Understanding commission structures is the single most important skill in iGaming affiliate marketing. The headline rate — "up to 45% revenue share!" — rarely reflects what you'll actually earn. The real economics live in the fine print: how net gaming revenue is calculated, whether negative carryover applies, what costs the operator deducts before calculating your share, and when the payment actually lands in your account.
This guide breaks down every commission model in practical terms. We'll cover CPA, Revenue Share, Hybrid, and Fixed Fee structures — when each one makes sense, what to negotiate, and how to calculate your expected earnings before you send a single player.
Revenue Share (RevShare)
Revenue share means you earn a percentage of the net gaming revenue generated by the players you refer. If you refer a player who deposits $1,000 and loses $800 over a month, and you have a 35% revenue share deal, you earn $280.
The critical variable is how "net gaming revenue" is defined. Most programs calculate it as: Gross Gaming Revenue (player deposits minus player withdrawals) minus bonuses, chargebacks, payment processing fees, and sometimes software licensing fees. The deductions can reduce your effective percentage by 5-15 percentage points.
Always ask: what is deducted before my percentage is applied? Get the answer in writing before you commit traffic.
Negative carryover is the other critical clause. If your referred players have a good month and win more than they lose, your revenue share for that month is negative. Some programs carry that negative balance forward — meaning you earn nothing until the operator recoups their loss from your subsequent referrals. The best programs reset negative balances to zero at the start of each month.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
CPA pays a fixed amount for each "qualified" player you refer. Qualification criteria vary by program but typically require a first deposit of a minimum amount and sometimes a minimum wagering requirement.
CPA is the preferred model for affiliates with highly targeted, high-intent traffic — particularly PPC and social media traffic where you can predict cost per click and need immediate cash flow. It's also the preferred model when you're uncertain about player quality — you get paid regardless of whether the referred player turns out to be a long-term active customer.
The risk is that some programs have strict "qualified player" criteria that reject a significant percentage of your referrals. Always ask for the historical approval rate (what percentage of referred players actually qualify for the CPA) before agreeing to CPA terms.
Hybrid Models
Hybrid deals combine a reduced CPA with revenue share. For example: $100 CPA plus 20% revenue share for life. This gives you immediate cash flow from the CPA while building a long-term revenue base from the revenue share component.
Hybrid models are ideal for affiliates with mixed-quality traffic — the CPA covers your acquisition cost for players who churn quickly, while the revenue share rewards you for high-value long-term players.
Fixed Fee
Fixed fee arrangements — paying a flat monthly or annual rate for prominent placement — are used primarily by established comparison sites and large portals that can guarantee minimum traffic volumes. They're uncommon for individual affiliates but worth understanding if you're building toward a media property with significant organic traffic.
Negotiating your commission terms
Everything is negotiable after you have demonstrated volume. Start with a program's standard terms, generate volume for 60-90 days, and then approach the affiliate manager with your stats: number of first-time depositors, average first deposit value, 30-day retention rate. Programs will negotiate hard to keep affiliates who send qualified volume.
