Power Affiliates 2024

Welcome to the EGR Power Affiliates 2024 rankings. As in previous years, affiliates have grabbed the attention of the industry with a series of significant M&A moves and soaring top- and bottom-line growth during the past 12 months. And while some firms may have not fared as well, the companies at the top of the rankings continue to impress.

The likes of Better Collective, GiG Media and Gambling.com Group all elected to flex their M&A muscles since the 2023 edition of the Power Affiliates rankings. Danish giant Better Collective snapped up no less than seven firms in 2023 alone. GiG Media continues to benefit from the acquisition of AskGamblers and added Time2play Media to its arsenal in a €35m move while Gambling.Com Group opted for inorganic expansion after acquiring XLMedia’s European and Canadian assets.

In tandem with M&A comes a retained focus on the US sports betting and igaming market. XLMedia, as well as Catena Media, both shed non-US assets to solely focus on opportunities in the States. Other firms are also looking to continue with a dual approach, including the recently rebranded FairPlay Sports Media (formerly oddschecker Global Media).

On the regulation front, affiliates seemingly escaped unscathed from the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review on the advertising front, but headwinds across the continent remain a potential afront to growth and progress. Slow development in the expansion of igaming in the US, with just seven states to date legally offering online casino, is also a gripe for the sector. Online sports betting launches last year for Ohio and Kentucky, and North Carolina this March, will have been welcome boosts for those affiliates positioned to take advantage.

The leaders responsible for taking advantage of these opportunities also changed in the past 12 months, with Catena Media’s Michael Daly resigning in February and set to be replaced by Kindred Group head Manuel Stan while Raketech CEO Oskar Mühlbach stepped down in January.

For the fourth year in a row, EGR has partnered with accounting firm BDO to crunch the numbers to help guide the rankings. EGR and BDO have a longstanding relationship, with BDO having worked on several editions of the EGR Power 50 rankings. The firm acts as an impartial partner to sift through financial data to inform a final position for brands that have made the list.

EGR would like to thank BDO for its continued collaboration in helping to compile these rankings and, of course, bet365 Partners for once again sponsoring this year’s editions of the Power Affiliates rankings.

Proudly sponsored by

A bet365 Partners spokesperson said: “Bet365, and our award-winning bet365 Partners programme, are proud sponsors of the 2024 EGR Power Affiliates rankings.

“It’s great to see so many of our long-standing partners recognised for their excellent work in 2023-24 and we thank them all for their continued and unwavering support. We look forward to working with you all in 2024-25.”

The Power Affiliates rankings are compiled in partnership with BDO, one of the world’s leading accountancy firms and a leading service provider to the online gaming sector.

1. Better Collective (1)HQ: DenmarkKey executive: Jesper SøgaardAccess to financials: Yes

Better Collective celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, two decades after the idea was hatched by CEO Jesper Søgaard and COO Christian Kirk Rasmussen in a German hostel, with a seventh consecutive top spot in the EGR Power Affiliates rankings. A looming obelisk of the affiliate side of the industry, a huge geographic spread combined with a consistent and concerted M&A pipeline has seen the Danish firm become almost peerless. Revenue increased 21% in 2023 to €326.7m (beating expectations), despite a tough Q4 due to World Cup comparisons, while EBITDA leapt 31% to land at €111.1m with a corresponding margin of 34%. A shift to a revenue share model in the US has been pegged by management to have some drag before kicking in during 2025.

On the M&A front, the dual-listed business completed the €176m acquisition of Playmaker Capital in February to further strengthen its grip on the Americas, with existing US operations dominated by Action Network and a host of other brands. Playmaker Capital boasts more than 200 million monthly visits and a significant presence in the burgeoning Latam market. Alongside Playmaker Capital, the group sanctioned an additional six acquisitions, including the not-to-be-confused Playmaker HQ, as well as Danish and Swedish assets. Further M&A could be on the table after the company raised DKK1.1bn (£124.3m) in February in preparation to fund further inorganic growth.

Elsewhere, Better Collective has moved to a new HQ in Copenhagen while opening two offices in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, as the business looks to continue its impressive growth story.

