WSOP.com in Nevada is set to become the first regulated American online poker site to make use of affiliates as a marketing channel.
That’s the word from PokerAffiliateListing’s Jeremy Enke in the latest edition of his Inside Scoop column for online poker affiliates.
I can confirm Enke’s report through independent sources.
Details of the types of deals WSOP.com will be offering remain unknown, although I think it’s safe to assume we’ll be looking at flat-fee payments (CPA) as opposed to any sort of revenue-sharing arrangement.
Revenue-sharing arrangements can trigger additional regulatory scrutiny.
The launch date for the WSOP.com affiliate program – and how accessible the program will be – also remain unknowns at this point.
If early indications pan out, once New Jersey launches online gambling the state will be a far more active market for affiliates than Nevada has been to date.
OPR can confirm that numerous operators – including most of the marquee brands in the state – have reached out to a number of affiliates about promotional plans for New Jersey.
I put this question to Ultimate Poker’s Joe Versaci at G2E 2013. His response:
Versaci didn’t rule out the use of affiliates going forward. But it was clear from the tone and tenor of his remarks – and Ultimate’s marketing strategy to date – that he certainly didn’t see a primary role for affiliates at Ultimate Poker.
It seems safe to assume that a successful deployment of affiliates in Nevada by WSOP.com will exert some pressure on Ultimate’s strategy. And 888 – a reasonably affiliate-friendly operation in ROW markets – seems a likely candidate to employ affiliates when their All-American Poker Network (AAPN) opens for business in Nevada (presumably later this year).