Recommended affiliate networks, preferably with API for approved deals?

[dannyc]

Hey guys,

I'm a reasonably new affiliate, started in this industry about a year ago. Currently developing bonushub.co and casinoxy.com. At the moment, I am only with Matching Visions and Buffalo Partners affiliate networks, but there are some gaps I am trying to fill with the offers I am trying to promote. What in your opinion would be the most reputable affiliate networks which offer an API for approved offers + offer details? Also, that would be valid for the UK and USA. Any advice or feedback is very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[leah_shepherd]

Hi Dan!

The best way to search for good affiliate partners is to analyze the market and top competitors.
See the top-10 casinos that are the first on the list and search for their affiliate programs.
Among good programs, I would recommend Tau Affiliates, Hill Affiliates, and Hyper Affiliates.

 

[Kadabra]

Personally do not work with networks but directly but can understand why someone might prefer that.
Anyway, it goes by geo and also if you are going for state licensed usa or not.
assuming not: Revenue network, Legend, CommissionKings for me

 

[dannyc]

Hi Dan!

The best way to search for good affiliate partners is to analyze the market and top competitors.
See the top-10 casinos that are the first on the list and search for their affiliate programs.
Among good programs, I would recommend Tau Affiliates, Hill Affiliates, and Hyper Affiliates.

Thank you for the suggestions, I've looked around but can't find this top 10 list, would it be possible to post a link to it?

 

[dannyc]

Personally do not work with networks but directly but can understand why someone might prefer that.
Anyway, it goes by geo and also if you are going for state licensed usa or not.
assuming not: Revenue network, Legend, CommissionKings for me

It's just tedious to be checking multiple affiliate dashboards if you sign up for each one separately. Would also like to keep it legal, my site has various subsites for different geos so I'd only post offers that are made for those specific geos.

 

[ddm]

nothing tedious about owning your own players tho,
that's the trade-off w/ many networks when you read the small-print...

 

[dannyc]

nothing tedious about owning your own players tho,
that's the trade-off w/ many networks when you read the small-print...

Sorry I'm relatively new to this industry, if you go through a network like Matching Visions or Betsson Group Affiliates, they own the players?

 

[ddm]

Betsson group is not a network - they are an operator [so given you would have a direct relationship - by joining their program - the players you bring in would be tagged to and belong to you].

The other company - I don't know how they operate - they seem to have "forgotten" to add that information on their public-facing website.

Also worth adding that you generally have no deal negotiation power when you go thru a network, and you build 0 industry relationships.. more possible downside for your "equity calculation" as it were.


edit: I see from the testimonials page on M.V that there's a ton of AGD members using their services - so no doubt someone can clarify who 'owns' the players over there..

 

[gm2891]

Never understood and have never been interested to work with networks.
Maybe it's ok when your site is new with no traffic and you haven't got a clue what to do, then yes possibly they give
a piece of advice to newbies to make them move.

Imagine one day your site/sites starts generating a lot of traffic, and you start to understand everything and finally realise that you
don't need anyone's assistance. But here you get trapped and you have no choice to leave them otherwise your all referred players will simply disappear.

Also, why would you go through someone's network for some 20% rev share if you can contact any of the programs directly yourself and get 25% ...

Hmmm, that's certainly not for me as I can only see a disadvantage.

By the way, I recently heard in some private conference video that they reckon affs in a few years time will stop working with these at all.

 

[leah_shepherd]

I meant like for example if your main competitor is a Vegas Slots Online. You check their main page and see the top-10 casinos in the list. Like this one - https://prnt.sc/12m4sgk. So it means that conversion to these brands is good and affiliates provide good conditions for cooperation. Is it more clear now?

 

[JoeyC]

nothing tedious about owning your own players tho,
that's the trade-off w/ many networks when you read the small-print...

Glad you pointed this out as I’m currently pouring over contracts and that’s a VERY good point on the differences between large networks & direct relationships.

 

[ddm]

glad to be of service.

rule #1, cut out the middleman

 

[JoeyC]

Never understood and have never been interested to work with networks.
Maybe it's ok when your site is new with no traffic and you haven't got a clue what to do, then yes possibly they give
a piece of advice to newbies to make them move.

Imagine one day your site/sites starts generating a lot of traffic, and you start to understand everything and finally realise that you
don't need anyone's assistance. But here you get trapped and you have no choice to leave them otherwise your all referred players will simply disappear.

