Today we meet with Lars, Head of Affiliate department at Lady Hammer Casino, who agreed to give softswiss interview. Lars talks about the strength of Lady Hammer and how it stands out compared to other affiliate programs.
SSC: Hi Lars, first of all thanks for your time and interest! Lars, tell us a little bit about your background and what led you to lead the affiliate department in Lady Hammer casino? How did your career start in this industry?
Lars: Hi Liza, thank you for asking the below questions. My roots are located at boxing business, I started to co-manage Christina Lady Hammer some years ago together with my best friend and business partner Harald. The wheel of fortune made its choice and I was introduced to Sasha, Alex Uritu. Business negotiations changed to personal friendship relationship and one day Alex mentioned a big opportunity. As you might know, in history boxing and gambling always have been connected in a very close way, just remember the big fights of Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield at MGM Grand Casino Las Vegas or Caesars Palace. This close connection is visible in present times too, big boxing events sponsored by Merkur gambling brands and William Hill sports book represent the common way of business partnerships between professional boxing and gambling business. Sasha had a vision, not to be sponsored by online casino brand, but run your own one. Never before in history a female athlete run an own online casino brand and never before in history an online gambling brand has been operated by a real and still alive person. Late William Hill lives on by his name, Mr. Green is a fictional character, played by actors, Christina Hammer is alive and unbeaten female world champion in boxing. An idea was born and a singularity in history was created and designed by different people with same roots. Back to real life and daily business, someone had to take care about affiliate relationships, not in common way like offering highest CPA – why start something new in old fashioned style. Every anonymous casino brand can offer high CPA deals, no other online casino brand can offer a personal meeting with the mayor of Kiev, former WBC Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. Lady Hammer Casinos affiliate partner are real partners, lifetime revenue share and being part of worlds boxing community and last but not least supporting charity. That’s short version how I have been dropped into cold water by my friend Sasha – learned to swim and to change the game by living dreams.
SSC: Tell us more about the Lady Hammer casino and what makes it different?
Lars: As mentioned above, a female operator, an active professional athlete, runs an online casino brand with own and real name is a singularity in gambling and boxing history. But more important is the support of charity. 5% of Lady Hammer Casino revenue donated to World Boxing Cares, charity project of WBC, World Boxing Council is the most important difference to other online casino brands. Christina Hammer wants to give a chance to third world children to escape from their destiny by hard work and the vision of success. Christina Hammer herself moved to Germany at the age of one, never lost her dreams and now prepares her post-boxing business career. Nothing is impossible. Take your chance to win!
SSC: Lady Hammer casino’ popularity is growing rapidly. What do you think is the central aspect affiliates appreciate regarding your affiliate program?
Lars: As I said before, every anonymous casino brand can promise high cpa or hybrid, real partnership is revenue share and being part of the casino, in this particular case, meet Christina Hammer, watch her televised fights from first row at inner circle, be introduced to Vitali Klitschko and the other legends of boxing. You can earn a lot of money, but does this will give you the chance to sit beside Floyd Mayweather Jr. or to meet world’s most famous Hollywood actors in person at internal aftershow parties? Support charity by forwarding players, change the game, life is not about a massive bank account without any social relations, earn money by supporting third world children’s future, feel the spirit of Muhammed Ali who not fought for money only. And if you do not care about the above game changing details: If an anonymous casino brand does not withdraw your hard earned commission, what can you do? Visit operator at televised event and say “you owe me money” in front of a crowd of celebrities? Christina Hammer is a real person in the spotlight of media, why should she risk her good name and reputation and her big sponsorship deals with world’s major brands to cheat an affiliate of her own charity supporting online casino site?
SSC: What do you like about the industry?
Lars: I met a lot of nice people, having visions and dreams, for example the Clarion staff, Shona and Stuart and all the other hard working guys and girls who connect operators and affiliates. On the other side I also met a lot of usb-sticks, lighters and other giveaway-grabbing guys (yes to highlight it: no girls) at iGB-Shows, maybe it would be better to charge a visitors fee for affiliates to avoid giveaway-grabbing and to increase relationship-building. I met a lot of new friends in the industry and I really enjoy to be part of it, so please excuse my opinion about so called affiliates who do not want to talk to operators but only grab a gift and run away without any reason (maybe it’s better business to sell giveaways at ebay instead of closing deals?) To bring it to the point, I am searching for real partner- and relationships, no need for registrations only, no need for no deposit bonus hunters. If you do something, do it the right way.
SSC: Do you attend affiliate events?
Lars: Yes of course, I really enjoyed LAC at London, iGB Live at Amsterdam and most of all the Copenhagen conference. At LAC and Amsterdam conference we had a stand with boxing ring, including live sparring sessions by Christina Hammer, a boxing machine to compare the punch power of affiliates and a photobooth machine, I really enjoyed to meet previous online only contacts and the hospitality of Clarion staff, big thanks to Shona and Stuart again, but as mentioned above I do not like people who want to sell crappy email-databases or bot-traffic to us – hey, we are from real life, Christina does not need to earn money by her Online Casino Brand, she only loves Poker and Gambling and she wants to support charity project of WBC, we like to meet nice people and in our world a word is still a word. And if you want to get a pair of signed boxing gloves, you have to punch the machine and win it, not grab it and run away. Copenhagen conference is my favourite one, only serious people at the same hotel, nice talks and good contacts, quality is better than quantity.
SSC: What markets you target primarily?
Lars: Germany, Sweden, Finland, to shorten it up: the nordics and D/A/CH
SSC: How does Lady Hammer casino work to retain casino players sent you by your affiliates?
Lars: We offer special events, like a lottery to win a ticket to WBC Convention including a personal meeting with Vitali Klitschko. Our VIP-Level-System offers several benefits and exclusive show invitations.
SSC: The casino has been running for almost a year. What have the biggest challenges been and what was the notable achievements?
Lars: The biggest challenge has been to enter a new business and an industry completely different from boxing business, to learn about mathematics and usage of casino backend. The most notable achievement: we did it!
SSC: Where do you think the industry will be in 5 years and what place Lady Hammer will occupy in this industry?
Lars: I hope that percentage of female operators will increase and social responsibility will not be a singularity anymore. Let’s change the game, we want to be part of this bright future!
Lars: We will migrate to MGA license, Malta is a beautiful island and the maltese license hopefully will push us to the next level of success.