Catena puts RAiG membership on hold

Affiliate giant Catena Media has opted to put its membership of affiliate trade association Responsible Affiliates in Gambling (RAiG) on hold, though it said it remains open to joining in the future.

The business had agreed to join RAiG – which was founded in May 2019 – in December 2019, but Catena spokesperson Åsa Hillsten told iGB that it opted not to join at some point between 1 April and 9 April, but declined to give a specific date.

RAiG chair Clive Hawkswood confirmed to iGB that Catena had put its membership on hold following recent management changes.

However, Hillsten said that – although management changes occurred around this time – the decision was not because of these changes.

“The management team has decided to decline RAiG at this stage although it might be an option in the future,” Hillsten said.

The management change that did occur in April was the departure of deputy chief executive Johannes Bergh. Hillsten stressed that Bergh’s departure and the decision to leave RAiG were unrelated.

Hillsten added that it may take “some time” to find a successor in Bergh’s post. Bergh joined Catena as chief operating officer in January 2017, having previously been chief executive of management consulting firm Rewir and advertising agency Pryce Bergh.

Hillsten said Bergh’s decision to leave was entirely his own, in order to pursue a new opportunity.

RAiG was established in May 2019 by Better Collective, Oddschecker and Racing Post with the aim of encouraging operators and their affiliate partners to adopt responsible marketing of gambling products and a “safer gambling environment for consumers”.

Last month, Catena reported a 5.7% year-on-year increase in revenue for the two months to 29 February, saying that it anticipates further growth amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.