I think EVERYONE, including Grand Prive, needs to work towards NOT shooting each other in the leg!
The biggest problem is the precedent that this sets.
If the affiliate community simply says, “Ah No Big Deal”, then Pandora’s box is open.
It doesn’t make a difference whether you make 100 dollars a month with them, or 5 Thousand.
100 dollars a month is 1200 a year,…. so times that by 5 or 10 years, and see what the real damage is to you. I still have players going at places from 6 to 8 years ago!!!
Hell, they may go 15 years or more! Who knows?? The industry isn’t that old yet! LOL
Anyway, factor in this kind corrupt interpretation of our terms into all of your affiliates programs, and you have set a precendent that will destroy the affiliate gambling industry.
It isn’t a simple matter of ONE Program stiffing us,…. it’s the likelyhood of others following suit that can’t run their programs properly and efficiently to make an honest dollar.
Every program that runs into a problem will start ditching affiliates to save themselves instead of working it out with us!!!
If Grand Prive and Villa Fortune are allowed to succeed in this historic affiliate crisis, this will do NOTHING but breed even more dishonesty in an industry that already has way too much of it.
Trust is the keyword folks.
BWIN has just done the same thing, BTW.
They decided to close down their affiliate program effective December 1st.
OK, fine, but they didn’t screw affiliates going forward.
Here is a copy of their closing procedure, and Grand Prive should follow suit.
Dear Affilate Partner
As the owner of EuroPoker.com and PokerRoom.com, the bwin group has now decided to centre its Affiliate Marketing efforts on bwin.com, the most successful and best converting of its brands.We therefore regret to inform you that we are forced to hereby terminate all Marketing Agreements with PokerAffiliate.com as of the 30th November 2008, in accordance with Clause 17.2. of our Terms and Conditions giving 30 days prior written notice. As a result, PokerAffiliate.com will no longer pay any remuneration for newly acquired customers for PokerRoom.com and EuroPoker.com generated by the affiliate partners as of the 1st December 2008.
Affiliates will continue earning commission for users referred before the 1st December 2008 and receive their payments as usual in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Marketing Agreement with PokerAffiliate.com.
Your account at PokerAffiliate.com will remain fully accessible and regulated.
We would like to thank you for your vital contribution to the success of EuroPoker.com and PokerRoom.com. However, we are pleased to continue to offer you a long and successful cooperation with bwin.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact your Account Manager.
While an unpleasant situation to be sure, at least BWIN did it an HONORABLE, and PROFESSIONAL manner!
Whatever you all do in London with Grand Prive, it should be based on this same level of honesty and integrity, JMO.