http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/26/revolution-scaling-again-truthful-perform-technology/The Revolution Network appears to be scaling back Fair Play Technology, which was announced last March as a way to segregate cash game players on the network by skill level. The move was advertised as a way to improve the network’s ecosystem, although some critics have argued it was another signal of the network’s financial difficulties (Juicy Stakes recently received a “F” in our monthly cashout report).
The extent of which Fair Play has been scaled back is not fully known at this time. While some are suggesting it has been completely removed, others including Online Poker Report say some segregation is still taking place. Revolution representatives that PAS spoke with at the Amsterdam affiliate convention two weeks ago hinted that some scaling back of the program was imminent.
Fair Play’s apparent demise has been welcomed by many online poker players who see this news as a sign the player pool will increase to pre-Fair Play levels. Many winning players have had strong words against Fair Play since its debut. Traffic is down significantly since the move as players struggle to find adequate action. Bodog has likely been the biggest benefactor of Revolution’s decline, despite that network also being friendly to the recreational player model. Bodog has chosen to focus on less aggressive methods, however, such as Anonymous tables and removing wait lists.
Now that Fair Play appears to be history, much of the focus will turn to cashout times, which has taken a negative turn over the last few months (although Lock Poker cashout times did improve slightly last month). Many U.S. players understand payment processing is very difficult in the current climate but find the cashout times of 6+ months to be unacceptable.
PAS will sure to keep up with this story and its impact on players and affiliates.
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Revolution Scaling Again Truthful Perform Technology
Monday, 24 June 2013
Feds Shut Down ‘Macho Sports’
Federal authorities in the US swooped down on the operators of Macho Sports in an operation aimed at shutting down the illegal sports betting site. Between 15-18 men were arrested in separate raids in California, Norway, and Peru.
The arrests and indictments were the culmination of an investigation that began in 2011 and involved multiple, international wiretaps and surveillance.
Macho Sports was based in Panama, but employed a network of sub-bookies and other operatives across the world. Customers placed bets with the site through 800-numbers and websites. So in many ways, Macho Sports was your standard online sportsbook.
But, according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, Macho Sports’ accounts receivable department was anything but standard.
The Feds describe a rough and tumble organization that employed, “intimidation, threats and violence as well as fostering a violent reputation to its treatment of delinquent customers.” Investigators listening to Macho employees on a wiretap overhead discussions about pistol whipping customers in arrears.
Despite their unconventional customer service techniques, Macho Sports was definitely not hurting for business. Their now shuttered website boasted a $ 50k limit per bet and Federal authorities seized assets from the accused valued at over $ 5 million.
The men busted in the Macho raids are facing charges of racketeering and illegal gambling. Racketeering carries a maximum 20-year sentence, illegal gambling carries a maximum of 5-years in prison.
Have you had dealings with Macho Sports? Share your experiences in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/24/feds-shut-down-macho-sports/Bet365 Profits Huge in 2013
Bet365 is enjoying massive profits on its Internet gaming operations, according to a recent report in EGR Magazine.
Earnings for UK-based giant soared an amazing 54% for the 12 months ending in March 2013 as punters piled on a 57% increase in wagers.That came out to almost £20 billion ($ 30.8 billion USD) in actual wagers and added up to £148 million ($ 228 million USD) in profits.
While there are plenty of bright spots in an earnings report like this, Bet365′s mobile growth was particularly noteworthy. Mobile bets were up a whopping 150%, raising revenues in that sector by 158%.
To give an idea of how far ahead Bet365 is running ahead of the competition, that £20 billion in wagers is more than the number two and three UK online gambling companies combined.
Bet365′s massive earnings in the online gambling space stand in stark contrast to its operation of the Stoke City football club. That venture is bleeding cash and cost Bet365 as much as £31 million ($ 47.8 USD) during the reporting period.
In a release trumpeting their big year, company CEO Denise Coates said that Bet365 plans on beefing up its IT infrastructure to keep up with the growth.
Are you promoting Bet365? If you are, we’d love to know if you’re seeing this kind of growth, too. Share your experiences in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/24/bet365-profits-huge-in-2013/Friday, 21 June 2013
Ongame Shutters Spanish Operations
Ongame is shutting down its Spanish poker operations and stepping out of the market there entirely. It’s another sign that that success in Spain is turning out to be pretty elusive for all but the biggest players.
While Ongame’s departure from Spain is big news for Ongame, it probably won’t have much of an impact on Spanish gamblers.
According to a report published in EGR Magazine, Ongame’s average weekly player totals were often in the single digits. By comparison, PokerStars averages more like 1300 players, while 888 has just over 350 players each week.
Though company officials gave no formal announcement of the plan, most credible sources believe that a lack of liquidity was the driving force behind the move.
