GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 27 - February 2014

online gambling inNewJersey, theU.S.may seea“dominoeffect,”withotherstatesquick- ly following the Garden State’s lead in 2014. Several other states have already drafted legislation, or have publicly stated their intentions to explore regulated online gambling further. Where is affiliate marketing in the U.S. regulated markets? Though regulated U.S. gambling is off to a great start in 2014, there is still a fair amount of ambiguity as to what the exact affiliate landscape will look like. Opera- tors in New Jersey have all conveyed their intentions to work with affiliates in 2014; in fact, many already have their affiliate platforms set up and ready to go. The delay of affiliate marketing lies in the hands of New Jersey’s DGE. It is still un- clear if affiliate marketers will need ancil- lary licenses or vendor permits, or if affili- ates will be able to promote under a super affiliate such as Poker Affiliate Solutions, which is applying for full licensure and could offer sub-affiliate trackers. As with any new or emerging market, there will always be specifics and details of the overall business to work out. Un- fortunately, affiliate marketing has fallen into this category for the U.S. regulated online gambling market. It should be ex- pected, though, as trying to explain affili- ate marketing to a regulator could easily be compared with trying to explain affili- ate marketing to your non-Internet savvy great aunt over a holiday dinner. What can U.S.-facing affiliates do to prepare for 2014? While the landscape of affiliate marketing in the U.S. regulated markets does remain uncertain, this is only temporary. We should expect to see more clarity in New Jersey within the first or second quarter of 2014. Likewise, as other markets open up, there is a good chance they will simply follow the lead of New Jersey. Another impor- tant milestone in the U.S. regulated mar- ketplace will be when states begin enter- ing into interstate compacts and sharing player pools. This is when the market could get very exciting, and very lucrative for U.S. affiliates who are prepared. So, what can affiliates do to prepare for the launch of these affiliate programs into reg- ulated markets such as New Jersey? First and foremost, stay informed and up to date on news coming out of these markets. Second, start building pages and improve your ranking for the various regulated markets. This way, when affiliate pro- grams open up and trackers are available, you’ll already be ahead of the curve and generating targeted traffic. Finally, have a plan! There is no doubt that the regulated U.S. online gaming market is indeed going to open up for af- filiates. Whether it is in 2014 or beyond, the opportunity to see another online gaming boom in the U.S. for affiliates is on the horizon. The affiliates that will benefit most from this emerging market will be the ones that planned and prepared from the very beginning. While it is impossible to forecast exactly what the U.S. regulated online gambling market will look like a year from now, one thing is certain: 2014 is going to be one of the most exciting years our industry has seen in a long time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremy Enke is the CEO of Poker Affiliate Listings. He has spent more than 10 years in the poker affiliate market, with an overall mission of helping affiliate marketers reach their full potential and become more successful. States considering online gaming States currently regulating online gaming 30 Online gaming in the USA: Poker’s comeback