2. Gambling.com Group (2)HQ: IrelandKey executive: Charles GillespieAccess to financials: Yes

A consecutive second place finish in the rankings for Gambling.com Group comes after leaping into the silver medal position last year. That status has been strengthened further after the Nasdaq-listed firm noted a 42% year-on-year (YoY) increase in revenue for full-year 2023 to $108.7m as EBITDA jumped 53% to $36.7m. New depositing customers (NDCs) were up 56% compared to 2022 as bosses pointed to new state launches, including Kentucky and Ohio, same-state sales and continued media partnerships as core drivers for growth.

When confirming these results, along with record performance in Q4 (revenue at $32.5m), Gambling.com Group announced the acquisition of XLMedia’s European and Canadian assets in a deal worth up to $42.5m. A $37.5m fixed fee has been agreed, with the deal being completed at the start of April, bringing brands such as Freebets.com and WhichBingo into the firm’s stable. Management expects the acquisition to be immediately positive, with $10m in revenue and $5m in EBITDA for the remainder of 2024. Speaking to EGR, CEO Charles Gillespie noted the business has been “very picky” on M&A but that the “stars lined up” on the XLMedia deal. The move will give Gambling.com Group a further foothold in Europe as attention continues to turn to the US. Full-year 2024 targets have been set at the high end of $133m in revenue, with March’s North Carolina online sports betting launch a close-to-home moment, given Gillespie was born, raised and went to university in the Tar Heel State.

3. GiG Media (3)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Jonas WarrerAccess to financials: Yes

The past 12 months has seen GiG Media laying the groundwork ahead of the proposed split of its parent company into two separate firms as a major acquisition and a refreshing of the C-suite came into force. The split is due to complete this year, with GiG Media CEO Jonas Warrer currently serving as interim boss of the total business, which includes a sportsbook supplier arm. On the affiliate front, GiG stumped up €35m for Time2play Media, formerly KaFe Rocks, in December with an initial payment of €15m. In February, Warrer heaped praise on the acquired asset, noting he was “positively surprised” with the material benefits already manifesting. It is hoped Time2play will provide a significant boost for GiG Media’s North American aspirations.

On financial performance, Q4 represented a record quarter for the Malta-based firm, with revenue landing at €26.5m, while first time depositors (FTDs) hit a record 137,600. The group has championed the role of AskGamblers in its 2023 growth since laying out the €45m to acquire the brand from Catena Media in December 2022. Since February 2023, EBITDA has more than doubled, while revenue was up 32% in Q4 compared to Q3. The group’s largest shareholders, Betplay Capital, hailed the acquisition as “some of the best money spent” by GiG in its history.

Finally, on the people front, Milorad Matejic has been promoted to a newly created chief operating officer role while Asbjørn Bieling has been shifted to chief marketing officer ahead of the two-firm split. The group also detailed the makeup of its board of directors ahead of the business split, with STS chair Mateusz Juroszek, former Entain M&A head Nicholas Batram and LOYRA partner Cristina Romero de Alba to join existing members Mikael Riese Harstad and Hesam Yazdi, with the former to serve as chair.

4. Clever Advertising (5)HQ: MaltaKey executive: José Pedro PanzinaAccess to financials: Yes

Clever Advertising continues its ascent up the Power Affiliates rankings after yet another strong financial showing, according to figures sent to BDO. Full-year 2023 revenue, EBITDA and profit were all up on their 2022 equivalents to push the firm into the top four. With an aversion to M&A and a core focus on organic growth, the affiliate has distanced itself from the race to snap up smaller firms in the sector. So, with bolt-on moves out of the equation, Clever Advertising focused on development, including the launch of AddApp, an in-app advertising product. Market launches in Southeast Asia were also executed last year to complement existing footprints across Europe, the Americas and Africa. According to the company’s website, the business oversaw more than 2.1 million customer registrations last year, and more than 1.3 million FTDs for its operator partners, which include bet365, Kaizen Gaming’s Betano and Stoiximan brands and PokerStars. The group’s management team was bolstered with the addition of Pedro Maia as chief financial officer, with the exec moving into affiliation from a stint in the fruit farming industry. He will support CEO José Pedro Panzina and COO Marcos Oliveira, who both marked their two-year anniversary in their respective roles in January.

