This year’s iGB Affiliate Awards bring together a panel of 22 judges, each offering their unique expertise to recognise excellence in the igaming affiliate sector. In the first part of our judge interview series, Simon Pilkington discusses his career journey, passion for charity work, approach to ensuring a fair judging process and top tips for submissions.
Simon Pilkington, who will be a judge for the 2025 iGB Affiliate Awards, has been in the igaming space for 17 years. A devoted football and horse racing fan, Pilkington’s favourite teams are Bristol City and Liverpool FC – he even had the team’s slogan “You’ll Never Walk Alone” tattooed on his ankle – which he passionately supports alongside his five-year-old son.
But recounting his journey, Pilkington said he “fell into the industry”, starting with what he describes as an “embarrassing” sports industry management with football studies degree at Buckinghamshire New University.
“I really disliked it. My introverted nature didn’t lend me well, so I ended up leaving uni in my second year and went into the recruitment industry, which got me a solid commercial foundation,” he recalls.
I’ve always felt that igaming is a very fast-paced, enjoyable industry with amazing people. I just love it
An igaming veteran
Pilkington joined Ladbrokes as an account manager in 2008, where he managed affiliates and negotiated media campaigns. He later became an affiliate himself, overseeing Goal.com for Perform Group and assumed the role of CEO at KaFe Rocks in 2020. Despite a brief stint working in a travelling trade magazine, Pilkington insists the igaming industry remains the best sector he’s ever worked in.
“To be honest, I’ve tried to leave a couple of times and ended up coming back. I found other industries I went to much slower, much more painful and more archaic. I’ve always felt that igaming is a very fast-paced, enjoyable industry with amazing people. I just love it,” he says.
Following Giltnor Group’s proposed acquisition of KaFe Rocks, Pilkington exited the company and founded his own igaming consulting firm and US-focused affiliate sites. Around this time, he was invited by iGB Affiliate to serve as an awards judge, thanks to his extensive expertise across igaming verticals.
“I come with a very broad knowledge base. I’ve never been a specialist in one area. When it comes to the awards, the broad spectrum coupled with my industry experience and my understanding of what's been successful previously give me a unique perspective,” Pilkington explains.
We should do it without greenwashing or charity washing to change people’s perception of the industry
Charity hero
Beyond his entrepreneurship, Pilkington has been actively involved in charity work. He previously participated in a boxing event alongside other igaming professionals, raising £150,000 for Oliver’s Wish, a children’s charity.
This spring, he has pledged to complete six ultramarathons to raise £20,000 for Oliver’s Wish, beginning with the London Marathon before running to his Bristol home over six days. Pilkington has been training since last October, waking at 5 am to run in the UK’s freezing weather – an experience he describes as “far out of my comfort zone”. Despite the challenges, he is dedicated to doing more charity work and encourages greater participation from the wider industry.
“The igaming industry naturally gets quite a bad reputation, but I think at the same time, a vast amount of good can come out of it. The way we do it now is quite disjointed, with some companies doing it only because they’re floated on a stock exchange. We should do it without greenwashing or charity washing to change people’s perception of the industry,” he says.
I’ve only judged these awards based on submissions, not that anyone’s ever said to me this one has to win because they paid for tables
On industry awards
Recently, industry awards – whether in the igaming sector or other niche areas – have sparked debates over their values and integrity. Pilkington acknowledges these concerns, admitting that “criticisms regarding transparency and the perception that sponsorships may influence winners are valid to some extent.” He advises affiliates to research awards carefully before entering, choosing those with clear processes, while assuring that the judges for the iGB Affiliate Awards are committed to maintaining high standards.
“As a judge, I can hand on heart to say that I’ve only judged these awards based on submissions, not that anyone’s ever said to me this one has to win because they paid for tables or they’re sponsoring. It’s always been the judges’ call when deciding the winners,” he says.
“I particularly enjoy the iGB Affiliate Awards because a lot of other awards focus heavily on operators and B2B suppliers rather than affiliates – I like this nice little niche, which is why I like being involved.”
Too little information makes you forgettable, but what you don’t want is to ramble for thousands of words
Tips on submission
To ensure the awards’ quality, Pilkington adds that he tends to fact-check the submissions to see if the claims are backed up by statistics in supporting documents and his industry knowledge. He encourages companies to provide as much relevant information as they can without worrying about revealing business secrets, emphasising that all the iGB Affiliate Awards judges are under strict NDAs and are obliged to declare conflicting interests. However, entrants should still keep their submissions concise.
“Too little information makes you forgettable, but what you don’t want is to ramble for thousands of words. It’s like applying for a job – you wouldn’t send a CV that is 100 pages long. You don’t need all the fluff and list all your achievements as long as you tailor it to the award category. This effort is what I look out for,” he explains.
Even if you don’t win, you might be highly commended or get on the radar for next year
When it comes to supporting documents, Pilkington recommends case studies over testimonials, as the latter can be difficult to verify. Breakdowns of key numbers could also be useful if they are within the company’s capacity, adding transparency and strengthening the submission.
Looking ahead, Pilkington is excited to review this year’s submissions. He invites all businesses, regardless of their size or how new they might be, to participate in iGB Affiliate Awards 2025, highlighting that “there are plenty of smaller companies that beat bigger ones in previous years”.
“Just because you’re a startup doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. Even if you don’t win, you might be highly commended or get on the radar for next year. So please put your effort in, then judges will take notice and give you a real fighting chance.”
For more information on the judging process and submission advice, please visit the official awards page and 5 tips for creating a standout iGBA Awards entry by internal judging lead Stephen Carter.