Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Affiliate Succes

Interview with one of the industry’s internationally known reporter, Rebecca Liggero of CalvinAyre.com

Published

on

We have the honour of presenting you our interview with one of the industry’s internationally known reporter, Rebecca Liggero of CalvinAyre.com.

The picture was taken at the WhichBingo Awards 2015 organized by WhichBingo.co.uk.

The interview’s focus is to bring you closer to the industry and maybe learn some new things about how to maximize your experience at conferences. And what greater time to ask Becky about these things, than the one when she is actually preparing for one of the greatest igaming events on the planet, the iGaming Super Show which is held in Amsterdam next week between 23rd and 26th of June.

The interview is going to include some never heard infos about Rebecca and some healthy diet and lifestyle tips, so here goes:

Firstly we would like to thank you for this opportunity, we are really interested and I’m sure that all our readers are going to read this with huge interest.

  • Name: Becky Liggero
  • Age: 36
  • Hometown: Wellesley, Massachusetts (Boston)
  • Living in: Blackheath, UK (London)
  • Favorite Food: Wood Fired Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza
  • Must Read Book: The Secret

 

EEG: Tell us a bit about yourself, we want to know who Rebecca really is, who in our opinion is the main person behind CalvinAyre.com. Where were you born? How did you find this industry?

Becky: I was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a beautiful suburb about 10 miles outside of Boston.  My Mom and Dad are still living in the same home I grew up in and I would describe them both as my hero.  I have one younger sister and she is my best friend, although the exact opposite of me.  My personality is quite extroverted (for those who haven’t noticed) and I absolutely love spending time with people, I have the best job in the world, I am passionate about exercising, spending time outdoors, going to the beach, eating at nice restaurants and indulging in a fine bottle of red from time to time.   

I was lucky enough to literally stumble across this industry after graduating from University and then living in Washington D.C. for four years, I was looking for jobs in the Boston area in late 2004/early 2005 and came across an opening in the Boston Globe for an “online account manager” role at an internet company.  Turns out this internet company was Casino City and I loved the work and fell in love with the industry right from the start.  I certainly have Casino City’s CEO Michael Corfman to thank for taking me under his wing and providing me with a strong foundation in iGaming, something I will be forever grateful for. 

I remained with Casino City for almost five years, had a brief stint with Everest Poker somewhere in between and began working for Calvin and with the CalvinAyre.com team in August of 2009.

EEG: Since there are not that many companies like yours, where do you think CalvinAyre stands now?

Becky: Its been an incredible journey working for CalvinAyre.com since before the site was even launched until today, honestly the best five plus years of my life so far.  We’ve grown from a “tablog” (a cross between a tabloid and a blog) to the most popular source for credible news and event coverage in the iGaming industry and greater gambling industry. 

EEG: What are the strong points of CalvinAyre.com?

Becky: I am so proud of the outstanding quality of our news and the talented team of full-time writers we have on board.  One writer in particular, Steven Stradbrooke, has an incredible ability to write about a dry topic while adding some humor into the piece – I think it’s this twist of “fun” or delivering news “with an edge” that truly separates us from some of the other industry publications out there. 

Our video content is also a strong point.  We are lucky to have the resources to send full camera crews to cover major iGaming conferences, awards, parties, poker tournaments, etc, and to have access to our own studios in London and Manila for shooting standalone interviews.

EEG: We have noticed that you attend most of the events and cover as much as possible? How is life with all those travels? Guess you already know the receptionist from the airports and hotels.

Becky: I have always had a passion for travel and have been exploring the world ever since I was a baby, something I have my father to thank for.  I have also always had a passion for spending time with interesting people and my travel to different events around the world puts me right in my element.  What I find so special about attending these iGaming events is I get to see the same people over and over again, so each event serves as a reunion of sorts and they are so much fun to attend. 

However, I do cherish my time at home and I think all my travel helps me appreciate the simple things in life more than I normally would.

EEG: With all that travelling and interviews, you must posses a hidden super power? Would you reveal it to the readers?

Becky: I am actually a complete health nut when it comes to exercise, diet and sleep, especially during conferences.  Every morning I run for an hour or use cardio machines in the gym, I eat a huge amount of raw fruit and vegetables daily and I try hard to sleep eight hours per night.  Obviously the above doesn’t always happen when traveling, but I do my best.  Another trick I have is to limit my alcohol intake at conferences I like to enjoy a few glasses of red but hold off on anything too crazy unless I’m camera-free the next day.

EEG: What can you advise new affiliates that are looking to venture in this great industry?

Becky: It’s all about who you know in the iGaming industry, so my advice would be to attend all the conferences you can and network as much as possible.  Yes, its important to know what you are talking about, but building relationships and trust will open a lot of doors in our world.

EEG: What were the bumps in your road when you got started in your career and how did you overcome them?

Becky: Well I had never been in front of a camera until I accepted this job!  If you want a good laugh, search for some of our videos from 2009 and you will see a different Becky Liggero…I was so nervous…it took me a solid year until I was somewhat confident in front of camera, but now I love it.  All it took was a lot of practice.

EEG: We know you have met many, but who is your favourite celebrity?

Becky: For sure its The Hoff!  I had such fun interviewing David Hasselhoff at G2E 2012, in fact I had an entire 30 minutes with him and I couldn’t believe how star struck I was. 

EEG: Here is the video interview Becky conducted with David Hasselhoff….

EEG: Since conferences are efficient and of course fun, do you remember any fun experience that you will never forget?

Becky: Oh wow, there have been so many fun experiences…if I had to pick one, I would have to say the CalvinAyre.com “post-apocalyptic” themed launch party during the Prague iGaming Super Show in 2010.   That night was unbelievable and does stand out from all the rest.

EEG: If you would just open your Youtube search bar, what would you search for?

Becky: I’m not the biggest fan of surfing YouTube, but I would use it to search for songs and full-length movies…

EEG: Alright, here comes the fun part….favourite food, where would you like to travel in Eastern Europe, some part of the region maybe that you haven’t visited yet and favourite destination around the world.

Becky: My favorite food is wood fired buffalo mozzarella pizza.  I would like to travel to Poland, I’ve never been but have heard good things.  My favorite destination around the world is New Zealand, I adore that beautiful country and the kiwis are such lovely people.

EEG: Where you wouldn’t want to travel in Eastern Europe?

Becky: I am always up for traveling to new places!

EEG: What is your opinion about EEG(Eastern European Gaming – eegaming.org)?

Becky: I’m grateful EEG provided me with the opportunity to share my story through this interview

EEG: Thank you for this opportunity and have a great one!

Affiliate Succes

Casino Hacks– the world’s first Casino Bonus & News TV!

Published

on

Casino Hacks– the world's first Casino Bonus & News TV!

New online casino affiliate combines the successes of MTV, Top Gear and Late-Night Talk Shows with casino games entertainment


 Online casino fans now have the perfect platform for their interests in slot machines, blackjack, baccarat and roulette. Casino Hacks.comis launching the world’s first TV show for online casino players.

Targeting millions of online casino fans worldwide, and having already partnered with some of the major online casino operators and casino games suppliers, Swedish-owned Casino Hacks has been created by a tight team of former gaming operators, producers, marketing & SEO experts, including former executives at MTV, Mr Green, Bethard, Raketech, Pokerstars and Metal Casino who are also passionate online casino lovers.

Casino Hacks Founder Clas Dahlén was named ‘Sweden’s Best Marketer’ in 2014 when heading up Mr Green in Sweden, and is also the former Founder and Brand Strategist behind Metal Casino. The host of the show, Jonas Lutteman, who worked in the editing rooms of MTV in London will lead the entertainment and competitions in the CASINO HACKS show as well as manage Casino Hacks’ Twitch Program.

Even before the launch, Casino Hacks has already contracted major online casino operators and casino games suppliers to partner up on the affiliate platform and sponsor the TV show. It is a perfect platform to reach casino players and high rollers in a confined online casino games channel. Only a selection of online casinos will be partnered initially, as Casino Hacks only will work with the best online casinos offering the best casino bonuses as a trade off to a new, more beneficial, business model for the partnered online casino.