5. Spotlight Sports Group (8)HQ: UKKey executive: Mark RenshawAccess to financials: Yes

Coming off the back of its affiliate of the year win at the EGR Operator Awards in October 2023, Spotlight Sports Group jumps three places in the rankings fuelled by continued growth in the US with its Pickswise brand and the legacy power of the Racing Post in the UK. A strong financial performance as detailed in figures provided to BDO further shore up the London-based firm’s position towards the business end of the table. Traffic for racingpost.com is significant, with millions of monthly site visits now augmented with 2023’s release of a subscription service dubbed Members’ Club. Other UK brands including Free Super Tips and Myracing can also look back on 2023 positively. Across the pond, SEO-driven Pickswise continues to make gains in the US while a media partnership with Arena Group prior to Super Bowl LVIII also paid dividends. A key commitment to responsible gambling sees regular updates to a hub attached to the Racing Post website, while the business has committed to a minimum of 10% of display advertising inventory to safer gambling messaging. Mark Renshaw, named CEO in late 2022, is a stalwart of the company and has played a key role in significant changes at the group over the past 15+ years.

6. Raketech (6)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Johan SvenssonAccess to financials: Yes

Raketech remains in sixth place this year as the affiliate finds itself in something of a limbo following the departure of former CEO Oskar Mühlbach in January. The board of directors said the chief exec’s exit came amid “different views on the strategic direction of the company”, with co-founder Johan Svensson being drafted in as acting CEO. Mühlbach had served as the affiliate’s CEO since December 2019. Despite the split, Raketech returned Q4 revenue in line with previously increased guidance, with full-year 2023 revenue amounting to €77.7m – representing organic growth of 47.6%. EBITDA for the 12 months rose 17.6% to €23.6m, although there was a 6% slip in operating profit to €11.7m while adjusted profit slumped 25.7% to €6.6m. Svensson added that US-facing operations had been “restructured and scaled down” as part of the full-year report. Despite this, Raketech noted revenue of €7.3m in January, up from €5m in 2023, with strong growth in the firm’s sub-affiliation division. FY 2024 EBITDA is expected to land between €24m and €26m. Elsewhere, Carnegie Investment Bank was tapped as Raketech’s certified adviser last November to replace Erik Penser Bank.

7. Catena Media (4)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Pierre CadenaAccess to financials: Yes

In last year’s Power Affiliates rankings, EGR described the previous 12 months for Catena Media as a “transitionary period” for the Stockholm-listed firm. A year later and the scene in the rearview mirror is entirely different. Gone is former CEO Michael Daly, who resigned at the end of February after discussions with the board. Catena did not wait long to confirm Manuel Stan, long-time Kindred Group SVP and general manager of North America, as Daly’s replacement, effective from 1 July. VP of corporate strategy Pierre Cadena is leading the business in the interim. Internal promotions for Mike Gerrow to CFO and Edward Midolo to chief technology officer have also been confirmed in recent weeks. On arrival, Stan will be looking to steady the ship after a less-than-positive performance saw the firm’s adjusted EBITDA tumble 88% in Q4 to €1.5m. At a full-year level, revenue fell 22% to €76.7m, NDCs dropped 19% and EBITDA was down 50% in an annus horribilis to forget. The business has also been significantly trimmed down, with its UK and Australian assets shipped off to OneTwenty’s Moneta Communications in a €6m deal. That in turn saw the group launch a cost-reduction programme, which included streamlining support functions. The sale of the group’s Italy-facing assets, including SuperScommesse to FairPlay Sports Media, brought an end to the 18-month-long strategic review. Despite the completion of that review, with divestments totalling €76m, Catena Media’s share price has slumped more than 60% over the past 12 months.

8. FairPlay Sports Media (9)HQ: UKKey executive: Stuart SimmsAccess to financials: Yes

A jam-packed 12 months for FairPlay Sports Media, formerly known as oddschecker Global Media, sees the group move one place up the rankings. The rebrand came in January, with the group looking to develop a built-out sports media network while tapping into its BetTech capabilities. The firm counts oddschecker (the brand), Vime, WhoScored and SuperScommesse in its stable. It doubled down on its M&A efforts at the start of 2024 by snapping up AI-powered prediction platform Quarter4, which FairPlay said would provide “immediate improvements” to its offering. In terms of product launches, the group debuted an “industry first” bet builder comparison tool in March, expansion into player prop markets and continued efforts to develop its Cheltenham Festival hub. The group also launched the Confido Network, which aims to host more than 1,000 deals from more than 200 brands through more than 70 affiliate programmes.

