Connect with us

Affiliate Industry

Checkd Group expands into Canada as FlashPicks gains Ontario licence

Published

on

 

Fast-growing iGaming business Checkd Group has entered the sports betting market in Canada with its FlashPicks brand after gaining an affiliate licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The acquisition of the licence, which arrived in time for the start of the new NFL season, comes after Checkd Group met a series of strict marketing regulations in Canada’s most heavily populated province.

The new licence means that sports bettors in Ontario can utilise operator links on Checkd Group’s fast-growing sports betting community site FlashPicks, along with their counterparts in 15 US states where online betting is currently regulated.

It also coincides with the appointment of Callum Broxton as Checkd Group’s Head of US Operations. Broxton has spent the past six years within Checkd’s Media division, as Head of Social, Head of Brand Operations and Commercial Manager, and will now be based full-time in New York.

“Ontario is an important sports betting market and one where there is a high bar in terms of meeting regulatory requirements,” said Broxton.

“To have gained our first licence in Canada is a major milestone, serving to underline the rapid progress since we launched FlashPicks in the US earlier this year. We have been working hard to increase the range of experts that we can utilise to help inform and educate FlashPicks’ rapidly growing community and it is gratifying to be able to serve sports enthusiasts right across North America ahead of what is sure to be an exciting NFL season. Our aim is to provide the community with stats and information that can inform their picks – and hopefully help create some winners.

“On a personal note, six years on from first joining the company it’s a great privilege to head up Checkd’s international arm, just in time for the football season. We have some very exciting plans ahead and I can’t wait to get started.”

Launched earlier this year, North American-focused FlashPicks provides visitors to the website with selections served up by a team of US sports specialists. The brand has quickly gained traction on social channels, hitting 30 million organic Twitter impressions, as well as 250,000 unique visitors on the website.

FlashPicks is also growing its video and audio content presence, with new headline show ‘For Bettor or Worse’ achieving over 500,000 views and listens across all platforms. It has also significantly expanded its resident US sports betting experts, driving traffic to operator partners including FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, bet365 and PointsBet.

FlashPicks has continued to evolve and now features live odds feeds for four major sports, with instant betslip click-outs to selected operator partners – a key feature for enhancing the user experience as the NFL season gets underway. It is currently licenced in key US states including New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Affiliate Industry

ReferOn Earns Dual Nominations for Innovation and Marketing Excellence at SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025

Published

on

referon-earns-dual-nominations-for-innovation-and-marketing-excellence-at-sigma-euro-med-awards-2025
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

The company continues its growth in 2025 with key industry recognition

ReferOn, a next-gen affiliate management platform has been shortlisted for the “Affiliate Product Innovation” and “Best Marketing Solution Provider” categories at the upcoming SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025.

These nominations come after an important year for the company, defined by strong market traction, continuous product development, and an increased demand from operators and affiliate managers looking to transition from outdated legacy platforms to a more agile, transparent, and scalable solution.

Since its launch, the ReferOn team has demonstrated its commitment to solving real problems for affiliate teams. At the core of its value propositions is creating a simple and accessible platform that’s built for modern needs. Core developments like full-cycle automation, customisable dashboards, instant postbacks, and real-time data visibility help to reduce chaos and boost performance. Additionally, tools like the Sub-Affiliate System, No Bundling Model, and dynamic variables assist with increased operational control.

Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the nominations, “We didn’t build ReferOn to compete with legacy platforms — we built it to replace them. Every development, addition, and decision is guided by the goal of empowering our users to move faster, make more insightful decisions, and scale efficiently. These nominations have shown us that we’re moving in the right direction and that our incredible team is working towards something truly impactful.”

ReferOn’s roadmap remains ambitious and future-focused, with numerous investments in product developments, customer-facing services, and initiatives that help affiliate teams act faster and move smarter.

Voting for the SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025 is now open.

The post ReferOn Earns Dual Nominations for Innovation and Marketing Excellence at SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Affiliate Industry

First Look Games and Evoplay Partner to Bring 250+ Award-Winning Titles to Global Affiliate Network

Published

on

first-look-games-and-evoplay-partner-to-bring-250+-award-winning-titles-to-global-affiliate-network
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Empowering affiliates with instant access to certified marketing tools and demo content

First Look Games, the London-based B2B marketing platform empowering iGaming game studios, has announced a new partnership with Evoplay, the acclaimed Cyprus-based game developer known for pioneering 2D, 3D and instant casino content. The partnership takes effect immediately.

Founded in 2018, First Look Games enables game studios to distribute certified marketing assets, demo games, and game information to a network of over 1000 approved affiliated publishers who collectively reach more than 40 million players worldwide. The platform offers advanced reporting tools including Accuracy Management and Sentiment Analysis, which are set up to bring unique insights to game studios to support their growth.

Evoplay, established in 2017, has built a reputation for cutting-edge content and next-generation gameplay. Its portfolio of over 250 titles – including player favourites like the Penalty Shoot-out trilogy, The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy, Elven Princesses, and Star Guardians – has earned widespread recognition and a strong presence across regulated markets.

