How iGaming affiliates are helping to shape legal sports betting in the US

Two years on from the Supreme Court’s decision to repeal PASPA, US sports betting has taken enormous strides.

Today, eighteen states and D.C - over a third of states in America - are operating regulated sports betting markets in accordance with rules devised by a regulatory body specific to each state.

Playing a key role in the continuing growth of the US sports betting industry from state-to-state is the iGaming affiliate. For a market still in its infancy and, to many US citizens still relatively unknown, the duty of an affiliate extends way beyond that of just the ‘middle man’.

The role of the iGaming affiliate in America

In online gambling markets across the world, affiliate partnerships play a crucial role in securing customers for sportsbooks and customers finding a sportsbook for their specific needs.

The use of SEO practices implemented by experts within the SEO field means an operator can find itself pride of place at the top of the search rankings and in a prime position to gain a share of the market.

But for affiliates in the US, this is just one part of the job.

Despite the prominence of legal sportsbooks, the presence of offshore sportsbooks remains a big issue, and one affiliates are helping to tackle head-on.

The issue with offshore sportsbooks

Offshore sportsbooks operate outside of US jurisdiction mainly from Central America and Caribbean islands but target US-based consumers, violating federal and state laws doing so. Such sites are not legal and not regulated by a US governing body. Often, they’re not regulated at all.

Pre-2018 when legal sports betting didn’t exist and the Internet was booming, offshore sportsbooks seized the opportunity to appeal to a yet untouched audience, grow in popularity and establish themselves as the go-to online sports betting destination. Despite being an illegal option, it was the only viable option to bet on sports, at the time.

Today, the US sports betting industry is one of confusion for Americans, which is a problem. Many remain unaware of which sites are legal and which are not. Subsequently, offshore sportsbooks continue to take advantage of unsuspecting bettors, none the wiser as to the legitimacy of the site they are using.

Even in states that have a legal, active betting market, offshore betting sites remain active. The emergence of a legal industry alongside an illegal market that refuses to lay down and is still rife, has created a mish-mash of options difficult to distinguish between.

AGA survey a reminder of the challenge ahead

A recent survey conducted by the American Gaming Association goes to show the challenge ahead for legal sportsbooks to establish themselves and, also, the work that lies therein for affiliates.

The key takeaways reveal that, in states with legal sports betting in 2019, 52% of bettors between December 2019 and January 2020, bet using an illegal site. 55% of which were entirely unaware of the fact. That’s despite 74% of bettors recognizing the importance of only betting via legal operators.

Clear, is there is still a lot of work to do to raise the awareness around legal sports betting. Why illegal sportsbooks are unsafe. The benefits of regulated sportsbooks. And ultimately, how to differentiate between the two.

The same survey did also show how bettors are beginning to defect from illegal bookmakers and instead use legal sportsbooks. The results showed a 25% decrease in spend with illegal bookies and a 12% increase in online and mobile betting spend with legal operators.

Importance of the sports betting affiliate growing

Assisting with the migration from illegal and dangerous to legal and safe sportsbooks, are affiliates. As already mentioned, the role of an iGaming affiliate in the US goes far beyond bridging the gap and building trust between consumer and gambling operators. Educating consumers and making them more aware of the current state of the industry has taken on even greater significance.

One affiliate company doing just this is Leadstar Media. Having enjoyed great success with numerous betting comparison websites in markets across Europe including the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, as well as in Brazil and India, Leadstar has the knowhow of navigating within a range of online gambling markets across the globe.

The company’s two US products, United Gamblers and Betting Scanner, list and compare licensed sportsbooks in states with a legal market and provide educational guides and articles on how to wager on sports safely in America; United Gamblers provides an overview of US online gambling in its entirety - sports betting, casino and poker included - while the primary use of Betting Scanner is for comparing legal sportsbooks.

Both sites welcome the user with an interactive map of the sports betting landscape in each state and the legal options available to them. Or not, as may be the case in states without legal betting.

After following the story of US gambling in the years preceding PASPA, Leadstar CEO, Eskil Kvarnström is pleased to be playing an active role in shifting bettors from offshore operations to legal alternatives.

“Making sure players are aware of the direction they should and shouldn’t be taking when it comes to betting sites, and the whys and the wherefores, as well as the status of sports betting in their state, is a fundamental part of our role today in America. We believe both our products, United Gamblers and Betting Scanner will lead the way in that respect, as we are doing in many markets worldwide.”

In conclusion

What’s apparent is the road to a sports betting industry free of illegal operators will be a long one. Confusion is even rife within the US media as the New York Times proved by promoting and linking to an offshore sportsbook in an article about the return of US sports betting.

But as the AGA survey indicates, there are signs that the habits of a sports betting consumer are changing. Playing a key role in driving the momentum forward and influencing matters will be the affiliate industry.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes