SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Priscila Pio, Head of Sales at BetanDeal, an affiliate marketing agency for the sports betting and casino sectors, sat down with SBC Media ahead of her appearance at SBC Summit Barcelona.
Pio will be one of the speakers discussing the dos and don’ts in affiliation, a field that has undergone a transformation as technology and player habits evolve.
Throughout the interview, she spoke about new trends, influencer marketing, collaboration with streamers, the Spanish and Latin American markets, and what she expects from her participation at the upcoming global betting and igaming show on 19-21 September.
What transformations can we anticipate in the affiliate landscape over the next 5 years, considering the influence of technology, and shifts in player behaviour?
Priscila Pio: When it comes to social media, predicting new trends is a bit challenging due to their swift and constant changes. One clear trend that appears to be prevailing is the emergence of betting influencers, commonly known as tipsters. These influencers are no longer just ‘useful’ for acquisition campaigns; they can also be harnessed for branding purposes, presenting an additional opportunity to attract users to operators.
Month by month, we are finding ourselves increasingly focused on closing retention and branding campaigns, surpassing mere affiliation. This is particularly true since a portion of our portfolio relies heavily on influencers especially since part of our portfolio relies on influencers.
How do the player conversion and retention rates at BetanDeal compare between your influencer marketing strategy and the traditional approach of affiliate site referrals?
PP: The primary distinction between social media and SEO traffic is that, in SEO, the traffic originates from individuals who are typically seeking information about a specific operator. In social media, we have the ability to direct all traffic towards the bookie that we are focused on for acquisition or engagement purposes. Essentially, we can direct attention to the specific brand we wish to emphasise, even though other brands may also provide what the audience is seeking.
Does your collaboration with streamers primarily help you tap into new audiences, or does it also manage to enhance the work you’re doing with an existing audience?
PP: In addition to managing our existing audience, our collaboration with streamers also aids in acquiring new users. Furthermore, it represents an effective method for obtaining high-quality traffic. Presently, this is the most authentic and organic approach – working with influencers to endorse casino products and promotions. This is not only due to their ability to instruct on gameplay within a certain game, but also to share their experiences with a specific brand in an entertaining way.
You are operating a couple of sites targeting Spain and Latin America. From a profitability standpoint, which markets perform better?
PP: Every country has its unique approach to the igaming market. For this reason, we employ various strategies to engage with each of them. We must consider a multitude of factors, including their culture, government regulations in the sector, and the social perception of gaming, as in some countries it is deemed a taboo. Currently, our most successful market is Spain, not only due to our well-established business operations there but also because gaming is culturally ingrained in the country. Nevertheless, we are continually putting in efforts to increase our traffic in other regions like Latin America.
As a company headquartered in Spain and operating within the country, what are your views on the existing gambling advertising restrictions in Spain?
PP: The reality is that, in the affiliate scope, regulation did not significantly impact the way we work. We adhere to all the rules established by the government on our websites and social media. All our activities include the necessary messages promoting responsible gambling, age verification gates, and display the required license stamps. Furthermore, we exclusively form partnerships with regulated companies in the country. The primary change for us was the prohibition of offering welcome bonuses, as this was an effective tool for attracting new acquisitions.
As an exhibitor and speaker at the upcoming SBC Summit Barcelona, what are your primary objectives for participating in the event?
PP: We have a multitude of objectives for our participation at the SBC Summit Barcelona that extend beyond connecting with professionals from various companies in the sector. We aim to learn from the industry’s prominent leaders present at the event, share our experience, and showcase all the benefits that Betandeal can offer to operators. We view this as a great opportunity to meet up with our current partners to explore new ideas together and to establish new business relationships with potential partners.
Being nominated for the Sports Affiliate of the Year and Affiliate Product Innovation awards at this year’s SBC Awards ceremony, could you highlight the achievements from the past year that you are most proud of?
PP: We are very honoured to be nominated for such a prestigious award and to share the stage with the leading affiliate companies in the world. Last year, we achieved outstanding results, not only in terms of numbers and portfolio product growth but also in our commitment to advancing in the realm of internet innovation. However, we believe that the best moments are yet to come. We continue to work diligently and invest significantly to establish ourselves as one of the key actors in the igaming industry.
Priscila Pio will be speaking on the ‘Dos and don’ts of affiliation’ panel, which is part of the ‘Affiliate Focus’ conference track at SBC Summit Barcelona. The panel is scheduled for 20 September, from 14:00-14:40.
Go to the official SBC Summit Barcelona website to purchase a full-event pass that gives you access to 7 conference stages, as well as the exhibition and the evening networking parties. Groups of three or more people can purchase a ticket at a discounted rate (€200 off per person).
Are you an affiliate? Apply for a complimentary affiliate pass here.