Clas Dahlén, the CEO, or ‘The Sales Guy’, as he would rather be referred to, says:

“Casino Hacks is here because we believe that online casino players, across the world deserve a higher standard of live entertainment. Looking for tips, hacks and great casinos and the best bonuses should not be like going through the Yellow Pages! We believe this part of the casino experience should reflect all the fun and action one can expect from an online casino today.

 “It’s now my mission to market and sell this amazing website. I’ll be a sales-focused CEO who will introduce our outstanding service to casino players and make sure the content is entertaining. That is my full-time job for now!

 “Coming from the operator side we felt it was time to do something new in the affiliate sector, creating new energy and with great design, broadcasting and all the fun entertainment that the online casino experience truly is about.

“The Show will reveal the latest online casino news, broadcasting casino reviews, new slots and interviews with interesting industry people such as the best Twitchers. The daily show will naturally run fun and rewarding competitions continuously.”

Casino Hacks is set for an international launch this week in Canada and New Zealand, followed by Australia, Iceland and six other territories in 2020.

Clas Dahlén describes their pioneering approach:

“Casino Hacks speaks out loud. We are the new kid on the block, and we don’t give a damn about our competitors’ conventional marketing or offers. Keeping our language real, trustworthy and staying true to our beliefs is something most people strive for. Few live up to it. Our members can count on us. As our brand platform describes, we are creative, honest and passionate in our communication with our members.

“We are Casino Hacks and we deliver winning Entertainment!”

Continue Reading

Affiliate Succes

Do the right thing

Published

on

Do the right thing

 

James Ashton from Find My UK Casino says that affiliates and operators must be responsible in their approach to engaging players over the coming months

As an online casino affiliate that prioritises responsibility and compliance above all else, I was saddened to receive emails from several of our operator partners regarding a small number of publishers that have looked to leverage the on-going global crisis to their advantage.

These emails are reminding affiliates of the terms and conditions which they agreed to when partnering with the operator, most notably that all marketing activity undertaken must be responsible and compliant at all times.

For those that are not, they risk having their accounts terminated with immediate effect. And rightly so. Professional online casino affiliates do not need to rely on a global crisis to drive traffic to their sites – if anything, they should be taking additional steps to protect their players.

Since the UK lockdown came into force last week, we have seen traffic numbers increase. This, of course, is to be expected as more people are now working from home or not working but being required to stay at home.

This is good for us and other affiliates, and equally positive for our operator partners. But we all have to take a responsible approach and ensure that we go above and beyond to provide players with the information they need to make an informed decision about if and where to play.

This includes ensuring bonus terms and conditions – significant and full – are correctly displayed while also creating explainers about wagering requirements, the tools available to help keep in control of their play and how to ensure they play at licensed and reputable brands.

We are prioritising pages such as these over high-volume ranking pages that are proven to drive players from the SERPs to our pages and ultimately to the online casino brands we recommended. As a result, we have seen retuning site visitors increase over the past two weeks.

One of the most effective ways online casino affiliates can protect players at a time when site traffic and demand is likely to increase – at least over the coming weeks and months – is to only work with the best online casino brands out there.

These are not necessarily the most established brands or those that hold multiple licences, but those that go the extra mile to educate players about responsible gambling and provide them with additional features to manage their play.

As an affiliate focussed on the UK market, we only work with those that hold a UK Gambling Commission licence. Others don’t do this and some even actively promote brands that are not UK licensed to UK players on pages about Online Casinos Not On GamStop.

This is irresponsible on many levels, but amid the current climate is putting the most vulnerable at greater risk than ever before.

We also work very closely with our operator partners to ensure that all the content we create around their brand(s) is 100% compliant, and also seek feedback on other aspects of our site to ensure we are doing everything we can to meet the highest possible standards.

This is always important but particularly right now as people find themselves with more time on their hands but perhaps with less disposable income to spend. That’s not to say they shouldn’t play online casino, but affiliates and operators must do all they can to ensure they play responsibly.

