Affiliate Spotlight: Natalie Merrison, GamingUSA

Affiliate Spotlight shines a light on the key figures and latest affiliate sites from around the world.
This week we chat to Natalie Merrison, Chief Operating Officer at GamingUSA, who explains some of the opportunities that are available in the new US market.
Affiverse: Can you begin by introducing Gaming USA as a company and explaining its background?
Natalie Merrison: GamingUSA is a new marketing channel to the Moneta and Sportsman Group. CEO Danny Campbell has taken his years of experience in the UK gambling space and launched a new affiliate company aimed at customers in the US.
GamingUSA will not be just your traditional operator listings, while it will work alongside operators to deliver new customers it will very much focus on SEO, state gaming law updates, betting widgets, casino gurus and a host of knowledgeable sports  & casino content writers to build a community of betting customers who can find everything they need all in one place to help them make the most informed decisions.
Affiverse: Can you detail some of your plans for entering the US affiliate market?
NM: With our vendor licence already firmly in place, we are in the process of building out a variety of sites around casino and sports betting. Having all our sites function with GEO targeting will enable both customer and operator the best chance of conversion. It will also allow customers to see what is around them that they already have access to and what is on the horizon.
Affiverse: How important is it to ensure that compliance measures are implemented in a newly regulated from the get go?
NM: We take compliance very seriously, and with a strong UK background on both operator and affiliate side, we already know how important is has been in the UK to ensure affiliates are working to the high standards set out by the ASA and UKGC.
We see it no differently in the states, and all our sites are GEO targeted to ensure we are displaying and guiding customers with the correct content in there residing state. The plan is to follow the guidelines that have been put in place, this should allow us to build long term partnerships with both operator and customer.
Affiverse: Many US punters and affiliates may be new to the online side of gambling – how important is it to ensure that they are educated on the intricacies of the market?
It is extremely important for anyone entering a new market to understand what their options are, important information on legalities and where they stand. There are so many websites out there that can offer misleading information, doing your homework or relying on a reputable company to provide you with the best information out there is definitely going to help anyone with their next step or bet, and this is what / who we aim to be.
Affiverse: Can the European affiliate model be replicated in the USA?
NM: Definitely, while the US is some way behind where Europe is today, there is definitely a lot of room to grow. With many states either in discussions or already on the way to legalising sports betting it is only a matter of time before each state becomes involved in digital affiliate marketing.
The impact on numbers driven through affiliate partners is substantial in Europe and could prove extremely beneficial to traffic generation, betting communities and operator revenue lines.
The US gaming industry will not change overnight but if you are willing to invest time now to build out your product and have patience it’s a market that’s absolutely worth pursuing.