888 Holdings gets affiliates talking with new curbs

888Holdings triggered a great deal of anxious speculation among affiliate marketers as the week closed Friday as reports surfaced that affiliates had received emails advising changes to affiliate arrangements.

It is not known whether all 888 affiliates received the emails, but judging by forum posts and online reportage the emails caused concerns that the online gambling company may be planning on imposing heavy restrictions on affiliates or perhaps even shutting down UK affiliate activity as was the case recently with SkyBet (see previous reports).

The manner in which online gambling companies treat players, and the way in which affiliates promote operators has recently been under the media and political spotlight in the United Kingdom.

The 888 email reminds affiliates of the regulatory moves that are changing the landscape for UK affiliates, and stresses the need for operators to ensure that they work with their affiliate partners in a compliant manner.

“In order to help ensure that we work with our affiliate partners in a compliant manner, we are seeking to exert greater control on the traffic which is generated from the UK,” the email advises. “As a result, from January 29th 2018, you must not target UK IP addresses and/or any persons located in the UK.

“Therefore, we shall no longer pay you any commission with regard to money players in the UK which you generate.”

Those affiliates who received the email confirm that it also contained the more hopeful line: “If you do wish to continue working with us in the UK please contact us, through this link: http://affiliates.888.com/contact-us.htm.”

There is also the sentence: “The aforementioned shall not apply with respect to non-UK money players or to money players which you have generated in the UK prior to such date, subject to the Uffiliate terms and conditions found at http://affiliates.888.com/terms-and-conditions/ (the “Terms”).”

That would suggest a tighter control of affiliate content and activity by the operator, rather than an affiliate programme shutdown, some observers have concluded.

It is not just SkyBet that 888 may be following in shutting down or curtailing affiliate activity: Paddy Power and Bet365 have in recent months tightened up on affiliate controls (see previous InfioPowa reports).

888 has not yet clarified exactly what its intentions are following the dispatch of the email.