GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 22 - October 2012

Affiliate Manager Interview Series Face Up Gaming takes a sub- scription-based approach to online poker. Why did Face Up Gaming choose to provide on- line poker in this way? There are some major legal issues here in the U.S. that make the subscrip- tion-based model the most viable option. Face Up Gaming is 100 percent legal and we will always stay within the letter of the law. What makes Face Up Gaming unique in this niche? Live audio/video interaction so you can see and hear your opponent; league structure award- ing $50k in cash and prizes every two months, and up to $150k each month; publicly traded; U.S. based; all prizes transferable; no down- loads . . . to name a few. Face Up Gaming offers affiliates a maximum of $5 a month per player referred. Why should online gambling af- filiates promote Face Up Gaming? There are many types of poker players, and believe it or not, there are more blue-collar players out there than high roll- ers. We offer online gambling affiliates the opportunity to earn cash from subscribers who are apprehen- sive about depositing money into online gaming accounts. Many of the subscription-based sites don’t offer as much as we do, if anything at all. Successful online affiliates find ways to make money off of all their subscribers and we offer a way to earn a commission off of current non-depositors. Several U.S. states are nowwork- ing toward providing a regulato- ry framework for traditional real- money online poker, and there is a possibility of federal regula- tion. Will Face Up Gaming contin- ue to operate with a subscription- based model? Or will it be a more traditional online poker room? We will provide a platform for both. When we started development we wanted to provide a service that suited all types of poker players. We are as flexible as you can be in this situation and depending on how the cards fall with the laws, we are in a position to offer our users and affili- ates a place with Face Up Gaming. How much crossover is there between poker players who play in traditional online poker rooms and players who play in subscription-based rooms? With no place to go, many players who frequented the traditional on- line sites have joined a subscrip- tion-based site. Most poker play- ers are very passionate and have to play. They have found a home with sub-sites. Exact numbers are hard to lock down but conservatively 40-45 percent. What do affiliates need to know about Face Up Gaming in order to effectively market the brand? Most sub-sites don’t really have an affiliate program and if they do, they offer less than Face Up Gaming offers. We offer monthly recurring payouts, a sub-affiliate program and more functionality for players to experience. Affiliates also get an offline bonus through our incentive program, which brings cash and prizes directly to the affiliate while also offering the players of the affiliate a private free roll exclusive to that affiliate. Describe the office culture at Face Up Gaming. If there were a fly on the wall, what are some of the topics of conversation it would hear about at the water cooler? If you were a fly on the wall, you would have no idea who is who. We call each other “Brother” and “Sister.” When a name is called out it is shortened to “Al” or “Fill.” A multitasking, hard-working group that is like a family in the truest sense of the word. What do you know about the in- dustry now that you wish you’d known when you first started? When I started in this industry, it was undiscovered country, really. A lot of trial by fire. I had to create programs and incentives with no way of knowing what would work. Now I knowwhat works, and having that knowledge from the beginning would have been very beneficial. How do you ensure that payments are sent out on time?Andwhendo your payments go out? Affiliates are paid each month on the 15th. We generate a list and pay by check or PayPal. Affiliates have access to a back office where they can choose payment options andminimumpay- out. The affiliate back office also pro- vides up-to-the-minute updates on commissions. If there is ever an issue or question, the affiliate manager is easily accessible. Members are paid out when they claim their prize and receive payment within 30 days. Where do you think the industry will be in five years? With some of the things we have done and have coming down the road, I be- lieve the industry will offer twice as much as it does today. There is no shortage of poker fanatics, and with technology getting better and better, the sky is the limit. I see larger payouts and online gaming easing the workload for dealers at casinos in some cases. Yougrewup inCaliforniaandwent to college at San Diego State. Do you still live in California? I reside in sunny Florida. San Diego is one of the most beautiful places on earth and the surf is much better there. I look to get back there in the future. Three things that no one knows about you? I was adopted, love to writepoetryandamafraidof heights. A.J. WILEY Face Up Gaming “There are more blue-collar players out there than high rollers. We offer online gambling affiliates the opportunity to earn cash from subscribers who are apprehensive about depositing money into online gaming accounts.” Affiliate Manager Interview Series