Ongame, like most online gaming companies, saw the liberalization of Spanish gaming markets as a potentially huge revenue producer.
Several well-known operators have already turned in their Spanish gaming licenses and others are said to be considering an adios of their own.
That Ongame, or any either Spanish facing operator is willing to exit the market speaks volumes about the pain in Spain. These companies all invested millions of Euros and endured several levels of bureaucratic hell while obtaining their Spanish licenses.
What are your experiences in the Spanish gambling market? Share them in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/21/ongame-shutters-spanish-operations/Top Gambling News: Bet365 Profits Leap by a Third, Eric Lindgren Wins at WSOP
Friday, 14 June 2013
June 2013 US On the internet Poker Payment Processing Report
http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/14/june-2013-us-on-the-internet-poker-payment-processing-report/While Revolution Gaming continues to struggle, the major US facing brands that have adapted to the current US payment processing environment continue to thrive. There are no perfect US facing online poker rooms, but players that are most concerned about getting paid continue to find quality online poker rooms that keep them satisfied. One site received a failing grade this month. This is the first F since Everleaf Gaming ignored its responsibilities to US players in early 2012.
Bodog/Bovada A (A)
Bovada, the US facing brand of the Bodog Network, once again takes our top honors. Bovada offers players a check by courier for up to $ 3,000 each month in 1-2 weeks. Some players even receive checks in just five days. The first check each month is free, while additional check requests incur a fee of $ 50.
Players may also request a bank wire for up to $ 5,000 for a $ 50 fee. The first wire each month is free of charge if a player has not also requested a check during the same month. Players must also pay their bank a fee for receiving a wire that is typically about $ 25, while intermediary banks may also charge a fee to handle the transaction. Bank wires arrive in about one month.
Bovada introduced Visa card credits in the past week. There is a fee of $ 50, but the option is too new for there to be information on the speed of these transactions. This is different from a debit card option offered by other networks. This withdrawal method requires a player to possess a Visa card and use this card as a deposit method.
Bovada also offers two cash transfer options. These transactions are processed in 1-3 days. Both Western Union (WU) and MoneyGram (MG) are offered by Bovada. The fees are as follows:
Money Transfer/WU
• $ 100 – $ 200 Fee: $ 40
• $ 201 – $ 500 Fee: $ 50
• $ 501 – $ 1000 Fee: $ 80
• $ 1001 – $ 2000 Fee: $ 150Rapid Transfer/MG
• $ 100 – $ 200 Fee: $ 20
• $ 201 – $ 400 Fee: $ 30
• $ 401 – $ 600 Fee: $ 45
• $ 601 – $ 800 Fee: $ 60Winning Poker Network A- (A-)
While the Winning Poker Network is not in first place, it has received the most consistent A grade in our survey in the two years since Black Friday. The Winning Poker Network’s cashier consists of Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. Players on the Winning Poker Network are playing under one of the strongest US facing online gambling companies in the world.
The most popular withdrawal method on Winning Poker is the debit card. Players may request this card for $ 25 and it arrives in 2-3 weeks. Each withdrawal incurs a $ 4.95 fee, with a $ 3 fee for each ATM transaction. There is also a monthly fee and an inactivity fee. Players can expect these transactions to be processed in 2-5 days once the card is in their possession. The maximum weekly withdrawal limit is $ 2,500 and the max each month is $ 10,000.
Players are also offered a check by courier that carries a fee of $ 65. These checks arrive in 1-2 weeks and the first check each month is free. The fastest, but most expensive way to cashout, is by Western Union. These cash transfers are processed in 1-4 days and carry the following fees based on the amount of the request:
• $ 100 – $ 299 Fee: $ 60
• $ 300 – $ 499 Fee: $ 70
• $ 500 – $ 749 Fee: $ 85
• $ 750 – $ 999 Fee: $ 95
• $ 1,000 – $ 1,500 Fee: $ 110Intertops A- (A-)
Intertops is a Revolution Gaming skin that no longer accepts new US players. Intertops, which is the worldÂ’s oldest online sports book, continues to impress the industry with their quick US cashout speeds. The only problem with Intertops is the lack of a free monthly withdrawal.
Players may request a check for up to $ 3,000 or a bank wire for up to $ 2,500 for a fee of $ 50. Each option is processed in 1-3 weeks. Intertops will send a Western Union in 1-2 days. The amounts and fees are as follows:
• $ 150-$ 500 Fee: $ 70
• $ 501-$ 1,000 Fee: $ 85
• $ 1,001-$ 2,000 Fee: $ 180Merge Gaming C (C-)
Cashout speeds are improving on the Jazette cashier. Players may request a check for up to $ 2,500. The check should arrive in 9-10 weeks. This speed is consistent and has one advantage. Players that request an additional cashout that does not bring the cumulative value above $ 2,500 will also see that cashout stacked onto the first one. There is no fee for a check withdrawal on the cashier shared by Carbon Poker, Aced, Sportsbook.com and PlayerOnly, unless a request is made in excess of $ 2,500 in a month. The fee on multiple monthly cashout requests is $ 40.
