Moral issue

When i look at my affiliate accounts, people are gambling away so much money. I sold my affiliate business 2 years ago now, but this still troubles me. Have i done something wrong here?

Even if you have millions, you are still poor if you dont have your soul 100% intact.

Im still young, in my mid 20´s, and i was planning to travel the world, but i dont know if i dont feel ok. What was it all worth if it ended up like this? Why do i feel bad?

I just want to look up in the sky when i was a kid and feel 100% free.

I see myself as an average Joe, from a normal family where everyone takes responsibility and work.

When i started out i found the affiliate world and the money in gambling affiliate to be extremely exciting. I think every guy in his late teens/early 20´s would feel the same. Some years ago when i was very lonely i started to think. I looged into some casino sites, looking for their ”cheap tricks”, immoral behaviour, and tricks towards the player, and other stuff that would be distructing for me. I think i saw some stuff like quick-deposit and point assembling monitors (even when you logged out) that gave me something in my stomach (i never gambled myself). After that a year after i decieded to sell my business, but as mentioned this still troubles me if i have done something wrong.

Please speak your mind.


Thank you.
Regards / Peter

I try, to be honest to my visitors. I don't send them to the crappiest casinos, even if they pay a few bucks more. I am not pushing articles with lies or misleading things. I think for a big part that does the trick.

Those people will gamble anyway. If it's not with my link it's with the link of somebody else sending them to some crappy place to play. But true, also 'legit brands' are calling players that didn't deposit for a few days, sending them text messages, inviting VIP-players to events, etc. But same thing goes for the shop employee that sells alcohol of cigarettes to people, knowing that it will harm them.

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Originally Posted by Triple7

I try, to be honest to my visitors. I don't send them to the crappiest casinos, even if they pay a few bucks more. I am not pushing articles with lies or misleading things. I think for a big part that does the trick.

Those people will gamble anyway. If it's not with my link it's with the link of somebody else sending them to some crappy place to play. But true, also 'legit brands' are calling players that didn't deposit for a few days, sending them text messages, inviting VIP-players to events, etc. But same thing goes for the shop employee that sells alcohol of cigarettes to people, knowing that it will harm them.

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Very well said.

Agree entirely with Triple7, be honest, tell the truth and only work with licensed or regulated operators.

I would prefer to send 1000 accounts that bet £10 a week, and enjoy themselves, rather than one account that loses £10,000 a week and can't afford it.

I don't have a moral issue myself as I can honestly say I try to help people make money. The betting tips I provide are all with the goal of making profit and I always try to warn people not to bet more than they can afford or chase loses.

I try to guide people towards sites that are actually useful for football betting, even if the affiliate program isn't as good for me (cough cough, William Hill and Bet Victor).

If people then decide to bet more and lose money, there's nothing much I can do about that, at least they're with a reputable program that has all the responsible gambling measures in place.

I've struggled with this in the past too, especially as a father with young kids. I agree with the above comments that I justify myself by striving to only promote honest sites. People will do what they are going to do, we are actually providing a service to ensure they go somewhere that they will get paid if they win.

People have all manner of addictions and, unfortunately that's life. Should malls be banned cause some folks have shopping addictions? Of course not. I get where your coming from, but as others have said, if your providing sound information, guidence to safe online venues and, promote responsible gaming practices, that's the best you can do. It's people's choices what they do. Your not holding a gun to their head ;)

I've had the same thoughts over the years - good discussion. I remember once years ago when I first started in this business I was looking at individual screen name activity and noticed one player just depositing tons every month. I brought it to the attention of the affiliate program, asking if they should cut this person off.

In the end, a couple of aspects help me have a clear conscience:

1. I focus almost exclusively on poker and on CPA plans, where I don't need players to lose in order to make money. I'm happy if my players win and I try my best to help them do so.

2. Echoing the sentiment of others, I'm not making "gamblers" out of non-players. I'm not trying to convince anyone to take up the game. My goal is to help existing player make better decisions through honesty and testing. Whether or not I provide any service won't change anyone's mind, but maybe it could help some players from losing as much or signing up with a dishonest site.

I was thinking about this almost 2 years before starting my first project(maybe it's too long, or not, I don't know), because the moral part of doing business in gambling sector at that time was always in my head. It was a big problem for me.

I think we all have this issue in our minds, but also I am sure that the gambler will do what he/she wants, they want to gamble and will do that anyway(like me, I bet on sports sometimes). Another question is the consequences…

As many forum mates have already said, our mission is to work only with good companies, to warn the players about gambling addiction and at least show them some ways of receiving help from specialized organizations, if they have gambling problem. We have to pay more attention to the young people, they are the most vulnerable part of the gambling industry.

We have not invented the gambling, it was the part of humanity from almost the beginning and will be in the future too. I am very glad that some organizations also are doing well, for example the latest banner adds with 18+, T&C’s and Gambleaware information.

