Christoffer Ødegården has become one of the most prominent figures in the UK iGaming industry.

He currently holds the position of Head of Casino at Bojoko, a leading platform in the affiliate domain. With an extensive background and forward-thinking mindset, Ødegården spearheads Bojoko’s efforts to revolutionise affiliate partnerships in the British market.

In this exclusive interview with Business Matters, Ødegården will illuminate how Bojoko’s data insights empower affiliate partners across the UK to refine their offers for British players. From dissecting the intricacies of data-driven strategies to understanding what UK punters actually want, this dialogue promises invaluable insights for affiliate professionals navigating the dynamic landscape of iGaming in Britain.

Could you share with our readers your journey and how you arrived at your current role as Head of the Casino at Bojoko?

My journey in the iGaming industry has been one of continuous learning and growth. I started as a journalist in Norway before entering into marketing with my own company. This is where I first cut my teeth in the iGaming sector, moving from gambling in Norway to gambling worldwide and then slowly being drawn to the UK market, which remains the biggest iGaming market in the world.

The speed with which the industry has evolved and changed has made it an incredibly rewarding challenge, and there is never a dull moment. I have a natural drive towards following the data and leading with quantifiable insights, likely due to my journalistic background, which makes this industry the perfect fit. There is simply never a dull moment, and things can change at a moment’s notice. You need to be ready.

Over the last decade, I have held several managerial roles in the iGaming industry and overseen several UK-facing affiliate platforms. This was excellent preparation for joining Bojoko.com, which exclusively focuses on presenting British players with safe UKGC-licensed casinos, sportsbooks, and bingo sites. Our casino experts take great care in vetting each brand we list and present information in a clear, consistent manner that allows our users to know exactly what to expect.

At this point, I see myself a bit as a matchmaker, using data to allow players to find the brands that best match their checklist. I am incredibly proud that we can use data to empower users and give them the ability to make informed choices. I am also equally proud of the way we can use our data insights to help our affiliate partners strengthen the offers.

How does Bojoko utilise data insights to help operators improve their bonuses and increase FTDs?

It is important to underline that we are, first and foremost, here to help our users. This can at first be a surprise for many affiliate partners, who may be used to simply purchasing exposure rather than improving their product, which they will be better rewarded for down the road. At Bojoko, we list and highlight the brands that our casino experts deem the best and which we can see from our data that our users actually enjoy. If we present weak brands to them, we lose trust.

If a partner struggles to convert with us, instead of letting them pay us, we actively advise our casino, sportsbook, and bingo site partners on how to reach and resonate with their target audience effectively.

Our ethos isn’t about pushing average products onto our users. Instead, we’re committed to enhancing the overall gaming experience by ensuring operators offer precisely what their users desire. Our dedicated team of experts meticulously analyses data and user feedback to pinpoint areas where operators can elevate their offerings, whether it’s by refining their game selection, optimising their user interface, or fine-tuning their promotional strategies.

Through these advisory partnerships, Bojoko empowers operators to gain deeper insights into their audience and forge stronger connections with them. This leads to a more fulfilling gaming experience for users.

What are some of the easiest ways online casinos can grow their traffic?

Our extensive analysis shows that the quickest way for a casino to increase its conversion is to tweak its welcome offer. Two types of bonus offers have proven to be particularly effective in attracting and engaging new players: high-percentage welcome bonuses and no-deposit bonuses.

Our data shows that even a slight increase in the welcome bonus percentage beyond the standard 100% consistently yields tangible results. However, to see a big impact, they should go for a welcome bonus of 200% or higher, as this is where the changes in FTDs (first-time depositors) go from tangible to notable.

It is always so intriguing to see the changes in real-time as an operator tries out a new deposit bonus. Nothing else has to change, necessarily. They can stay in the exact same spot on our casino bonus page, but just by changing their offers, they start getting new clicks, and many of these clicks turn into depositors.

This vote of confidence will also help push them up in our rankings, as our users now love these brands, and they will be relevant to others. Many brands on our bonus page will have these new deposit bonuses and enjoy this influx of new interest. Others may have changed their bonus months, if not years ago, on our advice and enjoying a degree of popularity that has lasted to this day.

Moreover, online casinos incorporating a no-deposit bonus offer into their promotions can anticipate an even more significant increase in FTDs. It’s worth noting that the quality of the no-deposit bonus plays a crucial role and that offering these bonuses comes with a lower return than welcome bonuses.

Generally speaking, we only recommend creating no-deposit offers if a casino has a robust retention mechanism; if not, increasing the welcome bonus percentage is always the safest option.

Other bonuses, such as wager-free bonuses, bonuses with low wagering requirements, and, of course, cashback, can also draw in many additional FTDs.

How can operators ensure that their bonuses appeal to players while being financially sustainable?

Balancing player appeal with financial sustainability is a delicate task for operators, but this is mainly an issue if they are considering no-deposit bonuses. Actual deposit bonuses, as well as reward bonuses, are given when the player actually makes a commitment to their brand.

These bonuses are sustainable as long as standard terms and conditions are in place and the wagering requirement is not overly generous. Even more importantly, operators can increase engagement and retention by offering bonuses that align with player preferences without compromising their bottom line. Not optimising their bonuses is more risky. Too many brands drift into obscurity because they do not have the offers players want.

First, they need to have the offers that get the players in the door. Very few brands have the marketing budget or innovative features to do this without attractive bonuses. The welcome offer simply has to be strong. Then, operators should implement strategic bonus structures to incentivise continued play and maximise the lifetime value of their players. Ultimately, finding the right balance between player appeal and financial sustainability requires a data-driven approach and a deep understanding of player dynamics.

At this point, though, the data needs to come from them, not us. We can only see what makes a player sign up for the brand.

Besides bonus offers, what other strategies can online casinos implement to increase their first-time deposits?

Online casinos can employ several additional strategies to boost their FTDs. One effective approach is to provide a wide array of payment methods to accommodate players’ diverse preferences. British players, in particular, tend to be quite selective in their choice of online casinos, often favouring platforms with their favourite payment method. You might think this or that payment method is niche, but if you don’t have Boku or Neosuf, for instance, you will be losing out on potential players.

Most other big-impact solutions not tied to bonuses are also tied to deposits and withdrawals. If your brand has fees on either, it will suffer. Removing fees will help you in the long run. A similar example is how lowering the minimum deposit limit instantly attracts and retains more players. While they may only deposit a few pounds at a time, these players may become regulars and spend many years, if not decades, with your casino, sportsbook or bingo site.

I think a lot of brands, unfortunately, do not follow the data and believe that they need more extensive and expensive solutions, such as a complete redesign, to increase their conversion. This is simply not true. There are many small and simple steps, especially with bonuses, as well as deposits and withdrawals, that can be done to see immediate, positive results.