Jesper Kärrbrink is a well-known person in the iGaming industry with extensive experience, including positions as CEO of MrGreen and Svenska Spel, along with being a chairman and part of the board of directors in several iGaming companies. Today, we’re interviewing Jesper as chairman of the board of the performance marketing company JustMedia Ltd. In this position, Jesper brings extensive experience and iGaming know-how, particularly in the online casino vertical, relating to game development, user experience, and responsible gambling.
Question: Hi Jesper! Please share your experience with the affiliate marketing side of iGaming and how you got involved with the lead generation company JustMedia Ltd.
Jesper: During my time as CEO at Mr Green, the two founders of JustMedia, Magnus Boberg and Tobias Alriksson, worked at Mr Green with SEO and digital marketing. That’s how we originally met. Later, in 2021, I was exploring the possibility of starting an iGaming affiliate marketing company. I then reached out to Magnus and Tobias, and as it turned out, they were open to working together. It was perfect timing.
Question: So, that was two years ago, right? Where are you now, how’s your experience with affiliate marketing, and what are the plans for JustMedia moving forward?
Jesper: The affiliate marketing industry for iGaming is in a transitional period. This side of the industry used to be a few steps behind the operators and software providers. Today, regulatory pressure is increasing across the digital supply chain, impacting marketing companies, especially in regulated markets, where affiliates are held to higher standards. It’s a positive change that JustMedia is embracing, as it allows us to bring decades of experience into affiliate marketing, with an increased focus on consumer experience, responsible gaming, and the risks associated with gambling. These are elements that used to be ignored by affiliate marketing companies. One of my main criteria when I explored the possibility of starting an affiliate marketing company was to focus on these areas. Fortunately, Magnus and Tobias were already doing it.
Question: It really was perfect timing then! About regulations and licenses, what markets are JustMedia targeting?
Jesper: We have our flagship brand, JustGamblers, which we leverage for all markets we’re active in. Initially, Magnus and Tobias targeted the US when they launched the JustGamblers website in 2018. United States remain our main priority, and we plan to expand across more states as the regulatory landscape opens up. We’re currently active in a handful of states and have acquired a vendor license for New Jersey, allowing us to do business with iGaming operators in the state. Most recently, we entered Pennsylvania targeting online casinos. And before year-end, we expect to cover all verticals in the Keystone State, including sports betting and online gambling in general. Outside of the US, we are targeting several markets, including Canada, India, and Brazil.
Question: How is the regulatory landscape evolving? Are we seeing the same trends worldwide?
Jesper: Culture continues to play a significant role in iGaming legislation. The West, for example, is more streamlined around gambling legislation, with most countries being either regulated or in the process of implementing legislation. On the contrary, countries like India are still divided. When JustGamblers first launched in India, the government viewed online gambling more favourably and worked towards legalization. More recently, that status has changed, and it remains to be seen when countries like India introduce online gambling legislation similar to what we’re seeing in the United States and Europe.
Question: What are your experiences between regulated and unregulated markets, and how does JustMedia approach the two?
Jesper: For us, the regulatory status does not change our business strategy. We keep a close eye on local laws and regulations while partnering with ethical operators that mirror our values around the consumer experience and responsible gambling. Where needed, we go through the administrative processes and requirements to obtain relevant licenses to conduct business legally. From our point of view, we favor regulations even though it means more overhead and restrictions. That’s the direction the industry is headed, and it’s the right way forward.
Question: That’s insightful! With that in mind, what are the key areas modern iGaming affiliate marketing companies should focus on, what are the differences from how it was done previously?
Jesper: The next generation of performance marketing companies in the iGaming industry need to focus on the consumer experience, taking ownership and responsibility for the traffic they are passing on to partners. Everyone in the digital supply chain should be held to high standards, which improves the industry as a whole. That’s where regulations can play a critical role. The priority should always be on the consumer and sustainability. For us, it all boils down to responsible affiliate marketing.
Jesper, thank you for your time and insights. I’m sure our readers will find your thoughts and input equally interesting.
About JustMedia Ltd
JustMedia Ltd is a leading performance marketing company active in the iGaming industry, using its expertise in SEO, content, tools, and guides to gamblers worldwide. Through their main brand, JustGamblers, they deliver high-quality traffic to iGaming partners in a transparent and responsible way.
The post Interview With JustMedia’s Chairman, Jesper Kärrbrink: Affiliate Marketing, Regulations, and Responsibility appeared first on iGaming.org.