Through this partnership, Evoplay’s complete catalogue is now available to First Look Games’ affiliate network. Affiliates gain instant access to promotional materials, demo links, and game information to deliver accurate, engaging & compliant content. The collaboration aims to expand Evoplay’s market reach, support growth in new jurisdictions, and set higher standards for compliance and review quality.

Partnership Benefits

  • Faster time to market for Evoplay releases
  • Access to high-quality visuals, game sheets, and demo tools
  • Enhanced compliance and Accuracy Management features
  • Support for expansion into new regulated markets

The partnership meets the rising demand for streamlined content distribution. Affiliates will have instant access to accurate marketing materials and compliance documentation, enabling them to serve their audiences more effectively while maintaining regulatory standards.

Diana Larina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay, said: “We are excited to start working with First Look Games. We’re confident that their extensive publisher network will enhance the visibility of our dynamic portfolio, allowing even more players to discover and enjoy the premium entertainment Evoplay is known for.”

Tom Galanis CEO of First Look Games said: “We have watched Evoplay grow and grow its market share for some time now, so I am thrilled to welcome the team to the First Look Games platform, enabling access for publishers to their innovative game content to support that growth even further. We look forward to sharing the insights Evoplay’s presence on the platform delivers for them.”

The post First Look Games and Evoplay Partner to Bring 250+ Award-Winning Titles to Global Affiliate Network appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Affiliate Industry

Meet the First-Ever Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 Shortlist and Cast Your Vote!

Published

on

meet-the-first-ever-affiliate-leaders-awards-2025-shortlist-and-cast-your-vote!
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

SBC has announced the debut shortlist for the inaugural Affiliate Leaders Awards – a new ceremony spotlighting the companies shaping affiliate marketing’s next chapter. This time, it’s the public who holds the power, with open voting deciding which nominees will be celebrated on stage in Lisbon this September.

The ceremony will welcome 600 industry leaders to Lisbon’s MEO Arena, located just steps away from the main event venue, Feira Internacional de Lisboa, on Wednesday, 17 September. The evening will celebrate the standout companies shortlisted across 22 fiercely contested categories, and ultimately, honour the winners.

While the shortlist was selected by an independent panel of experts, the final decision lies with the public, who can now cast their vote online for the company they believe deserves the spotlight.

Speaking on the launch of the awards, Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “Last year’s launch of the Affiliate Leaders Summit was a huge step forward for us, but this year we wanted to go even further and recognise the vital role that affiliates, operator programmes, and the suppliers that power them play in the industry’s growth by giving them their very own ceremony.

“By putting the final decision in the public’s hands, we’re able to honour the companies that truly resonate with the community and celebrate the ones people genuinely believe in.”

Leading the way for nominations at the Affiliate Leaders Awards are BetAffiliation and Hub Affiliations, who boast seven nominations each across both company-wide and individual categories. Boomerang Partners follow closely with six, while Game Lounge and Gentoo Media have each earned five, reflecting their strong performance and visibility across the affiliate industry.

Both BetAffiliation and Hub Affiliations will go head-to-head for Best Affiliate Network as well as Affiliate Campaign of the Year, but face stiff competition from the likes of KR3W and Gentoo Media.

Meanwhile, the hotly contested Sports Affiliate of the Year category features some of the industry’s most recognised names, including Better Collective, Catena Media, Oddschecker, and Flashscore Network.

The shortlist for Affiliate Traffic Source of the Year sees BetAffiliation pick up another nod, alongside the likes of Clever Advertising and Oddschecker. 

Workplace culture takes centre stage in Affiliate Employer of the Year, with BetAffiliation, Hub Affiliations, Clever Advertising, and Game Lounge recognised for their efforts in building positive team environments.

On the casino front, Catena Media, Game Lounge Ltd, Casino Guru, and Betting Hero are all in contention for Casino Affiliate of the Year.

In the operator categories, bet365 Partners is aiming for a third consecutive win in Best Affiliate Programme (Operator), having previously claimed the title at the SBC Awards. This year, they face competition from Betsson Group Affiliates, Boomerang Partners, and Kaizen Gaming. The Affiliate Programme of the Year – Large category will also feature major operators, with 1w, BetMGM, Betsson Group Affiliates, and PIN-UP Partners all in contention for the gong.

The awards also spotlight the tech providers underpinning affiliate growth. Aff.Tech, ReferOn, and other leading platforms have secured nominations in both Affiliate Management Platform of the Year and Affiliate Technology of the Year.

Other categories on the night include Casino Title of the Year and Marketing Agency of the Year, rounding out a comprehensive celebration of affiliate marketing excellence.

Individual leadership in the industry will also be recognised, with awards for Affiliate Leader of the Year, Affiliate Content Manager of the Year, and Affiliate Account/Community Manager of the Year, underscoring the critical role individuals play in elevating brand performance.

The post Meet the First-Ever Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 Shortlist and Cast Your Vote! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending