The RevenueLab gambling industry research

The partnership network RevenueLab has conducted a survey-research for Russian-speaking webmasters, who monetize a gambling traffic. The goal is to find out which traffic sources, GEO and partnership networks are the most popular nowadays and why.

The survey has been completely anonymous, hasn’t provided any advertisement and hasn’t appealed to anything. 126 respondents have participated in the survey. It has been conducted in news sources dedicated to affiliate marketing in VK and Telegram - the most popular social media in CIS.

Now we are going to tell you about what we have found out from this survey.

Do you work with gambling?

It has been the first logical question. The biggest part of respondents - 75,9% - has answered “yes” and 24,1% has chosen the “no” response option. We will tell you about specialists, who answered “no” and affiliate marketing verticals they prefer to work with soon.

How many years on average does affiliate marketer work with gambling?

Let’s not forget that affiliate marketing is quite a young marketplace, especially, if we are considering the gambling vertical. In addition to this, the working process in the gambling vertical is more complicated than, for example, in the product niche, however it is also a lot more lucrative.

Thus, the largest part of respondents has started to work with affiliate marketing about a year ago - It is 46,3%. 17,9% of respondents have been working with this marketplace for two years yet, 13,4% - for three years. Gambling ambassadors, who have been working in this sphere for five years and more, form the smallest group of respondents - 10,4%.

If you look on the diagram, it will be clear that gambling becomes more and more popular. A little less quarter of respondents either have just started to learn basics or are going to start learning this marketplace soon.

Which models of interaction are the most preferred for affiliate marketers to work with?

The top of the most popular models of interaction, which affiliate marketers use, is permanent.

CPA - 89,4%. The type of interaction which means that a webmaster is paid for a user’s targeted action. It can be a registration, a deposit or an activity during a certain period of time.

RevShare - 31,8%. A specialist receives a certain percentage of a player's spent amount of money.

CPL - 15,2%. A webmaster is paid for a lead. According to this interaction model a player has to leave personal information.

Hybrid - 7,6%. The combined option which consists of RevShare + CPA. This kind of interaction allows webmasters to receive a percentage of sales and a fixed rate for a single action. It is a good option for beginners.

Fix - 1,5%. A fixed price.

Based on the responses, the last two models of interaction are the least popular in the gambling vertical. By the way, the most amount of affiliate marketers use few interaction models instead of using only one. It’s mainly CPA and RevShare.

Affiliate marketers have been asked why they prefer to work namely with these models of interaction. The most popular answer among the respondents has been the assertion that these models are profitable and clear. Respondents also have noted that these frameworks generate almost relentless passive income, rapid growth and investitions refund.

Meanwhile CPA model of interaction is prefered less than RevShare due to the last one provides an opportunity for accurate calculation and quicker turnover.

Which GEOs are the most popular among affiliate marketers?

CIS has taken the first place. 47% of respondents direct traffic to the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This is due to the fact that the majority of respondents have birthed and grown-up in these countries and also have a good understanding of mentality.

Europe has taken the second place with 46,3%. Affiliate marketers are attracted by a small rate of competition, bundle of low traffic cost and high capacity to pay.

The third place has been taken by Australia (26,9%), which affiliate marketers consider a mother lode. North America (10,4%) has taken place next to Australia. South America (7,5%) and Asia (7,5%) has become the least popular GEO among affiliate marketers.

It is important to note that many of affiliate marketers prefer to work with few GEO at the same time, the most popular mix is Europe, Australia and CIS. However, there also have been respondents who work with all GEO which are indicated in the top.

Which traffic sources are popular among affiliate marketers nowadays?

It is always an interesting question which traffic sources affiliate marketers prefer to work with and if there are any new and effective marketing tools. That’s how respondents’ answers are spread:

Targeted advertising in social networks - 68,7%;
SEO - 20%;
Search advertising - 17,9%;
Push-notifications - 7,5%;
Other traffic sources - 7,5%;
Teasers and banners - 6%.

Affiliate marketers choose targeted advertising in Facebook as the main way for promotion, while they are working with gambling vertical, for a few years yet. Despite the fact that there are many pitfalls in moderation and cloaking, Facebook has a higher traffic rate. But, for example, an advertising network which is popular in the product niche, is not used there.

Which CPA-networks have you heard of?

This part of research will be interesting mainly to product owners and affiliate marketers. Respondents have received a list of 50 CPA-networks. They have to answer two questions: which CPA-networks they have heard of and which of them they have worked with for the last three months.

Top 10 looks like this:

Gambling Pro – 74,6%;
AlfaLeads – 71,6%;
CPA Bro – 58,2%;
ClickLead – 50,7%;
Gmblng – 35,8%;
RevenueLab – 19,4%;
CPAGen – 23,9%;
Other CPA-networks – 21%;
Gambling Affiliation – 10,4%;
CPA Today – 9%;
Affiliate Biutique – 6%;
Welcome-partners – 3%.

Which of these gambling networks have you worked with for the last three months?

Gambling Pro – 34,3;
Other gambling networks – 33%;
AlfaLeads – 23,9%;
CPA Bro – 23,9%;
ClickLead – 10,4%;
Gambling Affiliation – 4,5%;
RevenueLab – 3%;
Gmblng – 3%;
CPA Today – 3%;
CPA Gen – 3%;
Welcome-partners – 3%;
Sohee House – 3%.

After this question respondents have been asked to tell in detail why they have chosen namely these affiliate networks. Obviously, the main criterion has been a working conditions. It means good brand offers, a clear payout system and a high-quality support.

This information leads to the assumption that affiliate marketers are well informed about different affiliate programs and know the most amount of active CPA-networks. Anyway, promo, advertising and cases do what they must to do, but often affiliate marketers’ knowledge doesn’t influence their decision to work with “other gambling networks” as the second popular answer shows us in the diagram.

If you don't work with gambling then what would you like to work with?

Health and beauty - 42,9%;
Product niche - 38,1%;
ating - 14,3%;
Financial offers - 9,5%;
Sweepstakes - 9,5%;
Betting - 4,8%;
Adult niche - 4,8%;
Essay - 4,8%.

Summary.

Affiliate marketing sphere continues to grow and becomes more popular every day.

Models of interaction affiliate marketers prefer to work with are constant: it is CPA and RevShare. These frameworks provide almost relentless passive income, rapid growth and investitions refund. Also a lot of affiliate marketers use both models of interaction.

The same GEO popularity have CIS and Europe, Australia is close behind. Today we haven’t any new traffic sources, so affiliate marketers prefer targeted advertising in social networks, SEO and search advertising.

The answers of affiliate marketers about the selection of affiliate networks are quite interesting, especially, for product owners and marketers. The main criterions have become good brand offers, availability of Facebook mobile apps, clear payout system and high-quality support.

There in RevenueLab we will continue to conduct research. Join us in our social media to stay informed about all topical information, brand offers and industry trends: