As sports betting and other types of online gambling become widely licensed, taxed, and regulated in the United States, the affiliate marketing industry is undergoing a similar transformation.

This guide provides an introduction to what betting affiliates are, what services they provide, and the legal requirements they must fulfill to provide compliant marketing services to sportsbooks, racebooks, casinos, poker sites, and lottery operators on a state-by-state basis.

This guide is an introduction to the best betting affiliate programs, followed by explanations of states in which online gambling affiliates legally operate. We also offer tips for those interested in getting started or learning more about what services gambling affiliates provide.

Legal Disclaimer: Some of the following discussion touches on state and federal laws that impact legal betting in the USA. We are confident in our research but we should warn readers that we are not lawyers, and nothing on this page constitutes legal advice.

Best Betting Affiliate Programs

There are affiliate programs for online gambling sites of all types, including sports betting, online casinos, poker sites, horse racing betting, daily fantasy sports, sweepstakes casinos, and online lotteries.

Ultimately, the success of betting affiliates depends on the ability to engage with readers and demonstrate experience and expertise on the topic.

Reputation is an objective criterion that is important to consider. Work long enough in the industry and you will experience a whole range of good and bad experiences with affiliate programs.

The worst programs have been known to retroactively change terms and conditions, and I suspect some have even purposely failed to track conversions that were sent in good faith.

BettingUSA.com does not recommend untrustworthy affiliate programs on this page.

Below we list the best sports betting affiliate programs, all firms listed on this page are reputable operators with licenses in each jurisdiction in which they operate.

  • Confido Sub Affiliate Network: Affiliates who are not yet licensed can promote popular brands at ConfidoNetwork.com
  • BetMGM Affiliate Program: the BetMGM affiliate program is located at www.BetMGMPartners.com
  • BetRivers Affiliate Program
  • Twinspires Affiliate Program

Sports Betting Affiliates Usually Require Licensing

Sports betting affiliates can operate in the following states:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia
  • Tennessee
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington D.C
  • Wyoming

We discuss the landscape for online betting affiliates in each of these states later on this page.

In many states, sports betting affiliates are required to get licensed before promoting legal online sportsbooks.

Not all states with legal sports betting are viable markets for affiliates. Why is that?

For the most part, only states that have established a competitive marketplace with multiple sports betting providers competing for market share provide the right environment to make affiliates a worthwhile expense from the operator’s point of view.

Operators with a monopoly have little incentive to manage sports betting affiliate programs when there is no competition.

States like Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island are examples of single operator states without a competitive market.

This also applies to states with unfavorable gambling laws.

For example, some states, such as Nevada, require in-person sports betting registration at a land-based casino. This limits the geographic reach of affiliates and complicates how referrals are tracked.

Some states also only allow retail sportsbooks.

As sportsbook affiliates ourselves, we believe a competitive sports betting market leads to more value for the customer.

Daily Fantasy Sports Affiliate Programs

DFS affiliates do not need to be licensed and can operate in most US states.

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) is a quickly growing industry with a lot of room for growth, and there are still plenty of new fans to introduce to daily fantasy sports every year.

Competition among daily fantasy sports sites is fierce, so DFS affiliate programs are highly invested in working with marketing partners to drive new signups.

Start-up DFS sites also utilize affiliates as a cost-effective marketing method to compete against more established operators.

Because affiliate commissions are only paid after deposit customers are delivered, smaller operators can forgo expensive traditional marketing campaigns and instead rely on affiliates to promote their brands.

One of the advantages of working as a fantasy sports affiliate is a nearly complete lack of regulation.

Federal laws specifically exempt fantasy sports from anti-gambling legislation, and there are no licenses or background checks to operate as a DFS affiliate.

Furthermore, because state laws are mostly friendly to daily fantasy sports operators, there is a wide reach for potential customers.

Horse Racing Betting Affiliate Programs

No US state requires affiliates to be licensed to promote horse racing betting sites.

Online horse racing betting is also exempt from most federal anti-gambling laws. Some state laws prohibit betting on horse races, but a majority of states allow online racebooks, even many without legal sports betting.

Online Casino Affiliates

Affiliates who promote online casino sites and gambling apps generally have to be licensed.

Currently, licensed online casino affiliates can work in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Online casino games are heavily regulated in the United States. It is more complicated to become an online gambling affiliate in New Jersey, for example, than it is to promote daily fantasy sports apps or horse racing betting sites.

Licenses are mandatory to advertise US gambling sites as a CPA marketing affiliate. Affiliates interested in revenue share are required to undergo greater due diligence, typically involving background checks that include fingerprinting and extensive financial disclosures.

