FEATURE
Simple tasks such as adding significant
T&Cs alongside the mention of an
offer can incur expensive design and
development costs for affiliates.
Checking up on compliance
implementation and offer accuracy
is also expensive for operators. As
discussed in issue 70, the Rightlander
tool automatically searches affiliate
websites for data inconsistencies
pertaining to the above. Rightlander’s
Ian Sims ran his software on
OnlineBingo.co.uk and, despite
weekly content reviews and regular
communication with our core
partners, the resulting analysis still
showed a handful of outdated offers
that we’d missed. Rest assured we’ve
fixed them now.
Avoiding affiliates altogether may
be the only guaranteed way for a new
operator to protect themselves and their
licence – at least until the revenue and
resources are in place to support proper
affiliate-programme management.
The conflict between data
transparency and data protection
One of the problems with so many
regulations changing in such a short
period of time is their tendency to
conflict with each other, despite
sharing a common goal.
This is perhaps most evident in data
protection. Whereas operators are able
to use the legal obligations of their
gambling licence as a lawful basis to
process data under GPDR, affiliates
have to rely on either explicit consent
or legitimate interest. At the same
time, operators have a duty to protect
self-excluded players and monitor site
activity for potential money laundering.
To fulfil these obligations in full, brands
should be encouraged to work closely
with all marketing partners.
Whether it’s sharing a list of
excluded players with an affiliate prior
to an email campaign or being passed
information about suspicious deposit
patterns elsewhere, the restrictions of
GDPR also restrict the effectiveness
of enforcement.
Without a direct legal obligation,
affiliates are unable to share details of
vulnerable players with new operators
unless such disclosure was foreseen
and included in the affiliate’s own
privacy policy.
In order for affiliates to take
compliance seriously, the role that
affiliates can play in compliance has
to be taken seriously too.
Getting on the front foot
Good content marketing considers
users’ objections to using a product
and addresses them head on with
answers. Likewise, the easiest way
to reduce operator friction around
compliance is to take a proactive
approach to addressing issues before
being asked. What steps affiliates can
take to stay attractive to operators in
2018 are outlined on p50. Following
the tips will not only ensure your
site is in line with regulations but
it’ll also position you as a viable and
trustworthy partner for new brands,
such as Mr Q.
We’ve spent three years designing,
planning and developing MrQ from
scratch – we’re certainly not going to
compromise its success by partnering
with non-compliant affiliates. Every
new regulation is an opportunity for
compliant affiliates to further distance
themselves from the bad actors
dragging them down. Rules governing
the industry are far more likely to
get stricter than get revoked, leaving
affiliates with a choice: adapt and
evolve or resist and die.
In the battle between the peacock
and the dodo, I know where I’ll be
placing my money.
“Avoiding affiliates
altogether may be
the only guaranteed
way for a new
operator to protect
themselves and their
licence – at least
until the revenue
and resources
are in place to
support proper
affiliate programme
management”
iGB Affiliate Issue 71 OCT/NOV 2018
49