Oh boy Wager2Win, speaking your mind like that is sure to get the panties of those staunch supporters in a major wad!
Yes, IMO as well, its nothing but a marketing exercise plain and simple. eCOGRA has even started featuring “reputable portals” they are IMO using that practice as an SEO and self-promotion exercise. Quite funny on one hand they claim that affiliate business is not in their remit, yet they openly use affiliates to assist in the marketing of eCOGRA.
Either you are independant or you’re not, you cant have it both ways. Same goes with the enforcement of responsible operator behavior, if behavior B warrants action for one seal holder it damn well warrant action for all of the others as well.
Since that is clearly not the case, we would be acting irresponsibly if we did not contemplate for at least a moment the potential conflict of interest that has presented itself.