Deals Start with Conversations: Why We're Going to iGB L!VE

Do Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter?

Bohdan, you’ve been in the iGaming industry for over six years. From your experience, where do face-to-face meetings work better, and where is online communication just as effective?

As many already know, iGB L!VE is just around the corner, and this is exactly the time when the question of live communication becomes more relevant than ever. Our team will be attending the conference on July 1–2 with our own stand, and for us, this is an important part of our overall strategy.

To be transparent, online has become the foundation of the affiliate business. Many of our partners started working with Big Betty entirely online: they registered on the website, completed the onboarding process, received all the support they needed, and quickly launched traffic. It’s an efficient model that allows for fast execution and scalable growth.

But when we talk about large-scale affiliate business — especially in iGaming, where the market is relatively narrow and key players know each other well — online stops being the only tool.

At a certain stage, another layer of value appears: personal connection.

For the past few years, the industry has been moving toward one clear principle: people buy from people. And this goes far beyond sales. It’s about trust, reputation, and the speed of decision-making.

In a face-to-face meeting, you’re not just discussing deal terms — you’re reading the person in front of you: their energy, expertise, business mindset, how fast they make decisions, and how deeply they understand the market.

Very often, it’s at conferences or private networking events where conversations begin that would never happen online. That’s where unconventional deals, exclusive terms, and long-term partnerships are built.

To sum it up simply:

• Online helps you start working, offline helps you build strong relationships.
• In affiliate business, strong relationships always translate into long-term revenue.
• Sometimes, a 15-minute conversation in person can give you more clarity and trust than a month of messaging ever could.

Opportunities for Affiliates

What opportunities do events like iGB L!VE create for affiliates?

Events like iGB L!VE open up far more opportunities for affiliates than it may seem at first glance.

First, they provide access to new opportunities within already established and trusted programs. At Big Betty, for example, we are constantly expanding our portfolio of brands, testing new approaches, and creating additional growth points for our partners. For affiliates, this means the ability to work not only with a familiar program but also to unlock new scaling opportunities without having to start from scratch.

Second, it’s about new GEOs. Conferences often give affiliates a faster understanding of where the market is moving, which regions are gaining momentum, and where new traffic opportunities are emerging. Very often, it’s through face-to-face conversations that you gain real insight into which GEOs could become the next growth driver.

Third, there are exclusive terms. Some of the strongest deals are built offline. Personal meetings make it much easier to discuss non-standard cooperation models, individual rates, bonuses, or additional conditions that are often harder to establish through standard online communication.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s the chance to connect directly with the people who actually make decisions. When you speak face-to-face with a Head of Affiliate, C-level executive, or business owner, it significantly shortens the distance between an idea and its execution.

To put it simply: conferences are not just about networking. They are an opportunity to gain faster access to decisions, stronger terms, and new growth points that can directly impact the scale of your business.

Common Mistakes Affiliates Make at Conferences

Bohdan, what are the most common mistakes young affiliates make when attending major industry events?

If we’re talking about younger or less experienced affiliates, there are a few common mistakes that repeat at almost every major event.

First — lack of preparation. Many affiliates attend conferences without a clear understanding of who they want to meet and what outcomes they are aiming for. As a result, the pre-event stage already weakens the overall potential of the trip.

Second — focusing on quantity over quality. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to meet as many people as possible. In reality, one meaningful 15-minute conversation with the right partner is far more valuable than dozens of random introductions.

Third — lack of a clear value proposition. Some affiliates come to meetings without being able to clearly explain their traffic, GEOs, or performance potential. In this industry, clarity is essential — if you cannot position yourself properly, building trust becomes significantly harder.

Fourth — underestimating follow-up. Even strong conversations do not always turn into partnerships if there is no structured communication after the event. The real work doesn’t only start after the handshake — it also begins before it and continues long after the conference.

And finally — treating conferences only as networking events rather than business development opportunities. The strongest affiliates use these events strategically — to secure deals, expand GEO coverage, and build long-term relationships, not just to collect contacts.

In short: preparation, focus, clarity, and follow-up are what separate casual attendees from successful partners.

