iGaming
Affiliate Interviews: Lee James Gwilliam OnlineCasinosVegas
Please meet Lee James Gwilliam, of OnlinceCasinoVegas and Commercial Manager at Blexr Ltd!
Name: Lee James Gwilliam
Age: 35
Hometown: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK
Living in: Sliema, Malta
Favorite Food: Steak
Must Read Book: East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Profession/Job title: Commercial Manager
GAV: Hello Lee, first of all, tell us and our readers as well a little bit about yourself. How did your career start in the industry?
Lee: I ended up in gambling quite by accident! Despite being a keen poker player, I had no ambitions to work in the industry. I’d been involved in online marketing and affiliation in other sectors for many years and semi-retired with my own retail operation to Malta in 2011. A few years ago, I found myself needing to get a ‘proper’ job again and being in Malta, iGaming seemed a good fit with my e-commerce and content background.
GAV: We know little about Blexr other than it is an international performance marketing company, tell us all about it?
Lee: We’ve always preferred to be a private company, small but with a big footprint. We’ve various product verticals across casino, sportsbook, poker, bingo and financial services. I’ve actually just got back from the EGR Power Affiliate event at Goodwood where we are now ranked in the top 50 affiliates worldwide, in fact, top 10 in some of our niches.
The website you contacted us about, OnlineCasinosVegas, or OCV as we call it in-house, was an acquisition made by us rather than an in-house product. It’s one of our smaller properties but not to be underestimated. We bought it last year as part of a wider network from a very well-known UK affiliate and seasoned gambler.
GAV: Since there are thousands and thousands of websites in this niche out there, where do you think OnlineCasinosVegas.com stands now?
Lee: What makes OCV stand out, is the very thing that made it attractive as an acquisition. So many modern affiliate sites offer just basic cookie cutter content, OCV was written by a professional gambler and although the design might be a little antiquated to modern eyes, it’s incredibly knowledge driven throughout. This shows through in the quality of the site’s audience and we think this will become even more important in the future. Serious gamblers want serious content.
GAV: How do you see the online slots market/industry at this moment?
Lee: More competitive than ever. Just a few years ago a few some companies, such as NetEnt, were miles ahead of the other developers. Now, you have a whole host of bespoke operations offering great game content and with VR and skill based games on the way these are very exciting times for both the industry and players alike. Sports betting too, with expansion into E-Sports and other niche areas is far more diverse than ever before.
GAV: How did you start and most of all what bumps did you have to overcome at the beginning?
Lee: Once, Blexr was a small affiliate like thousands of others, with a simple poker rake back site. This was successful and led to further acquisitions. The founders have been very careful to re-invest in both the company and its employees which has allowed us to grow to where we are today. Outside of the challenges faced when any affiliate business becomes ‘a real company’ rather than a small team, the biggest roadblocks were managing our migration into a full performance marketing operation instead of ‘just’ an affiliate.
Before several of the modern ‘super affiliates’ landed, affiliate operations simply didn’t have such a wide remit and there was no model to copy for structure. Building such a structure from scratch is a challenge that many have failed, fortunately, we didn’t. As a result, we now offer consulting in CRM, market research, marketing, affiliation and brand launch in addition to the direct acquisition that a stock affiliate provides.
GAV: We have analyzed OCV and found some great quality content. Are you writing it by yourself or do you have a team of people writing for you? How many slots are there on your website? How about the your news section?
Lee: The nature of my current role sadly prevents me from contributing as much to content as I once did though I still mentor one of our writers and do a little key content to keep my hand in and stay match fit. We’ve a writing team of more than 40 people across the network and they are looking to add more slots to OCV in the coming months in addition to the several hundred already on the site. We’ve also been expanding the detail in some of the older articles and written some in depth guides for skill based games. The news section has fallen a little by the wayside in recent times but we hope to turn that back into an active blog in the future once we’ve dealt with all the existing articles.
