While casino operators have long dominated partnership models, a new wave of affiliates is stepping directly into the creative core by teaming up with game studios. We speak to three slots sites and a provider about what drives this shift, the formats these collaborations take and where the future may lead.
Compared to casinos, game providers are better known for their quirky characters. Name a theme, whether it’s Donald Trump, Peaky Blinders or fish and chips, there’s likely a matching slot satisfying players’ curiosity. Each studio has its own distinct style too, with some focusing on low-volatility titles for casual players and others developing high-volatility games designed to spike adrenaline.
Amid a sea of casino offers, it’s often the availability of games that convinces players to grab the bonus and make their first deposit. Yet in traditional affiliate models, where partnerships revolve around operator deals, the creative masterminds behind those titles are usually missing from the dialogue. While streamers naturally collaborate with game providers in their live content, what does a studio partnership mean for site-focused affiliates? We speak to a slots developer and three affiliates about their journeys in this growing area and how they’ve redefined creative boundaries in partnership formats.
“A three-way value chain”
Founded in 2012, Endorphina now boasts a library of over 200 games and was among the first studios to build direct partnerships with affiliates, particularly in the LatAm region. According to partnership marketing manager Kseniia Korolchuk (below), the team’s vision is straightforward – to harness affiliates’ storytelling flair to convey the brand’s personality and message, engaging existing players while attracting new ones.
“Overall, direct partnerships with affiliates allow us to go beyond simple product promotion and build a real engagement ecosystem – where the brand, the partner and the player are in constant dialogue,” Korolchuk explains. “This approach strengthens audience loyalty and enhances Endorphina’s recognition across key markets.”
Direct partnerships with affiliates allow us to go beyond simple product promotion and build a real engagement ecosystem
Kseniia Korolchuk, partnership marketing manager at Endorphina
For UK-based affiliate SlotsHawk, working closely with game providers felt like a natural next step. A slots lover at heart, founder Iain Fenton says studio collaborations not only give readers exclusive content but also offer the team valuable insight into game development, leading to stronger content and better player education.
“It was rather remiss of us to, unintentionally or otherwise, not be working with the various incredible game providers,” Fenton recalls. “Therefore, we simply decided to begin reaching out to the suppliers which developed the games that we enjoyed playing the most, and most were more than happy to begin a partnership together.”
Mykhailo Kachanov (below), head of affiliate at SlotCatalog, notes that players often show greater loyalty to game providers. He likens casinos to streaming services: “I might like Netflix as a brand, but if they pull my favourite show from the library, I’ll look for it elsewhere – even if Netflix gives me a discount to stay.” Studios, on the other hand, create games that “sit at the heart of the casino experience” and build their own player communities.
Partnering with studios, as Kachanov explains, allows affiliates to shape the player experience, moving beyond “traffic and offers” into storytelling and immersion. It also completes “a three-way value chain” between providers, affiliates and operators, helping SlotCatalog strengthen its position in the B2B space by using data and rankings to guide industry decisions.
I often compare casinos to streaming services: I might like Netflix as a brand, but if they pull my favourite show from the library, I’ll look for it elsewhere
Mykhailo Kachanov, head of affiliate at SlotCatalog
As affiliates, gaining quality backlinks from game providers and boosting site SEO are certainly key reasons for building partnerships. But as Slotsjudge’s head of marketing Jekaterina Dubnicka points out, the benefits go beyond rankings. As players learn more about studios’ products and become iGaming specialists, affiliates are driving “unique and high-quality traffic for operators”, further reinforcing this value chain.
From launching games to cooking Borscht
Arguably, the best part of studio partnerships is the creative freedom they offer. Korolchuk says the most effective collaborations she’s seen are “comprehensive campaigns that combine multiple tools” – everything ranging from “joint promotions, content support, tournaments, dedicated landing pages and social media activities”.
A standout emerging format is what Korolchuk calls “affiliates as micro-partners”, where “providers develop slots not only in collaboration with casinos but also with major media outlets or influencers”. While the top iGaming streamers have long delved into the game development space, with CasinoDaddy releasing slots with Relax Gaming and Fruity Slots’ Josh Green launching his own studio, it is still rare for affiliates to embark on this journey. SlotCatalog set a precedent by developing the Uncrossable Rush game with Evoplay. As Kachanov introduces, the team leveraged its insights, including players’ search trends and preferences across global markets, to create the patented mechanic CrossyRun and guide game design.
A new format will emerge - “affiliates as micro-partners” - where providers develop slots not only in collaboration with casinos but also with major media outlets or influencers
Kseniia Korolchuk, partnership marketing manager at Endorphina
“For us, this wasn’t just about promotion – it was about co-creation,” Kachanov says. “Evoplay brought world-class development, we brought the mechanic and community reach, and operators closed the loop by delivering it to players. That project redefined how we think about partnerships.”
