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iGaming Voice by Yeva – arcanebet
AffPapa recently conducted an interview with arcanebet, in which Head of Affiliates Viorica Parvu revealed how the business thrived even during the pandemic, explained what gets her through difficult days in the industry and unveiled how the company deals with fraud.
Yeva: What factors is a good partnership measured by?
It takes two to tango. Results are important but I strongly believe that before discussing the results of a partnership, a solid foundation should be laid. A few factors are key, such as good communication, mutual support, and trust. But perhaps, most importantly for the partnership to last, there should be cohesion, meaning that the partners should work towards a common goal.
Yeva: How do you assure your clients that your websites are licensed?
arcanebet holds a Curaçao license and the information is visibly displayed in the footer of the website. More so than the Curaçao license though, we have our own internal ethical operating code, which puts the player first and is aimed at doing the “basic” things right, such as fast KYC’s and processing of withdrawals. This attitude is liked both by players and businesses alike, a testament to that are the many positive player reviews and the fact that every big game vendor is willing to work with us.
Yeva: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your business and the market in general?
It really hasn’t taken any toll on our business. I would say, quite the opposite. As a startup we are much more flexible and quicker to react to changes such as working from home or shifting to focus to another product vertical when there weren’t many traditional sport events.
Yeva: Do you ever lose motivation in the industry? If so, how do you overcome it?
I do not necessarily lose motivation, but I do have difficult days. The casino industry is not the easiest one to work in. It’s very fast-paced and truly good partnerships based on mutual respect and aimed at delivering win-win experiences are hard to come by.
The upside is that when you have to work hard for something, it’s also very rewarding when it succeeds. So those days where a partnership bears fruit or where you simply have a nice conversation with someone that “gets” it, are very precious and make-up for those days where it can sometimes be a struggle.
Milestones such as being recognized by big players in the industry as a solid partner they can trust, together with just the fun internal environment we have, is what gets me through the more difficult days.
Yeva: Have you ever faced any issues with an affiliate or a player? How did you solve them?
Unfortunately, yes. And the reason was always fraud. It makes us sad to have to deal with such cases when we are trying to do things right, both for affiliates and players. One would expect the same in return. We knew from the start that the only way to offer a player-centered approach that offers a fast service in the most important areas was to maintain a zero-tolerance policy against fraudsters. We work together with a third party for this, that is very advanced in tracing the digital footprint of users and linking those that have multiple accounts.
When we catch fraudsters, we have strict procedures in place that must be adhered to. Confiscation can only occur when the proof is irrefutable and can be objectively demonstrated. We create fraud-files summarizing all the information, before deciding on the outcome.
Yeva: What markets are you looking to expand into?
Right now, our main focus market is Canada and for the future, we will be looking into obtaining a local license in one of the regulated markets.
Yeva: What is your stance on responsible gaming?
Responsible gaming is important to us and we truly do our best to protect those for which gambling seems to have become an issue. We have deposit limits that can be requested by the player, but are also suggested by us, when we notice for example in chat interactions that the player indicates he has been spending too much.
Accounts can be closed as well, with just a simple request to support, as well as time-bound cooldown periods. When someone wants to re-open his account and when the closure was related to responsible gambling, questions are asked to determine whether the player is in control of his gambling and a deposit limit – based on what the player indicated he can afford without needing to worry – are implemented.
Gambling should always remain a leisure activity and while you cannot always “enjoy” those sessions where you plummet to zero without a win, they should never become a cause for financial concern either.
Yeva: Why do casinos give affiliates such a profitable deal?
Most affiliates started small. By working hard and by putting a lot of passion in what they do, they managed to generate traffic and grow. The good ones deserve to be rewarded for that work and that is why we are willing to offer very good deals to some key partners.
At the same time, in some markets the demand for traffic is so high, that the cost of acquisition through affiliation is becoming unsustainable. Both for the affiliate and the operator it will be important to eventually find a balance that works for both parties, otherwise the marketing spent will start shifting to other channels.
We are set on building long lasting business partnerships with key partners. Because of our good player values, the biggest reward in the end comes from the revenue share that is lifetime. Those that get that and invested in the relationship are already seeing the upside of that, today.
Yeva: How do you make sure your players aren’t getting bored of the games?
We work a lot with data and try to push relevant content to customers. The games vendors are creating these days are quite entertaining in themselves, what can sometimes make it boring, are the periods where you just cannot seem to hit. By suggesting content that is similar to what you like, players can easily shift between games to find one that may be in a better mood.
On top of that, we have leader boards that give players something to chase outside of playing the game itself. We have leader boards where we reward the highest win multiplier or the highest turnover on a certain set of games. We try to mix things up on a promotional level and come-up with new concepts every month to keep the player engaged.
Outside of that, we’re also always around in chat. You’d be surprised how many of our players just come on chat to say “Simon! (one of our customer support agents), I just hit a 1000x!”. Or “Selena, things aren’t going my way, can I maybe get some free spins?”. We believe that being very close to our players and being available, increases the fun as well.
Yeva: What do you look for in an affiliate program? And how do you decide what affiliates to work with?
When looking into new partners, it’s important to get the feel that we’re on the same page. We prefer to work with affiliates who share our principles in operating a fair and transparent business. We do our due diligence to make sure affiliates are legit and check the quality of the traffic with different tools we have available.
Yeva: In an age where security breaches are common, how do you make sure your players’ information is safe?
We have a sound and highly secured platform that is constantly updated by our specialists and by the third-party cyber-security companies we work with. We treat our players’ information and data extremely seriously and we handle it with the upmost of care. We have several security protocols that help us prevent and battle any data breaches that may occur.
Yeva: What do you think the industry will be like in 5 years?
The gaming industry will definitely keep growing. I don’t see any other outcome, given every person’s natural need for entertainment, no matter the source. Some people love dancing, some people play basketball and some people get a kick out of gambling. There’s always room to grow, and in 5 years the gaming sector will prove that with more and more players and even more diverse and entertaining services and products.
Yeva: What are the pros and cons of the gaming industry?
To start with the pros, I must mention just how exciting it is to be a part of this sector of activity. Things change on a daily basis and you get to work and interact with people, colleagues and partners from all over the world. In time, you not only build a strong business relationship, but you also get to have insightful conversations with people from a different background than yours. There’s no “University of Gaming” to learn these skills and that’s why you have people from all professions working together with you.
The downside is that there is a lot of skepticism and mistrust in the industry. It is natural for people to have become this way, due to for example dishonest casinos vanishing from one day to another, but it makes it harder for those that do try to do things right (that would be us), to get things going.
Yeva: Do you see yourself being in the gaming world in the long run?
Given how the past year (2020) took the world by storm with an unprecedented global pandemic, it’s beginning to be harder and harder to predict what you’ll do in a month or two. However, business-wise, I am excited about the expansion plans we have, and I really believe in this project. So, I do want to see this through and do think I will be around for quite a big longer.
Yeva: Setting work aside, tell us some more about yourself. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 
I like spending time outdoors, travelling, hiking or sometimes just chilling on a warm, sunny beach. I am very social and enjoy the company of friends or family for regular get togethers. I get bored quite easily, so I always need to try something new. I have an interest in interior design and one thing I used to do not long ago was blog about my travels. Would love to pick this up again should time allow it.
Company: arcanebet
Interviewee: Viorica Parvu
Date: 19.03.2021
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