Also, why would you go through someone's network for some 20% rev share if you can contact any of the programs directly yourself and get 25% ...

Hmmm, that's certainly not for me as I can only see a disadvantage.

By the way, I recently heard in some private conference video that they reckon affs in a few years time will stop working with these at all.

“By the way, I recently heard in some private conference video that they reckon affs in a few years time will stop working with these at all.”

Was that specific to iGaming or just across the digital landscape as a whole?

 

[JoeyC]

glad to be of service.

rule #1, cut out the middleman

Agreed I’ve been a bit of a serial entrepreneur for the past 15 years after I left public service..

#1 thing that I’ve learned after more failures than successes - cut out the middle man - pay attention to what’s around you - and cut the fat (including said middle man)...inventory sucks -

similar to eBay & Amazon sellers back in the day..became dependent on the “network” and if that network turned off the valve - they went to zero

thanks so much for the info

 

[ddm]

go get it bro.
only gotta win ONE time

 

[gm2891]

“By the way, I recently heard in some private conference video that they reckon affs in a few years time will stop working with these at all.”

Was that specific to iGaming or just across the digital landscape as a whole?

This was only specific to casino affiliates.

 

[gm2891]

I meant like for example if your main competitor is a Vegas Slots Online. You check their main page and see the top-10 casinos in the list. Like this one - https://prnt.sc/12m4sgk. So it means that conversion to these brands is good and affiliates provide good conditions for cooperation. Is it more clear now?

I would say you can take some notes but never copy what others do, as for you it may be totally opposite.
These people in your example are authoritative and can put on their even a live chicken, potatoes or a bunch of onions for sale, and they will still be making money from it.

 

[dannyc]

Never understood and have never been interested to work with networks.
Maybe it's ok when your site is new with no traffic and you haven't got a clue what to do, then yes possibly they give
a piece of advice to newbies to make them move.

Imagine one day your site/sites starts generating a lot of traffic, and you start to understand everything and finally realise that you
don't need anyone's assistance. But here you get trapped and you have no choice to leave them otherwise your all referred players will simply disappear.

Also, why would you go through someone's network for some 20% rev share if you can contact any of the programs directly yourself and get 25% ...

Hmmm, that's certainly not for me as I can only see a disadvantage.

By the way, I recently heard in some private conference video that they reckon affs in a few years time will stop working with these at all.

So do you manually check each affiliate network frequently? That seems like a tedious amount of work, especially when you start dealing with many of them.

 

[Strider1973]

So do you manually check each affiliate network frequently? That seems like a tedious amount of work, especially when you start dealing with many of them.

IMO It doesn't make sense to promote more than 10 affiliate programs when you start.
And it won't take long until you learn which programs will bring you the most $.
Those are the programs that you will check more frequently.
The other ones you will check less often.
While checking stats of programs that generate good $$ doesn't earn you an additional $, it's even not fun to see lots of 0's.

 

[gm2891]

So do you manually check each affiliate network frequently? That seems like a tedious amount of work, especially when you start dealing with many of them.

That's the thing; I do not work with many of them. At the moment, I have 12 aff programs. Some of them have different casino brands under one roof, allowing me to list around 20 casinos on my homepage, which I think is more than enough. If you have nice traffic 10 casinos are perfect, IMO. And if they accept players from other countries you target - that's excellent because you can list them on pages for different countries too.

When I look for a new casino to add, I first research an actual casino to make sure it is good for the player because if it's good, it will also be good for me.

The visual casino appeal and user-friendliness are important; still more important are their terms which no one reads. And if on withdrawal the players come across different problems, they simply won't come back. For example:

• a deposit wagering requirement of 3 times before the withdrawal can be made
• low daily withdrawal limits (500 EUR)

Who da Fuck such casino is made for?

I get contacted daily by different aff managers, and if I find such in their casino terms, I don't see a point to waste space on my site.

In addition to that, some of them have joke rules for their affiliates too:

Technically, they can come up with different shite and you will never get paid.

This is one of the reasons why I don't work with many programs. The example above is not serious business with different dodgy people behind, IMO.

If you would ask who are good for me, then I would say - the Betsson Group. From my experience, they have a true professional attitude even if you don't bring new signups; they always reply to you with something, even if you don't expect and need an answer, plus their top brands are perfect for any players.