SlotsHawk and Slotsjudge have found their answers in exclusive content. Fenton argues that partnerships “don’t have to be just about press releases or revealing secrets about upcoming games,” but should also focus on genuine interests. The affiliate has conducted interviews with NoLimit City and Slammer Studios for pre-launch previews, and spoke with Four Leaf Gaming’s director of technology to gain insights into the team’s favourite game.
Dubnicka’s proudest project is a video interview with Onlyplay, during which they cooked Ukrainian Borsch soup for the Lucky Borscht game, inspired by culinary TV shows such as Let’s Eat at Home and Selena + Chef.
“We invented a completely new approach to building relations with the brand and showed the game's concept in real life. Many partners recognise us because of this collaboration, since no one has done anything like this before,” Dubnicka says.
When you come to a brand representative and talk about a completely new way to cooperate, they may find it weird
Jekaterina Dubnicka, head of marketing at Slotsjudge
Partnership Wild West
Perks aside, as a new partnership model, many may still have some qualms about making the investment – an uneasiness that exists on both sides. Dubnicka recalls that Slotsjudge’s first few partnerships were “quite hard to achieve.”
“When you come to a brand representative and talk about a completely new way to cooperate, they may find it weird,” Dubnicka (above) explains. “In some cases, it took months to sign a single deal. It was a long journey during which we connected with game providers both online and at land-based conferences, asking about their new products and showing our audience’s interest specifically in the brand’s work.”
Fenton (below) notes that not all studios are enthusiastic about collaborations, especially when working with smaller affiliates: “The biggest game providers can pick and choose who they work with – and they have every right to do that – so unless you are one of the top-tier affiliate websites, then it can prove a challenge to begin working with them right away.” That said, Fenton believes patience is key to securing a deal, and affiliates should always keep the door open for potential partners.
Likewise, Korolchuk observes that many affiliate partners haven’t yet realised the potential of this emerging model, although perceptions are changing fast. She encourages affiliates to explore new collaboration formats but says that “such projects require time, commitment and mutual understanding” – something affiliates should keep in mind before getting started.
Unless you are one of the top-tier affiliate websites, then it can prove a challenge to begin working with them right away
Iain Fenton, SlotsHawk founder
While CPA and revenue share remain the go-to deal structures in casino partnerships, Kachanov says monetisation models with game providers tend to be more fluid, often involving “fixed fees or experimental approaches.” Not every collaboration is paid upfront, and it often follows a risk-and-reward model, but that’s exactly the kind of excitement the team is after.
In its Evoplay collaboration, SlotCatalog opted for a revenue share deal. Explaining the decision, Kachanov says, “it was the fairest structure because it aligned all incentives”, and further motivated the team to “approach the project more like a start-up venture rather than a one-off campaign.”
Co-designing the future
When asked about future challenges in affiliate–studio partnerships, Fenton says that given the wealth of resources owned by conglomerate providers and casino operators, he worries some might eventually barge into the affiliate space by acquiring sites.
“Of course, if this does happen, then players may suffer as an in-house review site is hardly going to criticise the games that are developed by that same house,” he adds. For now, SlotsHawk’s focus remains on providing genuine reviews and ideally, “working with as many game providers as possible.”
Kachanov believes that this new collaboration model “is still largely underexplored”. He sees the future in “data exchange and true co-creation” rather than simple exposure and paid reviews.
Campaigns that fit naturally into the player journey instead of just being pop-ups perform far better
Mykhailo Kachanov, head of affiliate at SlotCatalog
“The best partnerships are those that feel less like short-term campaigns and more like long-term collaborations,” Kachanov explains. “Today, people want more than offers. They want stories, experiences and immersion. Campaigns that fit naturally into the player journey instead of just being pop-ups perform far better.”
Endorphina is doubling down on partnerships. Korolchuk reveals that the brand’s official site has just been updated with an improved affiliate zone where partners can find everything from branded kits to new releases. Alongside personalised support, the studio also offers analytical insights and a range of technical tools including social casino integrations, tournament features affiliates can use directly and auto-updating demo slot libraries.
In a recent project, Endorphina launched an AI streamer with an affiliate for the slot Capybara Fortune, where the host is a capybara itself. Although it’s too early to gauge the results, Korolchuk expects this “bold and unconventional concept” to capture the audience's attention.
“I truly believe that these innovative approaches will open up new horizons for everyone in the industry – affiliates, providers and players alike. They will allow us to create more engaging, diverse and inspiring content that captivates audiences and turns gaming into a truly unique experience,” Korolchuk says.
What is the next jaw-dropper slot? Perhaps affiliates won’t simply wait and guess, but actively shape the games and bring the best to players. While the iGaming ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex, there’s also more freedom for affiliates to push creative boundaries and redefine what partnership means.