What Is iGaming?

With high payouts and a super-engaged audience, iGaming is one of the most lucrative verticals in affiliate marketing. It includes casinos, games, sports betting, eSports, lotteries — anything related to online gambling.

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Yet one does not simply promote an iGaming offer: the regulation can be a maze, traffic sources might require specific promotional approaches, and the list of available products can be overwhelming.

With all that being said, we have prepared a dedicated article about iGaming vertical to help both newcomers and experienced affiliates, migrating from other niches.

Definition and Key Aspects of iGaming

There are many verticals in affiliate marketing, each of which includes a specific group of products. One of these verticals is iGaming (Internet/Interactive Gaming) — a term for online gambling and betting.

What is gambling? It’s about playing a game for real money in hopes of winning more. Such games are divided into:

• Skill-based — poker, blackjack, and even domino (yep, they do play dominoes for money) involve primarily analytics, logic, and psychology, which helps professionals to win more frequently.
• Luck-based/RNG — slots, craps, spin-the-wheel, anything where the outcome depends more on a chance rather than the player’s professionalism.

Aside from needing a steady internet connection, online gambling is no different from a run-of-the-mill brick-and-mortar casino.

While gambling requires direct participation in the game, betting is an attempt to earn money for predicting the outcome of various events, like soccer, horse racing, and even eSports (more often than not, though, cybersport is classified as a separate category).

Online gambling and betting reduce risks for the platform owner and players. The random number generator can’t be outwitted, blackjack’s cord counting to overcome the house edge is unlikely, and the imperfections in card printing are non-existent. As a result, the advertiser enjoys a more stable money inflow, while the affiliate can expect the payouts regularly.

Besides, due to the mass internet adoption, iGaming is convenient for players, there’s no need to leave the house to play. This creates an extra layer of protection, as players cannot be robbed on their way off the casino. Plus, online transactions are encrypted and have well-developed legislation. Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, online alternatives are available 24 hours, offering a wider and more frequently updated list of games.

History and Development of the iGaming Industry

Via: Freepik

Even though the World Wide Web became truly worldwide not so long ago, the iGaming industry is already full of events.

Background and Brick-and-Mortar Gambling

Allegedly, gambling originated in China, as in 2300 B.C. already there was a semblance of lottery. Later on, around 1700 B.C. “Liu Bo” (Chinese: 六博 or 陸博 — “Six Wands”), the predecessor of the classic chess game, was born there. From dice in the Roman Empire to card games in medieval Europe — gambling has had many forms throughout history. Do you know that the very first casino was opened in Venice in 1638? It was called “Il Ridotto”, which means “The Private Room.”

Casinos had gradually spread across Europe and the United States, and in 1895 Charles Fay invented “Liberty Bell”, the first slot machine. This invention gave rise to “One-Armed Bandits”, which took over the hearts and minds of players worldwide.

Via: Freepik

With the advent of the 20th century, the casino industry began to roar with roulette spins and card rustles, which gave rise to such colossi as Flamingo, one of the biggest casinos in the world. With the following legalization, Las Vegas became the unofficial capital of gambling.

The Emergence of iGaming

When the Internet began to penetrate all the major markets, the emergence of online casinos was only a matter of time. Microgaming (renamed Apricot) pioneered iGaming with the launch of an online gambling platform in 1994. This was the first step in overcoming geographical boundaries and establishing the foundation for the gambling vertical.

Via: Freepik

In 1998, the world’s first online poker room by Planet Poker was opened. Around the same time, the first Internet bookmakers joined the action: the Intertops platform accepted the first bet on a match in 1996.

The emerging industry attracted the attention of regulators and faced its first restrictions. In 2006, the United States passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which severely restricted online gambling by prohibiting payment systems from processing gambling payments. Meanwhile, countries like the UK, Sweden, and Armenia started to legalize and regulate online gambling.

In addition to legalization, the beginning of the 21st century saw technological innovations such as live stream games with real-life dealers, the opportunity to bet from a mobile phone, as well as the use of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, people dived into the virtual world, including iGaming.

Via: Statista

All these factors contributed to the development of iGaming industry, the market value of which will reach $132 billion by 2029. Although people used to be skeptical about online gambling, now they are looking for a reliable online casino to take a rest and have a good time.

In order to meet the growing demand from users, we are on the lookout for affiliates, willing to promote PIN-UP iGaming products. Join PIN-UP Partners and see for yourself why we are considered one of the best affiliate programs in the industry: ready-to-use promos, quick registration, and 24/7 support regardless of your income level, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what we have to offer.

Key Segments and Niches in iGaming

iGaming is one of the largest verticals in affiliate marketing, covering niches like online casinos, sports betting, eSports, lotteries, and some others. Considering that the audience specifics in these niches vary, we need to talk about each separately.