GAV: How do you manage to keep the content always fresh and relevant on your website, when a lot of fluffy and nonsense appear on the Internet on a daily basis?
Lee: Hire experienced, well-trained and knowledgeable writers and then pay them well. Really, it’s not that hard when you break it down. A number of slots sites are just concerned about being first to market, they don’t even play the games they are reviewing, they write a preview based on a few screenshots available before launch. Whenever we advertise for a new writer we are inundated by ‘content-writer’ CV’s who’ve been working in the industry for years just on the basis they were native speakers. That isn’t enough if you want deep value content. It’s like auditioning for the national football team because you own a pair of boots and can kick a ball. Writing is a profession like any other and you want the best professionals who have put years into their trade.
GAV: With all the Google updates that we’ve all witnessed how do you guys approach SEO, content and of course generating good traffic?
Lee: Google is being very helpful to us just lately with its move towards prioritising ‘value’ based content. Fluff is yesterday’s content, just being first to write on a subject is barely enough to get you there and certainly isn’t enough to keep you there. The same applies to SEO, spam is dying, both content and SEO must be top notch for you to rank for good keywords and bring in good traffic long term. Things are biasing more and more to user value and this can only help people who are trying to do the job right. I’m not saying there aren’t plenty of tips and tricks or shortcuts still out there, but, the fundamentals are becoming ever more important.
GAV: We are pretty sure that you receive messages from Affiliate Managers on a daily basis showcasing their best products. You of course select them by the brands they work with; but what are your thoughts on how a real Affiliate Manager-Affiliate relationship should be built?
Lee: Literally hundreds, by 9 AM any given day my skype looks like a Christmas tree! A good AM(affiliate manager) will earn their employer a fortune, a bad one will cost them the same. It would terrify some operators to know how much an AM has potentially cost them at one point or another because a relationship went sour. That said, affiliates have a responsibility to try and help bridge the communication gap too and help AM’s gain experience.
I’ve accepted a speaking position at a conference later in the year on managing affiliate relationships from our point of view and am starting a LinkedIn series next week called ‘Friday frustrations’ to try and get some things out there from the affiliate standpoint. It isn’t fair that affiliates complain about the ways AM’s approach them and deal with them when they aren’t making any attempt to feed back the data – we want to do our part in correcting this and contributing to the industry.
GAV: Which markets do you target at this moment and are you planning to break in into emerging markets?
Lee: We are already a global network, with our reach approaching triple digits in terms of the countries we target for. That being said, we think emerging markets and newly regulated markets should be the big focus for affiliates and operators alike.
GAV: How do you see the future of the online casino/gambling industry? For instance, will it become a truly global phenomenon?
Lee: I think my point above indicates that to be so! Yes, some countries are way behind and others have stumbled due to regulatory processes but this will be and, in many ways already is, a global business.
GAV: Tell us one change that you want to see in the casino affiliate ecosystem?!
Lee: Proper affiliate software between the affiliate and the operator. Transparency is the first step to rebuilding trust on both sides of the gambling industry and neither party can optimise their business with each other properly without full accurate data sets.
GAV: How about the UK market, is there still place to grow, what is your position?
Lee: The UK is one of the hardest markets out there right now amongst the premium countries. The existing, and future regulations facing both operators and affiliates only adds to the difficulty. However, this also creates opportunities for those companies which can navigate this and create stable, sustainable business models. It will be a tough market with lots of opportunity for the right businesses.
GAV: Do you have any advise you would like to offer to newbies who are looking to venture into this great industry!?
Lee: Have a niche and master it. There is a new casino every other day, white labels which are all but identical bar their branding. The brave and creative businesses which do something different are the ones we will be talking about as the next success stories in 5 years time.
GAV: Do you attend any iGaming/online casino conferences? If so, which one is your favorite and what is your most fun experience?
