Entering a new market over calls and emails may sound simple on paper: find the right contacts, reach out, set up calls, discuss terms, and move forward.
In reality, this approach often stalls at the very start. Some contacts turn out to be irrelevant, others talk a good game but have little decision-making power, and some seem interested, yet discussions never progress. The problem isn’t the number of calls — it’s that the market is almost always harder to read from the outside than from within.
This is particularly true for Russian-speaking iGaming. Many decisions are still built on personal networks, reputation, and understanding who actually drives outcomes. For this reason, companies often enter such markets not through extended calls but by attending events where the right circle can be reached quickly. One key example is the iGaming & Affiliate Conference MAC.
Entering the market from the outside is harder than it looks
Event industry data confirms this. According to Bizzabo 2025, 87% of organizers consider networking essential for an event’s success. Half of B2B conference participants see offline networking as the best way to meet people, and 34% reported that follow-ups after initial contact often lead nowhere. Freeman reports similarly: 51% of participants would return to an event if they had strong, meaningful conversations.
For iGaming, this is critical. People attend conferences to shorten the path to the right contacts, not to stretch it over months of calls. In the Russian-speaking layer of the market, in-person interactions provide faster insights: who actually makes decisions, who can drive deals, who has a real product versus just a flashy stand or hype. The question becomes: which event is worth investing time and travel to gain meaningful contacts and clarity on who is worth pursuing further.
| Register using this link, apply the promo code INTECH and get 10% OFF for your registration |
Why MAC Stands Out
MAC 2026, taking place in Yerevan on May 26–27, is described as an iGaming & Affiliate Conference with 5,000+ participants from 62 countries, 170+ exhibitors, and 200 speakers.
For international companies, the size is secondary. The real value lies in quickly connecting with affiliate, adtech, B2B, and iGaming professionals in one location — evaluating in person who is worth continuing discussions with. What normally takes weeks of intros, emails, and calls can be assessed in a single trip.
MAC has earned its place in the international calendar. For instance, ExoClick lists it alongside events in Madrid, Barcelona, and Cyprus. This positions MAC as a standard working stop rather than a local-only Russian-speaking affair.
MAC Is More Than Affiliate Traffic
MAC isn’t just for media buyers. Yerevan itself hosts a dense iGaming ecosystem. Digitain’s headquarters are in Yerevan, offering sportsbook, casino, platform, and payment gateway services. Galaxsys, a game studio, is based there as well. This expands MAC’s relevance beyond affiliate networks to product, B2B, and infrastructure layers.
Similarly, GR8 Tech, a B2B iGaming provider with platform, sportsbook, casino, CRM, payment gateway, and affiliate solutions, announced participation in MAC 2025. This demonstrates that the event is a place to connect not just with media buying teams but also with product teams, integration experts, and payment specialists — all vital for scaling in the region.
Yerevan’s selection is strategic. The city is embedded in the regional iGaming ecosystem, making MAC a practical gateway for international teams seeking Russian-speaking expertise.
MAC’s Historical Advantage
MAC didn’t emerge overnight. LinkedIn and historical records trace the conference back to the Moscow Affiliate Conference, founded in 2017. This legacy ensures deep connections to the Russian-speaking market, giving international companies easier access to established networks than they would find online.
Today, MAC is recognized as a major platform for Europe and CIS, attracting iGaming, affiliate, adtech, and related B2B professionals. For international companies, the value isn’t just the exhibition — it’s a concentrated view of who runs the market, who manages localization and distribution, and who has real experience versus just hype.
What Companies Gain Beyond Contacts
- Quick Talent Assessment: You can see who represents the brand, who makes decisions, who understands metrics and launches, and who relies on reputation alone.
- Access to Russian-Speaking Expertise: Online, the market can feel fragmented and unclear. At MAC, affiliate, product, B2B, and operational specialists converge, including those handling GEO expansion, localization, payments, and distribution. The combination of 5,000+ attendees and historical ties to the Russian-speaking market creates a concentrated environment.
- Comprehensive Market Insight: One visit allows companies to map the ecosystem — platforms, studios, B2B providers, affiliate teams, and international players — making the market tangible rather than opaque.
Attend with a Specific Purpose
Networking alone isn’t enough. Companies should attend MAC with a concrete goal: access operator teams, platforms, payment providers, game studios, or affiliates capable of rapid GEO expansion. The narrower the objective, the higher the chance that connections will survive the post-conference follow-up.
Russian-speaking iGaming expertise isn’t about buzzwords — it’s practical experience with product, distribution, localization, and growth. This market remains accessible in ways that global channels don’t always reveal, and MAC is a proven route to shorten the distance to those with real operational know-how.
For international companies, MAC isn’t about closing deals on-site. It’s about compressing the time and effort required to find the right people and gain a clear understanding of whom it makes sense to engage with next.
| Register using this link, apply the promo code INTECH and get 10% OFF for your registration |
