Is Casino Affiliate Marketing Legal In US?

[eddiep20]

Hey I have been promoting casinos and poker rooms in the US now for the last couple of years. The money is starting to become significant as I have some pretty big social media accounts as well as a high traffic blog. Is it legal to be promoting Bovada, Ignition, BetOnline and other sites in the US. It's almost impossible to find any solid information online with this topic. I don't think I'm the only one out there with this question. If anyone can respond to this thread so we can put this question to rest not just for me, but for everyone out there promoting these companies.

 

[Easy.Vegas]

eddiep20, that's a great question. Unfortunately the answer isn't black-and-white, which is maybe why you didn't get any answers. There's no specific law against taking advertising for online gambling (that I know of), but an aggressive prosecutor could in theory charge you as aiding and abetting, or as an accessory. On the other hand, to my knowledge that's never happened. I've been a casino affiliate for 20 years and have been very open and public about it. I wouldn't be doing so if I thought that doing so carried a significant risk.

I have a much more detailed answer in an article on my site (Easy Vegas), but this forum says I'm not allowed to post links.

 

[Easy.Vegas]

I need to amend my above answer. I checked out a few more state laws, and in some states affiliate advertising could easily be considered illegal. It depends on the particular state laws and particular circumstances, so again, for a more detailed answer, I refer you to my article, which I just rewrote and greatly expanded.

Also, when I wrote the above post, I forgot that there *was* one case I could find of an affiliate running afoul of the law (in 2006), but in that case it appeared that after he took the site down he faced no penalties.

 

[PROFRBcom]

I have a much more detailed answer in an article on my site (Easy Vegas), but this forum says I'm not allowed to post links.

That is to keep spammers away from the boards. Once you have proven yourself in the community a bit by posting meaningful information and discussion, your ability to post links will be opened up. If you really have something to add to the discussion in the form of an accurate, non-spammy, and meaningful article, you could report your own post, include your link, and ask a moderator to add it to your post.

Alternatively, you could share your thoughts about the topic without pointing to the article, as a means of proving you came to the community to participate, rather than just farm links

 

[Frank]

The only affiliate i have heard about that ran afowl of the law was also directly participating in a gambling ring, he was acting as the go between arranging bets also so not just a affiliate marketeer, and this was way back when there was a big purge,

 

[Easy.Vegas]

That is to keep spammers away from the boards.

Duh.

Alternatively, you could share your thoughts about the topic without pointing to the article, as a means of proving you came to the community to participate..."

My thoughts on the subject are article-length. The OP's qusetion isn't one that can be answered in brief. In addition, I can edit my article for errors and outdated information. Anything I post here is cast in stone forever.

...rather than just farm links...

I'm not the one with a link back to my site in his signature.

 

[AussieDave]

@Easy.Vegas - ProFBR was merely pointing out some "facts" about AGD to you, which, most members will do, when or if a new member signs up who might need some pointers to how things operate around here.

He wasn't being a smart-ass.

Maybe a tad blunt and to the point, but our tight knit community is hammered by spammers in sheep's clothing, on a regular basis. Given we don't know you from a bar-of-soap, we're a little-trigger happy around these parts, of late. Nothing personal

 

[AussieDave]

I'm not the one with a link back to my site in his signature.

Your 1'st post, is to a 10 year old thread, that's gone unanswered for, 10 years. Having cheap-shot at an AGD member isn't cool. If you could add a sig link, you'd probably have one, too.

 

[Easy.Vegas]

If you could add a sig link, you'd probably have one, too.

Well, good job on advertising that you don't know what you're talking about. Search the username I use on other forums ("michaelbluejay"), dozens of them over the last twenty years, and see if you can find even *one* post with a link in the signature. It's because I think posts should be about posts, not signatures. And for that reason, I've never allowed them on the forum I run, even without links. The page with those rules is public. I didn't even know it wasn't possible for me to have a link in my signature on this forum, because I never even tried to have a *signature* at all.

Maybe a tad blunt and to the point, but our tight knit community is hammered by spammers in sheep's clothing, on a regular basis. Given we don't know you from a bar-of-soap...

If you (and others) honestly can't figure out the intention of my posts (which didn't contain any links!), then I'm less likely to ever try to be helpful here again.

If you could add a sig link, you'd probably have one, too.

Having cheap-shot at an AGD member isn't cool.

Hypocrisy, much?

 

[Joonas]

Hey I have been promoting casinos and poker rooms in the US now for the last couple of years. The money is starting to become significant as I have some pretty big social media accounts as well as a high traffic blog. Is it legal to be promoting Bovada, Ignition, BetOnline and other sites in the US. It's almost impossible to find any solid information online with this topic. I don't think I'm the only one out there with this question. If anyone can respond to this thread so we can put this question to rest not just for me, but for everyone out there promoting these companies.

You can promote in a couple of states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania (you can find all with some googling) if you have an affiliate license. There are two licenses: CPA and Revenue share. CPA is quite easy one-pager and Revenue share takes much more due diligence. For the application, you'll need to find a casino/sportsbook brand that is licensed in the state as they will actually submit the affiliate application for you. When you have the license, then promote all brands that are licensed in the state.