At iGB Barcelona 2025, Rahul Pant caught up with Tero Paivarinta, Business Development Lead at humbl.ai, for an insightful conversation about how affiliate tracking, market expansion, and data transparency are shaping the future of iGaming.
As part of the NookTalks series by Affnook, this discussion shed light on how technology and smart data can help affiliates and operators work together more efficiently, transparently, and profitably.
About humbl.ai
humbl.ai is a sophisticated digital solution designed to optimize the management of marketing and performance campaigns for both affiliates and operators. The ultimate goal of the platform is to provide both SEO and PPC coverage which allows users to maximize the results of their marketing efforts.
But humbl.ai doesn’t stop there, the company is also expanding its reach into global markets and building strong partnerships in the iGaming space. Under Tero’s leadership in business development, humbl.ai continues to explore innovative ways to connect people and increase performance.
Additionally, Tero is the manager of a significant affiliate network, hence he has this one of a kind dual perspective, he can appreciate how an affiliate thinks and how an operator needs to operate. Therefore, his opinions are especially important for anyone who works in the iGaming ecosystem.
The Importance of Networking in iGaming
Tero responds that conferences like iGB Barcelona are crucial for the industry when asked about their significance.
He said, “I’ve always thought networking has a lot of power.” “Your network is crucial in iGaming. You’re just a background character without it.
Nothing compares to speaking with someone in person, he added, despite the convenience of online calls. The foundation of any best practice partnership is trust, which is established when you meet partners and prospects face-to-face. This builds a personal touch, strengthens connections, and expedites problem-solving.
Tero added that he has attended prestigious conferences like ICE London and iGB Amsterdam for years, and that he gets to travel twice a year in a meaningful way because they are spaced around six months apart. This keeps him in touch all year long without straining his attention.
Humbl.ai now intends to concentrate on expanding its footprint in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, breaking into rapidly expanding markets, and determining which events in these countries are the most appropriate to attend. Additionally, Tero noted that although new conferences such as SiGMA Manila and SPiCE India are growing, it is still difficult to locate events that are actually relevant in these areas.
Why Data Transparency Matters in Affiliate Marketing
The core of the conversation centered around one key topic — data transparency.
According to Tero, the most important thing an affiliate tracking platform should provide is clear visibility. Affiliates need to see exactly what’s happening with their traffic and conversions, without any confusion or second-guessing.
“You should never have to doubt your numbers,” he said. “If the data isn’t clear, affiliates lose confidence. And when there’s doubt, it affects the partnership.”
He explained that affiliates base all their business decisions on data. If the performance metrics aren’t visible or accurate, they can’t optimize their campaigns effectively — and that leads to missed opportunities on both sides.
Transparency helps affiliates trust the process and make better strategic moves. It’s not just about showing basic stats — it’s about giving relevant, detailed insights that actually help improve performance.
The Value of Relevant Data
Tero gave a great example to explain why relevant data matters so much.
He talked about one of his partners who recently started targeting a new market. By analyzing player data — specifically the age group of the users — they discovered that most of the players were between 32 and 42 years old.
“This information was gold,” Tero explained. “It told us that the players were in a more mature age range, meaning they had better spending power and higher lifetime value.”
That small piece of information changed their strategy entirely. It allowed them to customize campaigns, focus on the desired audience, and achieve better results.
One key takeaway became obvious: even the smallest mistake in data can make a significant difference in the decision-making process. Affiliates don’t work off emotion, they work off the data. They will ultimately make better decisions based on data that is accurate and as detailed as possible.
What Affiliates Really Want in a Tracking Tool
Tero summed it up simply: “Affiliates just want access to all the data possible — the more transparent, the better.”
He believes that a good tracking platform should:
-Provide real-time and accurate reporting
-Include relevant audience insights (like age, region, and engagement)
-Be easy to use and understand
-Allow affiliates to make quick, data-driven decisions
When affiliates have access to granular data, it will become obvious what works for them and what does not. Also, where should they focus next. All the above saves time, builds trust, and leads to better business for both the affiliate and the operator.
Expanding into New Markets
humbl.ai is not stopping in Europe. The team is working on entering emerging markets like Asia, Africa, and Latin America as these markets are growing rapidly.
These markets have similar opportunities like Europe but also have different challenges like localizing, regulations and audience behavior. Tero believes the key to being successful is to be flexible in these regions and to create data driven approaches based on events in a specific market.
As humbl.ai grows, they intent to help both the affiliates and operators by innovation, analytics, and strong partnership
Key Takeaways from Tero’s Conversation
In the iGaming industry data plays an important role as affiliates rely on accurate insights, not guesswork, to help businesses in making smarter decisions and drive growth. Transparency builds trust, and when data is open and clear, partnerships naturally thrive.
Networking is another important aspect of the industry, as events such as iGB Barcelona offer great ways to network, communicate, and build relationships. With a rapidly expanding market in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the future of iGaming is using the right combination of data driven decisions, open communication, and networking towards lasting success.
Final Thoughts
This conversation between Rahul Pant and Tero Paivarinta highlighted a simple truth of the iGaming industry, that data transparency, trust, and connection are the foundation of long-term success.
With companies like humbl.ai leading the charge in smarter, more transparent affiliate tracking, the industry is evolving towards a more collaborative and data-driven future.
As Tero said, “Affiliates make decisions based on numbers, not emotions. Give them the right data — and they’ll deliver the right results.”
That’s the kind of clarity and partnership that keeps the iGaming ecosystem growing stronger every year.
