Affiliate Announcements

888 to shut down UK affiliate programme?

Published

7 years ago

January 29, 2018

888 has denied it is shutting down its UK affiliate programme after a number of affiliates received emails yesterday stating they must no longer target UK traffic and 888 would no longer pay them commission for newly generated players.

In an email seen by iGaming Business, affiliates were told: “As you may be aware the regulatory landscape for affiliates is constantly changing and evolving, especially in the UK. In order to help ensure that we work with our affiliate partners in a compliant manner, we are seeking to exert greater control on the traffic which is generated from the UK.

“As a result, from January 29th 2018, you must not target UK IP addresses and/or any persons located in the UK. Therefore, we shall no longer pay you any commission with regard to money players in the UK which you generate.”

Some posters on the GPWA (Gambling Portal Webmasters Association) forum interpreted the email to mean the programme was shutting down. “Unless I’m reading things incorrectly with my dodgy eyes…bye bye then!” said one.

When contacted by iGB, the operator said: “888 takes the issue of responsible gaming very seriously and has taken a number steps to ensure its marketing complies with the Gambling Commission’s LCCP and ASA’s advertising codes.

“In order to monitor the actions of affiliates more closely, 888 has already terminated its relationship with a large number of affiliates and will continue to close and terminate accounts in order to work with fewer affiliate partners and have better oversight of their activities.”

Duncan Garvie, who runs affiliate and mediation site ThePogg, said he hadn’t received the email as he no longer works with 888, but that it didn’t surprise him.

“I’ve been anticipating this particular move for a while now. With the punitive approach the UK authorities have been taking towards operators and affiliates we’ve already seen a number of programmes close up completely or implement very aggressive terms.

“I was fully expecting one of them to work out eventually that they simply had to stop accepting UK traffic from affiliates rather than close or destroy their reputation with really questionable terms.”

Another poster on the GPWA forum pointed out the email did also contain the following line: “If you do wish to continue working with us in the UK please contact us, through this link: http://affiliates.888.com/contact-us.htm.”

His take on it was: “I think if you are prepared to work closely with them, accept the UK marketing guidelines and make any changes they request you to, that you can still carry on working with them.”

Operators have come under fire for their marketing activities, including those carried out by affiliates, over the past year and 888 was one of several operators to receive a warning from the Advertising Standards Authority over an advert run by an affiliate partner.

As a consequence, operators have been placing more and more compliance demands on affiliates. Bet365 recently carried out an overhaul of its programme and Paddy Power unveiled a ‘one-strike’ policy for affiliates in September.

In September, Sky Bet controversially announced that it was shutting down its affiliate programme altogether, although some have been cynical about its motives.

In a recent interview with iGaming Business’ sister publication iGB Affiliate magazine, Gambling.com’s Charles Gillespie said: “Let’s be clear — Sky still works with strategic media partners. My take on the Sky situation is that it was a set of unique circumstances — they are preparing for a listing this year, private equity owns the business, the owners and the management of the business are being very aggressive on hitting targets and what can be easier than turning off a bunch of legacy rev share and using compliance as an excuse?”

The 888 email suggested, however, that it will be taking a less heavy handed approach to historic traffic than Sky Bet, with the email also having stated: “The aforementioned shall not apply with respect to non-UK money players or to money players which you have generated in the UK prior to such date, subject to the Uffiliate terms and conditions found at http://affiliates.888.com/terms-and-conditions/ (the “Terms”).”

Source:iGB

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Affiliate Announcements

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Published

1 day ago

March 12, 2025

George Miller

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, introduces significant updates to the Xsolla Partner Network, an advanced affiliate marketing engine designed to connect game developers with content creators. These updates enhance the experience for both developers and creators by introducing new interaction tools, expanded data accessibility, and deeper integrations with the Xsolla Rainmaker platform.

The growing influence of content creators on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok has reshaped game marketing strategies. Developers increasingly seek streamlined ways to discover, manage, and measure creator partnerships. The Xsolla Partner Network addresses this demand by providing an all-in-one solution for creating and scaling performance-based campaigns, now with added tools to enhance usability and campaign success.

New Xsolla Partner Network updates significantly benefit developers and creators, enhancing their ability to collaborate effectively and succeed in their goals.

