Ahead of the SBC Summit and the Affiliate Leader Summit, taking place September 16-18 in Lisbon, iGaming Expert caught up with Yohanna Isis, Founder of Betlifter, who will be attending the event.
During the conversation, Isis highlighted how artificial intelligence has become a cornerstone of Betlifter’s success, emphasised the importance of localising strategies to resonate with players in different markets, and discussed the growing appeal of alternative gaming formats, including sweepstakes and crypto casinos.
For those who might not be familiar, can you tell us the story behind Betlifter and how the brand has evolved since its launch?
Yohanna Isis: Betlifter was established this past January. I was experimenting with AI in product development, inspired by a community I had joined called She Leads AI from California. That night, I went back to my hotel, opened a low-code tool, and built the first MVP, a simple casino offer aggregator.
But I knew I didn’t want to create just an affiliate site, so I pivoted. Betlifter became a fully AI-native platform focused on casino streamers, with tools built around them. From the beginning, the goal was to reduce friction, test fast, and create something product-driven instead of just traffic-driven.
Betlifter covers a lot of ground—streaming, traditional affiliation and iGaming tools. What led you to focus on these particular areas, and how do you manage your attention across the different platforms?
YI: I wasn’t looking to just trade traffic. I wanted to build a product, a system, that brings value beyond the click.
So I combined streaming, affiliation, and AI tools into one ecosystem. This works so well because each part is interconnected; creators bring content, content drives players, and the tools help optimise that loop. I also use AI across the stack, which lets me test fast and stay lean.
You’ve launched localised sites in the US, Chile, and Argentina. What stands out to you about each of these markets?
YI: I started with Argentina and Chile because they’re markets I know well. There’s also a cultural overlap; they share similar user behaviour and have a growing pool of emerging creators, so they felt like the right markets to test the early versions of the site.
The U.S. was introduced during the first beta phase, which was driven by organic traction. One of the platform’s first streamers had a significant portion of their audience based in the U.S., which led to the integration of sweepstakes mechanics as a test. The engagement and conversion data made a strong case. So I kept going.
In general, I don’t think market expansion should follow a traditional playbook. I prefer to observe how users behave, launch targeted tests, and let the data tell me where to double down. That’s how Betlifter grows, not by guessing, but by staying sharp, observing closely, and moving fast when something clicks.
There’s a lot of industry chatter about sweepstakes casinos and the regulatory grey areas surrounding them. Where do you see regulations heading in this space, and do you think sweepstakes are just a trend or a lasting part of the gaming landscape?
YI: For Betlifter, sweepstakes are a practical way to keep testing in the U.S. without getting caught up in regulatory complexity. Every state has its own licensing framework, and segmenting audiences on social platforms can quickly become a mess. Sweepstakes simplify things. They’re more agile, easier to deploy with creators, and help us move fast.
From a streamer’s perspective, they often don’t see a big difference; the games look the same. But on the backend, the conversion cycle and revenue are completely different. Still, they open doors… I see them less as a trend and more as a useful entry point while the space keeps evolving.
This can also be seen with the rise of Crypto casinos, which are taking over younger audiences. They want to pay in crypto, and they want it fast. So, beyond strict regulations, there’s a big product experience issue to solve. I constantly get feedback from streamers’ audiences about things like long sign-up processes, broken payment flows, or limited payout methods, and that’s a dealbreaker for them. So yes, regulation is an important aspect, but product fit is just as important.
In terms of sweepstakes, the “no real money” aspect obviously impacts affiliate revenue. That’s clear. But it’s still interesting because, in the US, depending on how you define your casino, whether it’s a traditional, trading, or sweepstakes model, it completely changes your business opportunities. That’s one of the reasons why crypto casinos are crushing it with new audiences. In fact, most of the communities I work with actively ask for that kind of casino over traditional ones.
Your site mentions that you’ve launched more than five digital casino tools. Can you walk us through what those tools are and how they support both players and operators?
YI: Everything is part of one system. Across our site we offer a streamer network community where creators can join and promote casino offers, a stream and casino search tool (currently in beta), a sweepstake offer recommender filtered by country and content, an AI-based onboarding system that streamlines signup and setup, and internal tools to help streamers boost visibility and performance.
All of them are AI-native. The goal is to remove friction, both for creators and operators. Of course, I just started, so most of this is still in beta version, but the foundation is already working.
On your website, you mention that your streamer network is billed as the world’s largest AI-powered casino streaming community. How are you using AI behind the scenes, and what kind of value does the community offer to streamers who join?
YI: Well, in terms of the AI community, it is the largest one, at least that’s what ChatGPT told me! Behind the scenes, AI is at the core of everything. I use it to automate onboarding, manage scraping, analyse content, and support streamers. Even the promo tools are powered by AI, and we’re testing ways to auto-optimise campaigns based on stream data. This isn’t just branding, it’s how I’ve been able to build Betlifter solo and fast, whilst still scaling.
You’ll be attending SBC Summit this September—what are you hoping to take away from the event, and are there any particular opportunities or features you’re looking forward to?
YI: Lisbon is now my home, so I’ll definitely be there. I took a step back from the industry this year. I needed the space to dive into AI and rethink where the real value is being built. Until now, I’ve been laser-focused on the tools, users, how they behave, what they respond to, and what keeps them engaged.
But with SBC Summit, I’m stepping back into the industry. By September, Betlifter might already be testing a business model that breaks away from the traditional affiliate mould. I’m not here to make noise. I’m here to build lean and smart, and with the right tech and partners, scale something that shifts the landscape.
The upcoming SBC Summit isn’t just another event for me; it’s probably the start of a new chapter.
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