Hmm…well, that’s an odd one. Particularly as there is no confusion in the UK : online gambling is legal.
Here’s a different question – did the Ritz Club Casino have any connection with The Ritz itself ? If not, I would suggest they are making excuses and getting out while the getting is good.
If they did have a connection with The Ritz, then I would be extremely aggressive about making sure I got my affiliate payments. They have an impeccable reputation and would want to maintain it.