Thoughts about Ladbrokes Affiliate T&Cs

[et_ris]

I have a problem with Ladbroks and i want to share it with you! I made affiliate registration before more than 2 years, put the banner on my site and before a year i started to receive commissions. Before few days, on 2.12.2009 i received this mail:

Аfter a review on your affiliate account we have noticed that your performance during the last two years have been poor and that you have only referred one single active customer. This is also reflected in the way you promote Ladbrokes: our banners are not in good positions and this is also in breach with our T&C.
Your performance it is not enough to mantain an active affiliate status with us and we have decided to suspend your affiliate account with us.

I cheked my affiliate account and i found that this information is correct. I was surprised, because i recommended Ladbrokes to many friends, with request and information how to make registration from my site. However, i accept their decision because i wasn't updated my site (and banners) very long time. The real problem for me is their refusal to pay my outstanding commissions- for October and November. When i asked why, they sent me this:

As you can see the rule below (12.4, 4.1 & 12.7) say explicitly that we can terminate this Agreement immediately by delivery of written notice to you. When an account is terminated because it does breach our T&C all the payments are immediately blocked as you are not a genuine affiliate and therefore the earnings you have acquired have not been acquired correctly following our T&C that you have agreed when joining the programme. You have also admitted below breaching our T&C.
12.4 If you do not deliver 1 new customer registration within a period of three months (billed months) we may terminate this Agreement immediately by delivery of written notice to you.
4.1 Throughout the Term, you shall prominently incorporate and continually display the most up to date Links provided to you by Ladbrokes on the Partner Site in a manner and location agreed between you and us and you shall not alter the form, location or operation of the Links without Ladbrokes' prior consent. If and when we approve your application, the Partner Site should display the appropriate Links within 4 weeks of being notified that you have been accepted. If you fail to so display the Links we may terminate this Agreement immediately on notice.
12.7 The parties shall have no further obligations or rights under this Agreement after the end of the Term.

I made consultation with a lawyer and people with bigger expiriense than mine in betting industry and they assured me that Ladbrokes don't have legal rights to refuse my outstanding commission! Their advice was to share the problem here and ask for help from Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, Mr.Bill Dozzer from SportsbookReview.com, Mr.Pierluigi Buccioli from BookmakersReview.com. I want to find are there people with similar problems with this bookmaker?

[Pam712]

Absolutely shocking behavioiur on Ladbrokes part IMO and a look at those terms and conditions reveals some really ****** tactics. This clause effectively gives them the right to steal commissions if they feel they are not getting the right exposure or you are not referring enough customers, and this any way you look at it is theft.

First we had Paddy Power and now Ladbrokes - what is it with these UK companies who think its ok to introduce predatory terms, we are not talking piddling little companies but big high street names - and if these think its ok to steal commissions and revoke agreements any time they feel like it they may well set a precedent if they are not stopped.

I notice they are also increasing minimum payouts to £100 a month from £50 - this is no real biggy but it does show they cba to deal with smaller affiliates

[Chalkie]

Sadly these rotten terms are not limited to big UK PLC's they are pretty general all over.

I do feel that there is now a lot of big UK programs getting a little proactive in enforcing these terms, i wonder how much this is down to either the fact that the UK is not coming out of the crunch, how much is down to them testing the waters to see how they fare when they do this or if we are beginning to see the UK firms trying to flex their muscles and streamline!

Who knows, only time will tell, however, it certainly seems time for affiliates to make a point to them that we are not going to be bullied and that they too need to keep their acts clean!

[Shaun O'neill]

Hei Guys

I hate to kick people when they are down but if they dont want you business I do.....

NordicBet has one of the best sports book offerings in Europe and without a doubt the most on depth betting options in Scandinavia, we have been around since 2002 feel free to google NordicBet and see if you can find anything bad on us, i am pretty sure you will see that we are straight and honest, for those of you that dont know me I have been in the gaming industry for about 4 years and directly with operators for 3 years, so if you fancy working with somebody that will work with you rather than against you go to www.nordicbetpartners.com

Have a great weekend.


Shaun

Sadly these rotten terms are not limited to big UK PLC's they are pretty general all over.

I do feel that there is now a lot of big UK programs getting a little proactive in enforcing these terms, i wonder how much this is down to either the fact that the UK is not coming out of the crunch, how much is down to them testing the waters to see how they fare when they do this or if we are beginning to see the UK firms trying to flex their muscles and streamline!

Who knows, only time will tell, however, it certainly seems time for affiliates to make a point to them that we are not going to be bullied and that they too need to keep their acts clean!

[thepokerkeep]

The silence is deafening... Income Access is Ladbrokes Affiliate Program and IA has at least two active reps here, why no response from either one?

[et_ris]

I want to add that nowhere in T&C i can see folowing information:

When an account is terminated because it does breach our T&C all the payments are immediately blocked as you are not a genuine affiliate and therefore the earnings you have acquired have not been acquired correctly following our T&C that you have agreed when joining the programme. You have also admitted below breaching our T&C.

Maybe it's their interpretation of T&C???

[Chalkie]

I want to add that nowhere in T&C i can see folowing information:

Maybe it's their interpretation of T&C???

Yes it appears to be their explanation as opposed to part of the terms!

What are they reffering to when they say you admit to breaching the terms below?

[Shaun O'neill]

Terry

In the defence of Income Access they would never make a statement on this they deal with the affiliate management of the affiliate program rather the operations and T&Cs I am ptretty sure once one of the Income Access team see this thread they will ping to Lads and you might then get an official statement.

Shaun

The silence is deafening... Income Access is Ladbrokes Affiliate Program and IA has at least two active reps here, why no response from either one?