I agree with all of the comments above, and also struggle with this from time to time ( and I have been in the industry for 17 years ) especially if I see a player is losing big money every month. Nice for my pocket but I do also get a twinge of guilt wondering if they have just gambled their rent money away and can they feed their kids etc.
However as many people have said above - You are never going to stop a gambler from gambling whether they go to a casino via your site or another site, but the way I see it is that we are looking out for them by advising them which casinos are reputable, which ones aren't, warning them about the risks of online gambling, warning them to stay away from non reputable casinos etc etc.
If it wasn't for Affiliates - I believe that many more rogue casinos would get away with screwing players, so I feel that we are a watch dog of sorts, and therefore get compensated accordingly.

You did something wrong, of course. Your soul will not be pure. Same applies to 100% people.

Why are Christians going to churches to purify their souls (or rather why they listen to authorities with the false promises)? It is the same reason.

Whatever you do, you do some good and some evil. That is just life. Trying to be pure is not just attribute of orthodox fanatics, but it is mentioned as an attribute of schizoids/schizophrenics.

Now just live with the fact, that you were naive and that the beautiful dream was just a dream. Grow up.

(all the comments above about responsible gambling and affiliation are pure bs)

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Originally Posted by MrG

When i look at my affiliate accounts, people are gambling away so much money. I sold my affiliate business 2 years ago now, but this still troubles me. Have i done something wrong here?

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Someone, somewhere (probably religion) has got you early in life and stuck you with a heavy dose of guilt / sin.

Nearly ALL products sold are WANTS rather than NEEDS.
That includes fancy cars, televisions, cellphones, take-out foods and any one of the thousands of other consumer goods.

No-one NEEDS these items, but THEY choose to consume them after reading / watching advertising.
Sales and advertising are a part of modern life.

Clearly you are not cut out for sales, revenue share, and payment for online effort.
Would you feel more worthy going out and digging holes for a living? - Then do so.

I'm comfortable that I provide a viable and valuable service connecting adults who want to gamble with safe, secure and reliable operators.

Placing an occasional wager is no more anti-Christian than having the occasional glass of wine. It's only when a person goes nuts and lives to gamble and drink that it becomes a problem for that person. No one is forcing them to bet their life savings or drink themselves to death. Is selling online casinos any different from selling lottery tickets in a convenience store?

Digging holes is killing worms, mice... People break legs in holes. There is no cure. Living = doing evil things. I just broke a nose of my employee.

Living a fulfilling life is about finding a balance.
- Finding something pure is impossible (this is the true meaning about the story about Adam, Eve and expulsion from Garden of Eden).
- Pretending that we are pure is a hypocrisy. It is not just cowardish, but it that leads to neurosis and dull life. (Let's circlejerk for 100x here again, how the good casinos are just for fun and they do not want gamblers and so on.)
- Seeking just evil is deadly.

Orthodox religion tried to wash the sins that people felt even without religion, but there is not much success.

I read about some sect in India, where members use veils to avoid accidenal breathing in of flies (while they indeed step on some other insects etc.). That hypocrisy is at least funny.

Please refrain form all personal attacks against any opinions that may conflict or be different than your own.

Rick
Universal4

The fact people Gamble or have it in them to want to have a Punt has nothing to do with religion or being a bad person. You simply put the food on the plate you never forced anyone to eat. Everyone has a choice and if you can be an adult and gamble responsibly you can have fun and not lose everything you have. Addiction is bad, yes but affiliates do not or are not the cause there are deeper, darker issues with people that get addicted but you should not feel bad. You have a good heart as do most of us and its human to worry that you've caused damage, its good that you show that you have feelings for people that have addictions it's very sad and if we could help more we would but it's up to the individuals themselves to Realise they have a problem and fix it as long as those of us in the industry promote fairly, allow players to self-exclude and do not promote to those affected I think you've done the best you can .

Seriously, i can´t follow your "problem" MrG. Before i start in online gambling i sold porn and dating memberships, i´m guilty that guys having an affair? Free decisions ... everyone had the choice to do what he want. People are self-destructive my nature, this is not my problem!

I asked this myself hundred times. Do I feel guilty? I don't anymore. We are not pushing anyone to deposit thousands. Our websites are informative and yes, it is always good to know you work with reputable brands.

Before going into this branch, i was a player myself, and lost quite more money that i couldnt afford to loose. After i got some help i was looking into this branch because of all the knowledge i got from betting on sports and play casino.
I dont have a moral issue today because when i was in trouble people just told me that it was my own problem and that i didnt have respect to my money.
After 1 year of therepy i learned that it was basiclly only my self control that i had to deal with, and this is some of the bumps on the road there in life that makes me stronger here in life. All people have some issues they need help to deal with, and if people har gambling their money away, they need to get some help to realise their situation.

But it all depends on them selves, so i cant feel bad for anyone, as i have been in that situation and filled up a lot of affiliates wallet:-) but the bump gave me a stronger outcome here in life.

thats only my opinion :)

P.S: Its not all people there lose, ive been quite lucky a few times and its also make me happy if one of my players get a huge win - as i work with 7 diffent programs.
So if you dont believe in the online casinos, and things all players loose, i understand the moral issue but it seems to go both ways so i am just happy to help some players get a good win.

Would you have a similar sense of guilt if you had offered advice for people to trade on the stock market? I don't mean Forex or Binary etc but a website with news and advice on stocks, shares and referring potential investors to actual licensed brokers?