Warning: Betfred Reducing Commissions And Closing Aff Accounts

**offyourface** · 18 June 2014, 11:51 am

The email below speaks for itself. This is surprising coming from betfred, I didn't think they did business like this. Existing affiliates should promote their program with caution unless you don't mind losing all your players and hard work overnight.

I am emailing in relation to your Betfred Affiliate Account.

We have been looking at your activity over the last few months and can see that there has been no new acquisition through your account to Betfred during this time. We will therefore be reducing your revenue share commission to 10% from July 2014.

In order for us to continue with our partnership we will need to see an increase in monthly acquisition, as should your account still have no new players within a further 2 month period we will regrettably have to close your Betfred Affiliate Account.

**WATP** · 18 June 2014, 1:06 pm

I haven't sent them a player in ages, have not received this email yet. No surprise to me, same situation as with Stan James, my account's still there with both of them, but sits at ? so they've nothing to gain in binning me of course

For further info, see IMDB for the film - Stan James II: The Curse of the Bookie Returns! Features some other top actors from across Europe including Mr W.Hill who excels in commission reducing throughout the movie.

**webanalysissolutions** · 17 July 2014, 3:31 am

When are the GPWA going to get some teeth and drop a sponsor like ActiveWins for retro-actively changing T&Cs? Not surprising, and quotas, retroactive changes and dropping "lifetime" rev share on a whim isn't something that's going to please a lot of affiliates. It's just a sign of how this company operates and the tactics they wish to employ.

Across a number of affiliate forums we've seen many big affiliates saying they're dropping BetFred and ActiveWins like a lead balloon following recent rogue activity like this.

It's almost laughable how these companies implode good brands! It's naive to say the least that when you're in an industry competing with the likes of the big boys like bet365 that you introduce disincentives that completely wreck your reputation and attractiveness to affiliates who already have ad space you, as an advertisers, are trying to occupy which is already occupied by much better advertisers with fairer terms.

Madness. Have these people not learned from the likes of the other affiliate programs that have lost massive market share from bad practices? Betfred is becoming the new BWin! - they cross sold your Betfred players to Mobibet without you receiving any reward, they're changing terms and conditions and reneging on deals, what else are they doing without you knowing?

**Asim** · 17 July 2014, 7:24 am

Amazing some of the stuff these affiliate programs are doing. This kind of messages to the affiliate 9 out of 10 times have the opposite effect. The affiliate will not try to promote the brand (in this case Betfred) more to stay at the revenue level, but instead starting to remove/exchange aff-links to program where you a secured 30+% no matter if you have 1 new player every half year or 10 new players a week.

Thanks for the heads up about this. It just a another brick that shows that the Betfred affiliate program is heading in the wrong direction. I have some of ActiveWins affiliate manager mailing me about more expolsure and a better deal at the moment. With stuff like this happening its better to choose the secure solution and promote similar sites like bet365, Coral, Betvictor instead. At least you dont get your aff-account shut down 1-2 years down the line, if players are not coming in at that time.

**webanalysissolutions** · 17 July 2014, 8:43 am

Originally Posted by Asim

Amazing some of the stuff these affiliate programs are doing. This kind of messages to the affiliate 9 out of 10 times have the opposite effect. The affiliate will not try to promote the brand (in this case Betfred) more to stay at the revenue level, but instead starting to remove/exchange aff-links to program where you a secured 30+% no matter if you have 1 new player every half year or 10 new players a week.

Thanks for the heads up about this. It just a another brick that shows that the Betfred affiliate program is heading in the wrong direction. I have some of ActiveWins affiliate manager mailing me about more expolsure and a better deal at the moment. With stuff like this happening its better to choose the secure solution and promote similar sites like bet365, Coral, Betvictor instead. At least you dont get your aff-account shut down 1-2 years down the line, if players are not coming in at that time.

Exactly. Could not have put it better. 99.999% of an affiliate relationship with an advertiser is trust that you will have a long and stable relationship. When it comes to "lifetime" revenue share you need to be assured that if you're going to spend several years referring players to an advertiser that they're not going to shaft you royally at the whim of some bookmaker executive who decides that overnight the T&Cs will be changed.

On another note, but related to the above - the way that some of these affiliate programs advertise to affiliates is questionable. For a start, "lifetime" revenue share should be caveated with something more nicely stated along the lines of
"** but we could screw you whenever we want and renege on any deal offered"

I'm sure the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK would have a lot to say about many affiliate programs:
https://www.asa.org.uk/

Used to work for other companies and we were always getting pulled up by them.

In general I think Betfred are narrowing themselves back to the UK because they're running scared of the new laws that come in later this year that require a 15% tax on all UK players wagering with these offshore outfits. And, if you can't prove otherwise any customer will be treated as UK based.

One good thing about these moves - ActiveWins programs will be even more uncompetitive compared to bet365, BetVictor, Coral etc, so hopefully affiliates will vote with their feet and Betfred and other ActiveWins programs will go the way of the other losers in the industry who now struggle to recruit affiliates and end up having to do more expensive forms of fixed price advertising. All plays into the hands of the companies with strong affiliate programs and over the next few years there could be a lot of consolidation in the industry as predicted by many.

