About Darko Ivanoski
Darko Ivanoski is an SEO expert with over 12 years of hands-on experience across 15+ niches, now specializing in iGaming affiliate SEO. As part of Gentoo Media, Darko has driven impressive results across his markets.
Currently working as a Head of SEO at Gentoo Media, Darko combines deep technical knowledge with a relentless focus on execution. In an industry obsessed with the next algorithm update or AI trend, Darko stands out for his practical, results-driven philosophy: stop discussing, start doing.
Interview –Winning iGaming SEO
The iGaming SEO space is flooded with strategy talks, framework debates, and endless discussions about the “right” approach. But how many actually execute? In this interview, Darko Ivanoski shares why execution consistently outperforms planning, how SEO fundamentals still drive results in 2026, and what he’s learned from scaling affiliate revenue in some of the most competitive markets.
Q: Darko, you’ve been in SEO for over 12 years across 15+ niches. What made you focus on iGaming, and specifically the Nordic and Crypto markets?
Answer: Transitioning into iGaming was driven by a desire for a high-stakes challenge that my previous experience in 15+ niches hadn’t quite touched. Being based in Malta, the global pulse of the industry, provided the perfect ecosystem to apply my SEO framework to a more aggressive landscape.
I initially entered the Nordic and Crypto markets with a blank slate, navigating their complex regulatory mazes through trial and error. Over the past five years, that steep learning curve transformed into a competitive advantage. By mastering the unique restrictions of these territories, we’ve moved beyond volatile gains to achieve sustainable rankings and long-term revenue stability.
Q: You believe execution matters more than strategy. Can you explain what you mean by that and where you see most iGaming affiliates getting stuck in “strategy paralysis”?
A: In iGaming, a perfect plan is worthless if it never goes live. Most affiliates fail because they treat SEO like a science project rather than a race. They get stuck in ‘strategies’, spending months debating, while their competitors are already taking the traffic.
I see three main traps where affiliates get stuck:
- Over-thinking: Waiting for ‘perfect’ data that doesn’t exist in volatile markets.
- Fear of Testing: Obsessing over the ‘right’ way to do things instead of launching and letting the results guide them, with paying attention to previous results. Don’t do it just for the sake of being done.
- Slow Movement: Thinking they need a massive blueprint before they can publish a single page.
Strategy gets you on the map, but execution is what pays the bills. My approach is to launch fast, gather real data, and optimize on the fly. In this industry, speed beats perfection every time, in most cases.
Q: SEO fundamentals vs. new trends like AIO, GEO, and AEO, how do you balance staying current with sticking to what actually works?
A: I view SEO through a ‘Fundamentals First’ lens. Trends like AIO (AI Overviews), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) are merely new layers on top of a solid foundation, not a replacement for it.
After 12 years in the game, I’ve realized that AI doesn’t create authority, it mirrors it. To be the answer in an AI world, you must first be the leader in the traditional SERPs (depends on queries and industries). AI models and LLMs primarily ingest high-quality data from the top 5 results for any given query in most cases, whether transactional, informational, or navigational. If you aren’t ranking there, you don’t exist for the AI, “kind of”.
My approach is a balanced evolution:
- The Core: We stick to the fundamentals, technical excellence, topical authority, EEAT, PR’s and high-intent content, because these are what feed the AI. Branding is important more than ever, it’s hard to be applied across affiliates but we need to utilize UX as much as possible.
- The Trend: We adapt our content structure to be more ‘crawlable’ for generative engines (AEO) and AIO without compromising the SEO integrity that secured our rankings in the first place.
I don’t chase the trend, I optimize the fundamental quality that makes the trend possible.
Q: You’ve noticed sports sites randomly outranking casino domains. What’s happening there, and how should affiliates respond?
A: The March and July 2025 Google Core Updates signaled a fundamental shift in how the algorithm categorizes ‘Gaming’ intent. Google no longer views Sports and Casino as distinct silos, but as a unified ‘Betting’ entity.
When sports sites outrank casino domains for casino terms, it’s usually due to Domain Authority Spillover. Large sportsbooks/affiliates often have higher E-E-A-T and massive, clean backlink profiles, because they are seen as ‘Information & News’ hubs, whereas casino sites are often categorized strictly as ‘YMYL’ (Your Money Your Life) transactional hubs. This distinction gives sports domains a significant head start.
