Alliance formed between Affiliate Guard Dog, Poker Affiliate Listings, APCW and GPWA

[MichaelCorfman]

Sounds like a very familiar concept

This should have happened years ago - its sad that it didnt happen until all the dollar signs were worked out.

I'm a bit confused by the reference to dollar signs being worked out. The alliance happened because we mutually support the objectives we set out for ourselves and have agreed to work together toward those objectives. There was nothing for us to work out from a financial perspective, and no financial discussions even took place during the process of creating the alliance.

The alliance was formed because we were unanimous in our view that by working together more closely together we could accomplish more than we could otherwise. And it happened now because the stars aligned in a way that we were all in a position at the same time where we were free to do so and where we felt the support of the affiliates we serve would be behind us. I'm a firm believer that adversity, when looked at the right way, can bring out the best and be a source of great strength.

Michael

[MichaelCorfman]

This is fantastic news. You have my full support! Michael have you a Press Release which we could use to publicise this great news for the gambling affiliate community on our portals?

I expect that we will next week. Right now I'm in Las Vegas at G2E, and the folks on my staff that publish press releases are as well, so it will be on our list of tasks once we are back home in Boston.

Michael

[republican]

Great idea guys. Congrats to everyone involved

Since a lot of people are now joining GPWA I couldn't help myself either. Thank you Michael for creating a safe new place for affiliates to discuss promotions and not worry about becoming banned and shunned in the affiliate world.

I received the email and wanted to look. I read these forums all night and decided to join. This place is wonderful! I'm not too much of a 'forum member' and usually just read but this is the time for us to all band together and take back our industry!

Congratulations to the other sites that were included in the new alliance. I am looking forward to joining those sites as well this week when I have some time!

In terms of success I would say that judging by the normal tools of tracking visitors this place is the most popular now and I appreciate the free advice!

[MichaelCorfman]

Since a lot of people are now joining GPWA I couldn't help myself either. Thank you Michael for creating a safe new place for affiliates to discuss promotions and not worry about becoming banned and shunned in the affiliate world.

I received the email and wanted to look. I read these forums all night and decided to join. This place is wonderful! I'm not too much of a 'forum member' and usually just read but this is the time for us to all band together and take back our industry!

Congratulations to the other sites that were included in the new alliance. I am looking forward to joining those sites as well this week when I have some time!

In terms of success I would say that judging by the normal tools of tracking visitors this place is the most popular now and I appreciate the free advice!

Thanks for the post. I just want to point out, however, that the correct website for the GPWA is GPWA.org rather than GPWA.net. Alexa might be smart enough to lump these two together, but some other traffic measurement sites are not, and in the sites where they are not lumped together it is easy to produce graphs that that greatly understate the traffic on the GPWA website by incorrectly referencing the .net rather than the .org domain. I have actually seen this used by competitors of ours to misrepresent our traffic to affiliate programs as part of a deceptive sales message about the number of affiliates involved in the GPWA. In fact, in terms of verified members, the GPWA was definitely the fastest growing forum by a clear margin in recent months.

Michael

[penny-slot-machines]

This is very good news, congratulations!

One question I think needs to be asked (although I'm sure I already know the answer) is whether AGD will remain 100% independent?

As I understand, GPWA 'sponsors' money is an important revenue stream for funding things like the GPWA session tomorrow. However, what happens if you have a group that pays a lot of cash to be a platinum sponsor, but has bad terms and conditions? - Would AGD still be 100% critical of the sponsor, or is there a possibility that the sponsorship would influence the review and AGD would feel obliged to just ease off a little on the criticism?

Like I say, I think (and hope) I know the answer, but it is an important question to address, imo

Cheers

[PAS]

Hi GPWA,

not sure when or how you determine forums you would like to join your alliance. but we have started a community at PAS that would love to be a part of your cause. let me know what your plans are and if we can be of any help.

best
CC

[republican]

Hi GPWA,

not sure when or how you determine forums you would like to join your alliance. but we have started a community at PAS that would love to be a part of your cause. let me know what your plans are and if we can be of any help.

best
CC

It would be awesome to have PAS join as well. They seem to be one of the fastest growing 'sub' or niche forums out there! My vote is a big yes!

[MichaelCorfman]

This is very good news, congratulations!

One question I think needs to be asked (although I'm sure I already know the answer) is whether AGD will remain 100% independent?

Yes, AGD is an independent business entity, and there is no common ownership interest with anyone involved in the GPWA.

However, I would like to state for the record that even if the GPWA or its owners had any financial interest in AGD, I would view that it should still operate independently in terms of the opinions it expressed. Otherwise the AGD brand and what it stands for would be destroyed, as evidenced by the fact that you asked the question you did.

Michael

[pgaming]

Excellent Michael I just may reactivate my account.

pgaming

[MichaelCorfman]

Not sure when or how you determine forums you would like to join your alliance. but we have started a community at PAS that would love to be a part of your cause. let me know what your plans are and if we can be of any help.

Thank you very much for letting me know you share our philosophy and would like to be a member of the alliance.

Right now I'm in Las Vegas at G2E getting final slides ready for presentations tomorrow, so I am pretty overwhelmed at the moment. I'll be back home next week, and so will follow-up with you then, but give me a couple days to recover from the trip too.

Thanks,

Michael

[penny-slot-machines]

Cheers Michael, as you can guess, that was the answer I was expecting

It's good to have it confirmed that AGD will remain entirely independent and free to express themselves. They are a superb resource for affiliates.

[pompeyrayuk]

I remember reading a quote from Terry(PokerKeep) about 2008 being a monumental year for iGaming and how correct he was.

PAL - GPWA/APCW and now this. Can it get any better?

[kwblue]

AGD will remain it's own entity We are committed to providing a certification that has meaning. Money will never play a part in our certification process. If we did that, we might as well close our 'doors'.

[Chips]

Super work! Congrats to all involved and can't wait to get set up at PAL!

Somebody from PAL, please, invite me to become a member of PAL.
Only PAL members can invite new members.

Respectfully requesting a leg up from any Pal member too!

[aksana]

Now I'm already a PAL member, who want to be invited, pm me please your email address and I'll invite you.

[Chips]

Joined a few minutes ago. Maybe we need to have a PAL pal's thread now?

[Skinski]

Sounds like some great news indeed. Now I feel even better for removing all but two seals from my sites last week.

I'll be looking forward to joining PAL . ( Providing someone will invite me. )

[JSM_Jason]

Awesome, awesome news!

[Doolally]

Great news and some exciting times ahead!

With the recent US Microgaming pull-out, the World going into recession, and perhaps more worrying in the long term, the mergers of large gaming sites and affiliate sites, this couldn't come at a better time.

We need to show the industry that affiliates are still there in numbers and will stand and be counted. If the major forums, hence large groups of affiliates, stick and work together, then we will have a larger and more stronger voice in this ever changing and fickle industry.

[Tristan]

Congratulations everyone from GPWA, APCW and Andy

It's good to see something positive come out of the events of the last week.
I look forward to working with you all even more in the future!