Court nixes sports betting in Delaware - APCW Perspectives Weekly: 28 August

[vinism]

J. Todd takes a closer look at what's happening in a sports betting case in Delaware. Plus we follow up on issues facing players and webmasters in online gaming, hear more from Bodog founder Calvin Ayre, and review other industry news!

http://apcw.org/45

[Anthony]

Thank you Vin!

[ironman2000]

Dear Perspectives Weekly Team,

Firstly,I just want to say that I never miss your weekly show if possible.

Secondly,I had to watch Mr J Todd twice this week ( not a bad thing I have to say ) just to be able to read the ticker tape distraction on the bottom.

Thirdly, Can you also give me the secret on how you got those Geese to also fly on key in the background..........watching Mr J Todd with the ticker tape running and the flying Geese........amazing

Again,its a wonderful production,but i would keep it simple because I need to focus 100% on to what you are saying.

Keith

[Integrity]

Thank you for the input, Ironman.

I am beginning to feel that your opinion is in the majority, if only by a little. To be honest I wasn't completely happy with it myself, although some people seem to like it.

There are a few alternatives I am considering. However, I would still like to hear from other GPWA members about what they think of it.


PS > The geese are union and paid standard day scale.

[mojo]

Here is a link for playshare! Not sure where we were supposed to look (head on over to gpwa) so I made one.

Seriously, we don't need an education on the term itself. We are clear on that. What we need is if Playshare is really going to impose it on existing affiliates. Mind you Roxy did the right thing. Why can't Playshare JTodd?

http://www.gpwa.org/forum/playshare-...gd-183123.html

Great stuff. As far as the ticker, I don't mind one way or the other.

[Integrity]

Thanks for the link, Mojo. I was told that the document had been posted here before I shot the video. Guess I got some bad information.

When I say "educate yourselves" I simply mean that I believe it's important we at least understand where these programs are coming from. It only makes since if we want understand how they think, what motivates them, and how to communicate with them so we can get the best possible results for affiliates and the program.

I know it may seem stupid, but I am also giving Playshare the opportunity to do the right thing on their own. They have always been trustworthy and upstanding, and I am holding out hope that they will choose to work with us because they want to... not because of any other actions.

I have a face to face scheduled with Playshare in Budapest, so please do keep the faith for about 14 more days. When I return, it is my belief that this issue will be settled... one way or another.

[mojo]

When I say "educate yourselves" I simply mean that I believe it's important we at least understand where these programs are coming from. It only makes since if we want understand how they think, what motivates them, and how to communicate with them so we can get the best possible results for affiliates and the program.

I have a face to face scheduled with Playshare in Budapest, so please do keep the faith for about 14 more days. When I return, it is my belief that this issue will be settled... one way or another.

I think many of us understand the reasoning for the term. If PS wants to implement it going forward then have that option. Simlar to Roxy.

Whether it's a high roller term or any term, the main issue is forcing retroactive terms on existing affs. Who knows what PS will 'decide' to add next month. Maybe they will decide to pay affilates annually instead of monthly with no notice. Maybe they will start bundling? Who knows? And therein lies the problem. We are losing the faith and trust.

One way or another - yes. Then we can move on. The complete stonewalling is just as frustrating as the term itself.

Thanks for the update. It's hard for us sitting on the outside to know whats going on with the inside. I'll try to be good for 14 days lol.

[Integrity]

I'll try to be good for 14 days lol.

Well, thank you! LOL!

I promise you all, these issues are of huge importance to me personally, and for everyone at APCW and the GPWA. You may not always see us working on things from day to day, but I assure you all that there is a lot going on right now that deals specifically with these programs, and with the issues currently affecting affiliates. We are working to accomplish some major changes, but we need to secure them first.

[mojo]

I kept my end of the bargain on 14 days.

Update at AGD:

http://www.affiliateguarddog.com/for....html#post9018

Hi there,

My most sincere apologies for the lack of communication lately... I know it's not an excuse, but we have been travelling to and from Budapest, getting affiliate payments processed, as well as trying to maintain our service levels. It's not easy

As Simmo mentioned, we were at BAC, and I did manage to speak to a few people about this particular situation. We are committed to getting this resolved in the fairest possible way but it is going to require some more work and discussion on our side.

I will endeavor to keep you updated on this forum...

Regards,
Lawrence.

Update. Lawrence doesn't post here at the GPWA. I did see this same response at the Casinomeister Webmaster section.

[Integrity]

Mojo,

We made our position crystal clear at our sit down meeting of well over an hour in Budapest. It was very difficult, as you may imagine, because they represent owners and are caught in the middle to a certain degree.

I can say that there was some agreement, and there is hope for a compromise on issues that will be better for affiliates. Playshare is looking into a suggestion from Michael and crunching numbers. We hope they come to the conclusion that certain concessions can be made, but to ne honest I would not count on them completely abandoning all changes.

As soon as we hear from them we will report what we know.

[mojo]

Mojo,

We made our position crystal clear at our sit down meeting of well over an hour in Budapest. It was very difficult, as you may imagine, because they represent owners and are caught in the middle to a certain degree.

I can say that there was some agreement, and there is hope for a compromise on issues that will be better for affiliates. Playshare is looking into a suggestion from Michael and crunching numbers. We hope they come to the conclusion that certain concessions can be made, but to ne honest I would not count on them completely abandoning all changes.

As soon as we hear from them we will report what we know.

Thanks JTodd. I appreciate you taking the time. You know I do.

However, it is done! This program should be rogued for their retro terms and lack of response to their affiliates. You know this!

Because they WERE respected we gave them a break. I understand that. However, they now do not deserve a break.

