Practice / 5 MIN
How casino affiliate programs work: from click to payout
Who takes part in a casino affiliate program, what happens to a player after the click, where the payout comes from and where to find the hold, cap and minimum payout in the terms.
JUS Editorial5 min read
A casino affiliate program pays an affiliate for players they bring to an operator. The scheme is simple, but there are several checks between the click and the payout, and almost every one of them is written in the offer's terms. Below is the whole path, step by step: who is involved, where it is decided whether you get paid, and what to clarify before launch.
Who is involved#
The operator, also called the advertiser. Owns the casino or sportsbook brand, accepts players and pays for them.
The affiliate network. Collects offers from different operators, issues links, keeps the statistics, reconciles actions and pays commission.
The affiliate or media buying team. Buys or creates traffic and sends it to the offer.
You can also work directly with an operator's own program. A network makes sense when you run several brands and GEOs: one dashboard, one reconciliation, one payout and a manager who clarifies the terms with the operator in advance. A direct program is convenient if you send traffic to a single brand and are ready to handle the correspondence yourself.
From click to payout#
Click. A user follows your link. The network gives the click an ID, and your sub IDs keep the source, campaign and creative.
Sign-up. The user creates an account with the operator. The event shows in the statistics, but under CPA it is usually not paid.
First deposit. The player funds their account for the first time. This is the FTD, the most common target action.
Qualification. The deposit is checked against the offer's conditions: amount, GEO, source, whether the player is new.
Hold and approval. The operator checks the action against its own data and approves or rejects it. The review period is called the hold.
Reconciliation. The network and the operator match approved actions for the period. You match them against your tracker.
Payout. Approved commission is paid on schedule once the amount reaches the minimum payout.
Payout models#
CPA: a fixed amount per approved action, most often a qualified FTD.
RevShare: a percentage of the operator's revenue from your players, usually from NGR, for as long as they stay active.
Hybrid: a fixed part per action plus a percentage.
How to compare them on the same figures is covered in CPA, RevShare and Hybrid, and you can try your own scenario in the calculator.
Hold, cap, reconciliation and minimum payout#
These four parameters raise the most questions after launch, so it pays to see them in the terms beforehand.
Parameter | What it is | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
Hold | The time the operator takes to check an action | How many days, and where the status is shown |
Cap | The limit on payable actions or traffic volume for a period | Individual or shared, how to see what is left |
Reconciliation | Matching approved actions for a period | Period, time zone, data source |
Minimum payout | The amount from which accrued commission is paid | The threshold, and what happens to the balance |
Traffic over the cap is usually not paid, so watch the remaining cap as closely as your conversion rate. If the numbers in your tracker and the dashboard differ, see tracker vs network discrepancies.
Tracking: tracker, postback and sub IDs#
The network sees the operator's events, and you want to see them in your tracker next to your traffic costs. That is what a postback is for: the network sends your tracker a signal about a sign-up, a deposit or a status change together with the click ID. Sub IDs in the link tie that signal to the source and creative. How to set up and test the chain before launch is covered in the postback guide.
What limits the work#
GEO. An offer works only in countries where the operator accepts players and where this is permitted.
Sources. The offer lists the allowed sources. Brand keyword bidding, incentivised traffic, push and pop often need separate approval.
Audience. Advertising must not target minors or people for whom gambling is prohibited.
Breaking these conditions almost always ends in rejected actions, so check them before the first click.
How to choose a network#
Look less at the highest rate and more at how fully the terms are described: qualification, hold, RevShare base, cap, reconciliation and disputes. The full list of questions is in how to choose an iGaming affiliate network.
Common questions#
How much can you earn with a casino affiliate program?
Nobody can tell in advance. Income depends on the GEO, source, traffic quality, model and offer terms. It is more honest to start with a small test and judge the result by approved actions.
When does the first payout arrive?
After the hold and the reconciliation for the period, provided the amount has reached the minimum payout. The exact timing is set in the terms of the offer and the network.
Can I work with several networks at once?
Yes, unless the terms forbid it. It is easier to keep everything in one tracker so you can compare offers by the same metrics.
Want to look at offers and go through the terms before launch? See the page for affiliates or sign up.
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