Compliance note (important)
Gambling/iGaming is heavily regulated. Rules vary by country, network, and ad platform. Always follow local laws, the offer terms, and platform policies. This guide is educational and not legal advice.
1) What this niche is
“Gambling & Casino affiliates” promote licensed betting/casino products. The end user typically needs to sign up, pass KYC, and then make a first deposit (or reach a wagering threshold) for you to earn.
Why beginners like it
High payouts and long customer lifetime value (especially on RevShare) — if you operate in legal GEOs and have compliant traffic.
Why beginners get burned
Ad restrictions, GEO licensing, KYC/fraud issues, and chargebacks can kill earnings if you pick the wrong offer or traffic source.
2) How you get paid
Most iGaming funnels follow the same structure: traffic → a compliant content page → the offer → user signs up and deposits → you get paid (CPA) or a share of revenue (RevShare).
A simple mental model for iGaming funnels (the exact conversion event varies by offer).
3) Offer types: CPA vs RevShare
The two most common models:
| Model | What it means | Best for | Beginner risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPA | Fixed payout when a user completes a qualified action (often FTD). | Paid traffic & faster cash flow. | High: strict qualification rules, fraud checks, clawbacks if traffic is low quality. |
| RevShare | Percentage of net revenue over time (lifetime or term-limited). | SEO/content where users retain. | Medium: slower to ramp, but more stable if compliant. |
| Hybrid | Smaller CPA + RevShare. | Balanced strategies. | Medium: read terms carefully (caps, negative carryover, geo limits). |
Beginner heuristic
If you don’t have paid traffic experience, start with content + RevShare in a legal GEO. Avoid “too-good-to-be-true CPA” until you understand compliance + tracking.
4) Choosing a network (beginner checklist)
Your network/advertiser relationship is everything in iGaming. Use this checklist before you drive traffic:
A quick compliance sanity-check before you publish or run ads.
- GEO licensing: is the brand licensed for the countries you target?
- Conversion event: is it signup, FTD, wagering volume, or something else?
- KYC rules: what happens if users fail verification?
- Marketing restrictions: brand bidding, prohibited keywords, allowed creatives, age gate.
- Payment terms: minimum payout, schedule, and accepted payment methods.
5) Traffic + compliance (what gets people banned)
Generally safer traffic
SEO content, email to opted-in lists, communities where gambling is permitted, compliant native ads (if allowed).
High-risk traffic
Paid social without approvals, misleading creatives, incentivized clicks, prohibited GEOs, or “bonus bait” that violates offer terms.
Platforms like Google/Meta/TikTok often restrict gambling ads. Many beginners lose accounts because they run ads first and read policies later. Always confirm what’s permitted before spending.
6) Landing pages that convert (wiki-style template)
A simple, compliant structure that works for beginners:
- Top summary: who the casino is for + key bonus terms (plain language).
- Pros/cons: avoid overpromising.
- Eligibility: GEOs + age restriction + responsible gambling note.
- How to claim: 3 steps with screenshots.
- FAQ: wagering requirements, KYC, withdrawal methods.
7) A safe starter plan (first 2 weeks)
Goal
Ship one high-quality page + track clicks + learn compliance. Don’t scale until you can explain why you are compliant.
| Day | What to do | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Pick 1 GEO + 1 offer model (RevShare recommended). Read terms + restrictions. | Offer checklist completed |
| 3–5 | Write a wiki-style review page with pros/cons + FAQ + responsible gambling notice. | 1 publishable article |
| 6–7 | Set up tracking (SubIDs) and test your funnel end-to-end. | Working tracking links |
| 8–14 | Publish supporting content ("how bonuses work", "KYC explained"). Improve based on feedback. | 3–5 supporting pages |
8) Glossary
- FTD: first-time deposit (common CPA trigger).
- Wagering requirements: how much a user must bet before withdrawing a bonus.
- Negative carryover: losses can carry to future periods and reduce RevShare (read terms).
- KYC: identity verification (required by many operators).