For developers, the platform now offers:

Enhanced search functionality to discover, compare, and invite creators who best align with campaign goals
Detailed creator profiles with insights such as concurrent viewer metrics, games played, and campaign performance, enabling developers to make informed decisions
Integration with Xsolla Rainmaker data from Twitch and YouTube Gaming, providing robust analytics like streamer views, follower counts, and game-specific performance data for data-driven decision-making
Streamlined collaboration tools, including direct distribution of promo codes, tracking links, and game keys
A flexible revenue share model, allowing developers to set customizable commission rates for creators driving successful transactions

Creators gain access to a comprehensive creator toolkit designed to simplify campaign management and accelerate growth. The redesigned interface provides intuitive tools and features that make managing campaigns, engaging audiences, and enhancing content creation easier. By removing the 50-subscriber minimum threshold, the platform is now accessible to micro creators, enabling them to kickstart their careers.

Additional features for creators include:

Real-time performance tracking, offering insights into campaign results.
User-friendly account navigation, simplifying platform usage.
Opportunities to partner directly with game developers, helping creators grow their audience and monetize their work by driving sales for games and in-game content featured at Xsolla Mall.
Creator sites at Xsolla Mall enable creators to resell digital content, showcase campaign details, collect donations, and share links to all social media platforms to increase visibility.
Overlays, providing game-branded promotional graphics and animations for live streams to boost engagement and drive awareness.
Chatbot is designed to share tracking links and promo codes in real-time chats during gameplay, reward viewers, and engage the community.

With these updates, the Xsolla Partner Network empowers developers and creators to collaborate seamlessly, unlocking new opportunities for success in the evolving landscape of game marketing.

“The Xsolla Partner Network has always been a powerful tool for developers to grow their games and for creators to monetize their passion,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “With these new features, we enable seamless collaboration between developers and creators, ensuring both can achieve their goals more effectively.”

Affiliate Announcements

QMRA Recognition by Google & Meta in Denmark – A Milestone for Compliance

Published

1 day ago

March 12, 2025

George Miller

QMRA has now been active for nearly a year, and we are proud to have welcomed many members who share our commitment to responsible affiliation. We continue to work towards becoming the leading compliance indicator for international affiliates.

Beyond compliance, we are expanding our efforts into advocacy. For example, in Finland, we have launched lobbying initiatives as the government considers restricting affiliate activities.

Most importantly, several QMRA members are actively seeking advertising licenses from Google and Meta in various jurisdictions. We are pleased to confirm that in Denmark, both platforms have recognized QMRA membership as a decisive factor in granting these licenses. This information has been directly communicated to us by our members.

This is a significant milestone for QMRA. It confirms that our compliance checks and the presence of the QMRA quality mark on an iGaming affiliate website are taken seriously by key industry players. Additionally, we know that in other markets, QMRA membership is already being considered in similar assessments.

We will continue to strengthen our position and expand our influence. Thank you for your continued support in upholding responsible affiliation standards.

Affiliate Announcements

711 Renews its Partnership with NetRefer as its Affiliate Marketing Platform Provider

Published

3 weeks ago

February 20, 2025

George Miller

711 Renews its Partnership with NetRefer as its Affiliate Marketing Platform Provider

Leading Dutch online casino 711 has renewed its partnership with NetRefer, a data-driven, AI-powered, affiliate marketing platform provider engineered for the iGaming industry.

The family business, started as Carousel Casino Games and founded in 1994 in Belgium, began as a land-based casino chain before expanding into an online casino in 2012. A decade later, in 2022, they entered the Dutch online gaming market as 711 BV, with NetRefer as their Affiliate Marketing partner.

Despite being a new operator, 711 brings over 30 years of experience in the Belgian gaming market and, in two years, has expanded its portfolio, partnering with major game providers like Pragmatic Play and Evolution.

With a diverse game selection that follows the latest gaming trends, attractive promotions, high winning odds, and fast payouts, 711 prioritises player satisfaction and delivers a seamless gaming experience.

They pride themselves on operating under strict regulations and undergo regular external audits to ensure a secure player experience. They emphasise responsible gaming, offering tools and information for player well-being.

Johan Mostert, Affiliate Manager at 711, stated: “NetRefer is known for its innovation and forward-thinking. Their comprehensive, customisable platform – through impressive add-ons – has streamlined our affiliate marketing, making the past two years an excellent partnership. We’re excited for what’s ahead.”

Amanda Camenzuli, NetRefer’s Manager of Account Management, shared: “711 is a dynamic operator in the Dutch market, and their attitude, enthusiasm, and work ethic make this renewal both exciting and rewarding. We at NetRefer look forward to what’s to come in this continued partnership.”