Affiliate marketing is a partnership in which an affiliate, usually the owner of a site or a channel, recommends a product through their link, and the company pays them commission for the customers they bring. In betting and casino the “customer” is a player and the company is a gambling operator.
How an affiliate earns
The affiliate gets a dedicated link or code. When a player signs up and deposits through it, the programme credits the player to the affiliate, and commission follows the model in the contract:
- RevShare: a percentage of the net revenue players generate, every month while they play;
- CPA: a one time amount for a player who meets the conditions, usually a first deposit;
- hybrid: a smaller fixed amount and a smaller revenue share together.
Many programmes also have a sub-affiliate scheme: the affiliate earns extra commission for other affiliates they bring into the programme.
How betting and casino differ
In most verticals commission is a percentage of sales. In gambling, revenue depends on whether players lose or win, so the terms use ideas found nowhere else:
- NGR, net gaming revenue: the base for RevShare, after deductions such as bonuses, taxes and fees. The longer the list of deductions, the smaller the base.
- Negative carryover: if players win more than they lose in a month, some programmes carry the loss into later months.
- Qualifying player: for CPA a programme usually requires a first deposit above a minimum and an identity check.
That is why two programmes with the same published rate can pay very different commission.
What Serbian rules allow
In Serbia only a company licensed by the Games of Chance Administration may offer online gambling, and the Administration keeps a public list of operators. An affiliate who promotes an unlicensed operator promotes illegal gambling.
Gambling advertising carries an 18+ mark and a responsible gambling message, does not target minors and does not present gambling as a way to earn money. Hidden advertising is not allowed: a paid or referral link must be clearly labelled. Programmes add their own rules, for example a ban on bidding on the brand name in search engines.
How to choose a programme
- Licence: the operator must be on the Administration’s list, and the programme must send players from Serbia to a site with a Serbian licence.
- Public terms: a programme that publishes rates, payouts and the revenue base is easier to compare and check.
- Revenue base: a closed list of deductions beats an open one, because you can check the calculation yourself.
- Negative carryover: without it a bad month does not affect the next ones.
- Payouts: frequency, minimum amount and method.
- Sub-affiliate: whether it exists and what it is calculated on.
On partners.rs every term carries its source and check date, and the ranking orders programmes by these criteria.
How to start
- Choose a topic and audience: betting content, analysis, channels for webmasters.
- Compare programmes in the catalogue and read their terms, especially the deductions.
- Apply to a programme and agree the model and rate in writing.
- Label advertising and referral links, and track results: clicks, sign ups and first deposits.
Affiliate marketing is not a guaranteed income: results depend on traffic, the programme and how players behave. The glossary explains the terms in this guide in more detail.