AffPapa has spoken with Joshua Rawlings, Head of Strategy at Casino.online. In this exclusive interview, Rawlings shares insights into the platform’s successful post-relaunch period, discusses the upcoming User Profiles and community Forum features, and explains the vision behind these updates. Yeva: Joshua, Casino.online had a phenomenal year – five industry awards and now major platform
AffPapa has spoken with Joshua Rawlings, Head of Strategy at Casino.online. In this exclusive interview, Rawlings shares insights into the platform’s successful post-relaunch period, discusses the upcoming User Profiles and community Forum features, and explains the vision behind these updates.
Yeva: Joshua, Casino.online had a phenomenal year – five industry awards and now major platform updates. Before we dive into the new features, how would you describe the momentum you’re carrying into this year?
It’s been an incredibly rewarding year, especially considering it was our first full year after the relaunch. We put a lot of effort into rebuilding the brand, refining our product, and re‑establishing our position in the market. Seeing Casino.online become truly visible to the industry and win five awards along the way was a strong confirmation that the relaunch was the right move. That momentum is now pushing us to innovate even faster.
Yeva: Casino.online recently introduced User Profiles, a big step toward personalization. What inspired this move, and what does it unlock for your players?
The relaunch gave us a clean slate to rethink how users interact with our platform. We realized that personalization had to be at the core of the new Casino.online.
User Profiles allow players to build a gaming identity, track their journey, save favorites, and receive content that’s actually relevant to them. The feature is currently being gradually developed and refined before its full release. It transforms the experience from a one‑off visit into an ongoing relationship.
Yeva: Many platforms talk about “community,” but few execute it well. Your new Forum feature seems to aim high. What gap in the market are you trying to fill with it?
That’s a great observation. You’re right, many mention community, but it often feels like a buzzword. For us, it became a strategic necessity. After our relaunch, we saw a surge in player engagement that clearly signaled an appetite for deeper interaction, not just between players and our platform, but among the players themselves.
The gap we identified is one of quality and trust. Currently, most player discussions are scattered across fragmented social media groups or comment sections. These spaces often lack structure, reliable moderation, and consistent, accurate information. Our Forum centralizes these vital conversations within the trusted Casino.online ecosystem.The Forum is currently planned and under development, with functionality being introduced in stages rather than as a fully completed product. It creates a dedicated, moderated space where players can safely share real experiences, seek advice, and get dependable answers.
By filling this overlooked gap, we’re building the foundational layer for a true community. This active hub of shared knowledge directly informs our roadmap, allowing us to develop future features that are genuinely shaped by the needs and insights of our most engaged users. It turns passive feedback into active co-creation.
Yeva: From a strategic perspective, how do User Profiles and the Forum tie into Casino.online’s long‑term vision for player engagement?
These features are foundational. As we already discussed, the relaunch wasn’t just about refreshing the brand. We did it to set the stage for a more interactive, player‑centric ecosystem.
Profiles and the Forum allow us to build deeper relationships, understand player behavior, and evolve the platform based on real community insights. They’re the pillars of our long‑term engagement strategy, and both will continue evolving as development progresses.
Yeva: Personalization is becoming a competitive battleground in iGaming. How does your new profile system elevate the user experience beyond what players typically see on comparison or review sites?
Traditional comparison sites treat everyone the same. After the relaunch, we wanted to break that pattern entirely.
Our profile system adapts to each player’s preferences, moving beyond generic recommendations to deliver tailored suggestions that evolve with them. This smarter, more intuitive experience helps players make better decisions, and we will continue to add new personalization features in the near future.
Yeva: The Forum introduces a social layer to Casino.online. How do you plan to balance open discussion with responsible gambling and safe‑play principles?
Responsible gambling is central to everything we do. The Forum is designed with clear guidelines, active moderation, and tools that ensure discussions remain healthy and constructive.
We want players to feel comfortable sharing their experiences, but we also want to maintain a safe environment. It’s a balance we’re committed to upholding as the community grows.
Yeva: Last year’s award streak clearly validated your team’s work. Did that recognition influence the development of these new features, or were they already in the pipeline?
The features were already in development as part of our post‑relaunch roadmap, but the awards definitely gave us a boost. They validated our direction and encouraged us to accelerate our plans.
It’s motivating when the industry acknowledges your vision, and it definitely pushes you to deliver even more.
Yeva: Community‑driven platforms often generate valuable insights. Do you see the Forum shaping future product decisions or even influencing operator partnerships?
Absolutely. The Forum is already proving to be a powerful source of real player sentiment. When you see hundreds of players discussing an operator or a trend, you get insights that no internal data can replicate.
These discussions will help shape our content strategy, refine our ranking methodologies, and even guide conversations with operators. It’s a feedback loop that benefits everyone.
Yeva: With these new features, Casino.online is evolving from a review platform into something more interactive. Should the industry expect more “social” or “gamified” elements in the near future?
Yes, this is just the beginning. The relaunch opened the door for us to think bigger, and these features are the first steps toward a more social, engaging platform.
We are actively exploring several innovative, gamified and community‑driven concepts designed to transform Casino.online into a more dynamic and engaging platform. Our ultimate goal is to move beyond a static information source and foster a vibrant ecosystem where players are active participants, sharing insights, influencing content, and co‑creating value. This shift will turn passive visitors into an invested community.
Yeva: What early user feedback have you received so far, and has anything surprised you about how players are using the new tools?
The speed of adoption has been the biggest and most welcome surprise. While we expected steady growth, players embraced the Forum with immediate enthusiasm.
What’s even more encouraging is the incredibly supportive and constructive culture that has taken root. Players are actively helping each other, sharing valuable insights, and elevating discussions daily. This positive engagement is attracting more like-minded users, and we’re thrilled to see this community growing organically, day by day
Yeva: Finally, Joshua, if you had to describe the next chapter for Casino.online in one sentence, what would it be?
Our focus is fully on deepening that connection with players, increasing our visibility, and relentlessly refining the experience to make Casino.online the most trusted and engaging destination in the space.
Company: Casino.online
Interviewee: Joshua Rawlings
Date: 13.02.2026