Why affiliates must prioritize push over pull in the age of social media

(AsiaGameHub) –   A new workout plan, a recent book suggestion, or even an unknown album—billions of users turn to social media daily to pose the everyday questions that used to be only for search engines.

Because of this, affiliates across all industries—gambling included—are having to adopt new ways to connect with audiences.

As digital interaction evolves, we’re in ‘a moment when someone scrolling Instagram [will see] a follower say, “I found this new online casino” or “I found this promo,”’ noted Keith Geary, VP of Global Operations at Game Lounge, during a panel at the recent SBC Affiliate Digital Day.

He added: “So it’s a push to you, not a pull. Understanding how many users come from Instagram scrolling is key—it’s a total change in how users are gained.”

He shared that the company’s internal research showed a more than 50% year-over-year rise in casino-focused streamers and a over 100% jump in influencers open to promoting gambling products.

While this shows strong demand for gambling content on social media, panelists cautioned marketers against a one-size-fits-all strategy and stressed that campaigns should be tailored to the specific influencer.

“There’s long been a mindset that if a creator has a big audience, you can post a free bet offer and people will convert,” said James Prosser, Growth Director at Checkd.

“It has to be something the creator is part of that excites them—something that piques their interest and their audience’s too. That’s the line between a regular ad and a creator-driven engagement piece that also converts. The results are way different when you do it right versus using something generic.”

But working with creators requires care, as global regulators keep tightening restrictions on these tactics and enforcing strict marketing oversight.

Because of this, operators and affiliates must give creators clear brand guidelines and a detailed list of regulatory do’s and don’ts.

In addition to the right content shared the right way, Geary stressed that brands need to choose creators whose audiences might be interested in gambling.

He explained: “I’ve seen campaigns where influencers or streamers were excited to work with us at first, but soon their followers pushed back hard—they hated gambling. They lost followers really fast. 

“So make sure the creators you work with have an audience that shares this interest. It can go south fast and backfire completely if you don’t.”

While platforms like X and Instagram are best for user acquisition, Telegram and WhatsApp were highlighted for their ability to send direct messages to players—especially in regions like Latin America.

Prosser said: “X and Facebook have more curated algorithms—they don’t want to show much of the affiliate content we want users to see. But in a Telegram group, every user gets a notification for everything you send.”