Lee: I seem to spend as much time at networking events and conferences as I do at home these days. I’m a big fan of the IGB events and the EGR event recently at Goodwood was an exclusive treat. SiGMA, as our local conference, is very important and we will exhibit there this year. Their local networking events are impressive too and so is the new Affiliate Grand Slam concept.
GAV: Tell us about your experince at the Affiliate Grand Slam in Tallinn?
Lee: An excellent new take on the traditional affiliate conference, the second one coming up in Bucharest is only going to build on the first one. To have a small number of operators and a larger number of key affiliates improves the opportunity to take time over business discussions and keeps networking at maximum value.
GAV: What do you think the chances are for Eastern Europe to become a potential gaming hotspot in the future? Where do you think the region must improve upon?
Lee: If you look at places like Malta and Gibraltar a key ingredient for success in a gaming hot spot is the support of a local regulatory body. Eastern European destinations have masses of opportunity for all areas of the industry both as operating spaces and markets but, the regulatory infrastructure needs work.
GAV: Where would you like to travel in Eastern Europe?
Lee: I’d really love to spend some time in Russia and Kiev is on my hit list too. I spent a lot of time in Romania last year and it’s my favourite country in the world right now. I wintered in Transylvania which was amazing and Bucharest is an incredible city. Will be heading back there this year for the next AGS event and probably again in winter for some much needed down time.
GAV: Where you wouldn’t want to travel in Eastern Europe?
Lee: Never really been attracted to Bulgaria, though, I’d be happy for someone to change my mind.
GAV: How about a favorite celebrity, or a mentor do you have one?
Lee: I’ve had several good business mentors including our current founders. Celebrity wise I’d have to admit a liking for Kate Beckinsale and Robert Downey Jr is a modern icon.
GAV: Tell us your opinion about the Gambling Affiliate Voice?
Lee: It’s incredibly important for affiliates to have a voice in the industry and the GAV gives us exactly that! I think for new/smaller affiliates which are just starting out or attempting to grow resources like this cannot be underestimated.
GAV: Thank you for the interview Lee, enjoy the summer and perhaps we’ll meet at AGS Bucharest!
If you would like to suggest subjects for future affiliate interviews, be sure to send your suggestions to: [email protected]
The post Affiliate Interviews: Lee James Gwilliam OnlineCasinosVegas appeared first on The Gambling Affiliate Voice.
Source: GamblingAffiliateVoice
iGaming
The LATAM Online Casino Market: Where Innovation Meets Localization

Latin America, or LATAM, is quickly rising on the global radar as a hot new playground for online casinos. A lively mixture of tech-hungry young people, wider Internet access every month, and rules that are slowly but steadily growing friendlier to gaming makes the region a tempting patch of soil for operators eager to plant their brand. Unlike older markets that are already crowded and tightening the regulatory screws, LATAM still feels fresh and open, letting companies chase fast gains by leaning on bold ideas, local flavors, and mobile-first thinking.
Why LATAM Is a Key Growth Market for Online Gambling
A few key trends are stacking the deck in favor of LATAM casinos. First, smartphones have practically become a third arm for many residents. The GSMA Mobile Economy report for 2023 says more than 73 percent of the region now carries a smartphone, and that share keeps climbing. Such broad pocket-sized connectivity lets gaming sites reach players, even in remote towns, without the extra cost of shops or kiosks.
Second, LATAM’s population is much younger than Europe or North America. Millennials and Gen Z together make up a huge slice of the online betting crowd. Because these generations live, shop, and play through apps, they slide into digital payments and gamified screens with little friction, exactly the kind of audience casinos dream about.
Third, even though rules still differ from nation to nation, the general trend is toward looser, friendlier legislation. Brazil, for example, just passed a law covering fixed-odds sports betting and other online games, a clear sign that officials want licensed, taxable sites.
For LATAM players who prefer local touches, a one-stop hub such as Ingamble proves useful. The service directs users to casinos in their language, accepts their usual payment methods, and meets local laws, building the trust and ease that a young market needs.