Seriously!!! This has gone on since JANUARY for me. Stick a fork in us! Remove them from GPWA.

[mojo]

I do hope I'm not in trouble. I have faith in Casinomeister. I did submit a PAB.

[mojo]

We hope they come to the conclusion that certain concessions can be made, but to ne honest I would not count on them completely abandoning all changes.

JTodd. Can we say ROGUE? Why are we CODDLING Playshare? Are we best friends? Are we childhood sweethearts?

rogue

[Integrity]

Mojo,

There was absolutely no coddling going on, trust me. I spoke quite plainly and directly to Lawrence... as did Michael... and left no doubt about our position in regards to their terms. We reached a point where they were willing to revisit the non-immediate fensing of big winners and we are waiting to hear a decision from them.

If they return to us and cannot or will not alter that term, then I am completely behind the wishes of the affiliate community as a whole. I understand that you are frustrated with the way this has played out, and Lawrence did admit that Playshare had made some very big mistakes by not being more forthcoming about the changes a long time ago.

All things considered, I would like to try to reserve a "rogue" status as the last possible resort, no matter if the program is a member of APCW or GPWA or not. Perhaps we are very close to that now, but after all the work we've done to get to this point, it would be nice to see if Playshare actually does realize the short sightedness of their decisions. And if the changes they make are still not to the liking of the majority of affiliates, well, we will just have to do what we have to do.

[mojo]

Playshare has been playing with us for months on end jtodd. Lawrence is here now. Will he respond? No.

My patience is gone. I will make sure that PSP does not go to conferences since budapest did not bear any fruit. For a program to insist on retro terms in fact kicks them out.

Do you agree with this JTodd? Are you going to rogue them???

[Integrity]

Do you agree with this JTodd? Are you going to rogue them???

Lawrence is here and he did respond. I don't know if PSP's actually "played" us for months or if they have just made some poor decisions lately. Personally, since I've had a relationship with them for years and understand the difficulties of running an affiliate program in this industry right now, I don't expect that PSP's intent was to "play" anyone... but how would I know? I am not privy to their meetings.

I do understand your patience is gone. I do understand your anger and frutration. But let's remember that when programs started the "No Negative Carry Over" several years ago, that was a retro-active T&C change, too. We cannot simply toss out every program that alters their T&C's, because if we did then evntually every program would be thrown out and we would be here alone and ineffective.

I believe there should always be a process before kicking anyone out of an organization... whether player, webmaster, or program. Michael will be in tomorrow and I will let him answer your questions on what he intends to do. It is his decision, after all. I do think it's time, tho, that we set forth some criteria to follow for a "rogue" status since this T&C stuff could be an ongoing problem for affiliates.

The APCW will represent the interest of affiliates. If those affiliates collectively say to "rogue" PSP's then they will have our support.

[mojo]

Ok, JTodd. Let's see what happens when it's your 10k.

[Integrity]

How dare you?! With all due respect you're picking a fight with me because you're upset with Playshare and it's counterproductive.

Ya know, I do not say too much about my personal life on here, but I will have you know that even before UIGEA passed the state I live in (Washington) made affiliate marketing for online gambling a felony punishable by 5 years in prison. I was threatened by the state and forced to shut down all my portals, resulting in a steady decline in my families revenue.

Then the UIGEA hit and took away almost all of my residual income. About 70% all of my traffic was US based, and the few Euro and Aussie players I had left scattered about slowed way down to almost nothing. But things weren't over yet. Then the economy took a hit, payment processors got nailed, some programs pulled out, some stopped taking US, and that about closed out any remaining affiliate income I was making. If I was lucky, I might bring in an honest 3% of what I used to make in any given month. That's no exaggeration: Just 3%... Everything I worked for... everything I had built... all my residual income... all my players... gone... ruined inside of one year.

Oh, and did I mention that my family grew during this time? We had a baby. We lost our home. We lost our vehicles. We had to go on food stamps and borrow money from family to keep our lights and heat on. And all that time I kept pumping out video after video without missing a week. I kept encouraging the affiliates, fighting the fight, and NOT ONE TIME did I ask for sympathy or complain or bitch about what me and my family were going through. I thank God we survived... and thank God I was able to find a skill to market in this industry and was eventually bought out and put on salary... almost three years after all the hell started.

So I am very sorry you have lost income... I truly am. I understand your feelings better than you believe and I am on your side... and the side of every other affiliate. But please, do not dare sit back and pretend that I am any less of a webmaster than any of you... do not for one minute think I don't understand the pain and suffering that can go on... do not act as if I could not possibly understand your feeling just because I work for Casino City now. I do the very damn best I can and am completely sincere, and if it's one additional problem I really don't need it's the attacks and belittlement from those I am killing myself to help.


It was my $10,000, Mojo...

In fact, it was much, much more that I lost.

This whole thing makes me too sick to even continue.



Whatever.

.

[mojo]

I don't feel that roguing is a last resort after a certain time frame which has been streched past all limitations in this case. Sometimes I feel it's better to shoot first and ask questions later. JMO

However, my last comment was uncalled for so I agree I deserve your last post. Apologies I let my anger get the better of me and took it out on you. We are on the same team.

[Integrity]

I don't feel that roguing is a last resort after a certain time frame...

Well, I think we're splitting hairs here. Roguing is a last resort, simply because a certain time frame does pass... and during that time we attempt every other professional tactic and exhaust every other practical resource. Then, when all else fails, we rogue.

Apologies I let my anger get the better of me and took it out on you. We are on the same team.

Yes we are, and thank you. No harm done. We all are under a tremendous amount of stress right now. I miss the good old days of 2004 so badly. Life was sweet. Sometimes I think back and just sit, shaking my head in quiet bewilderment.