Beyond the bonus: how one affiliate adapted to regulatory shifts in Sweden

In Sweden’s tightly regulated online gambling market, few affiliate platforms have demonstrated adaptability and resilience quite like Casinobonusar.nu. As one of Sweden's most established casino comparison websites, Casinobonusar.nu has consistently refined its strategies to comply with evolving legal frameworks while maintaining strong visibility in an intensely competitive digital environment.

The site has achieved this despite aspects of the 2019 Swedish regulation looking entirely at odds with the innate model for the site. Lowe is sanguine, however, when asked about the situation: “The bonus-only restriction in Swedish regulations created a challenge for us since welcome bonuses are the main focus of our comparison service,” he notes with a shrug. “When players can only receive bonuses once as new customers, it changes how players interact with our platform.”

But, he continues, “this regulatory change prompted us to adapt.”

Casinobonusar.nu now focuses more on detailed comparisons beyond bonus amounts – breaking down wagering requirements, game selection, user experience and payment options. “We've improved our content to help players get the most from their overall online gaming experience,” explains Lowe.

“We've also built stronger relationships with operators to maintain accurate bonus information,” he continues. “This is crucial in this restricted environment. These regulations have pushed us to provide better value to users looking for the best welcome offers in the Swedish market.”

That said, surely differentiating a site like Casinobonusar.nu in a historically competitive affiliate space such as Sweden came with its share of difficulties?

Distinctively different

“To stand out in the affiliate space,” says Lowe, “we take a practical approach to differentiation. We focus on being knowledgeable experts in Swedish welcome bonuses. Rather than covering everything broadly, we provide deep, specific expertise in this niche.”

UX is another key differentiator. Raketech has invested in making the site intuitive and simple to navigate, with clear information layout to help visitors quickly find exactly what they're looking for without frustration.

“Trust is essential in this industry,” Lowe adds. “We maintain strict standards for accuracy. We regularly verify all bonus information directly with operators and update content promptly when terms change. This reliability builds credibility with our users. This targeted approach lets us serve specific player interests better than one-size-fits-all competitors.”

From threat to opportunity

Lowe is also clear-eyed about the potential Google-related looming threat of artificial intelligence for scale affiliates. Mostly that AI threat is in the realm of content generation, however, while Casinobonusar.nu is carefully exploring its use only for personalising the user experience.

“We understand the concerns around AI-generated content and Google's stance on this issue,” he says. “Our approach focuses on using AI to let visitors personalise their welcome bonus options based on their own preferences. They'll be able to select what matters most to them – whether that's deposit bonus amounts, free spins, or lower wagering requirements – and see tailored recommendations.”

This personalisation layer will enhance Casinobonusar.nu’s expert-written content, not replace it. The core comparative information and analysis will continue to be created by its team of industry experts who understand the Swedish market's nuances, while AI helps connect players with the specific casino bonuses they will find most valuable.

The volatility of Google’s updates could be a flashpoint for the smaller operators. With the ranking across thousands of keywords being a situation that may enable the larger affiliates to ride out the storm, there’s a danger of a trend to domination by the very biggest. It is an ongoing battle and one that Casinobonusar.nu is taking a nuanced and deliberate view on.

“The iGaming affiliate industry is increasingly dominated by operators and media conglomerates,” explains Lowe. “Simultaneously, we're seeing a troubling rise in black hat SEO techniques, with parasite SEO being the latest trend – where manipulative content is injected into high-authority domains to game search rankings.

 “For Casinobonusar.nu, we're pursuing a strategic approach that emphasises quality over quantity. Instead of trying to compete across every possible keyword, we're concentrating on being the definitive resource for Swedish welcome bonuses – an area where we can genuinely provide superior value.”

Race to the bottom

There are dragons hiding in the corners though and Lowe has already touched on one of them. Organic search currently resembles a race to the bottom with non-Spelpaus affiliate sites – the equivalent of non-Gamstop sites in the UK – using parasite SEO techniques to game the SERPs.

Raketech’s COO takes both a big-picture and a more honed view on the matter: “This is not a good direction for iGaming,” he states. “The presence of affiliate sites promoting unregulated operators is concerning to say the least. These sites often direct players to casinos operating without proper licences, circumventing important consumer protections like deposit limits, self-exclusion tools and responsible gambling measures.

“Despite these challenges, we believe that quality content, transparency and a commitment to player safety will prevail in the end. The foundations of a good product and honest business practices remain the strongest long-term strategy in this market.”

So what can we expect to see from Casinobonusar.nu in the near future?

New era

“Our primary focus is on the upcoming 2.0 launch later this year,” Lowe says. “This new version represents a significant step forward in our development.

“At the heart of our strategy is a deep commitment to user experience. We're constantly asking ourselves how we can better serve visitors. This means not just listing bonuses, but helping players understand which offers truly provide value for their specific playing style.”

The focus is on the visitor. Always on the visitor, because without them, there is no product. So the aim is to develop a product where visitors can quickly find exactly what they’re looking for and make informed decisions. That way they’re more likely to return.

“The launch is an exciting milestone,” concludes Lowe. “We're confident it will establish us as the definitive go-to destination for Swedish players seeking welcome bonus information and comparing regulated online casinos.”

Lowe keeps coming back to a three-word idea. “Quality over quantity” will be the key to the coming months and years. Casinobonusar.nu has plenty of the latter but the focus on the former is what will see it slay the dragons.

Christian Lowe di Biase is Raketech’s COO since October 2024. He originally joined Raketech in March 2024 as Chief Business Development Officer focusing on M&A and new business development opportunities. Prior to joining Raketech, Christian held various roles with Zalando covering M&A, partnerships and investments.

Cover image by Pineapple22Productions from Pixabay