Every casino affiliate program pays its partners through some version of three models: revenue share, cost per acquisition, or a hybrid of the two. The headline numbers on a program’s landing page rarely tell you which one is right for your site. A 45% revenue share can earn less than a flat $100 CPA, and the opposite is just as common. This guide explains how each model works, where the money actually comes from, and how to choose based on the traffic you have rather than the traffic you hope to have.
Revenue share: a cut of what the casino keeps
Under a revenue share (RevShare) deal, the operator pays you a percentage of the net gaming revenue (NGR) generated by the players you referred, usually for as long as those players stay active. Typical rates sit between 25% and 50%, often on a tiered scale that rises with the number of new depositing players you send each month.
The key word is net. Net gaming revenue is not the amount players deposit or lose. Operators start from gross gaming revenue (stakes minus winnings) and then deduct items defined in the program’s terms. Common deductions include:
- Bonus costs and free bet or free spin value
- Payment processing fees
- Gaming taxes and licence duties in the player’s jurisdiction
- Game provider royalties
- Chargebacks and fraud adjustments
- In some programs, a fixed administration fee
Two programs that both advertise 40% can therefore pay very different amounts on the same players. Before comparing percentages, read the definition of NGR in each program’s terms and note every deduction.
The strength of RevShare is that it compounds. A player who stays with an operator for three years keeps generating commission for three years, so a site that sends a steady flow of loyal players builds a recurring income base. The weakness is variance. A single high roller who wins big can push your monthly figure below zero, which leads to the question of negative carryover: whether that deficit is carried into the following month or wiped clean.
CPA: a fixed fee per qualifying player
Cost per acquisition pays a one-off amount for each referred player who meets a qualification threshold. The threshold is almost never simple registration. A typical CPA requires a first deposit above a minimum amount, and many programs also require a minimum wagering volume or a set number of active days before the player counts.
CPA rates vary widely by market. Players from regulated, high-value markets command higher fees than players from markets where average deposits are small. What matters for you is the combination of the fee and the qualification rules: a generous fee attached to a demanding baseline can convert fewer of your referrals than a modest fee with an easy one.
CPA suits affiliates who need predictable cash flow, run paid traffic with a known cost per click, or send players who tend to try many brands rather than settle with one. It also removes the risk of a player’s big win eating into your earnings. The trade-off is that you are paid once, however valuable that player later becomes to the operator.
Operators protect themselves against low-quality CPA traffic. Expect terms that allow them to withhold payment for duplicate accounts, bonus abuse, or traffic from countries outside the deal, and expect some programs to cap the number of CPAs they will pay per month.
Hybrid: a smaller CPA plus a smaller RevShare
A hybrid deal combines a reduced CPA with a reduced revenue share, for example a lower flat fee per qualifying player plus a lower percentage of NGR. You get some money up front, which covers the cost of acquiring the player, and a long tail of recurring income if the player stays.
Hybrids are common for established affiliates with a track record, because they require the operator to trust the traffic quality. They are rarely the best offer for a brand new site, since the operator has no data on how your players behave.
Comparing the three models side by side
| Factor | RevShare | CPA | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you are paid | Monthly, for the player’s lifetime | Once per qualifying player | Once, then monthly |
| Cash flow | Slow to build, recurring | Immediate, not recurring | Moderate |
| Exposure to player wins | Yes | No | Partial |
| Best for | SEO and content sites with loyal readers | Paid traffic and price comparison sites | Affiliates with proven traffic quality |
| Main risk | Negative months and high deductions | Strict qualification rules | Harder to negotiate |
How to choose based on your traffic
Start from how your visitors arrive and what they do next.
Content and SEO sites usually attract readers who research before they sign up. Those players tend to stay longer with the brand they choose, which favours revenue share. If you can wait six to twelve months for the recurring base to build, RevShare often produces the highest lifetime earnings.
Paid media and social campaigns have a known cost per visitor. You need to recover that cost quickly, so CPA or a hybrid with a meaningful up-front component is usually the safer choice. Running paid traffic on pure RevShare means financing the operator’s player acquisition out of your own pocket.
Comparison and bonus listing sites tend to attract players who open accounts with several operators. Those players generate less revenue per brand, so CPA frequently pays better than a share of a small NGR.
Questions to ask before signing
- How exactly is NGR calculated, and what is deducted before your percentage is applied?
- Does the program apply negative carryover, and is it reset monthly?
- What are the CPA qualification criteria: minimum deposit, minimum wagering, active days?
- Which countries are accepted, and at what rate each?
- Can the operator change the commission terms on existing players, and with how much notice?
- What is the payment threshold and schedule?
Get the answers in writing, ideally in the contract rather than an email, and keep a copy of the terms that applied on the day you joined.
A note on responsibility
Whatever model you choose, your earnings are tied to real people gambling real money. Promote only licensed operators, target audiences aged 18 and over (or the legal age in the player’s country), and never present gambling as a way to make money. A commission model that rewards you for players losing more is exactly why regulators hold affiliates to the same advertising standards as operators. Sites that take that seriously last longer, because operators and regulators both prefer to work with them.