Platform migration: a technical project or a management decision?

Operator programmes often move away from older, legacy affiliate management platforms because those systems can’t keep up with the evolving commercial, technical and regulatory demands of modern iGaming businesses. The shift isn’t just about newer tech, but about a measurable impact on compliance, revenue, performance tracking and operational agility.

Migration is never solely technical nor purely a managerial decision – it sits at the intersection of both. Successful transitions require cross-functional planning, robust technical execution, ongoing communication and training, as well as a partner who sees the whole picture.

Relative newcomer ReferOn has executed more than its fair share of programme integrations on its way to carving a firm foothold in the space since launch in 2023. Based on this experience, head of product Vlad Bondarenko tells iGBA that: “Successful migrations tend to look very similar. Marketing is clear on what they need to run campaigns, IT is realistic about technical constraints and finance has full visibility into how payouts and reporting will work in the new environment.

“When those three perspectives are aligned, decisions on structures, reward plans and reporting are made once and implemented cleanly.”

In other words, all parties understand both the opportunities and the potential hazards. Which is where a partner like ReferOn is so important. Their stated aim is to head off the dangers before they arise. As Bondarenko notes: “When collaboration breaks down, the same issues repeat in cycles. Marketing pushes for speed, IT fights fires and finance discovers mismatched numbers after go‑live.”

ReferOn is designed to give each team a clear, shared model of how deals, tracking and payments behave, so they are not relying on side spreadsheets or manual ‘translations’.

Growing market share

Since launch, ReferOn’s numbers are impressive. In 2025 roughly 20%-25% of their brands came via migrations rather than as completely new programmes, with a clear uptick in full migrations as the year closed.

The remaining majority of growth still came from new programme integrations though. Bondarenko considers this a sign of health, saying: “It means we are expanding our footprint both by helping operators modernise existing setups and by powering brand‑new affiliate programmes.”

This success comes from relationships with stakeholders where partners expect more than simply a technical ‘lift-and-shift’. He explains further: “For affiliate programs that are serious about growth, they want clearer logic, better transparency on payments and reporting that helps them optimise. When those expectations are acknowledged, migration starts to look much more like a strategic reset: an opportunity to tidy up reward structures, unify brands and modernise how the program communicates with affiliates.”

All of which plays into ReferOn’s hands. They are involved when operators treat migration as a chance to improve how they manage partners, not just the software they run on.

As Bondarenko clarifies: “That is why we pay so much attention to account management and to making the financial and reward logic explainable to all sides.”

Technical challenges

The main issues that arise when considering a platform move surround lost data and the process involved both from a platform and an affiliate standpoint.

Handled carefully and methodically, there is no reason to lose data. Historical performance, player associations and commercial logic can be preserved. In most ReferOn migrations, affiliates do not need to ‘rebuild’ anything: they reset their password, log into the new system and find their activity and earnings already mapped.

However, as Bondarenko takes pains to warn: “On the platform side, the heavier work is around retagging players, managing how tracking identifiers are handled and ensuring clean mapping from the old structures to the new ones.”

That is where clear guidelines, templates and step‑by‑step support are essential, because they directly influence both cost and timeline.

“With proper planning, validation and communication,” Bondarenko assures iGBA, “migrations can be executed in a controlled way, without surprises for operators or affiliates.”

Strategic benefits vs operational risks: why migrate?

Bondarenko is clear-eyed about the bigger picture when it comes to the decision to actually migrate. According to him, an operator “needs to decide if the old program is not up to the demands of the existing program and if any issues it has negates it enough to consider moving, inclusive of any costs, both in termination fees and work capacity required”.

The end result should be a greater satisfaction than that seen on the previous platform. Another important point is: can this formula work now, in six months’ time and in a year? Will it be the same output?

Both technical feasibility and long-term growth objectives matter, but Bondarenko sees feasibility as the gatekeeper, not the goal. “If a migration is not technically realistic – in terms of tracking, data structures, legacy reward logic and reporting continuity – then of course it should not proceed,” he notes.

The real value comes from what the new platform enables beyond day one: cleaner reward logic, better segmentation, richer reporting and more scalable financial processes.

“We are focused on giving operators a structure that will still make sense when they grow their brand portfolio, their affiliate base and their data needs”, says Bondarenko. “Validate feasibility first, then let long‑term growth objectives decide whether this is the right platform to move to.”

2026 and beyond

ReferOn will be at iGB Affiliate Barcelona for the world’s largest dedicated igaming affiliate event and is excited for the opportunity to hear from the industry.

“Exhibitions for us are primarily about listening,” says Bondarenko. “It’s where we gather vital feedback on industry pain points to ensure ReferOn stays ahead of the curve. Last time we focused on the ‘human layer’ of our system with our brand hero Refie. This year in Barcelona, the spotlight shifts toward important functional evolution.”

The company has been working on several core areas that they know are top-of-mind for their partners. This includes a major push in reporting and auditing logic, which is aimed at giving users even more control and clarity.

“Furthermore,” continues Bondarenko, “we are heavily investing in our payments module, which is a key pillar of our development right now. We know the market is moving toward faster, more seamless transactions – specifically automated solutions – so we are actively developing features to speed up the payout process and enhance overall security.”

There are some very exciting updates coming but to see how these developments work and what’s coming next you’ll have to visit ReferOn at stand 81-L58 in Barcelona.

1-on-1 meetings can be booked with the ReferOn team now.