By Damian Martinez, journalist at G&M News.
iGB Affiliate 2025 is moving to Barcelona. What motivated this significant relocation, and what opportunities do you believe the new venue will offer to the iGaming affiliate community?
Fira Gran Via Barcelona is one of the largest and most contemporary exhibition venues in Europe. It boasts world-class facilities, and it is located within close proximity to both the Airport and the historic center of Barcelona. One of the main advantages of the venue is the opportunity it offers for events to scale. There are numerous examples of shows similar in size to iGB Affiliate that have relocated to Fira Gran Via Barcelona and have been able to drive significant growth. With our move to Barcelona, we’re setting our sights on an incredibly bright future. We reflect on the iGaming market growth and deliver focused events that are wanted and needed by our iGaming affiliate customers. The additional space will enable iGB Affiliate to set new standards, continue to connect the best affiliates with the best operators and tech vendors and, in the process, realize its full potential.
“New Horizons” is the creative motto driving the 2025 campaign. What inspired it, and how does it reflect the evolution of the iGaming affiliate industry? Could you elaborate on the specific initiatives or content tied to the theme that attendees should look forward to?
Our theme is an invitation to affiliates to explore new horizons at our exciting new home. iGB Affiliate 2025 will take our community into uncharted territory, sparking a spirit of exploration that embraces emerging markets, innovative strategies, and untapped commercial opportunities. The show equips affiliates with the tools and insights needed to adapt, innovate, and conquer lucrative new international markets. I’m delighted that the marketing campaign in support of iGB Affiliate 2025 has gained so much traction with more iGaming affiliates registering to attend and doing so much earlier in the promotional cycle.
How is this event addressing emerging trends or evolving regulations, within its program?
A genuinely interesting content creation which matches search-user intent is the new link-building. Regulated markets remain a critical pressure point for affiliates who are having to navigate bans and compliance hurdles alongside their operator partners, the latest example being Brazil’s decision to axe sign-up bonuses and free bets. Affiliates are often in the dark on how regulations translate into the real-world marketing environment due to lack of official guidance. This in turn increases the perceived risk attached to affiliate partnerships among operators within the regulated markets they work in.
One in twelve registrants is attending for the first time. What strategies are in place to ensure these newcomers have an impactful and engaging experience?
Our job as event organizers is to deliver a full business-centric program to complement the world-class iGaming exhibitor line-up. The two show-open days in Barcelona will provide an invaluable opportunity to engage with all the major players in the space. The show will feature a record 250 industry-leading exhibitors and sponsors, and a vibrant community of 8,000+ iGaming affiliates and tech vendors all brought together in a dynamic and engaging environment. iGB Affiliate is the only event in the world that has a dedicated focus on connecting iGaming affiliates with operators, affiliate programs and tech suppliers. Our mission is to facilitate outstanding business networking, deliver high-quality content, and provide thought leadership that fosters trust-based partnerships and drives growth throughout the iGaming affiliate ecosystem. By continually delivering these core objectives for our customers and physically co-locating with ICE as part of the world’s largest gathering of global gaming companies in one place at one time, iGB Affiliate Barcelona will remain a critical platform for their business expansion.
Latin America seems to be gaining influence, with 35% of registrants operating in the region. How is the show adapting to cater to the growing interest from this market?
Latin America, spearheaded by Brazil, is the main focus at the moment. The region has taken over from the United States, where the limited number of operators who are in play, and the slowdown in new states and casinos coming online combined with tax hikes have dimmed the appetite. As with all markets, affiliates face the same challenges of adapting to local behaviors and tastes and navigating compliance hurdles alongside operator partners, compounded by the lack of guidance on how regulations translate into their world. In Brazil, local brands, not being familiar with the affiliate model and its benefits, seem more focused on media and influencer partnerships and aren’t offering the same terms as the global brands which are targeting the market. Player values are also low compared to Europe, so affiliates need to generate high volumes of traffic and players.
Networking and knowledge sharing are core to the event. Could you highlight some of the thought leadership sessions or keynote speakers that attendees can’t miss?
Delegates will have access to a program of fourteenth business critical insight sessions delivered by a forty strong assembly of industry thought leaders and experts in their respective fields. For example, the 2025 Program comprises sessions entitled: “Affiliate Rundown L!VE: The 2024 Trends That Will Define 2025”, “Video Killed the Text-Based Star: Platforms & Formats for Engaging the Next Generation”, “Navigating the Road Ahead”, “New Localization Strategies to Secure a Slice of the Latin America and Africa Pies”, and “Parasite SEO in iGaming: A Winning Formula to Dominate Search Engines or a Risky Gamble?”. The Conference Program is an essential part of our pledge to facilitate outstanding business networking, deliver high-quality content, and provide thought leadership that fosters trust-based partnerships and drives growth throughout the iGaming affiliate ecosystem. The Program has been curated in consultation with our customers in order to address the key topics impacting their business and is being delivered by industry experts. It is a key part of the iGB Affiliate experience.