Paddy Power-Betfair lays down affiliate rules

Recent and embarrassing marketing and promotional faux pas by online gambling casino affiliates have attracted widespread adverse publicity for some top operators and incurred penalties for them from the authorities, so it is hardly surprising to see an operator backlash as companies seek to ensure they are compliant with tightening regulatory requirements.

Sky Betting and Gaming, fed up with affiliate shenanigans that included fake big win publicity and appearances on clearly inappropriate websites, discontinued its affiliate marketing program last week, and that has been followed by a clear set of affiliate directions from Paddy Power-Betfair.

Warning that it is going to adopt a “one strike and you’re out” approach, the operator laid down its rules, including:

* No SMS marketing, advertorial-style content or pop unders;

* Clear and transparent information on where promotional material is to appear, and a requirement to use only promotional material provided by the operator;

* Paddy Power-Betfair may not be used as the originator address on emails sent by affiliates;

* Tighter rules on promoting challenges, ensuring that offer must not imply that success is a certainty;

* Sign-up offers must stipulate “New Customer Offer: T&C’s Apply: 18+”, and any promotions on social media must also have the 18+ warning;

* Paid social media advertising by affiliates must clearly refer to the affiliate’s website and not the Paddy Power-Betfair brand;

* The operators DropBox or media library content is to be used rather than affiliate home-made creative, unless that creative has been examined and signed off by the operator;

“We take the UK Gambling Commission Guidelines very seriously and want to ensure that all our affiliates are behaving in a responsible manner,” the Paddy Power-Betfair communication advised.

“With recent announcements in the sector it is imperative that we hold ourselves and our partners to the highest standards and ensure that we are not conducting marketing practices that are prohibited by the Gambling Commission, the ASA or other regulatory bodies.”

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