Should Best Casino Partner be marked Predatory?

[Guard Dog]

I would like a vote on this from everyone available... and do not forget that CasinoBlasters and BCP are one and the same with similar issues:

Main Issues:

• BCP sold/leaked player data to the rogue Gold VIP Club Casino.

• OnlineCasino.com - Was a casino many of us promoted. Changed to a portal and anyone who did not change their links is basically giving them both link juice AND traffic for FREE. The casino was changed to OnlineCasinoCentral.com, which allowed this to happen. The only way for affiliates to know this happened was to traipse on over to CasinoBlasters website and read about it.

When one of our partner sites chose to transfer one of their domains on March 5th of 2010 we posted a message on the login page of CasinoBlasters notifying all affiliates of this change. Posted March 4th, 2010 – April 16th, 2010:

Note: OnlineCasino.com is now OnlineCasinoCentral.com. Tracking and reporting remain the same as always. If you would like to change your banners, new creatives can be found in the banner farm.

Further to this we conducted a system update so that all tracking links in the form of banner.onlinecasino.com would be redirected to banner.onlinecasinocentral.com. Affiliates were not required to make any changes on their end and all traffic and registrations were credited to the affiliate as always. We’re disappointed that the poster did not confirm this by simply clicking on his own links prior to making these unfounded claims.

As always, we are happy to address any questions and/or concerns sent to us directly at support@casinoblasters.com.

• GoldenCasino.com - If you look at the 'Download Now' page (US Residents for sure, not sure if everyone would see this)... there is a siphoning of traffic to C-Planet properties via affiliate links.

[quote = BestCasinoPartner]
Sent to all BestCasinoPartner affiliates on November 23rd, 2009:

Urgent Reminder to All Affiliates re: Golden Casino
Although we've been making every effort to reach all of our valued affiliates by phone and email over the past week, we would also like to take this opportunity to notify you, in case you did not receive our previous communications, of the upcoming changes to Golden Casino.

As you may be aware, one of our clients, Golden Casino, is in the process of being sold. Under the new ownership, Golden Casino will no longer be accepting new players as of December 1, 2009. Please note, however, this decision does not affect existing Golden Casino players and you'll continue to be paid on their losses as long as the casino remains in operation.

This client's decision does not affect the other 3 brands we represent (Online Vegas, GO Casino and Crazy Slots) as the operators of these properties have reaffirmed their commitment to continue operating within the US market.
Although the changes are not due to take place until December 1, we are informing you now in order to give you as much notice as possible so that you may change your links and campaigns in order to promote the other 3 brands prior to December 1.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you are in need of custom creatives for any property, please let us know.

As indicated above, on December 1st of 2009 the operators of GoldenCasino.com made the decision to stop accepting new players. BestCasinoPartner affiliates were initially notified of the upcoming change on November 16th, 2009 and were encouraged repeatedly thereafter to update their links accordingly. BestCasinoPartner provided affiliates with an additional 5 month grace period during which time all traffic sent to GoldenCasino.com was credited via an internal redirect to another partner casino. Furthermore, to date, every affiliate continues to be paid in full for all commissions accumulated from players, past and present, at GoldenCasino.com. We see no evidence of a lack of attention having been given on the part of BestCasinoPartner.com. Where and how the current management of the GoldenCasino.com domain choose to divert their traffic is not at the discretion of, nor is it the responsibility of BestCasinoPartner.com.

As always, we are happy to address any questions and/or concerns sent to us directly at support@bestcasinopartner.com.[/quote]

• One of our members here at AGD has had some very difficult times getting his money from them due to posts here at AGD (or so it appears). He was finally paid, but the check was not postmarked as it should have been (if BCP was telling the truth to him about 'check in the mail' conversations).

With all of this and a general discontent within the BCP/CB forums, I wanted to place this poll.

