Betsson key affiliate manager steals € 153.000 commission

[-Shay-]

Surely each of the providers of affiliate tracking software has the ability to query their database and produce reports such as:
- players whose affiliate tag has changed and are still playing
- players whose affiliate tag has been removed and are still playing

Producing such reports would not only help to reassure affiliates that their revenues aren't being compromised, but would also proactively help to identify issues such as the Betsson affiliate manager example and report back to the program. I'd go so far as to say that this isn't just something they could do, it's something they should be obligated to do.

Could they also identify programs with abnormally high self-exclusion rates? Even if nothing untoward was going on, surely it would help the bookmaker/casino to identify any issues which can only benefit all involved? What else? Identification of duplicate players across the same program? I expect there's a massive amount that could be done to benefit everyone.

I'd be very interested to hear a response from the software providers on this whole issue.

The affiliate software provider is the customer of the affiliate program - not of the customer. They would not be compelled to share the findings of the audit with you (the affiliate). Additionally, I'd speculate that if an affiliate made a "request", the provider would not be legally obligated to provide the request. Might be different with a court order though...

[Herki]

Yep, something like this. Those portals were not his, but were Betsson's I guess. Some of them even have the GPWA-seal although they are runned by Betsson.

Betsson's story is that he just re-tagged non-affiliate players to his account, but reading and hearing all the stories happening with Betsson. If it smelled already like a duck, it quacked already like a duck and now also looks like a duck...

So betsson is a GPWA approved affiliate? or are they using the seal when they should not be?

I never trust operators who have their own affiliate sites, the conflict of interest is huge!

[-Shay-]

So betsson is a GPWA approved affiliate? or are they using the seal when they should not be?

I never trust operators who have their own affiliate sites, the conflict of interest is huge!

OOPS

[Triple7]

So betsson is a GPWA approved affiliate? or are they using the seal when they should not be?

I never trust operators who have their own affiliate sites, the conflict of interest is huge!

Yes, Betsson is an approved GPWA affiliate with their GPWA-account 'Content Publishing', although they breach the first term, as those sites are not managed independently from the casinos they promote. Also it seem those website received a Google penalty, so it seem that they also did not comply to the 4th term.

[Herki]

Yes, Betsson is an approved GPWA affiliate with their GPWA-account 'Content Publishing', although they breach the first term, as those sites are not managed independently from the casinos they promote. Also it seem those website received a Google penalty, so it seem that they also did not comply to the 4th term.

Am I the only who thinks this is crazy?

[Triple7]

Am I the only who thinks this is crazy?

I understand Betsson has its own affiliate portals. I'm quite sure more casinos do have their own portals. For them it's cheaper than pay a lot of affiliates.

But... it's weird they've got the GPWA-seal, because those portals aren't managed independent from Betsson. For a visitor it's not a objective casino review portal. It's a website full of Betsson-advertisement. And although I understand casinos have their own portals, I don't think it's a good development in the end. Neither for players (no objective information), neither for affiliates (conflict of interests).

But also the GPWA-seal has gone through some serious inflation... every crap affiliate program paying the sponsorhip fee gets the seal. Like also every webmaster will get the seal if he/she applies for it.

[bettinganalyst]

i agree with you

[-Shay-]

But also the GPWA-seal has gone through some serious inflation... every crap affiliate program paying the sponsorhip fee gets the seal. Like also every webmaster will get the seal if he/she applies for it.

Problematic for a portal catering to "Gambling Webmasters"

[elgoog]

Yes, Betsson is an approved GPWA affiliate with their GPWA-account 'Content Publishing', although they breach the first term, as those sites are not managed independently from the casinos they promote. Also it seem those website received a Google penalty, so it seem that they also did not comply to the 4th term.

On a side note:

The person who did set up this account for member "Content Publishing" is not responsible anymore for the sites mentioned in their members details as far as i know. Also zero posts and last activity 2 june 2014.