**Cherelle ActiveWins** · 21 July 2014, 3:07 am

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments. The policy regarding inactive affiliates changed back in May due to affiliate feedback.

Affiliates who haven’t deposited any new players in 4 months will be given 2 months to drive acquisition before we reduce revenue share to 10%. After 8 months if the affiliate hasn’t driven new acquisition, their account will be place on a list of inactive accounts. This can be reopened upon discussion with your ActiveWins account manager. 

All concerns were addressed in the following thread outlining the policy with inactive affiliates https://www.dietistaktuellt.com/forum/anyone-been-paid-month-213705/p8.html

Our aim is to reactivate our affiliates to build upon existing relationships. If you need any help or have any questions, please contact your affiliate manager or email hi[@]activewins[dot]com.

Thanks,
Cherelle

**JackTenSuited** · 21 July 2014, 3:30 am

Originally Posted by Cherelle ActiveWins

The policy regarding inactive affiliates changed back in May due to affiliate feedback.

ahhh, so it was the affiliates who asked to have quotas put in place and have commission slashed?

makes sense!

**webanalysissolutions** · 21 July 2014, 4:10 am

Originally Posted by deanimus

ahhh, so it was the affiliates who asked to have quotas put in place and have commission slashed?

makes sense!

LMAO! So what feedback exactly resulted in affiliates asking for 10% rev share and retroactive terms and conditions changes?

Next you'll be telling us turkeys have voted for Christmas this year!

**mickyfu** · 21 July 2014, 5:12 am

Originally Posted by Cherelle ActiveWins

Thanks for your comments. The policy regarding inactive affiliates changed back in May due to affiliate feedback.

If you are going to lie, at least make it look plausible.

No here is the truth, something which you seem to have issues with. You decided to find a way to make more money, and your method of doing so was to shave affiliates commission.

People at ActiveWins must be oblivious to the fact of how many affiliates are being seriously put off promoting BetFred.

**webanalysissolutions** · 21 July 2014, 5:26 am

Originally Posted by mickyfu

People at ActiveWins must be oblivious to the fact of how many affiliates are being seriously put off promoting BetFred.

I have met with a number of affiliates recently and not met any who are positive about Betfred and some big affiliates who are dropping Betfred completely. Affiliates either fall into the category of - didn't do much business with Betfred anyway, but now I won't do any at all, or still making money with Betfred but due to the changes I'll limit promotion and cover my position to make sure I still get paid and just to the minimum to keep revenue from historical players coming in.

Crazy management decisions going on at Betfred and ActiveWins. Makes you wonder what the rationale is for completely destroying trust in your affiliate program overnight!, especially with the new season coming up.

Only speculating, but perhaps a wider issue at the company - It was widely thought (if you read up across the press and various industry experts) Betfred well overpaid for the Tote (?65 million in 2011), and perhaps with the Tote license only lasting 7 years they're realising they need to change tact to make some money. Many speculated at the time that the purchase of the Tote was a massive gamble.

**offyourface** · 21 July 2014, 11:40 am

Originally Posted by webanalysissolutions

Crazy management decisions going on at Betfred and ActiveWins. Makes you wonder what the rationale is for completely destroying trust in your affiliate program overnight!, especially with the new season coming up. .

Yea the people running this company can't be playing with a full deck. You've gotta have the business acumen of a rock to be pulling this kind of stuff an think it will somehow benefit your company or bottom line. Especially with football right around the corner like you say.

We've all seen this movie before and know how it ends.

Funny story, I asked my 12 year old niece about the whole situation after explaining to her in layman's terms what was going on. I was curious how the mind of a 12 year old would look at this situation and she said to me "That's pretty stupid of them uncle Kev, won't they make less money if you stop working with them?".

I thought that was cute. She is very clever for 12.

**grem** · 21 July 2014, 12:25 pm

Maybe betfred earn more money somehow although it can't be by having more affiliates on board.

**JackTenSuited** · 21 July 2014, 12:31 pm

Originally Posted by grem

Maybe betfred earn more money somehow although it can't be by having more affiliates on board.

ofcourse they will make more in the short term but kicking out affiliates who have rightfully earned commission, in the long term however....

**universal4** · 21 July 2014, 1:30 pm

The changes made to the affiliate program terms and conditions in May of 2014 concerning the promotions of BetFred Casino, sportsbook, poker and bingo were NOT the terms and conditions to which affiliates agreed to years ago.

By not HONORING agreements made with affiliates, shows a general lack of HONOR.

We trusted you to HONOR agreements we made years ago, which you are not, so why should we trust you now?

Rick
Universal4

**webanalysissolutions** · 21 July 2014, 1:41 pm

I think some affiliates may be asking Google to de-index their associations with Betfred soon!:
https://www.betfred.com/affiliates/testimonials
https://www.betfred.com/affiliates/te...s/just-bookies

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