How Cultural Differences Shape Casino Preferences
Grasping what people like in each country is critical to success, and LATAM shows that well. Its mix of cultures, customs, and histories means a blanket offer will disappoint in most places. In Mexico, for instance, community bingo nights and brightly themed slots still rule the floor, echoing deep traditions. Developers win by weaving folkloric images, regional music, and familiar tales into those games.
Brazilians, by contrast, look for platforms that merge casino fun with sports betting heat. Because football is almost a second religion, sites that serve live odds alongside a spinning wheel or table gain a clear and lasting advantage.
Localizing a product goes well beyond swapping English words for Spanish or Portuguese. It means building every step of the user journey around local holidays, favorite sports, and even the colors people associate with luck. When a digital service reflects the rhythm of daily life in a country, users stay longer and come back more often.
LATAM’s payments landscape is fragmented, so every casino must meet players where they are. Many customers are underbanked or lean on alternative tools, which makes integrating local methods essential rather than optional. Accepting Brazil’s PIX or the classic boleto bancario has moved from a bonus feature to a bare minimum.
Across the region, Argentina’s Mercado Pago rules wallets while Colombia’s Mercado Pago leads transfers through PSE. If these gateways are missing, carts are abandoned and trust disappears.
Currency support matters just as much. Enabling deposits and withdrawals in pesos or reales spares players conversion fees, and signals the operator treats them like a local. Casinos that add instant payouts and clear fee structures speed up service and earn a valuable edge.
Mobile Dominance: Data-Light Designs Win
Smartphones drive almost all online traffic across LATAM, so any brand that ignores them is courting failure. Yet mobile success goes beyond fitting a website on a small screen; it means building services that run smoothly on flaky networks and budget handsets.
Enter Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), a lightweight layer that gives casino players app-like speed without the hassle of Big Store downloads. Pair that with smart tricks: images that shrink on command, offline pockets so play never halts, and a no-frills layout that cuts data costs for users counting every megabyte.
Market leaders also roll out lite skins, peeling off heavy animations and endless scripts in favor of bare-bones speed and rock-solid uptime. Research shows delays of even a second can send players packing, turning lean design from a tech choice into a profit-or-loss showdown.
Localization Beyond Language: Bonuses and UI
Translation may get the words right, but it rarely captures what a player actually feels. Rewards, loyalty plans, and promos need to mirror local rhythms or they fade into the noise. A Holy Week rebate or a Festas Juninas gift card, for example, speaks straight to a Brazilian wallet and makes gaming personal.
User interfaces should always respect the tastes of the region. Across most LATAM markets, bold colors and lively animations win users more reliably than soft, stripped-back looks. Themes that borrow from local myths, beloved athletes, or street parties hit harder and draw stronger emotional ties.
Clear, honest talk about bonuses – especially wagering rules – matters just as much. LATAM players often arrive wary and quick to abandon sites that hide or twist the fine print. Simple, plain-language promises and fair play keep satisfaction high and churn low.
LATAM Regulation: Fragmented Today, Unified Tomorrow?
The legal landscape across LATAM still looks like a patchwork quilt, with every nation moving at its own rhythm. After years of debate, Brazil has at last laid down the first stones for an official iGaming market. Rules passed in 2023 set out licensing, tax rates and ad norms, marking a huge step for the region.
Colombia stays ahead, having greenlit online gambling in 2016 and handing out more than twenty operators’ licences since then. Its clear framework shows how steady oversight can tempt first-class global brands while still shielding everyday players.
Yet nations such as Venezuela and Bolivia remain at the back, relying on vague or years-old laws. So, firms chasing regional growth move quickly, launching under Curacao or MGA permits and promising to shift to local licenses once the rules firm up.
This patchwork of regulations calls for clear-eyed planning. Online casinos must link arms with lawyers and compliance pros who can steer them through local quirks, keep them out of gray markets, and support lasting operations.