Certain VIP players have been offered Western Union as an option. The fee and speed of these transactions are not yet available.
Lock Poker D (D-)
Reports from certain gaming portals have touted improvements in the Lock Poker payment processing system. These reports are technically correct, but they are still seriously lacking compared to competing US facing sites. The Revolution Gaming flagship is still plagued by cashout delays. US players are reporting 2-3 month delays in Western Union withdrawal requests. Checks are processed in 4-6 months. Neither is impressive, but most reports indicate there is a move in the right direction. Players outside the US are still reporting consistent 45 day cashouts. Lock Poker will be graded low at least until European players are getting paid on time.
Juicy Stakes F (D-)
This grade might be the hardest decision I have made in the two years of publishing this report. I have always stated that as long as a US facing online poker room was making an attempt to pay players that I would never go below a D-. Juicy Stakes is paying US players in 7-8 months. One player stated a check that was received in 7.5 months eventually bounced. Others are complaining about requests from 2012 that are still not paid. In my opinion, this is unacceptable. Many US facing online poker rooms offer Western Union cashouts in just days. Juicy Stakes will be graded an F until it finds an alternative to paying US players or significantly improves its check speeds.
Everleaf Gaming was the last US friendly site to receive an F in this survey in April 2012. The network was eventually removed from this report when it became obvious it would not be paying US players.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
New Present day PAS Pores and skin Now Accessible for Download
http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/13/new-present-day-pas-pores-and-skin-now-accessible-for-download/When you registered for PAS for the first time you may remember that you were asked to choose from a few basic PAS templates to start promoting online poker rooms. This process takes a matter of minutes, but when you are done you are left with what is sometimes described as a “boring,” “plain” or “dated” website. To some extent this is by design as this initial template is meant to be a starting point for various types of affiliates to customize from a “bare bones” state to fit their needs and wants.
While this setup works for many affiliates, some of our publishers have no little or no HTML, CSS or Design experience. If this is you, we present Themes, a collection of some of the best website themes we have released over the last few years. These themes take your affiliate website to the next level by giving your webpage more color and style, which can assist you in adding to your reputation and promote your branding and conversion efforts.
If you have ever not been satisfied with the look of your PAS site, we definitely recommend taking a look at finding a theme that is right for you.
On the Money Theme- Available for Download
Today we can unveil a brand new theme created by our design team that features a slick and modern look and feel, which should help your website keep up with the competition. It is called “On the Money” and the theme is available for download here.
To install this theme, simply follow the simple instructions to change the look of your site in just a few minutes. Basic HTML experience is recommended but it really is fairly easy — just a matter of copy/pasting and uploading images through the PAS system.
In a few minutes I was able to turn my basic “ugly” test site:
Into this…
Then a few minutes of tinkering with a custom image and the header…
Visit the website here.
Final Thoughts
The PAS default templates are not meant to be left alone, although many of them unfortunately are after signup is completed. Whether you decide to make your own site or use one of our templates, it is pretty clear that if you plan on marketing your site or referring players, you would do yourself a big favor by upgrading the look and feel of your website. First impression is crucial.
One final note. We realize that our designs are not “one size fits all” and wont be perfect for everyone. That is why we strongly encourage you to do what you can to make your website — and for matter your affiliate business — unique. If you don’t know how to code or do design work, consider hiring external help or even PAS on your project. Maybe even use the opportunity to expand your skillset to learn HTML and/or design. We have seen some truly impressive and initiative ideas implemented on PAS publisher sites, and we are very excited to see the next great idea that comes from one of publishers.
If you have any questions about Themes or your website, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Friday, 7 June 2013
United kingdom Bingo Shelling out Massive Bucks on Advertising and marketing
UK bingo operators are dropping record amounts of money on advertising in hopes of staying ahead of the competition. It’s an arms race that’s great news for advertising agencies and the big three bingo operators but bad news for bingo newcomers.
According to a report in EGR Magazine, bingo companies spent £19 million ($ 29.5 USD)millionon advertising during the first four months of 2013. That’s up a whopping 48% over the same time last year. For comparison, the industry only dropped around £26 million ($ 40 million USD) in all of 2010.