BCP Forums: Best Casino Partner - Affiliate Guard Dog

CB Forums: Casino Blasters - Affiliate Guard Dog


Again - please vote. It doesn't help if we only have 5 votes

[Guard Dog]

BTW:

• Poll is Anonymous
• Poll allows write in votes

[WCD Admin]

I voted rogue. I also disagree with the poll options. If a program can bait-n-switch and be certified at AGD then I have to question my membership here. Bait-n-switch is blackhat SEO. They gather the links by promising you commission, then when they have thousands of affiliates linking in they turn it into a portal and pimp affiliate traffic.

If you woke up one morning and Slots Oasis casino was turned into a portal overnight and no one told you it wasn't a casino anymore, how can that NOT be rogue?

[WCD Admin]

I'm also concerned because here: CasinoBlasters Enacts Predatory Term AGD has already marked this program predatory but somehow forgot to change the icon somehow. It is clear this program should be marked rogue once and for all.

[Engineer]

I think CasinoBlasters is rogue simply for the OnlineCasino.com stunt. Getting tons of links and then switching the domain to an affiliate site is very roguish.

Does a "rogue" vote here count as a rogue vote for both BCP and Casino Blasters? I know the companies are connected somehow, but I don't know at what level.

[WCD Admin]

I imagine the reason the programs have different names is simply because you can't display Playtech stats on a VT affiliate backend and vice-versa AND also the international vs U.S. reasons (BCP was formed during UIGEA passage). But they are clearly operated by the same group of people. When I want to talk to my AM at casinoblasters its Jeff K. if I want to talk to someone at BCP, its Jeff K.... when I want my payment at CB, its Lisa, when I want my payment at BCP, its Lisa.

The difference is only the name and maybe the legal structure, but in reality, they are the same. They may have thought some legal protection from two separate companies, but they are so sloppy its clearly not going to work out like that. They came in here and accidentally posted the answer to the CasinoBlasters complaint under the BCP login. Why would they get confused like this? Because they are the same people with two logins.

Of course what "level" probably can't be answered because they hide the owners of both programs. (who owns CB? who owns BCP?) I doubt anyone can answer these questions...

[WCD Admin]

Also what is the voting criteria here? For instance can people signup a new account and vote immediately? Is there a number of post or anything restricting this vote to make sure its not tampered with?

For example, if a program would bait-n-switch us, I could easily see it signing up fake members and voting fraudulently. The fact that we have two votes to certify a program already marked predatory does not give me a good feeling.

Are all rogue/predatory labels "voted" on?

I suggest (for the future) to put these votes in the private section to not "wake up" the offending program - because then they can clearly tamper with vote, alert their big affiliates, urge them to vote, etc.

[WCD Admin]

And I also now notice these threads. BCP has already been marked predatory about three times? Where these also resolved?
Best Casino Partner is now predatory!!!
Best Casino Partner using Predatory Term
BCP Predatory Terms Update

And one for Casino Blasters:
CasinoBlasters Enacts Predatory Term

I'm not sure why they are not ALREADY showing up as predatory and also why they get a chance to reverse their current predatory condition unless this is just an oversight?

[Guard Dog]

I voted rogue. I also disagree with the poll options. If a program can bait-n-switch and be certified at AGD then I have to question my membership here. Bait-n-switch is blackhat SEO. They gather the links by promising you commission, then when they have thousands of affiliates linking in they turn it into a portal and pimp affiliate traffic.

If you woke up one morning and Slots Oasis casino was turned into a portal overnight and no one told you it wasn't a casino anymore, how can that NOT be rogue?

You can question that if you wish. I am doing my best to outline the issues and get a fair representation of what everyone thinks about the situation. Sorry it is not to everyone's perfect liking, though

[Guard Dog]

I think CasinoBlasters is rogue simply for the OnlineCasino.com stunt. Getting tons of links and then switching the domain to an affiliate site is very roguish.

Does a "rogue" vote here count as a rogue vote for both BCP and Casino Blasters? I know the companies are connected somehow, but I don't know at what level.

Even though the poll states BCP, it is for both yes. They have both done the same things and are the same company 'under the hood'.