“Affiliate marketing doesn’t need more bonuses. It needs better ones—and better ways to explain them.”

Joshua Rawlings doesn’t mince words. As Head of Strategy at Casino.online, he’s used to looking past surface-level hype and into the mechanics that matter to players. And it’s that perspective—methodical, skeptical, and grounded—that may explain why Casino.online just took home “Best Bonus Comparison Affiliate of the Year” at the AffPapa Awards.

But what’s more interesting is what came after the trophy. Rawlings and his team aren’t easing up—they’re scaling a framework they believe can restore trust to one of iGaming’s murkiest corners.

We sat down to discuss comparison tools, compliance trends, and why honesty might be the most disruptive move in affiliate marketing today…

Affiverse: Let’s start with the obvious. Bonus comparison is a competitive space, with dozens of players and very little differentiation. What made Casino.online stand out?

Rawlings: The truth? Most affiliate sites still treat bonuses like a sales funnel: show the biggest number, bury the fine print. We took the opposite approach. We said, let’s build a real comparison engine, something that doesn’t just show offers but actually evaluates them.

So we structured every offer using eight core metrics—total value, value per spin, time to payout, wagering conditions, win rate estimates, and so on. Then we benchmarked each one against others in our database. You’re not just seeing a €200 bonus. You’re seeing whether that €200 is above or below average, and what strings are attached.

That context does two things: it saves players time, and it builds trust.

Affiverse: That’s a lot of manual work. How do you maintain accuracy at scale?

Rawlings: It’s partly manual, partly automated. We ingest raw bonus data through feeds and partner integrations, but then enrich it with the “playability layer.” That includes things like:

• Min deposit
• Real wagering impact (not just a raw 35x or 40x)
• Time limits to use the bonus
• Estimated win rate over playthrough
• Average payout time per brand

And of course, the Bonus Calculator ties it all together. Users simply enter their intended deposit, and the tool instantly calculates the total bonus value based on the advertised percentage. It’s fast, visual, and cuts through the noise—no guesswork, no assumptions. You see precisely what the offer means in real money terms. That’s not hype. That’s clarity.

Affiverse: You mentioned that most sites just list bonuses. Why go deeper?

Rawlings: Because the current model is broken. Players are exhausted. They click on a “no deposit” headline and find a 70x cashout cap or a hidden max win. So we went the other way: show that category’s strongest, weakest, and average bonus—on the same screen. Let the player decide.

One feature we’re proud of is the Market Comparison Tagging. We don’t just say “great bonus.” We say this offer is lower in absolute value than the best available today. That’s actionable.

And if a bonus is mediocre? We’ll say that too. Not everything needs a five-star badge.

Affiverse: What’s the most common mistake you see other affiliates make?

Rawlings: Overpromising. Saying “wager-free” when there’s a hidden cap. Or calling a bonus “instant” when the player has to email support to activate it. That kind of messaging may get the click, but it kills retention.

We built something called the Bonus Reality Check. It’s a tool and a philosophy. We break down the offer in plain English, highlight potential issues, and display a quick verdict: Worth it, Mediocre, or Low Value. That way, players know exactly what they’re getting.

Affiverse: Regulatory pressure is building across Europe and the UK. Has that shaped your approach?

Rawlings: Completely. The way we structure bonus data isn’t just good UX—it’s preemptively compliant. Every offer has:

• Eligibility by country
• Expiry window
• Wagering multiplier in full
• Min/max caps
• “At a glance” key facts box

That means when a regulator comes knocking—or when an operator audits their funnel—we’re not scrambling. We’re ready. And ironically, being transparent hasn’t hurt our performance. It’s made it better.

Affiverse: Have you lost revenue by being too honest?

Rawlings: Maybe in the short term. But long term? Absolutely not.

The players we send convert better because they know what to expect. They don’t rage-quit when they hit a withdrawal snag. And the operators respect that. We’ve had partners tell us: “You’re the only site where we get consistent high-quality registrations.” That matters more than click-through rates.

Affiverse: What’s next? Any new markets or features on the horizon?

Rawlings: Tons. The big site relaunch earlier this year was just the foundation. We needed a more flexible platform to roll out everything we’ve been designing.

One of the first major tools we’re launching next is an interactive card counting trainer for blackjack. It’s free, gamified, and structured so players can progress from beginners to intermediate strategy. Not just “learn to count”—but actually master it. That’s our first major move into education tools.

At the same time, we’re expanding our international footprint. We’ve just gone live with Arabic and Swedish market versions, and more are coming. But again, it’s not just about translation—it’s about localization. Regulatory tags, culturally relevant casinos, local currencies and payment methods. That’s how you build a global product that still feels personal.

Affiverse: Last question—what advice would you give to new affiliates starting in bonus comparison today?

Rawlings: Don’t copy the surface. Build the structure.

Everyone wants to chase the big numbers and high-converting offers. But the better question is: Would you recommend this offer to your best friend? If not, why push it to a stranger?

If you can’t explain the bonus in one honest sentence, you shouldn’t be promoting it. That’s the filter we use internally. And I think it’s a big reason why we’re not just growing—we’re building something that can last.

Casino.online may have won for bonus comparison—but they’re not stopping there. For Rawlings and his team, the bigger ambition is to turn transparency into a brand, and turn information into real influence. As the lines between affiliate, educator, and watchdog blur, they might be just ahead of the curve.