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Meet the Winners of the Affiliate Leaders Awards 2026

By jili tutorial · October 2, 2026

Overview of the Affiliate Leaders Awards 2026

The Affiliate Leaders Awards 2026, held on 30 September at Lisbon’s MEO Arena, celebrated the best in affiliate and performance marketing across the global betting and iGaming industry. Co-hosted by sports presenter Alison Bender and Portuguese football legend Nuno Gomes, the ceremony recognized 20 categories in front of 300 industry professionals. The event, organized by SBC, serves as a benchmark for excellence in a sector that has become indispensable to the iGaming ecosystem.

This guide breaks down each major winner, explains the significance of the categories, and provides context on how these awards reflect broader trends in affiliate marketing, operator strategies, and technological innovation.

Event Highlights and Significance

The Affiliate Leaders Awards are more than a trophy ceremony. As Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, noted: “It’s a physical representation of a job well done, a change made and an impact on the industry.” With a record number of entrants this year, the awards underscore the growing importance of affiliate networks, content quality, and regulatory compliance in driving sustainable growth.

The event also showcased the increasing diversity of affiliate models — from crypto-focused affiliates to large-scale operator programs — and highlighted how data-driven marketing, innovation, and leadership are reshaping the competitive landscape.

Major Affiliate Category Winners

Affiliate Employer of the Year & Affiliate Traffic Source of the Year: Clever Advertising

Clever Advertising retained its Affiliate Employer of the Year title while also winning Affiliate Traffic Source of the Year. This double recognition signals the company’s strength in both internal culture and external performance. For affiliate professionals, this win highlights the importance of employee satisfaction as a driver of sustained traffic quality and conversion rates.

Context: In a competitive market where affiliate teams often work remotely, awards like Employer of the Year validate investment in team well-being, training, and retention. Traffic Source of the Year, meanwhile, emphasizes the value of scalable, high-quality traffic generation — a core challenge for many affiliates.

Sports Affiliate of the Year: Flashscore Network (Second Year Running)

Flashscore Network’s repeat win in Sports Affiliate of the Year cements its position as a dominant force in sports betting content and user acquisition. The network’s combination of real-time sports data, user engagement tools, and betting integrations offers a model for how affiliates can blend utility with monetization.

Example: Flashscore’s live score widgets and match statistics drive organic traffic, which they then convert through contextual betting offers — a strategy other affiliates can replicate by focusing on user value first.

Casino Affiliate of the Year: Catena Media

Catena Media took home Casino Affiliate of the Year, a category that reflects excellence in casino gaming content, player acquisition, and retention. Catena’s portfolio includes leading comparison sites and review platforms, and this award underscores the ongoing shift toward high-quality, authoritative content that helps players make informed choices.

Best Affiliate Network: Hub Affiliations

Hub Affiliations secured Best Affiliate Network, a title that recognizes the platform’s ability to connect publishers with operators effectively. Networks like Hub provide tracking, payment, and support infrastructure — and winning this award signals trust and reliability in a space where partnership quality directly impacts revenue.

Affiliate Content Manager of the Year: Anna Maria Baccaro (Hub Affiliations)

Anna Maria Baccaro retained her title as Affiliate Content Manager of the Year, highlighting the critical role of content strategy in affiliate marketing. Winning this individual award demonstrates that content planning, SEO expertise, and editorial oversight can be as important as technical or sales skills.

Rising Star of the Year (Affiliate): BIG4PLAY

BIG4PLAY was named Rising Star of the Year, a category that identifies emerging affiliates with high growth potential. This win signals that new entrants can break through by specializing in niche markets or innovative traffic sources.

Affiliate Product Innovation: Better Collective

Better Collective won Affiliate Product Innovation for developing tools or platforms that advance how affiliates operate. This could include new data analytics, user engagement features, or automation — areas where technological edge matters.

Crypto Affiliate of the Year: GottaGamble

GottaGamble’s win in Crypto Affiliate of the Year reflects the growing importance of cryptocurrency-focused players and payment methods. Affiliates targeting crypto users need specialized content, wallet integration, and understanding of blockchain verification — a niche that is expanding rapidly.

Affiliate-led Campaign of the Year: SlotCatalog

SlotCatalog won for the best marketing campaign led by an affiliate. This category highlights creative, effective campaigns that drive measurable results — from branded content to seasonal promotions.

Operator Category Winners

Affiliate Programme of the Year (Medium/Small): Vegas Legends (Second Year)

Vegas Legends retained its Affiliate Programme of the Year (Medium/Small) title, proving that smaller operators can compete by offering attractive commissions, reliable tracking, and strong communication. For affiliates, partnering with such programs can yield higher conversion rates and more personal support.

Affiliate Programme of the Year (Large): Novibet

Novibet took the large operator category, showcasing its scale and efficiency in managing affiliate relationships. Large programs typically offer higher volume but may have more standardized terms — this award suggests Novibet balances both reach and relationship quality.

Digital Marketing Campaign of the Year: Betsson Group

Betsson Group was crowned Digital Marketing Campaign of the Year, recognizing an integrated marketing effort that likely combined affiliate channels with direct advertising, social media, and content marketing.

Leadership and Individual Honors

Affiliate Leader of the Year (Shared): Brian Christopher & Anastasiia Shсherbyna

This award was shared between Brian Christopher (Creator & CEO, BC Ventures) and Anastasiia Shсherbyna (CMO, Melbet). The shared win recognizes leadership from both content creation and marketing management perspectives. Brian Christopher is known for his slot streaming and community-building, while Anastasiia Shсherbyna represents strong C-level direction in a major operator.

Affiliate Account/Community Manager of the Year: Leon Constantinou (Entain)

Leon Constantinou from Entain was honored for excellence in managing affiliate relationships and communities. This role is vital for resolving issues, fostering loyalty, and communicating program updates.

Affiliate Marketing Manager of the Year: Giannis Stavropoulos (Stoiximan)

Giannis Stavropoulos of Stoiximan won for outstanding marketing management, likely demonstrated through campaign optimization, data analysis, and cross-functional coordination.

Supplier and Technology Categories

Affiliate Management Platform of the Year: RavenTrack (Retained)

RavenTrack kept its title as the leading affiliate management platform, indicating consistent performance in tracking, reporting, and fraud prevention.

Casino Title of the Year: Evolution

Evolution won Casino Title of the Year, which may refer to a specific game or provider recognized for best affiliate-friendly features (e.g., high commissions, good conversion rates). Evolution is a major live casino provider, and its win highlights live dealer content’s popularity among affiliates.

Affiliate Technology of the Year: PartnerMatrix

PartnerMatrix was named Affiliate Technology of the Year, likely for its white-label affiliate management solution that helps operators launch and scale their own programs.

Marketing Agency of the Year: Basher Agency

Basher Agency secured Marketing Agency of the Year, a testament to its ability to deliver integrated marketing services tailored to iGaming affiliates and operators.

Key Takeaways for Industry Professionals

Full Winners List

A complete list of all 20 category winners is available on the Affiliate Leaders Awards official page.

Acknowledgments

The event was made possible by platinum sponsor SuperPartners and a panel of expert judges. Their commitment underscores the collaborative nature of the iGaming affiliate ecosystem.