How to choose an affiliate programme for gambling traffic without the risk of shaving

What is a ‘shaving’ and why is it particularly dangerous in gambling?

Shave refers to the deliberate concealment by an affiliate programme or advertiser of a portion of conversions with the aim of avoiding payment of commission to the webmaster. When selecting an affiliate programme for gambling traffic, the risk of shave should be assessed as a priority, as it is in this sector that the issue is most acute. The RevShare model provides for payments throughout the player’s lifetime, and it is practically impossible to verify the actual amount of their deposits from the outside. The data comes from the casino, so the affiliate programme can technically understate the number of active users, retention rates or the amount of deposits. For the arbitrageur, the result is the same: the traffic generated revenue for the brand, yet the balance received was less than it should have been.

The main types of shaves and how they are reflected in the statistics

There are several types of shaves, and it’s easier to spot them once you understand how the process works. A direct shave is the most obvious: the advertised approval rate is a nominal 40%, but after a month, it suddenly drops to 15% without any change to the source or creative. Hidden shaving works more subtly: leads and deposits appear to be counted, but the algorithm has ‘lost’ some of the FTDs or repeat deposits. Technical shaving is hidden in double redirects, where some of the traffic is redirected to a different region and is not counted. The most dangerous option is quality-based shaving: deposits come in, but RevShare accruals are understated by 10–20% of the actual figures.

Red flags during initial contact with an affiliate program

Most issues can be spotted before you sign the contract. Take a close look at the affiliate programme’s website, the manager’s communication style and the terms of the public offer. Red flags to watch out for before you start working together:

• No information is available about the owners or the legal entity — anonymous brands are more likely to disappear without paying out;
• Closed or fake reviews on specialist forums and in arbitrage chat rooms;
• Double redirects on the landing page — some traffic is ‘lost’ on the way to the landing page;
• a lack of transparent real-time statistics or blocked key metrics;
• inflated KPIs at the outset — the minimum deposit or number of active days are set unrealistically high;
• delays in payments from the very first transaction or a refusal to pay without a clear reason.

If three or more of these points apply, it’s time to look for another network.

Payment model: where the risk is lower

The choice of model directly affects how much an affiliate programme can ‘boost’ profits. CPA involves a fixed payment for each player who meets the KPIs: registration plus a first deposit. Rates in gambling CPA range from $40 to $120 and above, depending on the GEO, and the hold is short; payments are made on average twice a month. RevShare offers 25–50% of the casino’s net profit from a referred player throughout their entire time on the platform. The potential revenue is higher, but the risk of fraud also increases: it is more difficult to verify every deposit. A hybrid combines a one-off CPA payment with a percentage and is considered a compromise between speed and long-term earnings.

How to evaluate an affiliate programme before driving traffic to it

A user’s actual reputation isn’t built on the app’s website, but in chat rooms and on forums. Before you start, there are a few essential steps you should take:

1. gather feedback in Telegram chats for affiliate marketers, on AFFLIFT, AffBank, and similar platforms;
2. speak directly to webmasters who have been working with the network for at least 3–6 months;
3. test conversion rates yourself — complete a real registration and deposit from a test source to check whether it has been credited;
4. run a split test — run the same offer on two networks in parallel and compare approval rates and EPC;
5. speak to a manager — professional answers to technical questions and a willingness to set out the terms in writing are signs of a serious affiliate programme.

Technical indicators for shaving in the daily statistics

The figures paint a clearer picture of the situation than the manager’s words. Take note of the four main anomalies:

• the difference between a tracking tool and an affiliate programme dashboard: if your tracking tool records 100 clicks and 5 conversions, but the affiliate programme dashboard shows only 3, this is a clear warning sign;
• a sharp drop in conversion rates without any change in the traffic source — for example, from 40% to 15% in a week using the same creative;
• postback delays of more than 10–15 minutes for gambling — real-time transmission is considered the norm;
• ‘missing’ deposits from players who definitely made a deposit — it is worth checking this carefully by communicating with leads, if the offer’s rules allow it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is shaving and why is it especially dangerous in iGaming?