A good chunk of all that advertising cash is coming from UK bingo’s big three bingo bosses. Here’s what they dropped during the period January and April of this year:
- Tombola – £2.9 million
- Gamesys – £2.3 million
- Foxy Bingo – £2.3 million
According to the EGR report, virtually every UK bingo operator is upping their TV advertising buys in hopes of cashing on bingo mad Brits. Of course that’s making it tough for bingo newcomers to compete. One advertising insider quoted in the story said:
The UK is a relatively mature market for online bingo, and new entrants need to have deep pockets when it comes to advertising.
But not every company is throwing resources at bingo. Paddy Power, Ireland’s largest independent bookmaker, hasn’t spent a dime on bingo advertising this year. Last year the company spent just under £2 million in TV bingo advertising.
Are you feeling the effects of the UK bingo boom? Share your experiences in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/07/united-kingdom-bingo-shelling-out-massive-bucks-on-advertising-and-marketing/Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Could 2013 On-line Gambling News Roundup
May 2013 was another big month for the online gambling industry as the march towards legalization in the United States moved forward – and turned into the War by the Shore. Of course there were also the usual outbursts of European liberalization, and even some layoffs.
Here’s the headlines that had the industry talking last month:
Nevada Online Gambling Success - All right, maybe it’s too early to be calling it a success, but the first few days definitely went well for Ultimate Poker. Within just a couple days of the initial launch, Ultimate had already logged over 100,000 hands and signed up thousands of new players.
Whether Ultimate can sustain this blistering pace or is just enjoying the perks of being able to sign up players at the Stations Casino chain is another question entirely. But, for now, let’s all just raise a glass the initial success of Silver State online gambling.
The War by the Shore
PokerStars is desperate to get a toehold in New Jersey and is dumping buckets of cash on the decrepit Atlantic Club Casino to do so.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is still steamed at the company for taking US action after 2006 and is doing everything they can to keep the poker giant out of the Garden State.That effort includes filing legal briefs calling the Rational Group (PokerStars’ corporate owner) every name in the book.
When two major players like this go head-to-head, you know that the lawyers will be keeping very busy. It’s a legal drama between parties with some pretty deep pockets and serious financial interests, so don’t expect it to be resolved anytime soon.
California Online Poker Bill
California is nowhere near as far in the igaming race as Nevada/New Jersey, or even Delaware, thanks to constant hectoring from tribal gaming interests. The tribes made that very clear in a proposed poker bill that keeps the state out of interstate gambling compacts; opts out of Federal regulations; and has one of the toughest bad actor clauses we’ve ever seen.
Suffice to say, Californians won’t be (legally) gambling online anytime soon.
More NJ News
New Jersey also took another big step forward in their legalization efforts by publishing a draft version of their online gambling regulations. There weren’t any big surprises but speculation based on the draft suggests that NJ could go live sometime in the fall.
Ladbroke Layoffs
Across the Pond, in the United Kingdom, as many as 100 Ladbrokes employees are staring down redundancy notices. It’s all part of a massive restructuring plan that’s shifting the company’s operating centers towards Tel Aviv.
The bloodletting is an unfortunate necessity given the company’s sluggish profits, especially on casino games.
Dutch Draft Regulations
Over in the Netherlands, the shift towards liberalization has actually been plugging along at a very steady pace. Last month the Dutch Government released a set of draft gambling regulations that, among other things, will shut down De Lotto’s monopoly on sports betting.
Operators facing the lowland lovely will be taxed at 20% of their gross profits and will have to pay around €50,000 ($ 64,500 USD) for a license.
What impact did these stories have on your business? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/04/could-2013-on-line-gambling-news-roundup/William Hill Issuing Corporate Bonds
William Hill is issuing around £375 million ($ 573 USD) worth of corporate bonds in the hopes of attracting investor attention. It’s all part of a plan to help the company pay off bridge loans it accumulated while acquiring 29% of Sportingbet Australia during the spring.
The bulk of the cash raised from the bonds, around £275 million will be used to pay off the Sportingbet loans, while the other £100 million be used to pay down general debt. As it stands today, William Hill is carrying around £742 million worth of debt.
In a press release company officials said:
The issue of the bonds further strengthens the group’s balance sheet by diversifying its sources of debt funding and lengthening the maturity profile of its borrowings.
Over the past couple years, William Hill has moving aggressively to shore up its domestic operations, while making big moves abroad. One of their biggest moves was acquiring full control of William Hill Online by purchasing the stake owned by Playtech for around £424m ($ 557 USD).
On the US front, William Hill is moving aggressively to get a toehold in the Nevada market. Last summer they were approved to take control of 159 Silver State sportsbooks and betting kiosks.
What do you think of William Hill’s recent dealings? Share your opinion in the comments section below.
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http://www.casinoaffiliateebook.com/2013/06/04/william-hill-issuing-corporate-bonds/
