In the second part of our Meet the Judge interview series, Katy Stafford shares her insight on crypto affiliation, her journey from an iGB Affiliate Awards winner to judge and insider tips for crafting a standout entry.
Having been in the igaming industry since 2005, iGB Affiliate Awards judge Katy Stafford jokes that she feels like “a dinosaur”. With an academic background in psychology and criminology, she started as HR and finance manager at igaming technology provider CryptoLogic before transitioning into the head of affiliates role at The Stars Group.
Like fellow judge Simon Pilkington, Stafford says what she loves most about igaming are the industry’s fast-paced nature and its “amazing people”.
“Every day is different. No day's the same. There are always challenges, but there are also really big successes. So that's what I really enjoy,” she explains. “I’ve been in igaming so long that many affiliates and industry colleagues are my friends, even when some of them have left the industry.”
There are always challenges, but there are also really big successes. So that's what I really enjoy [igaming]
On crypto’s potential
Stafford recently joined PressEnter Group’s affiliate team, managing its marketing campaigns across eight global casino brands. Before that, she was head of affiliates at Hit Gaming, where she focused on recruiting affiliates specialising in crypto markets. She sees crypto as “an emerging game with massive growth potential".
With Bitcoin hitting $100K last year I believe there’s a growing opportunity for crypto
However, Stafford insists that the igaming affiliate sector still lacks education in working with crypto, noting that “it is difficult to find traditional affiliates who actively work with it” and much of the traffic is dominated by streamers.
“While fiat currency is popular, with Bitcoin hitting $100K last year I believe there’s a growing opportunity for crypto,” she says. “I think many affiliates are missing the opportunity. It would be good to have more education [for] affiliates so they can educate players because, unfortunately, fear is still the king.”
From winner to judge
While working for ComeOn Connect (formerly Cherry Affiliates), Stafford led her team to win Best Casino Affiliate Programme at the iGB Affiliate Awards in 2017. Two years later, they beat Bet365 to claim Best Sports Betting Affiliate Programme.
“That was a real career highlight for me. Bet365 had been winning it for quite a few years, and we sort of upset the cart a little bit by sweeping in and winning that year,” she recalls.
The iGB Affiliate Awards are the OG. It has a really fair and transparent process as well
Last year, Stafford was invited back as an awards judge for the first time. As a former winner, she hopes to bring insight into what makes a strong submission, combined with her industry knowledge of emerging trends to assess nominations. Particularly, she invites smaller companies to join the contest, emphasising that judges don’t automatically favour the biggest names in the industry.
“The iGB Affiliate Awards are the OG. It has a really fair and transparent process as well. Whether you are a newbie in the industry or you’ve been around for a very long time, the awards look at current expertise and current growth rather than your market dominance,” she says.
Tips on submission
When crafting an entry, Stafford’s top advice is to take the submission seriously and put in genuine effort. Judges can quickly recognise rushed or generic entries, particularly those generated by AI, copied or copy-pasted across multiple awards.
“You should enjoy your job, right? If you're going to submit yourself for an award, I want to see that passion,” she says. “Make sure you know your audience. Tailor your submission based on the award you’re going for, not just a blanket approach where you send the same text to five different awards.”
If you’ve achieved something impressive, tell us how you did it
While Stafford describes herself as “a data geek” and would always appreciate seeing statistics in submissions, she emphasises that raw numbers alone aren’t enough – submissions should provide context to help judges interpret them more efficiently. In addition, entrants should steer clear from faking statistics, as judges often fact-check traffic using analytics tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush.
“If you’ve achieved something impressive, tell us how you did it. Was it a new strategy? A new marketing campaign? What changed? We don’t just want to see a number. We want to understand what it means for your business or the industry.”
Her final piece of advice is to “let your personality shine”, especially for individual categories like Best Affiliate Manager or Affiliate Idol. Supporting materials, including testimonials and case studies, are essential to demonstrate industry relationships and showcase how affiliates collaborate with operators to maximise partnerships.
If you’re forgettable in this industry, you’re not going to get very far
“If you’re forgettable in this industry, you’re not going to get very far,” she says. “The application is not just about the programme or the brand you work for. It’s about you as a person. People should want to work with you, not just your company. Even if you move jobs, people should remember your personal brand and why you are a trusted partner.”
At iGB Affiliate Awards 2025, Stafford looks forward to “hearing from new talents in their own words” and “seeing how operators and tech are evolving in igaming.” She’s also excited to meet fellow judges, reconnect with industry professionals and attend the 90s Britpop-themed awards ceremony this July.
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.