Online Casino

Online casino is one of the largest and fastest-growing niches in iGaming. Players visit gambling sites to either have fun or make money, depending on the country tier. The list of available casino games includes:

• Roulette (European, French, American). Players bet on a number, combination, or color, the dealer spins the drum, and everyone waits until the ball stops on a random red, black, or green number.
• Card games (poker, baccarat, blackjack). This is the staple of any casino, where the outcome can be based on a random chance, a player’s skill, or something in between.
• Craps. Perhaps the oldest game currently played in casinos. It’s essentially a roulette but with two six-sided dice.
• Slots. Historically, the player would insert a coin (or use another payment method), pull the handle, and wait for the drums to align and reveal the combination. Nowadays, however, slots might have the handle replaced with buttons or endure some other alterations, but the fundamentals remain the same.
• Crash games. A relatively new game type, where the player “controls” an airplane, car, or basically anything at this point. The main goal is to stop the vehicle before it gets out of bounds: the longer the run, the higher the payout.

Nowadays, when smartphones are ubiquitous, users can play at online casinos anytime and anywhere. The format of online casinos provides additional security for players and data privacy.

While not all the GEOs have legalized online and offline casinos, the general trend suggests that the range of available regions for legal promotion increases every year, which increases the demand in the industry.

Betting

Betting on sports events has always been a favorite way for fans to make money from their passion and foreknowledge. Bookmaking is an attempt to predict the outcome of certain events in a game, and you can try to predict almost anything:

• Outcome. The simplest and most popular type of bet, in which you need to predict the victory of one of the teams or their draw.
• Totals. Betting on the exact number of goals, points, or other indicators scored by the teams during the game. 
• Handicap. Bets that equalize the chances of the teams. The bookmaker sets a handicap for one of the teams, and the player must predict whether the team will win, taking into account this handicap.
• Special events. Betting on certain events in a match or certain actions of players. For example, one can bet on the first scorer, the number of corner kicks, or yellow cards.

Players have the opportunity to bet on live games from the comfort of their homes. Usually, owners of gambling products cater to all the needs of the players, like different types of bets (single, accumulator, or system), updated bonuses, different types of payments (including crypto), etc. Traffic can be obtained from social networks, thematic apps, sports sites, and so on.

PIN-UP Partners has a separate promo category — themed landings, customized even for the most exclusive events from the world of sports. Therefore, the player will have something to play on our platform, and you will have opportunities for building a converting funnel.

eSports

eSports is no longer a niche for geeks and gamers only. Every year the best players participate in Dota2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Fortnite, Overwatch, and other tournaments with large prize pools. For example, the prize pool in the Overwatch tournament reached over $40 million in 2024, a tenfold increase from the previous year.

In general, eSports betting is the same as sports betting, with the only difference being in the means of how to put one’s money on the line. You can bet on team wins, single-player results, or tournament outcomes — the options for betting fans are almost unlimited. Players will always have something to play, contributing to the affiliate’s income (especially when working under RevShare).

Last but not least, there is such a segment as Fantasy Sports — a completely fictional game based on projections of real players, such as soccer or tennis players. This is a sports simulator, similar to video games like PES, NHL, Madden NFL, etc. The analysis of fictional games boils down to comparing the sum of skill points of one team against another. Players are also able to transfer their players from one team to another.

Lotteries, Bingo, and Other Games

Before the Internet became a part of our daily lives, many games like lotteries, keno, bingo, and mahjong were very limited in popularity and out of mainstream focus. But just like with casinos, betting, and card games, those were waiting for their time to shine.

And while the lottery market value is smaller than most iGaming niches (less than $17 billion), it’s growing at an annual rate of 5.52%. Even though cards, slots, and roulette are clearly more popular, the users may have a bias towards all of them. Lotteries and other games on the list are rarely associated with gambling and can attract a unique audience that is difficult to target when promoting other iGaming products.

iGaming Regulation: Global Practice and Prospects

iGaming regulations around the world range from a complete ban to a totally free market — that depends on the country of your choice.

Besides, the laws are changing here and there, so it is better to consult your affiliate manager, as well as check the local legislation yourself. This is approximately what the situation with iGaming regulation in the world looks like as of 2024:

• 32 countries prohibit locals from operating without a license, but gambling sites from abroad can safely offer their services to residents. Among them are the following countries: Seychelles, Armenia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Monaco, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, and others.
• 32 countries allow all gambling sites to operate only if they have a local gambling license — for example, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, UK, Netherlands, and others.
• 28 countries prohibit residents from participating in gambling and block the sites of local gambling operators. However, foreign sites can operate without hindrance even if they do not have a license. The governments of these countries, such as Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Nigeria, and others, are either unwilling or unable to prevent them from operating.
• 93 countries do not ban or license online casinos. Among them are the following countries: Bolivia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bahamas, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Kosovo, Gibraltar, and others.

It is worth mentioning the USA specifically. As we mentioned above, there are some difficulties with processing payments from players (UIGEA). Nevertheless, more and more states are legalizing gambling, giving players access to the platforms.

