Affiliate Draft 2025

About this Programme

We’re seeking cutting-edge startups to transform the affiliate ecosystem through community-driven betting, seamless integration, or innovative gaming experiences.

This program is delivered in collaboration with our friends at Bettingstartups.com, Bettor Capital, iGaming Ideas, Full Court Capital, and Nava. This means that we work with these teams to spread the word, and support the decision making process.

Background to the Program

Current market analysis reveals significant gaps: heavy reliance on inefficient paid advertising, lack of exclusivity and differentiation, and regulatory shifts pushing toward free-to-play models over traditional welcome offers. The focus is shifting to retention and share of wallet in mature markets, creating unprecedented opportunities for innovative startups.

Our research shows that successful affiliates of the future will combine AI hyper-personalization with sticky community engagement, moving beyond traditional acquisition models to focus on habituation and long-term user value.

Who Should Apply

Are you a startup ready to revolutionise the sports betting affiliate landscape? We’re looking for bold innovations that can captivate users and scale across the betting ecosystem. Apply if your solution aligns with one or more of our key themes:

• Social & Community Betting: Platforms that drive engagement through community-driven experiences with high retention rates.
• Integration: Seamless API-first solutions that create personalised, real-time betting experiences.
• Gaming: Simple, sports-themed games that convert free-to-play users into real-money bettors.

Your innovation should attract and retain users while amplifying safer gambling practices and providing Flutter with exclusivity and competitive advantage.

Program Themes in More Detail

Social & Community Betting

We’re seeking community-driven platforms that replicate sports fandom’s inherently social nature through user-generated content. Success in this space shows 30% engagement boosts from gamification while maintaining responsible gaming measures.

We are looking for:

• Micro-influencer networks with focused expertise in specific sports/teams
• Copy trading mechanisms with transparent performance metrics and risk disclosure
• Gamification features including leaderboards, tournaments, and community challenges
• Platforms that balance engagement with responsible gambling tools

Integration

Tool-based utility affiliates that transform static media into interactive betting ecosystems. Top performers embed live odds, scoreboards, and calculators via customizable API-first platforms, boosting session duration and direct monetization.

We are looking for:

• Seamless integration of Flutter APIs, with sub-second latency and 99.99% uptime
• A proven funnel to attract and retain users
• Personalisation of experience based on user sport preferences, current bets, and emerging game narratives
• Real-time data integration with intuitive UX/onboarding

Gaming

Free-to-play funnel architects who use gamified loyalty, virtual currencies, and progressive challenges to convert casual players into real-money bettors. The best platforms balance simple mechanics with deep progression systems.

We are looking for:

• Very simple, easy-to-play sports-themed games with free and paid options
• Drive real-money conversion via progressive game mechanics (badges, leaderboards, reward loops)
• A blend of pre-event and live games to sustain engagement
• Adaptive difficulty based on user skill level and, spend to date

There is a wildcard category for any company that has exciting ideas to evolve the affiliate ecosystem outside of the themes above!

Timeline of Key Dates

Application Deadline: 30th August

Selection Announcement: 26th September

In-person Pitch Day (Provisionally Dublin, Ireland): 22nd & 23rd October

Winning startups will unlock:

Industry Access & Mentorship: Collaborate with business leaders from Flutter’s affiliate and product teams

Real-World Testing: Opportunity to pilot your solution with Flutter users across multiple brands

Visibility: Gain exposure through Flutter’s extensive partner networks and industry connections

Path to Commercial Partnership: Opportunity to establish exclusive commercial partnerships with Flutter Entertainment

Application Process

Ready to disrupt the affiliate landscape? Submit your application by 30th August. Include:

• A snapshot of your startup and team
• How your solution aligns with our key themes
• Any funding, traction, partnerships, or company milestones to date
• Your vision for transforming affiliate marketing in sports betting
• Demo or proof of concept showcasing your technology

A panel of Flutter affiliate and product experts will review submissions and select the most promising innovators for the final pitch event.

FAQs

What stage should my startup be at?
We welcome early-stage concepts to scaling businesses. Ideally, you should have proven technology with a demo available and some level of customer traction.

Is there a cost?
No, participation is free for selected startups. Travel to the final event will be covered for the finalists (1-2 people per team).

Are there preferred technologies for the solutions?
No, we welcome innovations across all technologies. Focus on problem-solution fit, scalability, and compliance capabilities.

What’s the selection focus?
Innovation, feasibility, potential to drive user engagement and retention, and alignment with Flutter’s strategic goals. Strong compliance capabilities (SOC2 or equivalent) are preferred.

Do you have geographic restrictions?
Companies from anywhere in the world can apply, though solutions should be scalable to UK and US markets initially.

What about regulatory compliance?
Given the evolving regulatory landscape, we prioritize partners with strong compliance frameworks, including geo-location capabilities, age verification, and responsible gambling tools.

Apply now to transform the future of sports betting affiliate marketing!