Google is currently testing if these trusted sports authorities provide a safer, more reliable answer for casino users than traditional affiliate sites.
How to respond? Merge the Verticals. If the SERP shows sports sites for your casino keywords, stop building ‘Casino-only’ silos. Integrate high-quality betting/sports content to signal to Google that your domain covers the full ‘Gaming’ spectrum.
Q: Canonicalization issues seem to plague many iGaming sites. What are the most common technical mistakes you see, and how do you fix them?
A: Canonicalization is often the “silent killer” of iGaming rankings. In an industry with thousands of near-identical slot reviews and bonus pages, mistakes here fragment your authority. Lately I can see a huge hype of using canonicalization of many other spam short-term tactics that I’m not a fan of. Manipulating doesn’t build sustainable growth. This is my point of view, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t test it.
Common Mistakes
- The “Page 1”: Canonicalizing all paginated pages (e.g., /slots/page/2/) to the root category. This de-indexes your entire catalog.
- Relative URLs: Using instead of the full absolute URL. This leads to protocol (HTTP vs. HTTPS) or subdomain confusion.
- Conflicting Signals: Having a noindex tag and a canonical tag on the same page. Google will likely ignore both instructions.
- Parameter Bloat: Failing to canonicalize tracking or filter URLs (e.g., ?sort=bonus) back to the clean “master” URL.
The Fix
- Enforce Absolute URLs: Always use the full path, including https:// and your preferred www (or non-www) version.
- Self-Referencing Tags: Every page should have a canonical tag pointing to itself to prevent scrapers or random parameters from stealing its “equity.”
- Unique Pagination: Use self-referencing canonicals for paginated pages so Google can crawl your entire game library.
- Audit via GSC: Use the “URL Inspection” tool in Google Search Console to see if the “Google-selected canonical” matches your “User-declared canonical.”
Q: AI-generated content is everywhere now. How do you use AI in your workflow while maintaining quality and authenticity?
A: I treat AI as my co-pilot, not an autopilot. In iGaming, relying on raw AI output is a recipe for failure. I use it to handle complex data analysis, and technical structuring, but my experience provides the soul.
I inject first-hand market insights, verify facts against current regulations, and ensure the tone resonates with actual players. AI handles the scale, but I provide the authenticity that keeps us ranking. If you let the machine do the thinking, you lose your edge, if you use the machine to sharpen your expertise, you win.
Q: Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, what’s your personal prediction for where iGaming SEO is heading? What should affiliates focus on right now?
A: We are moving into a year of recalibration where Google and AI engines prioritize brand legitimacy and content volumes.
My strategy for the rest of the year is built on four pillars:
- Semantic Fundamentals: It’s no longer about keywords, it’s about entities. We are structuring our content to be a ‘knowledge graph’ that AI and LLMs can easily ingest. If you satisfy the LLM’s need for structured, factual data, you secure the citation. Depending on your language markets.
- Intent-Driven Execution: Search intent is fluid. We are adapting static pages with dynamic content that answers the user’s implicit questions, like local payment speeds or real-time regulatory shifts. Be aware that this depends on your market, if applicable.
- Brand as the Ultimate Signal: In 2026, focusing on high-authority mentions that signal to Google that we are a trusted brand, not just another affiliate site.
- Human-Centric Quality: As AI floods the web with average content, originality is the new premium.
The goal is still to rank in the top 10, but also to be the source that the AI trusts enough to recommend by name.
Q: Finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to an iGaming affiliate who’s been planning their SEO strategy for months but hasn’t started executing yet?
A: SEO is a feedback loop, not a blueprint. You can’t brainstorm your way out of a Google update or a ranking drop that hasn’t happened yet. Execute 70% of the plan today, see how the SERPs react, and then use your meetings to pivot based on real-world results. In this industry, velocity is a competitive advantage, perfection is just a delay.
Conclusion
Darko doesn’t sugarcoat it. Twelve years in SEO taught him that the gap between winning and losing affiliates isn’t knowledge; it’s action. Everyone reads the same case studies and blogs. Everyone attends the same SEO conferences. The difference is who actually publishes on Monday morning. Ship fast, listen to what ranks, adjust. Rinse and repeat. Meetings won’t save your traffic. Execution will.
