Bookmaker.com - New Poll - please vote!

[thepokerkeep]

At the request of GPWA member xChrisx we have initiated a poll asking our members whether bookmaker.com / BetCris should be boycotted and rogued by the GAU. Please drop over to the Gambling Affiliates Union website to read our report and cast your vote.
http://gamblingaffiliatesunion.org/l...tcris-poll/645

[GFPC]

There appears to be no vote button. Unless its my browser.

Edit: I had to login - duhhh. Ok voted! I could not find the login button. But i got it.

[thepokerkeep]

It should be located just under the first paragraph... take another look and let me know. It's showing in my browser - I already voted

[GFPC]

It should be located just under the first paragraph... take another look and let me know. It's showing in my browser - I already voted

Yeah forgot to login!! I had a hard time finding a login button.

[thepokerkeep]

Yeah forgot to login!! I had a hard time finding a login button.

I added a log-in widget to the right sidebar... hopefully that will help.

[Smoking]

Voted ! Thanks for keeping us informed also

[GFPC]

I added a log-in widget to the right sidebar... hopefully that will help.

Awesome well done!!

[xChrisx]

Pokerkeep,

I just want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to bring this issue forth. I also what to thank all who have already voted as it's still holding 100%

Thanks to all

Page was indexed today in google as well

[GFPC]

Thank you Chris for making it happen!!

[matted]

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Mark –<o></o>
<o></o>
I have no plans to advertise bookmaker. I strongly oppose your ridiculous terms, regardless of my companies abilities to meet the requirement. 10 active players in a week to get paid is not realistic for most affiliates. I encourage all affiliates to avoid your brand. If bookmaker is getting paid by the player for their net losses, why not pay your affiliates rather than hold the money hostage? It’s an excuse to withhold and steal money from affiliates. And once an affiliate has moved on, the residuals are part of the standard contract with all the programs I promote. If bookmaker wants to be taken seriously by the affiliate community, then they need to learn how to be affiliate friendly.<o></o>
<o></o>
Perhaps the 12 bucks you’ll steal from my account when you close it can buy bookmaker a clue…<o></o>
<o></o>
Sincerely,<o></o>
Matt<o></o>
Cognitive Powers, Inc.<o></o>
<o></o>

[xChrisx]

I committed myself for the most part to stay out of this thread because I didn't want to get repetitive in all my rants and raving and felt it best that people just use their own opinions and/or conjecture in this matter.

I just still want to thank everyone (once again) for posting, voting, and stating your thoughts, insights, and opinions.

So once again, Thanks to all of you

[GFPC]

I committed myself for the most part to stay out of this thread because I didn't want to get repetitive in all my rants and raving and felt it best that people just use their own opinions and/or conjecture in this matter.

I just still want to thank everyone (once again) for posting, voting, and stating your thoughts, insights, and opinions.

So once again, Thanks to all of you

Your welcome - at least from me! haha..

Bottom line - Bookmaker is not worth talking about anymore. Done and dusted.
I guess what I am trying to say - for me personally they are not worth a single thread of hair on my xxx. That is about how I feel!!

[Frank Benjamin]

I think the wording on the site is misleading. You don't have to refer 10 new active players per week, you only need 10 active players playing each week.

That isn't all that difficult, especially if you build a relationship with your players. I have contacts within BM, DSI and BetCris where I can offer special bonuses and free contests to entice players to play with these books.

Personally, as a sports bettor myself, I would rather use these sportsbooks. They pay on time and don't drag anything out and have early and fair lines. Hell, most of their NFL pointspreads stay at -110 even when it is on a magic number.

I personally promote BM and DSI heavily and believe that they have a superior product/service than other sportsbooks out there. That might mean I have to work a little harder, but it is well worth it!

I have spoken on multiple occasions with the Affiliate program director, Kieth, and the reason they are doing this is to entice people to work at promoting them. Apparently the math showed they were spinning their wheels and spending too much money on affiliates that threw up a few banners and really didn't actively promote them.

It is true that there are affiliate-friendlier sportsbooks out there, but there are not better sportsbooks. Too many times, affiliates only look at it from their point of view. If you promote a good product - one where your players are paid when asked and provided excellent service - your players will stay. BM and DSI doesn't have to slow pay their players and are an high quality sportsbook from the perspective of a sports bettor.

I have and have had accounts at plenty sportsbooks. There are only a few that I would personally recommend - and BM and DSI are two of them. IT is easy for me to promote a product/service that I happy with.

Apparently I am in the minority here though (there has to be at least one, lol) If anyone has any questions about the bonuses I offer or would like to also offer them, feel free to PM me.

[TheGooner]

Apparently I am in the minority here though (there has to be at least one, lol) If anyone has any questions about the bonuses I offer or would like to also offer them, feel free to PM me.

Well there is at least two of us SportsInvestor - and probably a whole lot more. I'll agree that BM is good from a players point of view - and an outfit that I am comfortable recommending to players.

It's just pointless getting into an argument over this one ...

[thepokerkeep]

I don't think anyone is saying BM is bad for players.

