Picking an affiliate program blindly can easily land you with a bad advertiser. And that means all the fun of shady partnerships – shaving, trash traffic claims, ghosting, and straight-up payment refusals. The industry sees it daily.

But what if the advertiser is actually legit and the problem is on the affiliate’s side? What mistakes should you avoid to prevent deductions? Let’s break it down.

The Big Picture

This isn’t charity – it’s business. Advertisers aim to offer competitive rates and build a transparent system to avoid issues. Affiliates are responsible for bringing in quality traffic – players who actually want to play and are willing to pay. The goal is to make money together while keeping the system sustainable. No one wants to worry about deductions or struggle to scale traffic profitably.

To keep this machine running smoothly, traffic needs to be profitable in the long run. Advertisers don’t expect to break even on a player in the first week. No one is demanding a flood of VIPs, high rollers, or reckless gamblers dropping six-figure deposits. The core model relies on players who generate profit over time – typically within a few months to a year.

To maintain a balance where both sides earn, advertisers analyze player behavior, engagement, deposit patterns, and other quality markers. If an affiliate’s traffic consistently fails to be profitable over time, the advertiser might have no choice but to take action. And nobody likes that.

What Happens When Traffic Doesn’t Convert?

Cut it or keep it? You decide where to place the comma, but one thing’s for sure: an advertiser won’t just pat an affiliate on the back for sending low-quality traffic. Instead, they might:

• Lower the CPA rate to a sustainable level.
• Move the affiliate to a RevShare model to share risks.
• Deny payment for some or all leads.

Of course, if the advertiser is reputable, these actions won’t come without a warning. Ideally, the affiliate manager will discuss funnel strategies, offer recommendations, and point out mistakes.

But let’s be real – things get tricky, especially when dealing with resellers. So, always stay on top of your traffic quality, ask your manager for insights, and follow the agreed conditions to avoid unwanted surprises.

Now, let’s get into the details – what should you check before sending traffic, and how can you prevent deductions? 

Golden Rules for Running Traffic

Every offer comes with a set of mandatory rules. And when traffic gets cut, it’s usually because those rules weren’t followed. Let’s go over the key ones:

1. Targeting the Right GEO

The allowed countries for each offer are always listed. That means the advertiser is willing to pay the stated amount only for players from those regions. The difference in lead payouts between Tier-1 and Tier-2 countries can be huge.

This isn’t just about the advertiser’s budget – it also affects affiliates. Some products aren’t localized for all GEOs. Imagine sending German players to a landing page in French. They’ll take one look, say Au revoir (but in German), and bounce. You just wasted your money.

2. Targeting Parameters Matter

Targeting isn’t just a suggestion – it’s a requirement. If you send low-income teenagers to an offer that pays $150 per lead, how long do you think the casino will take to break even?

Or if the offer is designed for specific devices or OS, and players quickly realize the platform isn’t optimized for them, they’ll leave. Should the casino pay you for those players? Unlikely.

3. Payment Models & Conversion Expectations

Most offers make the payment model clear, but it’s always best to double-check with your manager.

• If you’re running CPA, installs need to convert into deposits. Simple as that. The advertiser sets minimum deposit amounts, wagering requirements, and other conditions that must be met. If these aren’t clear in the offer, ask your manager. Otherwise, the advertiser has every right to cut your traffic because you didn’t bother discussing the fine print.
• CPL isn’t a magic bullet. Sure, you get paid per registration. But if your traffic pool doesn’t convert to deposits over time, they’ll either switch you to RevShare, cut your rate, or deny payment altogether. Same outcome.

4. Traffic Source Matters

One of the biggest factors in determining lead quality. Advertisers know that traffic from PPC, UAC, and Facebook is miles ahead of spam, email blasts, push notifications, or native ads in terms of performance.

In fact, the same GEO & product might be split into two different offers simply based on traffic source quality. If they catch you using banned traffic sources, expect a cut.

