Trafficology | Affiliate Backstabbers
By Casinomeister, Last updated Jan 26, 2021
If you are an affiliate of any online casino, please be aware that you have just been stabbed in the back by the corporate apologist Trafficology. I had expected that this spin-off from Gambling Insider would place affiliate interests and safe-guards as a top priority. I was wrong.
From Gambling Insider:
Trafficology is the monthly affiliate focus produced by Gambling Insider. For the affiliate who wants to maximise their revenue across all their traffic
So I guess it’s just about the money. Oh well, there goes unbiased writing chucked out the window.
Trafficology and Gambling Insider have given a public platform for Affiliate Edge to allow these guys to squirm their way out of being caught red-handed screwing over their affiliates. It’s like giving flat-earthers a voice at the Geographical Society’s annual convention. These hack writers are enablers of an unethical affiliate program that has stolen funds from their “partners” – and in this article they have finally made a false statement in public. They will probably regret making this statement in a public mag since it is a lie.
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/trafficology/pdf/trafficology-2018-march.pdf
The person speaking for Affiliate Edge is a liar. This is a fact. This article is nothing but a pathetic damage control piece of garbage journalism: “Back From the Edge?” an update of the criminal-minded rogue affiliate group Affiliate Edge.
“Trafficology sits down with Affiliate Edge to discover if the online criticism voiced by figures in the affiliate industry is justified, and how the company plans to move forward amidst this backlash…”
The article contains either a pack of lies or half-truths. Gaming Insider should have know better that to have taken the role of an apologist for a rogue program. There is not a shred of insider or “investigative” reporting here.
Excerpt from the “interview.”
T: “A lot of the negative comments you generate through forums are the result of a key change to terms and conditions you made last year. Explain that change and why you made it. Would you say these changes are fair to your affiliates, especially longstanding ones?”
AE: “The retroactive changes were made to protect the longevity of our affiliate network. Due to the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry there are new and increased costs involved with running affiliates. The affiliate program was therefore not sustainable for the long-term, so adjustments were needed to ensure we will be around for the long haul.”
That is such a load of bullshit. These terms were applied to webmasters who were dead (I know of two), whose widows were still collecting these funds. Now they are shut out.
Everyone in this business, especially those who claim to be looking out for the affiliate, should agree that applying predatory retroactive terms is unethical, exploitative, and probably illegal. I am rather disappointed, but not shocked that the author did not have a followup question for this boilerplate answer. Actually, there are no followup questions at all throughout the “interview”.
T: “Have you been de-tagging players? Many affiliates have reported significant revenue drops immediately following your acquisition.”
AE: “No, the old software was malfunctioning regularly, most affiliates were understanding of the situation and we worked through this closely with them with to solve any issues they had.”
That was a lie. There are a number of affiliates that have proof of this detagging. Some of this evidence has been posted in public, there are loads of other evidence that has not been publicized, and the tide will take that to wherever it goes.
Trafficology has published a mangling of the truth – and in my opinion has damaged their credibility.
And why even ask a question like this unless you are trying to give this “bag of dicks” room to weasel out of this situation? Again, no follow up question. Just a “oh, it must be true if you say it is true.”
That’s not journalism – that’s an infomercial.
Anyone worth their salt at Gambling Insider ought to be doing a facepalm right now – realizing that they have just stabbed every affiliate in the back, throwing every one of us under the bus.
There are loads of affiliates who do not do their homework, and the editors of Trafficology know this. Articles like this treat these affiliates like sheep – and these affiliate programs are there for the fleecing.
Gambling Insider, you’ve just cyber-slapped the face of every affiliate webmaster who has been trying to do the right thing by promoting ethical and upstanding affiliate programs and their properties.
And affiliate Edge has played you like a chump.