Hristiana Stefanova: “ReferOn is engineered from the ground up to eliminate operational friction and streamline high-volume partnerships”

Hristiana Stefanova, Head of Partnerships at ReferOn, discusses how affiliate technology, automation, AI and new acquisition channels are reshaping igaming partnerships.

Exclusive interview.- Affiliate marketing is becoming increasingly data-driven and decentralised, with affiliates adopting new acquisition channels while operators demand greater visibility, automation and flexibility from the technology supporting their partnerships.

At the Affiliate Leaders Summit in Lisbon, ReferOn will focus on strengthening its global network while gathering insight into the changing needs of affiliates and operators. The company’s platform combines granular data, automation and flexible infrastructure to help affiliate teams reduce operational friction, identify high-performing traffic and focus more of their time on developing valuable partnerships.

In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Hristiana Stefanova, head of partnerships at ReferOn, discusses how affiliate management is evolving and the role of technology in supporting high-volume partnerships. She also explores the growth of creator-led platforms and closed communities, the practical applications of AI, and how ReferOn is adapting its technology and compliance infrastructure as partners expand into new markets.

What conversations around affiliate marketing are you hoping to have at the Affiliate Leaders Summit?

At the Affiliate Leaders Summit, my main priority is growth. We are heavily focused on building new, high-value partnerships and expanding our global network on the ground. But equally important is gathering market intelligence on where affiliate tech and regulations are heading next. In an industry that moves this fast, having face-to-face conversations about the practical realities operators face ensures our development roadmap consistently stays ahead of their actual needs.

How has the shift towards more sophisticated affiliate management changed the way ReferOn develops its platform?

Modern affiliate management requires platforms built for speed, scale, and affiliate autonomy, and that is exactly how ReferOn is developed. We designed the platform to adapt completely to our users and their unique workflows. Operators get a system that aligns naturally with their business logic from day one. ReferOn is engineered from the ground up to eliminate operational friction and streamline high-volume partnerships. By building a completely fresh underlying infrastructure, we ensure that when a partner needs to scale, the system smoothly handles the load and supports their long-term growth.

How is ReferOn helping partners identify their best-performing traffic?

ReferOn helps partners spot top-performing traffic by combining flexible, dynamic reporting with real-time, player-level granular data. Having a clear view of your data is essential for optimisation, so we ensure our reporting highlights all the key metrics instantly and with complete transparency. Additionally, during our partner catch-ups, we speak about business strategies, how to explore new opportunities, and how to expand the business. We are there to help them succeed and act as a true extension of their team. Because they have the exact data they need, those conversations focus deeply on actionable, high-level strategy.

What role does automation play in your platform?

At ReferOn, automation is a centrepiece of our platform, designed to strip away the repetitive daily tasks that typically waste an affiliate team’s time. By letting the system handle the heavy lifting of data syncing and routine operations, we give managers the exact tools they need to nurture their most valuable partnerships. Our philosophy is that automation serves to empower the human element. It clears out the busywork, giving managers the freedom and bandwidth to build relationships and drive revenue.

“At ReferOn, automation is a centrepiece of our platform, designed to strip away the repetitive daily tasks that typically waste an affiliate team’s time.”

Hristiana Stefanova, head of partnerships at ReferOn.

Are you seeing affiliates move into new acquisition channels?

In igaming, we’re seeing a massive surge in the use of closed communities, paid media, and creator-led platforms. For instance, with Telegram and closed communities, affiliates are building private channels for live tips, VIP signals, and direct promo codes to nurture direct subscriber funnels. We are also seeing heavy traffic migration towards streamers and video content on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok, where creators feature live gameplay, casino reviews, and sportsbook breakdowns. Finally, affiliates are scaling via targeted paid social and programmatic media to gain fast, predictable player acquisition, without waiting on organic rankings.

Which trends do you expect to have the biggest impact on affiliate marketing?

The trends making the biggest impact right now are the practical applications of AI and closed-community traffic growth. We see more companies releasing AI features to help automate processes and optimise work. The real value lies in using AI to directly solve operational bottlenecks and drive tangible efficiency. To add to what I mentioned earlier, closed Telegram channels are creating really engaged and active communities, which in turn bring in incredibly valuable traffic. The affiliates mastering these direct, community-driven channels are the ones outpacing the rest of the market.

“The real value lies in using AI to directly solve operational bottlenecks and drive tangible efficiency.”

Hristiana Stefanova, head of partnerships at ReferOn.

What is next for ReferOn after the Affiliate Leaders Summit in Lisbon?

After great events like the Affiliate Leaders Summit, where we have plenty of valuable conversations, we go home to work on turning those discussions into concrete actions. Our team is heavily focused on delivering custom integrations based on the feedback we received, alongside rolling out our Q4 tech roadmap and expanding into new markets. We are taking those specific operational insights and feeding them straight into our active development pipeline to deliver the best value for our partners.

If you are attending the Affiliate Leaders Summit, we would love to chat with you in person. You can visit us at booth F531 or book a meeting with the ReferOn team to discuss how we can support your growth.

What market or industry developments could most significantly influence ReferOn’s strategy over the next year?

We are going fully global! With new operators expanding into additional markets soon, we are focusing on getting to know new market restrictions from the inside out. We are developing the tech to meet complex compliance and financial requirements at an architectural level, ensuring that these protections are seamlessly integrated from the very beginning. Ultimately, our strategy is defined by growing with our partners’ needs and ensuring that as they enter new jurisdictions, the infrastructure they rely on is prepared to support them along the way.