Push and native traffic might be cheaper and easier to get, but they also bring in less revenue. That’s why advertisers pay lower rates for them.

5. Other Important Rules

This section usually lists final deal-breakers that affect traffic quality and profitability. Think:

• No payment for zero-activity players
• No fraud, multi-accounts, chargebacks
• No incentivized traffic

Advertisers with strong anti-fraud systems will spot shady traffic instantly – whether it’s from bot farms, incentivized clicks, or other tricks. Don’t assume you can sneak it through.

How to Avoid Traffic Cuts?

Read the offer conditions carefully. Talk to your manager. Ask questions – your earnings (and theirs) depend on it.

And speaking of managers, we’ve already shared tips on how to communicate with them effectively to avoid mistakes when scaling campaigns. You can read it here. [LINK? there’s no link in the article]

All Funnels Are Noble – Try, Try Again

Brands usually define and explain their product positioning. That means they know what kind of players they want – whether it’s high rollers or bonus hunters, younger or older players, men or women.

Most casinos target players who can afford to play and actually want to gamble – not those looking for a quick cash grab. That’s why you should avoid ad creatives and copy that:

• Push the minimum deposit as a selling point
• Promise huge winnings from small bets
• Offer bonuses that don’t exist

If you’re unsure whether your creatives will pass, check with your affiliate manager. A smart affiliate working with an in-house product will always steer you in the right direction.

SEO, PPC & Brand-Sensitive Traffic

If you’re running SEO or PPC, pay close attention to funnel execution.

• Some advertisers strictly forbid bidding on brand keywords or running ads for specific search queries mentioning their product’s name.
• Using other brands in your funnel can also be risky.

For example, if a player searches “Casino ABC”, you could run an ad that says:

“Looking for Casino ABC? Try Casino QWE – it’s even better!”

That’s technically not misleading – you’re telling the user they’ll land on a different casino. But some advertisers might not like this, so always discuss it with them first.

What would be misleading? Running ads for Casino ABC but sending players to Casino QWE without mentioning the switch.

Not only is this against the rules, but you’re wasting money – players searching for a specific casino already made their choice. Sending them somewhere else has a 90% chance of failing.

KPIs Exist for a Reason

Always keep the magic number in mind – the test cap your affiliate program sets for your traffic. Usually, you start with a cap of 20 leads. After the test run, the advertiser analyzes player quality, engagement, and activity. Then they decide if and on what terms they want to continue working with you.

Your cap is the “face” of your traffic. It needs to be as attractive as possible to the advertiser. But don’t think you can pass the test with perfect traffic and then start sending junk leads. Advertisers constantly analyze your traffic and can change the terms at any time. The better your quality, the higher your payouts.

Also, it’s not just about quality – it’s about hitting the right volume. Caps can apply to testing and ongoing daily limits. If you hit the limit, don’t push beyond it. Balance your flow so you don’t overdeliver. Advertisers might need time to analyze data, work within a fixed budget, etc. If you exceed the cap, even if the traffic is top-notch, the casino has the full legal right to refuse payment. Sure, it’s bad for their reputation – especially if the leads are solid. But legally? They’re in the clear. Keep that in mind.

Final Thoughts

Even if you do everything right, things might not go as planned. Some advertisers are shady – they’ll write whatever conditions they want, cut payouts without explanation, mark legit traffic as fraud, or set up offers that make real partnership impossible. Stay far away from these advertisers and affiliate programs.

A good advertiser looks at each case individually. Of course, there are standard policies for different situations. But in reality, every case is unique and should be handled accordingly.

We’ve seen it all – traffic overspills, honest mistakes, and “mistakes” in affiliate campaigns. Some cases had hints of shady traffic, incentivized signups, or outright fraud. If an affiliate deliberately tries to deceive the advertiser, the conversation is short. But if they face genuine issues – miscommunication with a manager, unexpected problems – we always find a solution that works for both sides.

Want to work with people who don’t sugarcoat things and actually care about your success more than you do?

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