Interview with Jamie Rosen

Hello Jamie, thanks you for joining us today. For those who don’t know about you, could you please let us know a bit about yourself and your projects? How did your journey start in the industry and how did you decide to be an iGaming affiliate?

As an iGaming VET, I’ve been in the industry 15+ years working both for some of the largest casino companies such as 888 to previously owning an affiliate business in Online Bingo. I have always been focused on digital marketing, specifically affiliation and SEO which has led me to my current affiliate business, which is based on video content, and is SEO-driven, being very focussed currently on the UK casinos.

At the moment, what is your flagship product that you work on? Could you tell us a bit more about it? What is the vision behind it and how do you see it developing further?

FruitySlots is 100% our main focus in terms of affiliation. We have seen substantial growth in the UK affiliation without too much effort on our SEO but rather video content via streaming. With 50,000 Youtube subs we have created a large UK casino community who regularly tune in to our streams and video content. However, recently we have decided to invest in other marketing channels such as SEO and we are undertaking a huge website restructure to be able to compete further in an exciting but challenging market.

How is it to be an iGaming affiliate in the UK? How do you see the market?

The UK market is certainly interesting as we see some of the biggest affiliates struggling to maintain casino rankings in the UK and many of our affiliate partners telling us how there just aren’t that many affiliates that can send good value (not volume) anymore. Whilst we are conscious of these potential challenges, right now we are seeing very positive trends in Google and are looking to continually invest in the UK market.

Do you plan expansion to any other country than the UK? The industry is constantly growing and new markets are openning up on a monthly basis. Do you see an opportunity for you there?

With a domain like ours, that resonates with many slots players round the world, we are thoroughly focused on expansions and certainly other casino markets. We have tested the water before but realised that if the foundations of the website are not set, then you can forget geo-targeting. This is where we are now and why we are using your fantastic services in the aim to be able to expand to other territories who are interested in slots and casinos. We have learnt that one step at a time is certainly a good approach and we currently have a very small % of the UK market and plenty to capitalise on until we get to other GEOs.

We see that your project is present on various mediums. So far, which platform you see is the most beneficial for your business? What were the main challenges you faced while going through that?

I am very much a believer of the holistic approach when it comes to marketing and do what you can afford and get the best ROI. With video content, as we were one of the first Youtubers in the UK, we generated huge traction and many views. This certainly helped build a foundation for where we are today which is heavily focused on video content to help supplement our SEO efforts. For me it’s hard to pick between video and SEO but I would say value wise in the UK, SEO takes its in terms of most beneficial. Challenges we faced was mainly that our website wasn’t structured right which meant one day we could be flying in the SERPs for terms to the next day, not even being in the serps!

Another thing I noticed is that you are very picky on listing some casinos on your website. Could you please let us know what are your standards while reviewing and listing the casinos?

Absolutely, being in the industry for the years I have been and the many affiliate accounts that have been shut with commissions owed due to those casinos closing is numerous! Therefore, selecting your partners are super important especially in the UK market. As much as new casinos are important, players are not naive to the fact that the product offering is number 1 now. With all the constant regulatory changes taking place it makes it hard for casinos to stand out other than with a great product and we are seeing this from our acquisitions. On that note, I can say that our target is to provide the most helpful resources to our community, as we take pride on our player-first approach.

On that note - how affiliate managers can contact you for conducting deals? What are your criteria for online casinos to have before partnering with you?

Interesting question. We are finding we are speaking less and less to the guys we deliver good and consistent traffic too as the parameters have been set. I would say its different to the past in that respect but it feels there are no ‘games’ to play in the UK market anymore. All affiliates and the managers know the eCPAs and budget accordingly. The main criteria for us good commissions as when it comes to the brands as their are limited good new casinos launching they are few and far between nowadays. On the other hand, those looking for collaboration can contact me through my email [email protected].

Lastly, I’d like to mention our collaboration on one of your websites. How has working with Revpanda resulted in your website’s performance? How is Revpanda experience for you so far?

Even though we have only started to work together over the last few months, its been a pleasure. There is no need to go into the drama of the last year but what is clear to see is structure and organization when it comes to SEO and marketing is everything. In terms of website performance its as expected and relatively stable but we are certainly excited for the future with you guys.