The former Remote Gambling Association CEO recently took on the role of Chairman at the RAIG, a new affiliate association founded in the UK by Better Collective, Oddschecker and Racing Post.
One of his foremost aims is to protect the reputation of the affiliate industry, amid a landscape of political bias and dramatised reporting from mainstream media outlets.
"One of the problems we always face is gambling is never a vote winner, it can only be a vote loser," Hawkswood tells Gambling Insider.
"You can’t [stop outliers from letting the industry down]. Every industry and sector has this.
"It can be a combination of having some bad actors. But some companies are perhaps on the margins of profitability and have to cut corners to keep going."
The RAIG Chairman is also keen to emphasise the heavily regulated nature of the affiliate sector.
He explains: "What we can do is get better at separating the perception of the outliers and the bulk of the industry.
"Because affiliates haven’t really had that voice or a way to engage with politicians, everyone is tarnished by some horrendous story and the Daily Mail runs with it.
"Everyone then thinks that’s what affiliates are like. Of course, that’s not what affiliates are like."
Hawkswood was speaking exclusively for the July edition of Trafficology, which will be available online and distributed at IGB Live. Read the June edition here.
