Why casino affiliates are turning on to Twitch

The online casino affiliate space has changed significantly in recent years, and if you are to succeed in todays market, you have to do more than build a website and populate it with content.
Affiliates must now consider themselves brands and undertake similar marketing activities to the online casinos they list and recommend to their readers. Sure, SEO traffic will always be a key consideration, but it is now just as important for affiliates to use digital PR, digital marketing and social media as part of their brand-building efforts.
An increasing number of affiliates are also launching dedicated streaming channels to engage and entertain an even wider audience and, of course, to build even more brand equity.
Mr Gamble has been running a Finnish language Twitch channel since 2019, and over that time, we have amassed more than 20,000 followers. This is why we recently took the decision to launch a second Twitch channel - Mr Gamble Casino - which is targeted at the fast-growing US market. But establishing and operating a Twitch channel is not without its challenges, which I discuss below in more detail as well as provide suggestions for how they can be overcome.

A simple setup that is not so simple:
In principle, all you need to get started with a Twitch channel is a webcam, microphone and broadcasting software, and away you go. But then you have to consider the quality of the stream you wish to broadcast. To compete with the established streamers, you have to make a sizeable investment in your streaming setup.
This is so you can purchase a high-quality camera and powerful microphone, as well as set up a proper studio environment from which to stream. Once you have the correct technical setup in place, you have to consider things like the budget allocated to each stream, presenters and the game providers you work with.

Viewers expect to be entertained:
Make no mistake about it, if you are to build a sizeable audience to your Twitch stream, you must deliver high levels of entertainment, or players will simply switch to another channel. Most want to see big wins, and that means you must allocate a budget to each streaming session that is sufficient to allow the presenter to bet big when necessary.

We provide sufficient funds to our streamers so that they can place sizeable bets on each stream, to win the mega and epic wins our followers dream of. The presenter chosen for the stream is just as important. They need to be engaging and entertaining and draw in the audience and hold their attention for the duration of the session.

This is easier said than done but get it wrong and the result is a flat, dull stream that not even the streamer themselves can get excited about. Of course, the games being played throughout the stream are just as important as the presenter and the playing budget they are allocated. Boring games lead to a boring stream. We always stream games that sit at the higher end of the volatility scale and that are packed full of bonus features - the anticipation of hitting these is what keeps viewers captivated. We often stream games from providers such as PlayN GO, Relax Gaming, and Nolimit City as they provide the thrills our audience is seeking.

Dont fall foul of the rules:
Even with the right technical setup and entertaining streamers with big budgets playing the right games, there is no guarantee of success. Streaming channels such as Twitch have rules you must read, understand and abide by or risk having your channel shut down. Given the investment required and the time it takes to build an audience, this can have a significant, negative impact on the affiliate if they cannot get their account reopened.

Brand building takes patience, dedication and time:
Brand building is a long-term undertaking and establishing a Twitch channel is no different. The key is consistency players want to know what day (or days) and time (or times) you are streaming and expect you to keep to that schedule. If you can only stream every Wednesday at 9pm, that is better than taking an ad-hoc approach audiences dont like irregular streaming schedules. Ultimately, the key to a successful streaming channel lies in bringing all of these factors together and then being dedicated and patient when it comes to watching your channel grow.
This is something we have done and, as a result, have been able to drive brand awareness as well as direct traffic to Mr Gamble. But anyone looking for an easy win should look elsewhere.