How influencers are reshaping iGaming

There have been many significant changes to the iGaming sector in recent years, and one which has heavily impacted us at Slots Temple is the rise of content creators, streamers and gambling influencers.  

For a long time, the influencer space was reserved for other industries, such as fashion, makeup or fitness. However, the online world has become saturated with content creators marketing gambling brands in the last couple of years, and that is here to stay.

The emergence of a generation native to social media as a commercial force, the opening of the North American markets and the increased focus on streamers have all played their part in this, but where does this new marketing era leave traditional gambling affiliate sites?  

Changes in consumer habits 

One of the biggest factor driving the change is how people consume information. We live in an age of instant gratification and quick results, where attention spans are shrinking and snappy, visual content is king. The rise of content platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts perfectly embodies this and it will only continue to evolve, with more and more platforms adopting similar strategies.  

Long-form written content, traditionally the backbone of SEO and affiliate success, has taken a backseat. This type of content is now reserved for only the most dedicated iGaming enthusiasts –the ones who are actively involved and passionate about online play and want a deeper analysis of games. 

This presents traditional affiliate sites with an existential crisis. Those who are committed to only producing traditional, long-form written content will find themselves in an increasingly difficult battle for the attention of a shrinking audience. Unfortunately, many of these companies don’t have the abilities or resources to pivot towards video content or a complete change in strategy, so what is the solution?  

This is where the creator economy steps in. The rise of micro-influencers and content creators has changed the game, and it now offers affiliates a bridge to tap into a wider audience, through collaboration, without compromising their written content,

A trusted source 

Hit the rewind button a few years and this would never have felt like a viable option. Micro-influencers and content creators were still viewed with scepticism by broader audiences, affiliates and brands. Today, however, consumers have a lot more faith in the recommendations of content creators. Many argue that they trust these more than traditional advertisements.  

Unlike traditional advertisements, content creators and gambling influencers tend to offer a much more honest appraisal of products, and this authenticity goes a long way with the buying public.

This goes even further in the gambling industry, where some customers have an inherent distrust of products or brands they are not familiar with. Content creators are viewed as peers offering genuine insights, not just a money-driven ad campaign that sounds too good to be true.  

Content creators also possess a power that many affiliates do not: they can shape player interest and drive attention to different types of games. Streamers, for example, have driven players more towards crash games in recent years in a way that affiliate sites could not, and this ability makes partnerships even more attractive for traditional affiliates.  

This relationship between audiences and creators also tends to ensure that audiences are not recommended poor products. Gambling influencers spend a long time creating and nurturing their communities.

Trust is an essential part of this; by advocating for poor products, they risk sabotaging that. Authenticity is key in the content creator world, which can only be good for product endorsements and affiliates.  

Was the rise of gambling influencers inevitable?

The partnering of affiliate marketing and content creators was inevitable. These gambling influencers have the ability to tap into huge audiences and hold massive appeal. Affiliates can incentivise them with good conversion rates and give them the freedom to be honest about the products they are reviewing, which adds an extra level of authenticity.  

Of course, throwing money at any old influencer or content creator is not going to suffice. As we have seen with written content over the years, you need to find creators who are passionate about the industry and willing to get creative with the content.  

The latter point is essential. Customers’ demands are changing so rapidly that you need to have a conveyor belt of content ideas ready to go. Gambling influencers and streamers, for example, have been extremely popular over the last few years, with live streams and edited short clips from those streams being an effective way of reaching an audience.  

Likewise, we are now seeing an increase in popularity for live event streaming and short-form content. This is perhaps more relevant in sports betting, where content creators attend live events and share their wins and losses in real time.  

In both instances, these highlight the kind of interactive, engaging experiences people want right now, and a long-form casino review does not provide that to a wider audience.  

Learning to co-exist with gambling influencers

However, let’s not underplay the power of traditional affiliate sites here. There will always be an appetite for rich, in-depth content that offers insightful thoughts on products, even if it is smaller than it once was. Comprehensive game reviews and guides will always have a place in the iGaming industry, and the affiliates who survive will be the ones who carve themselves a niche as experts on their topics.  

There are also plenty of excellent ways of making long-form content more engaging. In recent years, the use of informative charts, graphs and visuals has become increasingly common in the space, and many now release video reviews alongside their written ones.  

Affiliates and content creators must also consider responsible gambling messaging. In the last couple of years, we have seen several instances where a content creator has inadvertently advertised an unlicensed product in a key market or where an affiliate has had their hands burned by dealing with streamers who promote irresponsible gambling habits.  

Working through the growing pains

The industry will need to work through these growing pains. Like all new developments, these things will take time, but we can expect to see a few bumps in the road as this new relationship forms and industry regulators attempt to understand it.  

Notably some regulators are clamping down on influencer marketing in the sector as many openly promote illegal sites, either knowingly or unknowingly. Brazil approved new regulations to ban influencers from promoting gambling in May.

Ultimately, nothing brings out the doomsayers quite like the winds of change. Critics have been ringing the death bell for SEO for years, while you only have to take a quick scroll down your LinkedIn feed to find someone saying that AI will take all content jobs in the next two years.

Now it is the turn of traditional written content. The reality for affiliates, as it is in many other spaces, is that those willing to adapt and work with these new forces will be the ones who survive.  

The future of affiliate marketing does not lie in totally abandoning long-form content or burying your head in the sand about the changes that are coming. Instead, it lies in a clever, strategic blend of the old and the new.

Traditional affiliate sites should welcome a more diverse content strategy that embraces short-form videos, engaging visuals, and content creators and micro-influencers. However, they should also stick to their roots and leverage their established trust and credibility to keep their traditional audiences happy and continue to wave the flag for in-depth, informative content.