliates to support safe gaming environments, both through the content they produce and the brands they promote. As a concrete example, Ristikj introduced a Responsible Gambling Scoring Index, developed by Gamblers Connect. The tool evaluates operators based on the presence of key responsible gaming features and publicly displays a score to inform and empower players. This initiative reflects a broader industry movement to embed responsible gaming principles at every stage of the user journey.
Another major focus was on the growing operational pressure faced by affiliates. While operators continue to favor revenue-sharing models, Ristikj argued that fixed listing fees are becoming necessary to sustain professional affiliate operations. The investment in content, platform development, video production, and tracking infrastructure has significantly increased the costs of doing business, especially as privacy regulations and attribution challenges reduce the reliability of traditional performance models.
The webinar also touched on the emergence of video-driven affiliate strategies and personal branding as differentiators in an increasingly crowded landscape. As new players, supported by agencies or former operator teams, enter the market with aggressive strategies, trust and transparency are becoming key assets for sustainable success.
The session concluded with a clear message: affiliates who want to remain relevant must adapt to a new standard of accountability. That means embedding responsible gaming principles not only as regulatory compliance, but also as core parts of the brand experience, something players, regulators, and operators will increasingly demand.
The EEGS Affiliate Webinar is part of a broader initiative by EEGS to provide actionable insights and elevate the strategic role of affiliates in the global iGaming industry.
For those who missed the live session, the on-demand video is now available. You can watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/MJeYZfPI6Rs?si=BVp0yA0Vcpu9FDJx