[et_ris]

My mail:

Thank you for fast answer! I accept that the fault for bad results and weak customer activity maybe is mine! But i still don't see the answer of my question: What rule gave you right to "terminate my account immediately without processing any further payment."
Regards

Ladbrokes answer:

As you can see the rule below (12.4, 4.1 & 12.7) say explicitly that we can terminate this Agreement immediately by delivery of written notice to you. When an account is terminated because it does breach our T&C all the payments are immediately blocked as you are not a genuine affiliate and therefore the earnings you have acquired have not been acquired correctly following our T&C that you have agreed when joining the programme. You have also admitted below breaching our T&C.

12.4 If you do not deliver 1 new customer registration within a period of three months (billed months) we may terminate this Agreement immediately by delivery of written notice to you.

4.1 Throughout the Term, you shall prominently incorporate and continually display the most up to date Links provided to you by Ladbrokes on the Partner Site in a manner and location agreed between you and us and you shall not alter the form, location or operation of the Links without Ladbrokes' prior consent. If and when we approve your application, the Partner Site should display the appropriate Links within 4 weeks of being notified that you have been accepted. If you fail to so display the Links we may terminate this Agreement immediately on notice.
12.7 The parties shall have no further obligations or rights under this Agreement after the end of the Term

That is last email from them...

[thepokerkeep]

Terry

In the defence of Income Access they would never make a statement on this they deal with the affiliate management of the affiliate program rather the operations and T&Cs I am ptretty sure once one of the Income Access team see this thread they will ping to Lads and you might then get an official statement.

Shaun

IA is the only link between Ladbrokes and the members of this forum. It's their job to communicate with us. So, even if it's just an acknowledgment that they're aware of this discussion, at least we would know they're paying attention.

[et_ris]

Many thanks to thepokerkeep and Shaun O'neill.
I will made contact with IA.

[Shaun O'neill]

Terry

That just cant happen unless Lads tell them to do so, at my previous company we used IA for a bit on affiliate management and its just not on the remitt, i am sure Lads will come up with with some response soon enough and IA will copy and post it.


Shaun

IA is the only link between Ladbrokes and the members of this forum. It's their job to communicate with us. So, even if it's just an acknowledgment that they're aware of this discussion, at least we would know they're paying attention.

[Shaun O'neill]

Good luck at least you questions will now get an answer, in the mean time come and check me out www.nordicbetpartners.com

Good luck


Shaun

Many thanks to thepokerkeep and Shaun O'neill.
I will made contact with IA.

[RayUK]

I am in the process of getting up my first site/portal - which will be a bingo site aimed the UK traffic - so I am checking out the big UK based companies that do bingo and of course I checked out Ladbrokes. That was one of the things I noticed in their T&C right away, the 'must send so many players a month or we shut you down clause'. They also appear to insist on controlling what I do on my own website, who else I can promote, exactly where their banner goes etc.

One look at that lot and they went on my 'do not use' list. Now I am just a newbie, so when I start I will be the smallest of small affiliates. But in two years who knows? They are showing very little business sense in shutting out small affiliates like this, let alone the dodgy ethics.

To the OP - I hope you get this sorted, no way that is ethical to not pay you what you are owed. It would probably come under unfair contract terms law even if the T&C did state that explicitly (which it doesn't appear to, they are just interpreting it a certain way to rip you off IMHO).

[thepokerkeep]

Terry

That just cant happen unless Lads tell them to do so, at my previous company we used IA for a bit on affiliate management and its just not on the remitt, i am sure Lads will come up with with some response soon enough and IA will copy and post it.


Shaun

So Shaun, you're telling me that IA can't even post an acknowledgment. They aren't allowed to post something like this?...
Hello et_ris, we are aware of your issue and have notified Ladbrokes. As soon as we hear from them, we will update this thread.

[casino2k.com]

A friend of mine has a similar issue with Bwin.
They have blocked his account and they are going to close it.
Why?
Because he doesn't send enough players (he sends about 5-10 per month).
They've offered a ridiculous cpa and, in case he won't accept it, they will close his account and they won't pay the revenue of his old players ANYMORE.

100$ x 10 webmasters = 1.000 $
500$ x 100 webmasters = 50.000$
...
1.000$ x 1.000 webmasters = 1.000.000$

This is very PREDATORY, UNFAIR, this completely s*x!

[universal4]

All programs need to pay attention to how upset all affiliates are getting at all his quota crap.....

If you don't want the thousands of small affiliates, have some damn guts and tell us now....

I happen to know a lot of larger affiliates that do NOT want to deal with programs that dislike smaller affiliates and enforce quotas....

I have said this here dozens of times and will continue to say it over and over....

Small affiliates cost you nothing once acquired...

...but the LACK OF AFFILIATES will cost you dearly in the end.

Rick
Universal4

[matted]

I have a few comments...

1. Past due balances should be paid as they were earned prior to termination of contract

2 IA has repeatedly shown a lack of support for their affs when a program goes under or something

3. Shaun - nordicbet hardly has the name recognition as ladbrokes. Go market in your own thread. Sorry I just find it rude to sidetrack the thread

[Shaun O'neill]

Terry

Thats pretty much the case, the cannot make comment on behalf of the company even if they think it is right or wrong....

Shaun

So Shaun, you're telling me that IA can't even post an acknowledgment. They aren't allowed to post something like this?...
Hello et_ris, we are aware of your issue and have notified Ladbrokes. As soon as we hear from them, we will update this thread.

[universal4]

2 IA has repeatedly shown a lack of support for their affs when a program goes under or something

I am glad someone else said this.

...but I'm sure they were expecting it from me....LOL

Rick
Universal4