LATAM’s online casino field is tricky but lucrative. Brands that respect local culture, invest in thorough localization, and build mobile-first sites stand a strong chance. As rules continue to modernize and user appetite grows, happy young audiences and friendly smartphone stacks regions shine as a fresh frontier for global iGaming.
The post The LATAM Online Casino Market: Where Innovation Meets Localization appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
casino
Review Fatigue Is Real: How to Make Casino Comparisons Clear, Honest, and Huma

Sebastian Jarosch is the founder of Mithrillium Media Ltd, and a very famous figure in the iGaming industry. His contributions to the market have been immensely influential. Jarosch has overlooked several projects relating to the online gambling market, most notably those involving affiliates. Because of his past works, we believe he is uniquely qualified to address the topic of Review Fatigue, that seem to be plaguing the industry right now.
Actions speak louder than words. And Jarosch’s actions have earned him several of the most notable industry awards. Among the most notable are the Casinomeister 2020 Awards for Best Casino Group, the AskGamblers Awards for Best Partner in 2021, and the Affpapa Awards Affiliate Programme of the Year 2022.
Interview Questions:
What is “review fatigue,” and why do you think it’s becoming a growing issue in the iGaming space?
Review fatigue happens when players are faced with repetitive, overly long, or generic content. With so many casinos offering similar bonuses, games, and licensing, users quickly lose interest if every review sounds the same. Many reviews lack real insight and simply list features without context, often sounding too good to be true. As a result, players tend to skim or move on entirely, especially if they’ve already seen the same structure and wording on multiple other sites.
How can overly technical or overly promotional content alienate users instead of helping them?
When content is too technical, it can confuse or intimidate newcomers. Ideally content is educational and written with the player in mind. On the flip side, a sales pitch feels dishonest, especially to experienced players who know what to look for. Users are looking for clarity and guidance, not marketing sugar coated casinos. If a review sounds like it’s trying to sell rather than help, it erodes trust immediately. Players want transparency, real pros and cons, not just buzzwords.
What are the most important things players want to see in a casino comparison, and what can we safely leave out?
Players want to know the promotions, payment methods, withdrawal speeds, licensing, game variety, and reliability of a casino. They also care about things like support quality, KYC, ownership, RTPs, and real player feedback. What they don’t want is generic content that could apply to any casino and offers no real value. Sites like Casino-Groups help players pick the right casinos based on individual preferences.
How do you balance clarity with completeness when writing or designing reviews?
It’s all about prioritizing information and guiding the reader. We aim to answer the most important user questions right at the beginning, often using summary tables to make things easier to digest. More detailed information comes later for those who want to dive deeper. It’s important to avoid walls of text and explain complex terms in plain language. The goal is to give users exactly what they need to know, without bombarding them with unnecessary information.
Do players trust shorter, more digestible content more than long-form reviews today? Why or why not
Shorter content tends to convert better because users find what they’re looking for quickly, without digging through long paragraphs full of filler. Dense, meaningful content with no waste often performs best. A short, clear, and well-structured review can build more trust than a long one filled with fluff. That said, some players do enjoy longer reviews, especially when they’re broken up with visuals, clear sections, and genuinely useful insights.
What role does tone of voice play in making reviews feel more human and less “salesy”?
A review should feel like it’s written by a real person who’s an expert in the field, not by ChatGPT or a salesperson. We use conversational language where possible and speak directly to the user. If something’s bad or a bonus is just average, it needs to be mentioned. That kind of honesty builds far more credibility than flashy design or empty buzzwords.
How do you verify and present information (e.g., licensing, terms, payment speed) in a way that’s both accurate and user-friendly?
We manually verify everything by signing up, testing support, and reading the fine print. We also check licenses through official registries and monitor user feedback on watchdog sites. To present the information clearly, we use tables, lists, screenshots, and both internal and external links to relevant pages. All our reviews follow a consistent format so players know what to expect and can easily find the details they need.