Getting the Most Out of Conferences

Bohdan, in your opinion, how can affiliates get the most out of iGB L!VE?

To be honest, getting the most out of iGB L!VE is first and foremost about how well prepared you are before you even step into the event.

Simply put, I would start with having a clear understanding of who you want to meet. Random conversations are fine, but real value comes from the contacts you’ve already identified in advance.

Then there’s proper time management. Conferences move fast, and without a pre-planned schedule, it’s easy to miss the most important meetings.

Another key point is having a clear understanding of your goals. Every affiliate should walk in with a specific objective — whether it’s new GEOs, better terms, or building long-term partnerships.

And finally, you need to be ready to clearly and structurally present your traffic. No unnecessary explanations — just clear numbers and results. That’s what builds trust fastest in this industry.

Big Betty at iGB L!VE

What does partnership mean for Big Betty today?

Big Betty has long positioned itself as a program built around strategic partnerships. Our team focuses on building relationships based on trust and personalization for each partner, aligning this approach with all of our marketing activities. We are building an ecosystem where online partnerships naturally intersect with face-to-face meetings and are reinforced by consistent marketing communication.

With our partners, we don’t just talk about payouts or monetization models. We focus first on understanding what the partner actually needs — what challenges they’ve faced with other affiliate programs, what strategy they’ve chosen, and why. Only after that do we assess how the partnership can help both sides grow. Technical topics such as payments and operational details come later in the conversation.

We also place strong emphasis on personalized communication. A clear example of this is Big Deal Show, a promotional campaign we recently completed. All our partners were involved, and in the final stage they were able to choose the prizes that resonated with them the most. This approach demonstrates how we treat partnerships: instead of simply assigning rewards, we involve partners in the decision-making process. It creates a sense of ownership and shows that the program is built around real preferences, not one-way communication. This is what differentiates us from many other programs and creates genuine added value in cooperation.

Big Deal Show as an example of investment into a partner community.

Big Deal Show was not just a promotional campaign or a short-term activation — it was a structured investment into building a stronger partner ecosystem. From the very beginning, the concept was designed to go beyond traditional incentives and instead focus on engagement, participation, and long-term value creation.

Rather than treating partners as passive participants, we built the campaign around active involvement at every stage. This included continuous communication, transparent mechanics, and a final stage where partners had real agency in choosing rewards that matched their preferences. This shift from “program-led decisions” to “partner-led choice” is a key part of how we think about community building.

The goal was not only to reward performance, but also to strengthen emotional and professional alignment between the program and its partners. By giving partners a voice in the outcome, we reinforce trust and create a deeper sense of belonging to the ecosystem.

In the long term, initiatives like Big Deal Show are not isolated campaigns — they are part of a broader strategy to build loyalty, increase partner engagement, and create a sustainable environment where both sides grow together.

At Big Betty, we see such initiatives as infrastructure for relationships, not just marketing activity.

What Will Big Betty Showcase at iGB L!VE?

Bohdan, what can we expect from Big Betty at iGB L!VE London?

This year, iGB L!VE is especially important for us. Big Betty has already been shortlisted in three categories: Best Affiliate Manager — Nika, Big Betty Partners, Program / Network Campaign of the Year, and Rising Star. This recognition already sets the tone for our presence in London.

Our activity this year will, as always, be slightly unconventional and more experience-driven. The core of our stand will be a comfortable space for real conversations — a place where partners can step in, slow down, and have meaningful business discussions. We will also have a dedicated bar area for informal networking and relaxation.

In addition, we are introducing a new activation — the StopTime Challenge, along with exclusive merchandise and, of course, the signature Big Betty atmosphere that always defines our presence at events.

Overall, iGB L!VE for us is not just about visibility. It is about deepening relationships, showcasing what we are building, and creating a real space for meaningful partnership conversations.

Bohdan, if you had to name one reason why an affiliate should attend iGB L!VE this year, what would it be?

iGB L!VE is where conversations turn into real partnerships. Online builds connections, but offline is where trust is confirmed and deals actually happen.