In the US, CEO Stuart Simms told EGR that he sees the business at the starting line of a second wave of affiliates to crash the market. With FairPlay being privately owned by Bruin Capital, and Simms insisting that the parent company is willing to invest further, future gains in the Power Affiliates could be on the horizon.

9. XLMedia (7)HQ: UKKey executive: David KingAccess to financials: Yes

XLMedia slips slightly in the rankings as it slimmed down over the past 12 months – all while homing in on North America as its future growth driver. The divestments came to a head this March with the sale of its European and Canadian assets to Gambling.com Group in a deal worth up to $42.5m. The affiliate also shed its personal finance portfolio, as well as three European casino assets, to Beach Services in a $4m deal in July 2023. Management confirmed discussions were held with potential suitors over a total sale of the business but given the low share price of the AIM-listed firm, it was decided that route would be unlikely to create the maximum value for shareholders. Following the sale of assets to Gambling.com Group, XLMedia noted it will reorganise the group to support the North American business, with a focus on expanding sports betting and driving igaming in select markets. While XLMedia has yet to confirm its FY 2023 performance, with the full report being published in late April, a preliminary update delivered in February said revenue and EBITDA are anticipated to fall in line with market expectations. Revenue will amount to about $50m and EBITDA should hit roughly $12m. The group said the shuttering of the Barstool Sportsbook and launch of ESPN Bet by PENN Entertainment meant there were “significant changes in operator customer acquisition activity”. A spike in 2022 revenue from online sports betting’s launch in New York also means full-year 2023 performance will be at a reduced scale.

10. Traffic Lab (14)HQ: DenmarkKey executive: Sebastian AgerskovAccess to financials: Yes

A significant surge in the financial performance of Danish affiliate Traffic Lab has seen the group catapult into the top 10 of the Power Affiliates after a second consecutive four-place jump in 2024. Numbers crunched by BDO show strong growth across all core KPIs for the firm to improve on last year’s 14th place finish. The firm also made a move to a brand new office space in the Nordhavn region of Copenhagen at the start of 2024, moving away from its previous hub on Bredgade. The affiliate described the move as a “significant milestone in evolution”. This move across the city came after the group opened a new office in Malta in 2023. Operationally, Traffic Lab secured 10 new licences across the world, while the firm’s machine learning program, RALPH, continued to be developed and improved. Traffic Lab also completed an undisclosed M&A deal. EGR understands there are further M&A moves in the pipeline for 2024. In people news, Nicolai Ahlefeldt was promoted from head of internal engineering to head of engineering in December.

11. LiveScore Group (11)HQ: GibraltarKey executive: Sam SadiAccess to financials: Yes

Another business celebrating a landmark anniversary is LiveScore Group, with the Gibraltar-headquartered firm turning 25 in 2024. The brand, one of the largest live scores apps in the world, boasts more than 50 million global monthly users returning around six billion page views in the same time period. An increase in its number of partnerships has in turn seen upticks in NDCs and revenue. On the product side, a bonus comparison tool was debuted while deeper personalisation was also rolled out for users. Odds can now be toggled on and off in various geographies, while a ‘For You’ swipe-up has also been plugged in.

In terms of talent, several senior execs were added to the team including former Catena Media exec Thomas Rooney as head of convergence. Away from the upper echelons, more than 270 vacancies were filed via a combination of promotions and external hires. LiveScore Group is also active on ESG, with four active employee resource groups supporting parents, LGBTQ+ staff and women in sport.

12. Natural Intelligence (12)HQ: IsraelKey executive: Jonathan EdelshaimAccess to financials: No

Another year, another spot in the Power Affiliates rankings for the Israel-based affiliate, which has continued to thrive since its inception in 2017. But with no access to Natural Intelligence’s financial performance due to the fact it is privately owned, it continues to be difficult to compare to its rival affiliates. The business, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, counts the gambling industry as just one arm of a multi-pronged business that spreads into financial services, healthcare and home security.

Among its achievements for 2023, Natural Intelligence beat an equality goal it set for 2025 by two years. The firm had aimed to have 50% of its total staff and 45% of mangers to be women. Last year, the firm hit the 50% target while 40% of managers are women, while coming into 2024, women make up 52% of the total headcount at the group. The firm said this was achieved by a combination of mentoring, forums, internal mobility and non-discriminatory recruitment processes.

13. Livesport Company (13)HQ: PragueKey executive: Pavel KrbecAccess to financials: No

One of Europe’s largest sports betting affiliates via its prominent FlashScore brand, Livesport Company continues to find a home in the Power Affiliates. While access to the group’s financial performance was not provided to BDO, the scale of the business is undoubtably large.

Celebrating its 18th anniversary this year, Livesport has built up a userbase of more than 110 million people, and with headcount heading towards 300 staff, growth is the name of the game. To capitalise on this opportunity, the firm launched a new advertising campaign produced by Cinemania, which featured ambassador Petra Kvitova, the two-time Wimbledon champion.

The firm also celebrated 12 months of its news portal, which has seen more than 150,000 published articles, 65 podcasts and 3,500 sports matches commentated on. The platform has boasted exclusive interviews with the likes of Andrea Pirlo and famous football journalist Fabrizio Romano.

On the product front, the group has confirmed it is tapping into AI capabilities to deliver pre-match information for football matches, as well as working on automated post-match reports.

14. Leadstar Media (*New entry*)HQ: SwedenKey executive: Eskil KvarnströmAccess to financials: Yes

Smashing into the Power Affiliates this year, Stockholm-based Leadstar Media’s financial performance speaks for itself. A strong financial showing from the business, which was founded back in 2012, has propelled it towards the top half of the table. Co-founders Eskil Kvarnström, Jens Öberg Garemark and Oscar Carlsson are still involved in the C-suite.

With a focus on organic growth and steering away from M&A, the firm also reflects this in its internal policy of pushing junior staff into leadership roles through development and progress. The group operates in 35 geographies across the America, Europe and the Nordics.

15. OLBG (16)HQ: UKKey executive: Richard MoffatAccess to financials: Yes

A bastion of the UK affiliate landscape, OLBG continues to be one of the most popular affiliates in the market more than 20 years after being established in Bristol. A combination of forums, reviews and the firm’s Tipster platform has seen OLBG snare more than two million users in its history. Another year of growth across core financial KPIs, as well as FTDs, has seen OLBG rise the rankings again after jumping three places in 2022.

Elsewhere, the company partnered with Newbury Racecourse in January to rebrand The Owners’ Club and provide fans the opportunity to further engage with National Hunt racing. OLBG also linked up with trainer Harry Derham to sponsor his yard, with those joining the club able to gain access to parade rings on racedays, behind-the-scenes stable visits and other private events.

16. QiH Group (21)HQ: UKKey executive: Jamie WaltersAccess to financials: Yes

A jump in the rankings for QiH Group comes as the London-based firm celebrates its 10th anniversary this October. A strong financial showing and onboarding of more than 20 partners in the past 12 months went a long way in seeing the firm’s impressive rise. A core focus on relaunching existing products on a new tech stack, rather than debut any new features, was a lynchpin of last year’s strategy, while focus continues to head towards to the US following the group’s debut Stateside.

Growth has seen headcount in the UK increase by 50%, with QiH Group also operating out of the North Macedonian capital Skopje. The firm also doubled the number of women and ethnic minority staff in its UK office, while maintaining a 50/50 gender split across the business. Plans to bring top talent to the C-suite to support CEO Jamie Walters were realised this week with the promotion of group operations director Andrew Lee to become COO and the addition of Lottoland head David Murphy as chief marketing officer.

17. Skores (*Re-entry*)HQ: FranceKey executive: Christian de CailleuxAccess to financials: Yes

French affiliate Skores returns to the rankings after KPIs shared with BDO demonstrated strong growth for the business. With offices in Paris and Lille housing more than 30 employees, the group continues to grow since being founded in 2015. With more than 4.5 million followers across social media, resulting in 350 million monthly impressions, Skores has a significant reach. Its flagship scores app product, Skores, has been downloaded more than 20 million times, while its SportyTrader and WinComparator tools include more than 1,500 betting tips per month complete with live stats to support customer choices. French horseracing app Turfoo provides a country specific augmentation for the worldwide Skores product.

