GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 18 - October 2011

By Jeremy Enke The second and third quarters of 2011 have proven to be the most turbu- lent six-month period in the poker af- filiate industry since the signing of the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) in 2006. On April 15, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice seized the domains and essentially shut down the four largest online poker sites in the U.S. market. Shortly thereafter, many more poker, casino and sports bet- ting sites accepting U.S. players began voluntarily exiting the market as well. These actions left many poker affiliates in a quandary. For several years the poker affiliate industry has been recognized as one of the most lucrative affiliate niches in the world. Many Internet marketers, SEOs and affiliates have been able to build businesses and make full-time incomes promoting online poker. Many of these af- filiates’ business models relied heavily on converting U.S.-based traffic, and often- times building a residual income stream from revenue-sharing programs. To claim that many of these poker af- filiates sustained a significant reduction in their monthly incomes would be an understatement. Post “Black Friday,” the decision to diversify was no longer a decision at all; it became a necessity for many. In order to survive, many pok- er affiliates have rebuilt their portfolio through strategic diversification. Often when poker affiliates think of diversification, they believe they will need to venture into a completely new affiliate niche. While this may not be a bad idea for some affiliates, this is not the only solution. There are a variety of ways affiliates can diversify within the online poker market. Here are just a few examples: Five diversification strategies for poker affiliates post Black Friday Five diversification strategies for poker affiliates post Black Friday