Full Tilt Poker’s (Fake) Facebook Wall LETTER FROM 8 Our editorial team has a little fun imagining what Full Tilt Poker’s Facebook page would look like in the THE DIRECTOR “face” of their refusal so far to pay American players the money they owe them. his issue, our 18th, will make its first appearance T October 3-6 at the G2E iGaming Congress and iGaming Zone at the Las Vegas Sands Expo & Convention SEO Psychology for Affiliates Center. We’ll be there, and we hope that you’ll be there, too. And if you are, be sure to come to the GPWA cocktail 12 Paul Reilly explains why affiliates must overcome party on October 4 in the Stratosphere Tower! psychological barriers if they want to perform SEO effectively. One bit of advice: observe the masses In our cover story, Lorien Pilling takes a hard look at and do the opposite. what governments around the world are doing to tax and regulate iGaming. It’s not the most glamorous topic, he tells us, but it is the most important by far – and Cover Story: Playing by Taxing Rules affiliates need to keep current as proposed regulatory 26 Lorien Pilling believes that affiliates must decide for changes continue to proliferate. themselves which regulatory models will provide them with the best chances for success as governments GPWA Also in this issue: the PPA’s John Pappas and iMEGA’s around the world introduce new gambling legislation in Joe Brennan argue the pros and cons of federal vs. state their quest for additional revenue sources. Executive Director: regulation of iGaming in the U.S.; I. Nelson Rose tries Michael Corfman to make sense of the failure thus far to pass Internet Federal or State? – The Great U.S. Marketing Director: gaming legislation in California; Vin Narayanan offers 49 iGaming Regulation Debate Andrea Mullaney some biting commentary on why there’s more to iMEGA’s Joe Brennan makes the case for state Program Manager: regulation than tax policy; Paul Reilly (with a little help Steven Corfman regulation and the PPA’s John Pappas explains from William Shakespeare) encourages affiliates to cast why he favors legislation at the federal level. Forum Moderator: aside their SEO fears and start reaping SEO benefits; our Anthony Telesca editorial team has some Facebook fun at Full Tilt Poker’s Membership Manager: expense; Sinead Lambert offers up some timely tips Nancy Troy for sportsbook affiliates as the football (soccer) season GPWA Times Magazine starts; and Jeremy Enke explains why poker affiliates, post Black Friday, must rebuild their online portfolio Managing Editor: through strategic diversification, either into completely Vin Narayanan different niches or within the online poker market. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Senior Editor: 20 The Drought Is Over! Football Is Back! by Sinead Lambert Aaron Todd 24 Five Diversification Strategies for Poker Affiliates Post Associate Editor: And I hope you’ll read this issue’s affiliate manager Black Friday, by Jeremy Enke Dan Igo interview, five affiliate interviews, a lively discussion Copy Chief: on mobile gaming taken from the GPWA forums, and 30 Regulators! Mount Up! by Vin Narayanan Bill Riley the Departments – the latest industry news, numbers, 54 Gambling and the Law: California’s Unnecessary Delay, Designer: notable quotes, an updated list of GPWA sponsors, the by I. Nelson Rose George Choi cartoon caption contest, the Wall of Shame, and our calendar of upcoming industry events. Advertising DEPARTMENTS To advertise in the GPWA Finally, I want to remind you to make sure you’re on 4 Webmaster News Times, please e-mail: our subscriber list. If you’re not getting the GPWA Times [email protected] 6 By the Numbers Magazine in the mail, stop whatever you’re doing and 7 Cartoon Caption Contest Subscriptions visit gpwa.org/magazine to start your free subscription. 16 From the GPWA Forums For a FREE subscription to Sincerely, the GPWA Times Magazine, 25 Event Calendar visit: gpwatimes.com 34 Affiliate Interview Series 56 Affiliate Manager Interview Michael A. Corfman 60 GPWA Sponsors GPWA Executive Director 64 APCW’s Wall of Shame ISSN 1941-9872 WEBMASTER NEWS QUOtabLES Betsson reaches deal with Arsenal Football Club “We are really excited about our TOCKHOLM, Sweden — Betsson brand who will be delivering this inno- Italian venture. The combination S Business Solutions has signed a vative new venture. Through designing of a high passion for sports and three-year B2B contract with one of a range of gaming products specifically gaming makes Italy one of the the most prestigious football clubs in for Arsenal fans, we intend to offer our most important markets in our the world, Arsenal Football Club (“the supporters a valuable and unique expe- international expansion plans.” Gunners”). Betsson becomes the club’s rience that we hope will have no rival