The issue is the predatory affiliate terms. The purpose of the GAU's poll and warning is to make small and/or new affiliates aware of the very real possibility that they may never achieve the quota BM has apparently retroactively imposed upon them.

I think the wording on the site is misleading. You don't have to refer 10 new active players per week, you only need 10 active players playing each week.

It looks pretty clear to me that you are required to refer 10 new active customers in the week prior to requesting a withdrawal - look at paragraph 3.2 in their terms and conditions for proof.

But that is only one of the issues. I've quoted the others (directly from their T&C page) below. They impose a quota, steal your referrals if they fail to deposit in 60 days, reserve the right to change your commission percentage for any reason they deem fit and restrict you from optimizing your site while promoting them.

Great company for players, sure, no argument from me. PREDATORY affiliate program though - especially for new or small affiliates who rely on getting paid on a regular basis for their referrals.

3.2. Affiliate is required to refer a minimum of 10 active customers during the previous week to withdraw/transfer their earnings. If the affiliates chooses to close the affiliate account before reaching the required 10 active players, any and all commissions shall be forfeited.

3.8. Affiliate is restricted from utilizing derivatives of "Bookmaker" in URLs and directory names for the intention of search engine optimization.

3.10. Affiliate is restricted from optimizing any page of their website(s) for keyword or keyword phrases that include, but are not limited to, Bookmaker, Bookmaker.com, Bookmaker Brand, Bookmaker Sportsbook, Bookmaker Casino, Bookmaker Racebook, Bookmaker Poker or Bookmaker Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room in any format. This includes, but is not limited to, meta tags, headers and body content.

3.14. Affiliate shall not create, publish, distribute, or permit any written material that makes reference to "Bookmaker" or Company without first submitting such material to Company and receiving prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

4. Commissions


* Note: Affiliate is required to have a minimum of 10 active players during the previous week to withdraw/transfer their earnings.


* We reserve the right to raise or lower any affiliates' commission rate solely at Management’s discretion.


b. If a player signs up under an affiliate account and does not make a deposit within the first 60 days, that player becomes a house account.


c. Negative earnings are carried over to the next month.

[Frank Benjamin]

I know for a fact that it is 10 active players per week....not 10 NEW active players. Like I said that statement is misleading - you could always contact them and ask if you want a clarification.

I understand your issue with their T&S, but they are stated on the website. Hard to say they are predatory when they state them on the website.

The thing is, why isn't the discussion about WHY this is being done? That would be a much more healthy discussion that just complaining that something is unfair.

They want affiliates that will actively promote and market their sportsbook. However, this means that the affiliate will have to work harder.

When I was in sales, I had a monthly quota. If I didn't make that quota, I didn't receive my commissions for that month. Conversely, if I exeeded my bonus, I received a bigger commission percentage.

This is only a new model for the affiliate industry, but not the sales industry.

As far as I am concerned, the product is good enough to work for, and is worth the hard work.

I guess it comes down to how hard, and how much time, do you want to invest in promoting BM.

Just my 2 cents.....

I find it fair since they post the terms on their site.....Maybe it wasn't done correctly when they switched, but it is all out their now. Only the ignorant can be blamed.

[thepokerkeep]

Whether you know for a fact that they don't impose the 10 new player rule is questionable since you don't have access to their books. Being told something is true doesn't make it so. It is on their website and therefore they can (and probably do) enforce it. Why would they word it like that if they didn't intend to enforce it?

Read the complaints on this forum - there are many affiliates who claim they can't withdraw their commissions because they fail to meet the quota you say they don't enforce.

It's obvious that BM only wants to work with super affiliates - the 5% who bring in the 90% - so they should do their jobs and screen their applicants better.

It's funny how the only people defending BM are the ones who manage to get paid each month.

I would not be doing my job as president of GAU if I failed to warn the industry about predatory terms such as these. Quotas are predatory. Retroactively changing T&C's is predatory and probably roguish.

[grem]

did bookmaker enforce the rule after while changing the terms on the affiliate?

[TheGooner]

Pokerkeep - I see where your interpretation might be possible - English is not always an absolute language - but your interpretation does not reflect reality

However rule is .... the affiliate must have refered a minimum of 10 ACTIVE CUSTOMERS (at some time during their affiliation that played) during the previous week in order to withdraw.

I've added the words in the brackets to clarify and explain as I see it being enforced and explained by bookmaker.com in their communications.

Affiliates do not have to find 10 NEW active players that played last week. Bookmaker.com don't use the word new - you have - it's not accurate.

It's simply 10 active customers - and this is quite a low bar during the football season if you are actively promoting them.

[thepokerkeep]

Sorry, you're wrong. I am not misinterpreting the terms. Read the quote below, it's taken right out of their terms, word for word.

3.2. Affiliate is required to refer a minimum of 10 active customers during the previous week to withdraw/transfer their earnings.

Bookmaker says the affiliate is required to refer a minimum of 10 active players during the previous week. It looks pretty clear to me.

If they meant an affiliate is required to have 10 active players, why use the word refer?

We've all been down this road before... if a clause is in the terms, they will eventually enforce it.