For readers who are not based in the UK, ITV is one of the largest TV channels in the country. In fact, in literal order, BBC One is first, BBC Two is second and ITV is third on most physical TV sets. ITV first launched its online streaming services in 2008, which allowed people to watch shows both live and on catch-up.
In 2022, ITV launched the newly revamped ITVX online streaming platform, which was funded through subscriptions and advertisements. On 14 April 2026, Comparison would launch its landmark three-month advertising campaign on the site. Hannah previously spoke with Trafficology about the deal but, on this occasion, took to the stage at iGB Live.
The advert explains how the casino affiliate website works, by showing people selecting filters on the app to receive personalised platform recommendations. These include which welcome bonuses somebody may want, deposit methods or even the minimum deposit available. At the time of the panel, there were only a few weeks left on the advertising campaign, but Hannah confirmed the brand had already seen an uplift through both direct and SEO traffic.
Comparasino worked closely with ITV to tailor the campaign to meet its needs. All advertising is expensive, but TV campaigns are particularly pricey. To mitigate this, Comparasino focused on select regions up North to trial the advert, due to the office being headquartered up North, but also because of the higher gambling rates found in recent Gambling Commission surveys. Once the campaign has ended, Comparasino will analyse the data and decide whether to “bolt on” additional regions to expand its reach, or whether it should take a new direction.
But even if Comparasino does not run another stint of TV ad campaigns, just getting there in the first place is a major feat. Regulators around the world are increasingly cracking down on gambling marketing, which has led to a spike in illegal advertisements from the black market.
The campaign was incredibly expensive to run, and is probably not a viable route for many affiliates with ever-tightening margins to pursue
While a legitimate company may not be able to run a billboard, black market casinos have no qualms with posting a dozen adverts on platforms such as Facebook and X. Comparasino hopes to educate the audience on how to search for online casinos in a safer manner, by only offering online casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission.
“The black market is a threat,” Hannah told the audience. “But it is also a massive opportunity.”
As part of ITV’s due diligence process, Clearcast investigated all of the sites featured on Comparasino and found that they all complied with the necessary standards. The app and adverts themselves had to be cleared by ASA and the BCAP code – none of which would have passed if the casino was operating legitimately. By jumping through all of these hoops, Comparasino can truly establish itself as a trusted source for casino information. “A black-market company would never have gotten an ITV deal,” he laughed.
And this raises an important point for channelisation. Millions of people tune in to watch ITV shows every day, with fan favourites being Love Island, I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here! And Coronation Street, just to name a few. By securing an advertising deal with ITV, Comparasino has fully legitimised itself as a reputable product. People famously do not like being told what to do, but Comparasino is not telling them “don’t play at these sites.” Instead, it focuses on which ones might suit an individual’s preferences the best.
The TV campaign has not come about without its pitfalls, though. The campaign was incredibly expensive to run, and is probably not a viable route for many affiliates with ever-tightening margins to pursue. It is also borderline impossible to track visitor journeys, as a TV ad leaves almost no SEO trail.
All Hannah can say is that, yes, since the advertisement launched, more people have visited the site. As for the partnered operators, many of them had to cut marketing budgets after the rise to 40% remote tax in the UK. Hannah has managed to keep a diverse portfolio of brands and, while he does believe in quantity over quality, it will be interesting to keep an eye on how business develops as the year goes on.