How to evaluate an iGaming platform before driving traffic. A practical guide by Makeberry Affiliates

A classic scenario in a media buyer’s life: you grab a link, quickly set up your funnel, and start driving traffic without properly checking the platform.

What happens next is just as predictable. The traffic doesn’t convert, the buyer blames the product, and the product blames the quality of the traffic. Although in practice, the problem lies with the platform, which is unable to handle this traffic.

How can you test the platform before launching the campaign, and what questions should you ask the product team to avoid losing money? Valentyn Halchuk, Head of Business Development at Makeberry, explains.

What to check before launching traffic

• Registration

The registration form should be as simple and straightforward as possible, with no unnecessary verification steps. Ideally, the Welcome Package should be displayed immediately to spark the player’s interest.

• Where does the player go after registration?

The shorter the path to deposit, the higher the Reg2Dep rate. Ideally, once registration is complete, the player should be redirected straight to the cashier automatically, without any delays or extra steps.

• Payment Gateway (Cashier)

The platform must support local payment methods. Otherwise, there will be no conversions. For example, Canada without Interac or Brazil without PIX is a dead product.

It is also worth noting that not every payment gateway can process players properly. Therefore, check for trusted gateways with a high success rate and payment cascading (automatic gateway fallback).

• Lobby

In some GEOs, popular providers may be unavailable. Therefore, before launching, check the availability of top games on the platform – both before and after a deposit.

Among the most popular providers and slots today: 

1. Pragmatic Play: Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Bonanza;
2. Evolution: Crazy Time, Lightning Roulette, Ice Fishing;
3. NetEnt: Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Dead or Alive 2.

• Localisation

The platform must not only be GEO-targeted in terms of payment methods, but also support the local language. For example, if you launch in Canada without French localisation, you can expect a drop in conversion rates.

You can find a more detailed checklist describing each step on the Makeberry Affiliates Telegram channel. 

6 questions to ask a product before launching traffic

Even a thorough check on the buyer’s side doesn’t give you the full picture. Some critical factors can only be clarified directly with the product.

Here’s a quick checklist of questions every media buyer should ask before launching traffic to avoid wasting budget:

1. What is your actual success rate for [GEO] on a specific payment method (e.g. Interac or PIX)?
2. Is automatic gateway cascading set up if the primary acquiring method fails?
3. What is the actual payout speed for high rollers?
4. What is the wagering requirement for the Welcome Package in [GEO], and do you offer a Non-Sticky Bonus?
5. What is the minimum deposit for the main payment method, and what is it for receiving the Welcome Package on the first deposit?
6. Is performance assessed on a calendar month basis or cohort-wise / 30-day LTV?

You’ll soon find a detailed analysis of the responses and how to interpret them from an ROI perspective on the Makeberry Affiliates Telegram channel, so be sure to subscribe.