A few years ago, the market comfortably ran short campaigns. You’d reach out, run a test, look at the first numbers, and decide whether it was worth continuing. Today, unfortunately, that approach no longer works. With new contacts, you need to quickly understand whether they are worth pursuing because the cost of mistakes has risen significantly.
This shift has changed how major conferences like MAC are approached. For much of the market, attending isn’t just another familiar event: in a short conversation, you can learn more about a potential partner than you would in several days of back-and-forth messaging.
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Random Tests Are No Longer a Convenient Model
It’s important to note: the problem isn’t the tests themselves. They remain essential. The issue is the cost of a new contact for these tests. Even a small launch brings negotiations, quality expectations, money, disputes, team time, and a fairly short patience threshold from all parties.
According to Yan K., owner of RiK Netrunners, new contacts in iGaming are no longer approached as casually as before. There are countless stories of companies that initially invested heavily in marketing, only to close, scam, or behave in ways that made long-term cooperation impossible. Today, teams place more emphasis on quality, reputation, and how a partner performs once initial communication begins.
When a team isn’t prepared to run a new contact blind for weeks, face-to-face meetings become far more effective than messaging. In person, it’s easier to gauge whether a conversation has real potential or will fizzle out after the first call.
The Market Focuses More on the Partner
Initial bids, offers, and promises rarely tell the full story. What matters most to a team owner is how a person drives the conversation and how quickly they can move from generalities to concrete discussion.
Yan applies a strict filter. He immediately assesses whether a new partner can provide constructive input, quickly involve the right people, and communicate effectively. If the dialogue stalls from the start, future success is unlikely.
“I give an offer that would beat my current rate and see what the person responds with. If they immediately start saying we can give half, I know it’s not worth pursuing. But if they communicate effectively, involve the right people, provide options, and start moving, then it makes sense. If everything drags on for weeks with weak responses and no specifics, I drop it.”
At conferences like MAC, this becomes even clearer. You can see right away whether someone communicates effectively, keeps discussions productive, and responds at a normal pace. In chat, you can rely on ChatGPT-style answers and never realize the partner might be unreliable.
The Real Test Begins When Money Is on the Table
As mentioned, any new contact can appear competent in chat. The most revealing moments come later, when questions arise about traffic quality, payments, and disputes.
Yan notes that this stage shows a partner’s true approach to work. While things run smoothly, there are usually no issues. But when a challenge arises, it quickly becomes clear whether the person seeks solutions or prefers to cut off the conversation.
“The key is how they handle difficult situations. When money comes into play, when it’s about payouts, that’s when questions arise. Traffic isn’t what it should be, we aren’t what they expected, etc. Sometimes this doesn’t move toward compromise but into rigid defense without a future-oriented mindset. Many managers prefer breaking things now rather than resolving later.”
Long-term partnerships are now more valuable because teams understand how much time and money weak contacts can consume when they fail at the first major hurdle.
Face-to-Face Conversations Are a Key Tool Again
Yan emphasizes that at a conference, it’s crucial to quickly understand who you’re talking to in a normal conversation — without long threads of messages or unnecessary packaging. How a person discusses work, handles details calmly, transitions to concrete topics, and reacts to uncomfortable questions is a true test of reliability.
At MAC, this becomes obvious because you can quickly engage multiple new contacts and filter out those with no potential for further cooperation. In chat, this could take days or weeks. At the conference, much becomes clear within minutes.
Why Teams Go to MAC
Yan attends MAC to connect with partners, brands, and new contacts for campaigns, as well as people who need to be moved from endless threads into real conversations.
“From a team owner’s perspective, I always look for partners. Affiliate networks and brands you can work with — there are plenty, and it’s always productive. After MAC, my notebook is full of such contacts.”
This is the practical value of the trip. In three days at MAC, you can achieve what takes too long online: meet people, assess who matches your pace and approach, discuss launches, and revisit previously stalled conversations. MAC is primarily a place to quickly gather people you can actually work with.
Why Many Contacts Are Filtered Out After MAC
Conferences produce many contacts, but not all become meaningful. That’s not a problem; the trip’s value lies in quickly narrowing the circle.
Following the event, mutual interest determines next steps. Within a week, most people return to discussions and see who is worth pursuing, while casual acquaintances fall away. MAC’s structure helps consolidate a shortlist of genuinely useful contacts.
When time and attention have grown more expensive, in-person meetings regain importance. MAC allows a single trip to accomplish what would otherwise take extensive online effort: meet people, align expectations, and identify who is genuinely ready to work versus those offering superficial engagement.
For owners, team leads, buyers, affiliates, and brands, this is a practical, efficient format. MAC is ideal for structured meeting sessions that leave a clear list: who to follow up with, who to invite for the next conversation, and who to engage with in concrete terms.
This is why MAC attracts the market more than simple chat. It accelerates initial screening and creates opportunities for real work. For teams that want to avoid wasting weeks on unproductive contacts, that alone is reason enough to visit Yerevan.
