With nearly two decades of experience in the online gaming industry, Katy Stafford is a seasoned marketing expert specializing in acquiring new players, mainly through affiliation. She has managed affiliate programs for InterCasino, ComeOn Group, and Casumo. Currently, she leads the Affiliate Team at the new Crypto Casino Startup, HIT Gaming, where she develops and implements strategic plans to maximize traffic and revenue for their premier brand, Bombastic.com.

We spoke with her about the issue of “affiliate fraud” in the blockchain sector.

Q. Katy, you have been in Affiliate Marketing for quite some time. Could you share how you began and the highlight of your career to date?
A. My journey began in 2005, just before the UIGEA was enacted, at a time when localized market regulations were scarce in Europe and globally. I transitioned to affiliate marketing in 2010 and have since directed the affiliate departments for renowned brands like InterCasino, ComeOn Group, and Casumo. More recently, I joined HIT Gaming, an exciting crypto startup, and played a pivotal role in launching their flagship brand, Bombastic.com, in January this year. Reflecting on nearly 20 years, witnessing the evolution of affiliates from small operations to publicly traded, multi-award-winning entities with consistent growth has been incredibly rewarding.

Q. You must have encountered significant “affiliate fraud” early in your career. What are some common fraud challenges that operators face with affiliates today?

A. Regrettably, fraud remains a persistent challenge for iGaming Operators, although fraud detection tools have advanced significantly. Today’s prevalent fraud issues include fake traffic or bots inflating clicks and registration statistics, bonus abuse or incentivized traffic, and multi-accounting or linked accounts using VPNs.