At the end of 2023, Skores unveiled a new corporate website that was redesigned to “facilitate exchanges with partners, future employees and ordinary visitors who want to find out more about Skores environment”.

18. OneTwenty (24)HQ: IrelandKey executive: Chris RussellAccess to financials: Yes

OneTwenty retains its place in the Power Affiliates ranking after debuting in 2023, with last year representing a significant forward push from the Ireland-headquartered firm. The group was able to secure funding to fuel its M&A moves in the future from ThinCats. The alternative lending firm invested £9.5m in June to give way to a significant purchase.

In August, acquired several sports publishing assets from Catena Media in an attempt to boost its profile in the UK and Australian markets in a for €6m move. Assets included Squawka and GG.co.uk, and all of the shares in Catena Media’s Australian subsidiary. Launches in the US and Brazil were complemented with a consolidation strategy in the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Former Raketech head Oskar Karlsten has also been drafted in as COO to bolster the senior management team.

19. Acroud (17)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Robert AnderssonAccess to financials: Yes

Revenue for Acroud reached an all-time high of €39.3m (£33.6m) for full-year 2023 but the group did see adjusted EBITDA slip 16% to €6.3m, while post-tax losses increased from €18.4m in 2022 to €31.3m last year. In addition, the affiliate divested all its poker-related assets. Acroud said the move was made “in light of poker’s declining popularity following its initial surge during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the SEO challenges”.

Acroud’s top team was also reshuffled last year as CFO Tricia Vella announced her resignation in September, having only been promoted to the C-suite in April. She was due to depart in December before ex-former Lady Luck Games CFO, Andrzej Mieszkowicz, was drafted in as the Acroud’s new finance chief, effective from 1 November. In July, the group snapped up former XLMedia and Catena Media head Liam Benton as its new chief marketing officer.

20. Checkd Group (22)HQ: UKKey executive: Jamie KnowlsonAccess to financials: Yes

Checkd Group had a solid 2023, with the largest growth coming from North America as the UK continued to perform well despite the lack of a major football tournament last year. Strong growth in key financial metrics in data provided to BDO show a business on an upward trajectory. One major development in the last 12 months was the development of the US-facing FlashPicks app, which launched in May, and continues to provide the affiliate with a strong presence in North America. Back on home soil in the UK, a combination of partnering with tier-one and tier-two operators have dovetailed to drive growth. Strong content in the shape of the William Hill-sponsored No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce and the relaunch of I Had Trials Once with bet365 is seeing engagement continue to rise.

A series of product launches around bet builders, prop bets and trending accumulators were also unveiled, while the team was bolstered with arrivals in the finance, commercial, PR and SEO divisions.

21. Web International Services (15)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Paul ScheuschnerAccess to financials: Yes

Following its debut in the 2022 Power Affiliates, Web International Services maintained a spot in the rankings 12 months later, with the group once again finding itself in the countdown this year.

A relatively flat financial performance compared to 2022 was confirmed in figures provided to BDO, while on the operational front a key product launch in the shape of The Punters’ Page was one of the highlights of the year. The company has continued to focus on product, content and design work over the past 12 months.

The Malta-based sports, esports and finance affiliate also made a series of promotions throughout the year as it looked to strengthen its hand. A new chief technology officer was hired in November in the shape of Dominic Borg who joined from Casumo where he was head of engineering.  Fernando Mercieca was promoted from head of finance to chief finance and people officer in April 2023 to mark another addition to the company’s C-suite.

22. Game Lounge (19)HQ: MaltaKey executive: Richard DennysAccess to financials: No

A period of upheaval at Game Lounge saw the affiliate bring in industry newcomer Richard Dennys as CEO in February. This was after Jonas Cederholm, the company’s founder, decided to step back from the day-to-day running of the business. The appointment of the former Webgains head came after Game Lounge confirmed a streamlining process last year that resulted in redundancies within the content team.

Elsewhere, the group relaunched Betting.com as a magazine-style editorial site in four languages serving the US, UK, Brazil and Sweden in September. Meanwhile, its casino comparison tool is now live on more than 30 of its sites.

