Affiliate marketing, particularly in casino gaming, can be the number one way a platform grows—it’s just about selecting the best affiliates and ensuring they offer the most significant margin of return. Although many people believe the key to casino marketing is via welcome bonuses and promotions, those with a poor affiliate program are also at a disadvantage.
It’s part of a multi-pronged strategy, and providers are aware of the importance of a structured, measured approach to affiliate marketing—whether it is through a review site, an individual, or, usually, both.
Casino affiliates are just one of many cogs that help the Canadian digital casino industry grow year after year. Entrusting affiliates to grow a brand isn’t a new concept—it’s something that has existed in several industries for over a century. Affiliate marketing takes many forms, but today, we will look at how casino review sites utilise their leverage to help casinos expand their reach and visibility. Although there are dozens out there for Canadian casino gaming, we will focus on our top five.
How do Casino Affiliate Partnerships Work?
While the first place your mind may go when you hear the word “affiliate” is brands and influencers who promise the world on social media, casino review sites use their pull and objectivity within the business to review casinos impartially. These businesses can take many forms, but the main focus for casinos is usually casino review sites. This helps people build a fairer picture and increases brand trust, reputation, and visibility.
The power of affiliate marketing has been evident for over a decade now. However, the rise in the number of people using digital casinos and the sharp rise of Canadian bettors has meant that there’s even more potential within this small but growing part of the gambling sector.
From our list today, you will see that there are plenty of fantastic-looking affiliate sites for Canadian players, but a few really stood out. Are we really reviewing the reviewers? Absolutely—their time has come for their own judgment.
We are ranking these sites based on a few key factors:
- User Interface – How easy the site is to navigate, how instinctive it is to you, and how easily you can find all the important information you need without trawling through.
- Popularity – While popular things aren’t always better, popularity over time can be a great indicator of repeat users, which in turn can be an indicator of quality.
- Expertise – It is paramount to have a well-trained, well-informed staff running the affiliate. You can tell the difference between a veteran casino reviewer and a novice.
- Reliability – How up-to-date is the information? Are the bonuses listed often expired? Does the content seem to have not been updated for years? While they might be forgiven for an oversight here and there, a site that is wholly and consistently out of date isn’t going to be much use for a review.
#5 – Casino.ca – 8.2/10
First up, we have Casino.ca—a name that many Canadian casino gamers will recognise. Although the site design is fundamental, and some of their reviews are relatively drab, the overall structure of the home page illustrates a company that knows what it’s doing.
Of all of their features, the best part of their affiliate site is the blacklisted casinos’ section situated at the bottom of their home page. However, a close second place would be the number of cryptocurrency casino reviews. As this market continues to expand – especially in the light of Bitcoin hitting a new all-time high and more people seeking out crypto casinos, it’s always beneficial to find an affiliate site that isn’t just in the business of focusing on one or two providers.
If you’re using only specific affiliate sites that lean toward more favourable reviews for platforms under the same umbrella – it could indicate, they have an ulterior motive to promote them. This doesn’t mean that the website is compromised or isn’t trustworthy; it just means the review might not be as objective as you’re initially led to believe. Therefore, be sure to weigh these things up beforehand.
#4 – OnlineGambling.ca – 8.6/10
Cranking it up a gear with our next one – OnlineGambling.ca has hundreds of reviews they feature. They use a range of different reviewers, and what we most like about this one, for Canadians, is that a specific section is dedicated to French language reviews. Not only do they feature a series of different payment method reviews and specific online review sites, but they are also easy to browse.
Affiliate sites are a great tool, but unfortunately, you do come across ones that ram all sorts of pop-ups and adverts down your throat. You’ll also come across ones with poorly written reviews and grammar—or ones that just glaze over the very basics of the site. OnlineGambling.ca doesn’t do this—it is one of the most respected in the entire Canadian market and has been featured in some top media publications.
#3 – Casino.org – 8.9/10
Other than GambleOntario, we’d say Casino.org has the easiest site on the eye. The reviews are short, impartial and to the point. While this is positive and gives you the core fundamentals of the casino’s quality and what they offer – it is a little thin, and if you’re after more detailed breakdowns, then Casino.org probably isn’t the first choice.
However, with that said, there are plenty of other positives, including structured and informative blogs and articles on how to play specific casino games, and just like casino.ca – there’s a great section telling you what casinos to avoid – and why they’re on the blacklist.
Despite the smaller reviews with less detail – Casino.org is the oldest of the affiliate websites we’ve featured today, first launching in 1995 and encompassing dozens of countries. Their Canadian reviews cover so many different brands and stay within editorial guidelines that have been in place for many years.
All of these are elements to look for in a reputable affiliate site, and while Casino.org doesn’t quite have the same level of reach or depth as the next two affiliates we’re going to feature – they have earned their place in the top five.
#2 – Gambling.com – 9.2/10
It depends on what you’re looking for from a casino affiliate. The Gambling.com site seems to be a mountain of information thrust in your face—there’s so much to take on board. They are highly informative, and we particularly enjoy their detailed slot reviews. They bookend each review with a handy pros and cons list that lets you explore the key points they’ve made throughout their review.
In addition, you can find categories and lists for specific slot games, ranging from Egyptian to Greek, classic fruit themes, and modern-style games based on film and TV. While the site might feel cluttered to some and sometimes goes a few days without any sort of update or review, it drills right into the whole purpose of casino review sites – impartiality and well-constructed criticism and praise, often in equal measure.
Since it’s part of the broader GDC Media Group, Gambling.com has been in business since 2011. It uses many of the same reviewers who have years of experience reviewing casino sites from other parts of the globe. While some Canadians may prefer a local touch, many of the new casino platforms in Canada are extensions of more recognisable, international brands—so many reviewers have experience deep-diving into them in the past.
#1 – GambleOntario – 9.7/10
Casino affiliate sites give fascinating insight into the mechanics of individual providers and allow you to look at their broader offer from a new angle. As we’ve mentioned already today, it’s important to note that those sites that are able to remain objective and have many different, structured ways of reviewing casinos are often the ones that rise to the top.
GambleOntario has a vast range of reviews and covers all of the top names, as well as a significant selection of the smaller casinos looking to make a name for themselves. We won’t sit around and say that their service is perfect. Still, given that it’s far more challenging for a review site to make money from affiliate marketing in the same way an individual on social media can – it’s commendable that they’re so committed to an admittedly less glamourous part of the industry.
GambleOntario is the highest-rated casino affiliate we’ve encountered, and the reason is a handful of critical criteria—many of which we covered earlier in today’s piece. The depth of their review categories covers everything you could think of – no deposit casinos, fast withdrawal casinos, individual games like craps, lottery and keno, payment methods and a litany of online slot categories.
The quality and structure of their reviews have allowed them to remain impartial and develop a core audience that seeks out their opinion on all things casino gaming. This is all pinned together by a website that’s easy to use and even easier on the eye.
GambleOntario makes efforts to consistently revise their content to ensure the information is evergreen and up to date. Given that they have a range of good, average and bad reviews relating to casino platforms across a wide range show that they value content quality and information accuracy above all else. Objectivity is the number one component you want from an affiliate site. You’d be hard-pressed to find many Ontario gamers who disagree.