Affiliate marketing is growing up:
here’s what’s next
The affiliate playbook that built reach a decade ago is no longer enough to win today.
Regulation is tighter. Player expectations are higher. Operators are asking harder questions
about value, trust, and long-term fit.
In this market, sustainable growth comes from five shifts that are reshaping
how affiliates deliver results:
- Trust as the new growth currency – building acquisition on quality, not just quantity.
- Relevance that outlasts reach – showing up in markets as a local, not a visitor.
- Responsibility as a competitive edge – turning compliance into an advantage.
- Creativity built to last – campaigns fans and players want to return to.
- Leadership that raises the bar – making choices that strengthen the whole market.
Each of our shortlisted cases for the SBC Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 brings one of
these shifts to life in ways operators can measure, players can feel, and the market can build on.
Explore the work, see how the approach plays out across different categories,
and until 21 August add your voice to the public vote.
Cast your vote for the SBC Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 here