• States where online gambling is allowed: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.

• States where you can bet on sports: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (pending litigation), Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, DC., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Prospects for iGaming

In short, the vertical is thriving and will be for a long time. People like to gamble, especially if they see a chance to make money. More and more GEOs are legalizing and regulating online casinos and bookmakers. Also, technologies simplify access to casinos, make room for product owners to grow, increase player safety, and help to engage the users better.

Every year in the U.S. operators collect 119 billion dollars, and the number is growing. Due to the legalization of sports betting in most states, the Internet penetration, extra encryption, and a long gambling history, the industry in the States is booming. And the media promotion of sports events such as the NBA Finals and Super Bowl only increases interest in betting.

China. Despite strict laws, casino operators in China earn $70 billion annually on traditional games like mahjong, as well as online gambling. 

Japan. The gambling market in Japan is estimated at $50 billion. Pachinko games have a fair share of popularity there, despite having strict laws, and the iGaming market continues to grow annually.

Italy. Every year, casinos and bookmakers collect up to $20 billion. Since the change in the law system in 2008, gambling has been actively growing, particularly in Milan and Venice. Betting on sports, like soccer and tennis, generates significant revenues.

United Kingdom. The total industry revenue of gambling here is $19 billion, with online betting making up 52.3% of it. The industry is thriving after the pandemic, and well-known casinos, such as the Hippodrome, are strengthening the country’s position in global gambling.

iGaming Conferences

Every year affiliates from all over the world gather at numerous iGaming conferences where all the market participants meet, share insights, and make useful connections.

Conferences help to learn about the latest trends, find new ideas for future funnels, and discover exclusive sources of traffic. They are worth attending, as they offer a change of pace, which is important when doing testing and optimization over and over again. To make things easier, we have prepared a small list of popular iGaming events:

• SiGMA is an entire series of iGaming events held annually in 7 regions of the planet: Asia, Europe, Eurasia, Africa, the Americas, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. At the conference, you can learn about the latest trends, participate in networking, and share business opportunities. Top affiliates, regulators, and entrepreneurs gather here; companies talk about their business, take part in exhibitions, sponsor mini-events, and compete for industry titles, such as the best affiliate program in the industry.
• The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is a leading conference, attracting over 25,000 people annually from 115 countries. Over 350 companies have booths there, exhibiting what they have to offer. The number of educational sessions has already surpassed 100 and continues to grow. These sessions are where networking takes place, insights are shared, and the latest news is discussed.
• SBC (Sports Betting Community) is one of the largest conferences held in Latin and North America, as well as in Europe. SBC summits attract thousands of attendees and hundreds of speakers. The SBC also holds award ceremonies to celebrate outstanding achievements in the industry.
• ICE is one of the largest international events in the gambling industry, attracting more than 50,000 professionals. Key features include the ICE World Gaming Forum, an eSports arena, and areas to discuss sustainability and ethical development in the world of iGaming. In addition, there is an event that precedes the main part of the conference, ‘Day Zero’, where you can network with potential partners in advance.

There are about 25 large-scale conferences a year in the world of iGaming. PIN-UP Partners participate in major ones on a regular basis; you can read the list of such conferences in our blog.

Discover the World of iGaming with PIN-UP Partners

The iGaming industry is one of the most profitable verticals in affiliate marketing, if not the most profitable. Technologies make it possible to improve mobile apps and increase user engagement, while the conferences help affiliates to develop new projects, strengthen cooperation, and increase investments.

If you want to start earning with iGaming, it is better to choose a credible affiliate program like PIN-UP Partners. We offer high-quality promos localized to the most promising GEOs. By attracting users to our products, you can be sure that we will keep their LTV at the top through emails, promotions, giveaways, regular calls, etc.

Our managers will always help you in finding profitable approaches, as well as advise you on how to earn the maximum with our payout models. We always negotiate individual terms and conditions; the only requirement is to walk a straight line and adhere to ethical principles of advertising. Join PIN-UP Partners and earn with the best iGaming affiliate program.

FAQ

iGaming is a big and diverse niche, so there are bound to be a lot of questions. Let’s answer the most common of them all.

What is the difference between iGaming and online gambling?

iGaming is a general term for online gambling that also includes sports betting and eSports. Moreover, betting is a rather large industry, with unique approaches. Therefore, in order to succeed in the iGaming vertical, you need to be able to work with more than just online gambling.

What are the most profitable niches in iGaming?

We offer promos for gambling, betting, and eSports as we believe these niches are the most profitable. Almost all GEOs are aware of these niches and are eager to play. The audience interested in gambling, sports betting, and eSports is the most invested and ready to pay.

What sources of traffic are the most effective for iGaming?

Practically any traffic source is effective, as long as the funnel is set up properly. This includes SEO, ASO, social networks and messengers, emails, banners, push, pops — everything except scams and fraud. You can read more about traffic sources in a dedicated article.