As 2025 draws to a close, the iGaming affiliate industry finds itself at an interesting crossroads. The year has been marked by innovation, regulatory evolution, and heightened competition, creating both opportunities and challenges for affiliates and operators alike. Looking back at the past 12 months, several themes stand out that are shaping how affiliate programmes are managed and how growth strategies are being built for the years ahead.
One of the most consistent drivers of affiliate success in 2025 has been the continued dominance of mobile gaming. Affiliates have adapted their campaigns to optimise for mobile-first experiences, with seamless navigation, responsive landing pages, and personalised offers all becoming baseline expectations for players.
Growth in emerging markets has also played a pivotal role. Regions such as Latin America, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia have seen a surge in licensed operators entering the market, creating fresh opportunities for affiliates. In these regions, local knowledge has been crucial. Affiliates that invested in localisation strategies, from payment options to culturally relevant content, were able to build stronger connections with players and drive higher conversion rates.
2025 has also been a defining year for regulatory change. Across Europe, governments have continued to refine frameworks aimed at promoting safer gambling, reducing fraud, and strengthening advertising standards. Affiliates have had to adapt quickly, with transparent marketing practices and compliance checks becoming more important than ever.
Spain, for example, has seen stricter oversight from the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), while other markets such as Germany and Romania have introduced tighter measures on advertising. For affiliates, this has meant walking a careful line between maximising visibility and ensuring full compliance. Those that embraced data-driven tools to monitor campaigns and safeguard against violations found themselves better positioned to build trust with operators and regulators.
Artificial Intelligence has cemented itself as one of the defining forces in iGaming affiliate marketing this year. From predictive analytics to automated campaign optimisation, AI-powered solutions are giving affiliates a competitive edge. Real-time insights into player behaviour, coupled with smarter audience segmentation, have allowed affiliates to deliver more relevant offers while reducing wasted spend.
For NetRefer, 2025 has been a year of progress in this space. NetRefer CoPilot AI, first launched at iGB London in 2023, has continued to evolve with numerous improvements, upgrades, and expanded features. These advancements have enabled affiliates and operators to benefit from more accurate performance forecasts, deeper insights, and faster, more efficient campaign optimisation.
The October 2025 launch of the NetRefer Report Builder has further strengthened this data-driven approach. With its flexible, customisable reporting capabilities, affiliates and operators can now track performance with greater precision, making it easier to identify opportunities, address challenges, and refine strategies in real time. Together, NetRefer CoPilot AI and the Report Builder exemplify how advanced tools are reshaping the affiliate marketing landscape.
Equally important has been the emphasis on data security. With the rise of big data solutions, affiliates are expected to handle player information responsibly, ensuring compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations. This has added a layer of accountability but has also reinforced the value of affiliates who can combine innovation with trustworthiness.
Acquisition has always been a focus in affiliate marketing, but in 2025, retention has taken on new significance. Operators are increasingly looking for affiliates who can deliver not just high volumes of traffic, but quality players who stay engaged. Content marketing, loyalty incentives, and gamification have been key tactics to keep players active beyond the first deposit.
Affiliates who built stronger brand narratives and provided educational, entertaining, or community-driven content saw improved player lifetime value. This shift highlights a broader industry trend: sustainable growth is not only about new sign-ups but about nurturing long-term engagement.
Of course, the year has not been without its difficulties. Rising acquisition costs, heightened competition, and the ever-present risk of fraud have placed pressure on affiliates. Bonus abuse, fake accounts, and other forms of fraudulent activity have remained challenges, forcing affiliates to implement stronger monitoring systems and work closely with operators to safeguard programme integrity.
Another lesson has been the need for agility. Affiliates that relied too heavily on a single market or a single traffic source found themselves vulnerable to sudden changes, whether regulatory or economic. Diversification across multiple markets and verticals has become a key takeaway for affiliates looking to future-proof their strategies.
2025 has been a year of both promise and pressure for the iGaming affiliate industry. Affiliates who embraced mobile-first strategies, localised their campaigns, and leaned into data-driven tools have positioned themselves strongly for the future. Those who adapted quickly to regulatory changes and prioritised long-term player engagement have proven that resilience and innovation go hand in hand.
At NetRefer, this year has also been one of innovation, highlighted by the launch of the Report Builder in October and the development of new platform security enhancements scheduled for release in early 2026. These advancements underline a commitment to equipping affiliates and operators with smarter, more flexible tools that drive clarity, efficiency, and growth.
Looking ahead to 2026, affiliates will need to continue balancing compliance with creativity, while leveraging technology to deliver more personalised and engaging player journeys. The lessons of 2025 underline a simple truth: in a competitive market, success belongs to those who combine adaptability with a clear, data-informed vision for growth.