There is clearly an opportunity to target the growing number of people being confined to their homes, but affiliates and operators must do the right thing and ensure they do not take advantage of the situation and use is to their advantage.

Affiliates and operators should be investing time and resources into helping players enjoy online casino play if that is how they want to spend their time and money, but in a way that is healthy and within their means both personally and financially.

So although I was sadden to receive emails from operators stating that affiliates should not be leveraging the current global crisis and using it to their advantage, I was encourage to see that they had taken serious steps to identify, prevent and punish those that are.

That being said, it is really down to affiliates to do the right thing in the first place and it seems that despite the tremendous efforts being made by regulators, watchdogs, operators and publishers, a small minority continue to act irresponsibly, doing untold damage to the rest of the sector.

Continue Reading

Affiliate Succes

Leading betting affiliate sets sights on Virtual Sports market

Published

on

Leading betting affiliate sets sights on Virtual Sports market

In a historic shake up of the sporting calendar not seen since the Second World War, all major sporting events have been put on hold indefinitely.

With markets in turmoil, and traffic to online bookmakers and affiliate sites alike taking a significant hit, there is a lot at stake. Sporting events will eventually return, although it’s unclear exactly as to when.

It means that the iGaming community as whole needs to look to viable alternatives, although some feel that the present predicament actually provides opportunity.

 “We’re aiming to turn this unique situation into one where we can adapt, learn, and hopefully come out of the other side in a much stronger position”, says Eskil Kvarnström, CEO of Leadstar Media. 

 

Viable alternatives to sports betting

“We’re quite lucky in the fact that we’ve always set out to hold a varied portfolio of products that set their focus across sports betting, online casino and a number of international markets,” says Kvarnström.

Indeed that is the challenge for many betting affiliates and online bookmakers alike. How they act and react now could leave a pivotal mark in the immediate and distant future alike.

“One of the areas where we’re already seeing a significant upturn is in the realm of virtual sports, and that’s exactly where we’re setting part of our focus for the time being. It’s providing us with a great opportunity to improve in fields that might before have gone overlooked.”

A flagship product of Leadstar Media, BookiesBonuses.com, aims to provide the best overview of UK bookmakers for its users based in the British Isles, but also further afield. 

“While Bookies Bonuses is primarily geared towards providing a great deal of information on online bookmakers, it is one of our sites where sports betting takes centre stage, although online casino does play an ancillary role in what it has to offer.”

 

It’s important to be reactive

Many sports betting sites are already seeking to develop their virtual sports betting products. The likes of Bet365, Betway and Coral have arguably the most advanced virtual sports packages on the market at present, while the BetVictor sign up offer has recently been updated to highlight its availability to players interested in virtual sports. 

“We’re actually surprised that more online bookmakers aren’t yet seeking to promote their virtual sports packages given that we already know many of the major football leagues in Europe in particular are going to be out of action for at least another month or so. But that’s where we come in”, states Kvarnström.

 

The role of the affiliate

“In many respects the virtual sports market goes overlooked by many players who are interested in sports betting, simply because there is a constant availability of real-life events taking place all over the world at any given time.”

“We see our role at Leadstar Media not only to provide the best products for the consumer, but in being a key conduit of disseminating valuable information on distinctive areas of the sports betting and online gambling sector. It’s not just about what is on offer, but also how particular aspects of the market like bonuses and deposits methods fundamentally work in practice, and providing that information accordingly,” says Kvarnström.

“In many respects the virtual sports market is an untapped resource ready for development, especially in such unique times. Our company has a lot of experience in nascent markets across the world, such as Africa and India, so we feel confident we can inform and advertise to our users everything that virtual sports have to offer”.

In such unique and uncertain times, it certainly provides food for thought in how the iGaming sector as a whole will look to react, adapt and develop, and more importantly, what the landscape will look like when we come out of this period on the other side.

Continue Reading

Trending

We are constantly showing banners about important news regarding events and product launches. Please turn AdBlock off in order to see these areas.