Publication date: 17 Jun 2025
In today’s regular iGaming Heroes column on 3S.INFO, we welcome Dmitry Zaytsev, the CEO of Legalbet. What excites him, and what frustrates him about today’s affiliate marketing landscape? Where should you go to stay ahead in this niche? How to minimize scam risks? What is he proud of? Find out in this interview!
– A classic first question: How did you get started in betting and media? We’re eager to hear your story, from your early days to the present?
Before joining Legalbet, I spent twelve years working in marketing and sales across various fields. I have experience working in startups and corporations, as well as managing my own microbusiness. Eventually, I felt the need for a change, so friends invited me to work in a casino. There, I quickly rose to the position of Head of Affiliate. Afterward, I served as Head of Affiliate in e-commerce on behalf of a direct advertiser.
I joined Legalbet as Head of Sales and, in just over two and a half years, progressed to CEO.
Interestingly, I didn’t deliberately aim for a position in media or betting, but I was strongly drawn to the company’s culture, values, and business approach.
My current position is a combination of coincidences, accumulated experience, and a perfect alignment with the company’s values and culture.
– What was the most important lesson you learned in your first year as a leader? Was there a defining moment that changed your approach to managing a team?
The most important lesson is to listen to your team. Once you take on a serious managerial role, it’s easy to get caught up in strategy and higher-level business concerns, accidentally overlooking the fact that people are actually the ones who make the business happen. People are the most important asset for any company.
– What aspects of the current state of affiliate marketing make you particularly happy or frustrated? Which key problems need urgent changes, and how would you change them if you had the power to do so?
I’m pleased to see how much affiliate marketing has matured over the past few years. There’s been a shift toward a more businesslike mindset, with a focus on long-term partnerships. It’s no longer just about quick money-making schemes like it was 3-5 years ago.
What irritates me is recruitment. The affiliate sphere is oversaturated with gambling. Nowadays, people with little to no experience demand salaries 1.5 to 2 times higher than the industry average without possessing the necessary skills or qualifications.
– Here’s one of our favorite questions: what advice, either received or given, has proven to be the most valuable in managing a team, building a product, or in life in general?
Never be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you. I firmly believe that experts should teach me what to do and how to do it, not the other way around. Only in this way can teams achieve remarkable success.
– What section or feature of Legalbet are you most proud of personally? Why is it so special?
I’m proud of that, but I’m not responsible for that myself. Legalbet provides honest and transparent information to users. We don’t sell spots in rankings or publish sponsored content. All ratings for bookmakers and casinos are based purely on objective metrics. This approach allows us to maintain our reputation as industry experts.
As for my personal accomplishments, I’m proud to have built one of the strongest affiliate/sales departments in the market over several years. Without false modesty, many affiliates acknowledge that it’s very pleasant to work with us. Furthermore, our team members excel at interpreting direct and indirect traffic metrics, enabling us to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with partners.
– What’s new? What strategic goals and new development directions are you considering for Legalbet in the near future?
Speaking of new directions… Legalbet is traditionally known for its betting-focused websites, which have separate sections devoted to casinos. Currently, however, we’re developing a stand-alone project exclusively for casinos. Our goal isn’t just to create another typical affiliate review site; rather, we want to create a product with the potential to become #1 in its niche. I believe we’ll be able to showcase initial results in a couple of months. We’re also expanding into new markets. Just a month ago, we launched a website for Serbia, and we’re already seeing positive results.
– How would you evaluate the current trends in operator reliability in the iGaming industry? Have you noticed an increase in risks associated with untrustworthy scam advertisers? In your opinion, what measures should affiliates take to protect themselves from scams and ensure stable payments?
The essence of Legalbet lies in the prefix “legal.” We work exclusively with legitimate advertisers who hold local licenses, and we operate strictly under contractual agreements, with payments made directly to bank accounts. This approach minimizes the risk of scams and collaborations with unreliable advertisers.
So, here’s my simple advice: Work legitimately, and everything will be fine!
– SEO in 2024–2025 is about more than just keywords and links. How do you adapt to Google’s algorithm changes, such as the March Core Update? What does this mean for large media outlets like Legalbet? Which signals are currently the most important in your SEO strategy?
Legalbet is committed to providing truthful and useful information to our readers and users. Considering that recent Google updates aim to eliminate “low-value content” from search results, we haven’t experienced any negative traffic impacts during these updates. As Google emphasizes, “Create websites for humans, not search engines,” and that’s exactly what we do. You’re right that plain links and keyword-stuffed texts are no longer enough. The most important signal now is user experience. Specifically, it’s important to consider how satisfied your readers are with your content, how much time they spend on your site, how many news articles they read, how many bonus cards they view, and whether the material was helpful or left them dissatisfied. It’s important not to mislead users by enticing them with fictional or nonexistent incentives.
- Here‘s another opinion: An SEO legend Alexander Strizh: «Google doesn’t give a f*ck about your fantasies”
Another critical aspect of our SEO approach is expertise. We don’t just produce content; we put ourselves in the user’s shoes. For instance, when writing about bonuses, our team tries them out firsthand before drawing conclusions. We write news items in such a way that they are cited by other media outlets. Bookmaker rankings are based on genuine user feedback or transparent formulas accessible to everyone. Regardless of updates, maintaining top positions requires daily effort because standing still in our niche means falling behind.
In the long term (several years), search engines will always prioritize large-scale, credible projects with excellent user metrics and a strong brand image.
That’s exactly what we do. Rather than building a simple affiliate site to make a quick profit, we’re developing a substantial brand with long-term potential. Thus, algorithmic changes in search engine rankings are beneficial for Legalbet. Smaller teams are finding it increasingly difficult to compete for visibility.
This is your chance to shine in iGaming Heroes! Contact us now — we’ve prepared special questions just for you!
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