Market Ace - Gamesys Shutting Down Accounts

[theGman]

Well i guess it had to happen. The dreaded email has been received but on this occasion there is no major monetary damage on my part,only a lot of time wasted on this account. Despite hundreds of clicks, i have never managed to convert Market Ace products.

Apparently Market Ace / Gamesys have also sent out emails advising partners that commissions would be reduced to 5% for partners not bringing in FTDs. So i guess its all about a massive clean up on my bingo sites now. The email received is below. You have been warned

Dear XXXXX,
In preparation for the launch of our re-branded affiliate programme in October we would like to take this opportunity to engage more with our partners that have had some activity on their account but have not generated any revenue at all. If you feel you would like to start promoting any of our brands please get in touch with us on contactus@gamesysaffiliates.com.
If we do not hear from you by 31st December 2015 we will be closing down your inactive account.
Please note that if you have other accounts registered in our affiliate programme with activity on them, those will not be closed down.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,

I find it quite ironic that they state they want to engage more with partners but are going to shut the account down.

[-Shay-]

We received a notice of this nature as well despite sending players every month. These shitbags really need to get their act together, as they reek of incompetence and desperation.

[GCG]

always been a small earner (enough to buy a beer without the fish and chips), never trusted them anyways.

[JackTenSuited]

They are closing my account down even though I've sent traffic to jackpotjoy. The only sales I've had were to sun bingo which converted well, nothing else converted so no big loss.

[wolfie]

I was just about to sign up for their programme today. I think I'll pass.

[Triple7]

They're trying to hard to make me accept their new terms...

Your account has been active and we would like to continue working with you. However if you don’t accept the new terms and conditions by the end of the week we will have to make it Inactive.

[justbookies]

Yes they seem to have gone rogue (or at least very unfriendly). I turned my back on quite a few players with jackpotjoy, though they never made any money. Only sun bingo was any good - fortunately that has moved to its own affiliate platform, though still on gamesys network.

[Triple7]

To me it seems that legally they cannot close my account if I do not accept their new terms. I agreed about some terms with them and until we both agree other terms, they are valid, I guess.

What they actually ask me: "Hey, accept our new, rogue terms and if not, we 'll steal your players". I didn't like their brands anyway, although Caesars now maybe good in the US.

[justbookies]

. . and this is why a court case is essential in this business because they all take the ****. I did tell gamesys their actions wouldn't hold up in any court after I got an arrogant email that translated as saying they were within their rights to do whatever they like. It was written like the AM really thought he was in the right! He even had the arrogance to say the new terms were "incentivising" affiliates - what a ******.

Operators in the affiliate marketing world seem to think that affiliates are below the law and normal contract law rules dont apply - no wonder one of them (at least the one that has been caught at it so far) thought nothing would happen when they re-tagged and de-tagged players. The affiliate side of this industry is in anarchy - all because they think they can take the **** and get away with it - and judging by how feeble affiliates are (just taking the abuse and doing nothing) they can.

[Triple7]

True. They act arrogant, because they know most affiliates won't take them to court and in a certain way they can do what they want. AM's in this sort of companies are jokers that do not know anything about the business, but just spam the point they've been told. Those jokers are not able to find a better job. Be sure that you're making much more money than that ******.

But somehow I also understand why it's usually not ending up in court. For me it's quite a thing to take them to court in the UK for a few bucks. It would be a costy away game. Bigger affiliates are having customized deals.

In the end, with affiliates it's everybody for itself. Sometimes for good reasons. Big affiliates make their customized deal and are not bothered with this sort of actions, small affiliates perhaps do not have an active player database or a small one (or even a shaved one). For a few bucks, they're not going to court. They will just take GameSys brands off their website and put another brand.

I totally agree that judges should have a look at the behaviour of some affiliate programs. And not just for this. It may sound a bit Calimero, but affiliate programs that steal, hack and screw players are still accepted at conferences, even as big sponsor. They're also still acceptated as sponsor here, which gives them a seal that could be taken by some as recommendation, etc... They're "salonfähig" like the Germans call it. And they shouldn't.

They should be threated the way they threat affiliates. Ignore their booth at conferences, write negative reviews about them, put them on blacklists, tell players the truth, don't have them as sponsor of a conference, etc...

[justbookies]

I dont remove listings, I turn them negative. But to be honest I would never be promoting jackpotjoy nowadays - now I will only promote firms I can guarantee at least 5 FTDs to a month. If you cant do that then you are likely to get shafted by them at some point in the future. As I do sports betting primarily, standalone bingo sites are no longer on my radar at all. I dont know when I last added a new brand - years ago. You are right, dont expect any meaningful support from anyone. Fight your own battles - and if I do get hit hard in the pocket then I'll fight my own court case too, because this forum, with the greatest respect, is populated by well-meaning bullshitters (see the skybet thread, particularly the people promising all sorts at the start of it who have gone awol).

[Triple7]

Same thing for me. I tell visitors the truth about them, that a contract or a term for them is something they can turn in their own favour, even if they have to breach their own terms.

In every situation I will make a decision on my own if I bring it to court or not. That will probably result in "accepting" that a Costa Rican based program breach terms and let them remain with just a negative comment, because I am not going to Costa Rica to fight there in court against a program I have for example a few players a month.

But, if it happens here and it's about serious money. I'll do it. And the best thing is to fight your own case indeed, Your belongs are probably not exactly the same as the belongs of others. If you do your own court fight, you'll pay the complete sum, but you do not depend on other people's decision, payments, etc. I can imagine at some points it's going to be difficult in court if you're there with 36 people, with 36 visions, ideans and belongs. Things are often not just "yes" or "no" in court. Many times in end up somewhere in the middle. To agree than with 36 people that perhaps have a bigger database than you have or a smaller one... it will be difficult.

[dfiocch]

Oh, well well well... some other brands to mark as "suspended" (bad thing) in FeC. Bye.

[drslot26]

That's a waste, always annoying when they try to force people to bring FTD's, has an adverse effect on me. Well now you have a spot free for a brand that does convert.

[allfreechips]

So are these new terms paying only 5% for 0-5 new FTD'? Hard to follow but easy to rogue