to – Henry Birch, CEO of William Hill Online, on the Official Betting Partner, providing bet- our supporters,” says Vinai Venkatesham, company’s new Italian site ting services both online under www. Arsenal’s Head of Global Partnerships. gunnersgaming.com and in-stadia for “Full Tilt Poker apologizes for its Arsenal fans through a newly created “Signing these kinds of B2B deals with lack of communication with its brand, GunnersGaming by Betsson. a football club like Arsenal shows what customers over the last month and Arsenal has a global fanbase and boasts a technically attractive partner Betsson a half, but it has been grappling the highest-paid membership in world is today. This is also a good opportunity with unexpected and complex football, with just under 200,000 mem- for Betsson to gain a part of the regulat- legal and financial issues arising bers last season alone. ed U.K. market,” says Betsson CEO and from Black Friday and President Magnus Silfverberg. its aftermath.” Betsson will provide and operate a com- – Official Full Tilt Poker statement, dated August 22 plete gaming solution including Betsson Casino, Betsson Sportsbook & Betting “I do believe there’s a will in Exchange and Betsson Poker. With a clear Congress to correct this. There’s Arsenal-branded solution and exclusive a sense of inevitability that this Arsenal-specific prizes Betsson will de- ought to be something people liver a unique offering. The solution will should do and that we ought be launched immediately. to clean up the regulatory and policing environment for it and “We are delighted to be welcoming that’s what we’re seeking.” Betsson on board as an Official Partner – Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman on of the Club, an experienced and trusted regulated online poker in the U.S. “The term ‘unlawful Internet gambling’ does not include placing, receiving, or otherwise transmitting a bet or wager where...the bet or wager is initiated and received or otherwise made exclusively within a single State.” – N.J. Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder “After 3 months off of online poker, I’d forgotten about downswings. Oh well. Still happy to be playing. I love the game. ” – Tweet by American online poker pro Phil Galfond, who moved to Canada to continue to play “We also believe a significant “Americans should be able to play amount of progress has been made poker online in the privacy of their “In order to ensure the brand’s on intrastate Internet gaming to homes knowing that the games expansion is not affected by the point where, absent unforeseen are safe and fair. FairPlayUSA is negative perceptions, both in the circumstances, we fully expect committed to ensuring a strict U.K. and elsewhere in emerging an objective proposal will be regulatory framework for online markets such as Asia, where developed during the interim in poker, and I am pleased to be part Bodog88 is already successful, time for consideration when the of its advisory board.” a decision has been made to Legislature reconvenes – Poker professional Mike Sexton withdraw the Bodog brand from the in 2012.” U.S. market at the end of 2011.” – California State Sen. Darrell Steinberg – Official statement from the Bodog brand Webmaster News WEBMASTER NEWS Bodog to leave U.S. market at end of year By Dan Igo odog has announced it will no longer B accept bets from American custom- ers when its current licensing agreement with Morris Mohawk Gaming expires at the end of this year. Bodog was granted a remote and non- “As highlighted last week, Bodog U.K.’s will remain safe and they will have the remote gambling license by the U.K. CEO, Patrik Selin, believes the trust and option to switch to a new MMGG brand Gambling Commission in July. credibility that having a U.K. license should they wish but MMGG confirms brings to the brand will benefit custom- it’s business as usual. U.S. residents won’t be allowed to access ers and allow him to attract the best tal- Bodog.eu or any Bodog-branded websites ent in the industry to work with him. “This decision presents a fresh direction after December 31. Bodog did say Morris for the Bodogbrand.com as it looks to Mohawk Gaming will launch its own “However, in order to ensure the brand’s create a new chapter in its history. The brand next year, which will be licensed expansion is not affected by negative per- move will enable the Bodog brand to by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. ceptions, both in the U.K. and elsewhere continue its growth and expansion and in emerging markets such as Asia, where maintain its position as the world’s larg- The company released the following Bodog88 is already successful, a decision est gaming brand.” statement on CalvinArye.com to ex- has been made to withdraw the Bodog plain the move: brand from the U.S.