However, the biggest product launch in the past 12 months was that of AI-powered Pick Street, which provides weekly picks for 45 football leagues from 37 countries, as well as American football via a tiered, paid-for service. Game Lounge claims the product has the ability to “transform strategy”.

23. Vita Media Group (20)HQ: DenmarkKey executive: Jimmi MeilstrupAccess to financials: Yes

It was a significant 12 months for the two-time EGR casino affiliate of the year winner amid two brand launches, several market penetrations and the splitting of its loyalty and reward programme Ekstrapoint into a standalone entity.

Having been launched in 2018, Ekstrapoint built up a community of more than 150,000 users and has now been divested out of the main Vita Media Group. The affiliate still maintains a minority ownership and investment stake in the business, with it being led by Kevin Mikkelsen, Patrick Dolan and Jonas Miclea.

The splitting of the brand comes as Vita Media Group looks to home in its focus on paid media and lead generation, with market launches across Latam and Europe designed to tap into growing and mature markets on both sides of the Atlantic.

24. iGaming Nuts (25)HQ: UKKey executive: Adam BielinskiAccess to financials: Yes

Jumping one spot in the rankings, iGaming Nuts makes consecutive entries in the list after debuting in 25th place in 2023. Launches in Czechia with the Sazkove.cz brand and in Portugal via a media co-operation deal with Observador.pt were highlights for the UK-based firm. New social media channel launches on TikTok and YouTube for its Legalni Bukmacherzy brand were also highlighted as the group also made consolidation efforts across Europe and Latam.

The business also launched Looker, a tool for automatic data collection and analysis, mainly for first-time depositors and newly registered customers while a 15% year-on-year increase in headcount was also noted.

25. TAG Media (23)HQ: UKKey executive: Tom GalanisAccess to financials: Yes

For TAG Media, 2023 was a year of consolidation after relaunching its Punters Lounge portal in March. One of the items on the firm’s agenda was expanding its workforce, as TAG Media added eight new staff members across its divisions.

This year, the firm also launched TAG Connect, a go-to-market solution for operators to help them engage with affiliates across the world, and TAG Media Intelligence, a tool used to identify traffic opportunities and optimisation insights for clients. There were also upgrades and significant improvements made to the client areas of First Look Games and Rapid Game Studio Onboarding.

TAG Media also made its first foray into the paid media space in the US with the launch of TopNJOnlineCasino, while expanding into Brazil and Thailand.

ClovioHQ: PortugalKey executive: Sander Delabie

For Clovio, 2023 was focused on launching its Feeling Lucky brand in the Netherlands. The company also aims to launch the brand in Brazil this coming year. To help achieve the launch in the Netherlands, the Lisbon-headquartered company bolstered its web development team to redesign the Feeling Lucky website, making it faster and more mobile-friendly.

Clovio also expanded its content team to improve the firm’s output further. The affiliate, which has partnerships with operators such as Kindred, Betway and Betsson, also bulked out its partnerships account management team, with headcount doubling over the past few years.

North Star NetworkHQ: FranceKey executives: Yann Decoopman/Julien Josset

Making its Ones to watch debut in this year’s rankings, North Star Network has been hoovering up multiple sites across the globe as it expands its footprint. A flurry of purchases since the start of 2024 include the acquisition of South American sports media brand AlAireLibre.cl and UK-facing MrFixitsTips.co.uk. The affiliate kicked off the new year by completing the seven-figure purchase of SportsMole.co.uk to boost the firm’s stronghold in the UK market. With its headquarters in Paris, there are also offices in Lille and São Paulo, with the firm self-reporting 600 client partners.

Fable Media GroupHQ: SwedenKey executive: Alexander Pettersson

Fable Media Group comes into the Ones to watch segment of the rankings after a strong showing on financial metrics shared with BDO demonstrated a potential future full rankings spot for the firm with bases in Denmark and Sweden. Fable Media was formed in 2022 via a merger between Fable Media ApS and Future Gaming Group International AB. The reverse merger transaction was agreed in December 2021 to the tune of SEK180m. The brand mainly focuses on paid media marketing for sportsbooks, with a focus on revenue share. Fable Media also operates globally in various markets.