The way iGaming companies acquire players is changing quickly. What used to be a world dominated by SEO affiliates is now shifting toward paid media, programmatic buying, mobile‑first funnels, and smarter automation. At ICE Barcelona, Kamila Łuksza‑Szpyt, Managing Director at Voluum, and Marcin Kumięga, Business Development Director, broke down what this new traffic stack really looks like — and why both operators and affiliates need to rethink how they work.

For years, SEO was the backbone of iGaming traffic. But as Marcin explained, Google’s recent algorithm changes have made rankings far less predictable. Updates are deeper, more frequent, and far more disruptive than before. Combined with the explosion of LLM‑generated content, organic visibility is no longer something affiliates can rely on as their only channel.

Kamila added that major affiliates still depend on SEO, but now openly admit they must diversify. One update can flip an entire business upside down. The smarter approach is to combine strong SEO pages with paid traffic — a method often called paid SEO — to strengthen visibility and conversions.

Paid channels are expanding for two simple reasons:

more inventory is available, and more mainstream DSPs are opening their doors to iGaming. Markets like Brazil, now regulated, have unlocked new opportunities for programmatic buying. Native platforms are also becoming more flexible and more aware of compliance requirements.

Kamila noted that the shift isn’t sudden or dramatic — it’s simply the industry recognising that relying on one source of traffic is too risky.

Global mobile gaming revenue continues to climb, and iGaming follows the same pattern. Voluum sees a clear rise in mobile web traffic, especially in emerging markets where mobile is the primary way players access the internet.

Two developments stand out:

1. Operators are building native mobile apps, which convert extremely well
2. PWAs are becoming a practical alternative when app‑store rules are too restrictive

Tracking becomes more complicated when a business runs mobile web, web‑to‑app, and native app funnels at the same time. As Kamila put it, companies now need one tool that can track everything, not a patchwork of disconnected systems.

iGaming still relies heavily on last‑click attribution, but that model no longer reflects how players actually move through funnels. Affiliates — especially media buyers — need real‑time data to understand profitability. Operators want clearer insight into LTV based on traffic source.

Marcin pointed out that the industry is slowly moving toward full‑journey visibility, but there is still a long way to go. Understanding what happens before the final click is becoming essential.

The old model — affiliates sending traffic with little transparency — is fading. Today’s top affiliates operate like media companies, with influencers, streamers, and full creative teams. Operators now expect clarity on where traffic comes from and how it performs over time.

Affiliates who can prove traffic quality get better deals. Those who can’t risk being left behind.

Markets like Brazil are tightening rules around gambling ads, and platforms like Google and Meta are enforcing stricter compliance. But instead of shutting down opportunities, regulation is pushing marketers toward:

• verified agency accounts
• programmatic DSPs
• native platforms with clearer approval paths
• alternative channels like pop and push

Kamila noted that when one market becomes difficult, another opens — Mexico, Peru, Chile, Thailand, and parts of Africa are all gaining momentum.

Voluum’s Automizer and traffic distribution features help media buyers scale without losing control. Some buyers worry that too much automation will reduce their influence, but Kamila’s view is straightforward: refusing to use automation is the real disadvantage.

Marcin added that the role of the media buyer is already shifting. Instead of manually adjusting bids all day, buyers are becoming testers, analysts, and R&D specialists. Automation handles the repetitive work; humans handle the decisions.

The safest approach is semi‑automation — letting the system react quickly while keeping strategic choices in human hands.