MyAffiliates: 'Tracking the Truth' podcast episodes five and six

In episodes five and six of MyAffiliates Tracking the Truth podcast, two very different conversations unfold. Yet both point to the same underlying theme: clarity, accountability and the standards we choose to operate by.

Episode five

Episode five, with Richard Dennis, CEO of Game Lounge, tackles the issue of standardisation head on. The discussion begins with a familiar industry cycle: traffic increases, revenues grow, fixed fees rise. On the surface, everything looks healthy. Yet beneath that growth sits a persistent tension – performance cannot always be clearly quantified.

Affiliates argue they are not given enough visibility, while operators question the quality of traffic. Definitions differ across platforms. A ‘FTD’ does not always mean the same thing. ‘Real time’ can vary from near instant to weekly updates. When terminology shifts, trust weakens.

The operational cost of this inconsistency is significant. Game Lounge built its own middleware system to ingest data via APIs, scraping or manual uploads. APIs are efficient. Scraping is fragile. Manual uploads delay reconciliation for weeks. A disproportionate amount of time is spent managing partners that lack structured data exchange. That inefficiency is not innovation; it’s friction.

The episode draws a clear distinction between standardisation and liberalisation. Standardisation, in this context, is not about identical reports or dashboards. It is about aligning definitions and exchange protocols. What does ‘real time’ actually mean? Which data fields are mandatory? What handshake mechanisms govern API connections? These structural foundations matter, particularly in an environment increasingly driven by automation.

Liberalisation, meanwhile, is about greater openness within guardrails. Not data anarchy, but API-first infrastructures and reciprocal exchange. Referencing computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web) and the philosophy of open data, the point is simple: shared infrastructure enables smarter ecosystems. Affiliates often see behavioural patterns across multiple operators, insights that can highlight fraud risks, bonus abuse or conversion inefficiencies. With structured exchange, that intelligence could strengthen the entire system.

There is also a commercial reality. When transparency is limited, fixed-fee agreements become more attractive. They reduce uncertainty and simplify budgeting. But they are not pure performance marketing. In many cases, fixed fees are a commercial workaround for a trust gap.

As AI and automation take on a greater role, inconsistent definitions become more than an inconvenience. Machine learning models do not debate terminology; they learn patterns. If labels refer to different realities across systems, outputs become unreliable. Clean inputs are no longer optional.

Episode six

If episode five questions the standards behind data, episode six questions the standards applied to people.

Titled ‘Her Story, Not History’, episode six features Emily Haruko, CEO of Saroca, in a candid conversation about building a career as a woman in igaming. The focus shifts from systems to lived experience, from definitions and APIs to perception and behaviour.

A central theme emerges: different standards often apply. Behaviour described as confident and decisive in men can be labelled aggressive or difficult in women. Ambition is interpreted differently. Directness carries different consequences. No single moment defines this dynamic, but patterns over time do.

The discussion references the well-known ‘Howard versus Heidi’ study from 2003 where identical leadership profiles were judged differently based solely on the name attached. The credentials were the same. The perception was not.

Haruko also speaks about the invisible calculations many women make: what to wear at conferences, whether to stay late at networking events, whether to challenge inappropriate comments, whether speaking up is worth the professional risk. Silence is often misread as tolerance. In reality, it is frequently a form of risk management.

Motherhood adds another layer. Career momentum can subtly shift after maternity leave. Responsibilities may change. Assumptions about commitment can surface. Even routine questions, such as who is caring for children while travelling, reveal expectations not equally applied.

Importantly, the conversation is not framed as ‘men versus women’. Strong allies exist. Supportive leaders exist. The issue lies in unexamined norms and behaviours that persist without challenge.

A question of standards

Across both episodes, a shared thread becomes clear. Whether discussing data structures or workplace dynamics, the industry faces the same underlying question: what standards are being applied, and are they consistent?

Episode six closes on a simple but powerful message: belonging should not be conditional. Talent should not have to carry an additional mental load just to participate.

If some of these experiences feel familiar, that says something. If they feel uncomfortable, that also says something. Conversations like this are not about weakening the industry. They are about strengthening it so that performance, leadership and opportunity are shaped not by opacity or double standards, but by clarity and capability.

About MyAffiliates

MyAffiliates is a market-leading affiliate marketing software designed to help operators streamline and consolidate all their gaming brands and products under a single, powerful platform. Trusted by top operators in igaming, forex, binary and lottery industries, MyAffiliates delivers scalable, data-driven solutions that optimise affiliate management and performance. Our commitment to continuous innovation and client-driven development ensures our platform evolves to meet the industry’s ever-changing demands.