The value of my players has dramatically been lowered for the past few years (with same deposits etc), and I suspect higher/new fees.
It's well past the point where statments like... 'Oh it's all in your head, everything is still Kosher', wash as an excuse.
Way too many respected and trusted affiliates are reporting identical drops in commissions. How many of us have spoken with an AM's, only to be told, "you need to send more traffic/players, having a larger active player base, will offset the players who win." So you work harder and send more NDP's, who subsquently deposit more money.
However, instead of making more money (which you should do) you keep making less and less.
At BP for example, back 12 - 14 months ago, I had 2x less players, far less total deposits. And, I was hardly ever being totally wiped out. Now, well, I'm getting hammered every month. Reiterating, there's a point where 2+2 does not = 4.
Whether that's because a program is shaving, hitting affiliates for 100% of the operational costs, or have changed their Rev-Share calculations etc. But whatever it is, it equates to a LOT of affiliates speaking as one voice, saying, something is definitely suspect.
As I've always maintained, affiliates have no other option BUT to give aff programs 100% of their trust, that they wont play funny-buggers with Rev-Share. Giving some programs that level of trust, means, they WILL
cheat their partners.
Sad but true!
The fact is... no one other than the program, is there to keep them honest.
If aff programs were audited monthly by PWC's for instance, I think we'd see less shaving. Sure programs can fudge the stats. However, in my experience with life in general and dodgy bastards, they almost always bring themselves undone by out-smarting themselves.
My only advice... if you feel your getting shafted, kick em to the curb. I agree it's hard when you have a large base of players, but, if the program is stealing from you now, then they'll be stealing even more cash from you if you stay and send more players
Edit:
The other noticable difference these days are mobile players. I find them to generally deposit less and make far more minimum deposits. EG - $10. I recall when $20 or $25 was the minimum. And, we didn't have mobile players then either. My guess is a lot of these mobile players are in an age group where, they do not have a lot of disposable income.
A few years back, while the competition was strong, we didn't have upteen dozen browser based casinos to contend against either. MGS was still supreme. These days all that's changed. The competition for casinos to stay afloat, maybe only allow them to stay in business by reneging on agreed terms, shaving, or hitting us up with ALL their operational costs, then some.
Be that as it may or may not, reiterating there is definitely something not Kosher with some Aff programs!