[Mio]

This is why transparancy is key in all business relations (regardless what industry). All other casinos should be disappointed as well since this is damaging the entire industry and not just Affiliate Lounge.

Not talking about it will not improve the relations between affiliates and the casinos.

[Anthony]

Yes, Betsson is an approved GPWA affiliate with their GPWA-account 'Content Publishing', although they breach the first term, as those sites are not managed independently from the casinos they promote. Also it seem those website received a Google penalty, so it seem that they also did not comply to the 4th term.

There are many affiliate programs that operate their own portals and because of that the private membership team does check to see if there is an association of portals to affiliate programs plus looks for any connection between the applicant and a program. Then the private membership reviews the information and votes on the member. No process is perfect and unfortunately some can get past like this one, I am suspending the private membership and seals and will review the application to look for ways of improving the process.

[-Shay-]

There are many affiliate programs that operate their own portals and because of that the private membership team does check to see if there is an association of portals to affiliate programs plus looks for any connection between the applicant and a program. Then the private membership reviews the information and votes on the member. No process is perfect and unfortunately some can get past like this one, I am suspending the private membership and seals and will review the application to look for ways of improving the process.

Maybe an additional disclosure section where one lists any associations, potential conflicts of interest, etc. One would "reasonably" think that this info "should" be included in the "Websites You Own or Are Associated With" section.

[universal4]

The problem with that Shay is that we already ask for disclosure.

In this particular case it does appear that they took steps to hide this information that tied the portals to the operator.

We have many times delayed and in some cases stopped the application process on individuals when we do question whether they have disclosed all sites they are associated with or possibly not disclosed inside ties etc.

It is also one of the reasons we put the application and what we do know about their sites etc up for review by all Private Members in hopes that if we did miss something that one of the other members may see something or know something about the person that wasn't disclosed.

Rick
Universal4

[stgeorge]

Income Access has been on the record stating that retagging is just not possible with their software.

Not with the software? Maybe.

How about directly to the database?

It's all just data. No program can ever claim that it is impossible.

Think about it. You are mapping player ID's in one database (the main casino DB) to a tag Id in another database. Somewhere there is a mapping table....

[Miles_FTA]

I just cant understand and never will how guys think they wont get caught .. is it EGO?

[DaftDog]

Not with the software? Maybe.

How about directly to the database?

It's all just data. No program can ever claim that it is impossible.

Think about it. You are mapping player ID's in one database (the main casino DB) to a tag Id in another database. Somewhere there is a mapping table....

The affiliate manager probably would not have direct access to the database so there is probably a way to do this in the affiliate software back-end.

[crank]

Agree. In the short run some competitors might get indirectly benefited, in the long run its a bad news for the industry as a whole. As for affiliates ourselves, we are most of the time the thin part of the rope, -maybe not huge ones but the average affiliate, are the ones which usually do not receive a fair compensation or treatment behind the scenes. Great industry, huge potential, but huge lack of transparency most of the time.

This is why transparancy is key in all business relations (regardless what industry). All other casinos should be disappointed as well since this is damaging the entire industry and not just Affiliate Lounge.

Not talking about it will not improve the relations between affiliates and the casinos.

[universal4]

I have no way of knowing whether any of the bank information posted was real in nature or whether the person was really foolish enough to post their own bank information or if someone had posted someone else's bank information, but all posts that contained the bank information have been un-approved.

Please refrain from posting (OR QUOTING) ANY bank information for your own safety as well as the financial safety of others.

If bank information must be provided in any way, please use the PM system or your own private email systems.

Rick
Universal4

[ocreditor]

I just cant understand and never will how guys think they wont get caught .. is it EGO?

I think they simply didn't think ahead

[justbookies]

I just cant understand and never will how guys think they wont get caught

If every AM who de-tagged or re-tagged a player were in prison . . . the only difference is this bloke feathered his own nest rather than his employer's.