Shaving is the deliberate concealment by an affiliate program or advertiser of part of the conversions, so the webmaster isn’t paid for them. In iGaming it shows up most aggressively, because the RevShare model pays out over a player’s entire lifetime, and verifying the real amount of their deposits from the outside is almost impossible. The data comes from the casino, so the program can technically understate the number of active users, retention or deposit totals. For the affiliate the result is the same: the traffic made money for the brand, but less than it should reached the balance.

What types of shaving are there?

There are four main types. Direct shaving is the crudest: the declared approval rate suddenly drops (for example, from 40% to 15%) with no change in source or creative. Hidden shaving works more subtly — leads and deposits appear to be counted, but the algorithm “loses” some FTDs or repeat deposits. Technical shaving hides in double redirects, where part of the traffic is sent to a different geo and isn’t credited. The most dangerous is quality shaving: deposits arrive, but RevShare payouts are understated by 10–20% of the real figure.

Which payment model has the lower shaving risk — CPA, RevShare or Hybrid?

CPA carries the lowest risk: the payout is fixed per player who meets the KPI (registration + first deposit), and the hold is short. RevShare gives 25–50% of the casino’s net profit over the player’s entire lifetime — potentially higher income, but the shaving risk grows too, because each deposit is harder to verify. Hybrid combines a one-off CPA payout with a percentage and is seen as a compromise between speed and long-term earnings.

How do you vet an affiliate program before running traffic?

Real reputation forms not on the program’s website but in chats and forums. Gather feedback in affiliate Telegram chats, on AFFLIFT, AffBank and similar platforms, and talk to webmasters who have worked with the network for at least 3–6 months. Test the conversion yourself — make a real registration and deposit from a test source and check whether it was credited. Run a split test: send the same offer to two networks in parallel and compare the approval rate and EPC.

Which red flags point to an unreliable program?

Warning signs are visible before you even sign: no information about owners or the legal entity; closed or fake reviews; double redirects on the landing page; no transparent real-time stats; inflated KPIs at the start; payout delays on the very first transaction or refusal to pay without a clear reason. If three or more of these line up, it’s a reason to look for another network.

How do you spot shaving in daily statistics?

Numbers reveal shaving faster than a manager’s words. Watch for the gap between your tracker and the program’s dashboard (for example, your tracker logs 5 conversions but the dashboard shows only 3), a sharp drop in approval rate with no change of source, postback delays longer than 10–15 minutes (real-time delivery is the norm for iGaming), and “missing” deposits from players who definitely paid in.

What hold period is considered normal for iGaming?

A hold of 14–30 days is considered normal for iGaming. This parameter, like the minimum payout amount, must be checked in the offer terms before you start. An excessively long or vaguely worded hold is a reason for caution.

What must be fixed in the offer terms or agreement?

Verbal arrangements don’t work in affiliate marketing — all key parameters must be in the offer terms or a separate agreement. Pay particular attention to the hold period (14–30 days), the minimum payout amount, the list of allowed traffic sources and the KPI wording. If the agreement lets the program “reject leads by internal quality criteria” without explanation, that is effectively a license to shave. Separately, check the account-blocking terms: the program must not have the right to freeze your balance for a long time without an investigation that involves you.

Conclusion

Verbal agreements are not valid in arbitration. All key terms must be set out in the offer or a separate agreement. Particular attention should be paid to the retention period (the standard for the gambling industry is 14–30 days), the minimum payout amount, the list of permitted traffic sources, and the wording of the KPIs. If the agreement allows the affiliate network to ‘reject leads based on internal quality criteria’ without explanation, this is effectively a licence to shave. Check the account suspension terms separately: the affiliate network must not have the right to freeze your balance for an extended period without an investigation involving you.