Have you experimented with visual elements like comparison tables, badges, or rating meters to reduce cognitive load?
Pictures speak a thousand words and help break up content into smaller, more digestible sections, reducing review fatigue. We use comparison tables for things like bonus terms, game selection, and payment methods. Every review includes a rating, and we apply badges to highlight our top casinos. This makes it easier for users to compare options at a glance and make smarter decisions with less effort.
What strategies do you use to keep review formats consistent while still personalizing the experience for different user types?
We follow a consistent structure that works well for both SEO and conversions. However, if a specific area needs emphasis or additional context, we’re happy to deviate from our standard format to ensure topical completeness. Some casinos offer unique features that deserve extra attention, and in those cases, we’ll add dedicated sections. The framework is consistent, but we stay flexible where it counts.
Looking ahead, how do you think casino reviews will evolve to meet changing user expectations and attention spans?
We’ll see more interactivity, personalization, and smarter use of data. Reviews could adapt in real time based on user preferences, highlighting crypto options for one user and game selection for another. AI chatbots may help users find the best match and answer questions about a casino instantly. Integration with platforms like Discord or Telegram where players can exchange themselves could also make reviews feel more social and trustworthy. Reviews need to become sharper, more authentic, and more genuinely helpful than ever before.
The post Review Fatigue Is Real: How to Make Casino Comparisons Clear, Honest, and Huma appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
iGaming
Optimove Announces Opening of APAC Operations; Appoints Jack Wheeler to Lead the Region

Optimove, the leader in Positionless Marketing and the #1 player engagement platform in iGaming, today announced that after more than two years of activity in the Asia-Pacific region, it has opened operations in the region with two offices. iGaming veteran, Jack Wheeler, has been appointed the Head of APAC.
Wheeler brings more than ten years of experience in enterprise sales, SaaS innovation, and iGaming. He most recently served as Co-Founder and COO of PRLY, a community-based SaaS platform for the sports and iGaming sectors. His prior roles include leadership positions at Salesforce, where he helped drive APAC initiatives, as well as advisory roles with iGaming syndicates and equity positions in multiple Asia-based iGaming start-ups.
“Jack brings an exceptional mix of entrepreneurial drive, enterprise experience, and regional expertise to Optimove,” said Motti Colman, VP of Revenue at Optimove. “His deep understanding of both the iGaming and sports industries, paired with his proven ability to scale partnerships in APAC, makes him the ideal leader for our expansion in this fast-growing market.”
As Head of APAC, Wheeler will focus on growing Optimove’s presence among iGaming operators across the region.
“This is a pivotal moment for iGaming in APAC,” said Wheeler. “The fast growth across the region, particularly in the Philippines and Malaysia, presents a major opportunity for brands to scale smarter, faster, and more profitably. Optimove’s experience in helping operators grow across the globe will be a boon to APAC operators as they map out their strategy. Optimove’s Positionless Marketing approach, and the fact that it is the number one engagement platform in iGaming, makes this especially exciting to me.”
Optimove’s APAC expansion comes in response to rising global demand for unified marketing platforms that combine data, automation, and personalization at scale. By enabling marketers to independently launch personalized, real-time campaigns, Optimove is transforming how iGaming operators grow player relationships and lifetime value.
A key offering for the region is Optimove’s Ignite+ program. The comprehensive program is designed to accelerate growth for emerging iGaming and sports betting operators. It offers exclusive access to Optimove’s #1 Player Engagement Platform, along with expert CRM guidance, actionable insights, and proprietary industry benchmarks. Optimove Ignite+ empowers operators to enhance player engagement, improve marketing efficiency, and scale efficiently in a highly competitive market.
In addition to being the APAC Lead, Jack Wheeler is a Senior Account Executive at Optimove.
The post Optimove Announces Opening of APAC Operations; Appoints Jack Wheeler to Lead the Region appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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