During Richard Dennys’ tenure as chief executive officer of Game Lounge, he has moved the company beyond traditional affiliate channels, tapping into videos, podcasts and streaming.
Malta-based igaming affiliate Game Lounge will begin its search for a new chief executive officer after Richard Dennys confirmed he would be stepping down from the role.
Posting on LinkedIn, Dennys explained that after two years as CEO, it was the “right moment” to step back from the company “and focus on what comes next”.
He said: “After an intense and rewarding chapter, today I have stepped down from my role as CEO of Game Lounge.
“Over the past two years, we’ve reshaped the business around its core strengths, expanded into new markets, and built a strong foundation for the future. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and grateful to have worked with such a talented and committed team across multiple countries.
“To everyone at Game Lounge; thank you. It’s been a privilege to be part of the journey. Keep pushing, keep questioning, and never stop learning.”
Under Dennys’ leadership, Game Lounge has carried out a brand transformation, moving away from traditional long-form reviews towards a more multimedia-led strategy, tapping into videos, podcasts and live streaming.
His departure suggests the blueprint phase of Dennys’ ‘broadcast philosophy’ is over and the company is, instead, shifting more towards a phase of operational execution – focusing on turning affiliate sites into holistic media brands that bettors visit directly rather than just via Google searches.
If the Malta-based affiliate is to continue on this trajectory under whoever next becomes the chief executive, it confirms a shift in the affiliate landscape as more brands look to tap into all-encompassing media as a means of driving engagement with bettors.
While it hasn’t been confirmed what Dennys’ next role will be, or whether he will remain in the igaming space, he noted on LinkedIn that he will be “also exploring a small number of opportunities at board and advisory level, alongside potential investments”.
Rumours have been circulating that Game Lounge could be making a series of redundancies across the company, however this has not been confirmed.
A tough time for affiliates
In the past few years, affiliates within the igaming space have been dealt a fair share of challenges – from regulatory crackdowns on affiliate activity, to changes to Google algorithms.
Bans on TV and broadcasting advertising for gambling companies has also meant that many operators have found themselves with additional budgets to spend on in-house promotional activities and SEO, dealing somewhat of a blow to the affiliates that they have traditionally worked with.
Game Lounge did attempt to navigate the advertising bans in markets such as the Netherlands with the launch of Kiickr – an affiliate network delivering market-leading deals, fast payouts, and full visibility for publishers to scale with confidence.
By owning the data as well as the tech stack for Kiickr, Game Lounge moved beyond the traditional realms of being an affiliate, and instead moved towards becoming a data partner.
However, as more markets continue to mull over tighter regulations on both gambling advertising and affiliate activity, companies like Game Lounge will need to find new and creative ways to engage with bettors.