Online Poker Affiliates

Affiliates interested in promoting legal US poker sites must be licensed and can promote in the following markets:

  • Michigan
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia.

During the first online poker boom, affiliates earned large commissions by referring customers to offshore poker sites that were in violation of US law.

Poker affiliates operated with impunity for years without clearly defined laws making it a crime to act as an affiliate for offshore poker sites.

That changed in 2014 when the state of New Jersey announced that it would consider prosecuting US-based affiliates who continue to work with unlicensed sites.

Sweepstakes Casino Affiliates

Affiliates do not licenses to promote sweepstakes casinos. However, the industry faces legal uncertainties and currently operates in what is widely considered to be a grey market.

We do not believe sweepstakes casino affiliates face any legal risk as many of the biggest media partners actively promote these brands.

Online Lottery Affiliates

Online lottery affiliates are not licensed in any US state. There are two types of online lottery affiliate programs available:

  • Online lottery courier services like Jackpocket and TheLotter.
  • State-run online lottery sites in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

States That License Online Gambling Affiliates

Most US states that have legalized online betting require affiliate partners to hold some form of license.

At the same time, regulators do not currently require gambling affiliates to register or license their operations when promoting horse racing, daily fantasy, sweepstakes casinos, and online lotteries.

It is also an interesting example of industry inconsistency that some states require affiliate licenses to promote sports betting, online casinos, and poker sites while not requiring licenses to promote online horse racing betting, daily fantasy sports, sweepstakes casinos, and online lottery sites.

Complicated and overlapping federal gambling laws and inconsistencies in state policies are why that is the case.

For full disclosure, BettingUSA.com acts as a licensed betting affiliate and active vendor in all states where licensing is required.

License RequiredNo License Necessary
ArizonaConnecticut
ColoradoIllinois
IndianaIowa
LouisianaKansas
MarylandMississippi
MassachusettsNevada
MichiganNew York
New JerseyOhio
PennsylvaniaTennessee
VirginiaWashington, D.C.
West VirginiaWyoming

Arizona sports betting regulations require all affiliates to apply for licenses to promote online sportsbooks.

The Arizona Department of Gaming requires applicants to start the sports betting affiliate licensing process by completing an inquiry form for all levels of event wagering licenses.

After the Department receives the inquiry form, it will send the “ancillary suppliers” licensing form to the prospective affiliate.

The Department of Gaming charges a $1,500 initial licensing fee and $500 renewal fee for affiliates.

Resources:

Colorado sports betting affiliates are required to apply for one of two types of licenses from the Limited Gaming Control Commission.

Affiliates who provide marketing services for operators on a CPA basis must acquire a vendor minor license, which involves filling out a relatively simple form and paying a $350 registration fee.

Affiliates who wish to provide marketing services on a revenue share basis must acquire a more involved and expensive vendor major license.

The vendor major license comes with a $1,200 licensing fee plus a $10,000 background check deposit for an upfront cost of $11,200 in total.

The Division of Gaming bills applicants $77 per hour spent by investigators for conducting background checks, along with all expenses incurred by investigators during the investigation.

Resources:

Connecticut does not require affiliates to hold licenses to promote online sports betting and gambling.

A provision in Connecticut law requires licenses for “online gaming service providers,” but it does not provide an exhaustive list of duties that trigger the licensing requirement.

Instead, the law provides examples of duties such as player location verification, identity verification, payment processing, and “other goods or services that the department determines” must be monitored to ensure public confidence in the integrity of online gambling in CT.

As a result, Connecticut regulators have the power to enforce licensing requirements on affiliates, but so far have elected not to.

Currently, affiliates may market online sports betting in Connecticut without licenses.

Useful links:

Illinois does not require sports betting affiliates to acquire licenses.

State law does not specifically state that affiliates need to be licensed, but regulations outline five different types of licenses needed for operators, suppliers, and other key employees.

Among those five types is a Supplier License, which can be applied to:

“any other purveyor of goods, data, or services to a master sports wagering licensee or management services provider licensee, as deemed necessary by the Board if the Board determines that the goods, data, or services impact the integrity or security of the sports wagering operation.”

Illinois law limits affiliate marketers to providing services on a CPA basis only.

Section 1900.340 (f) states:

No licensee may enter into an agreement with a third party to conduct advertising or marketing on behalf of, or to the benefit of, the licensee when compensation is dependent on, or related to, the volume or outcome of wagers.

Useful links:

Indiana licenses sports betting affiliates for CPAs through a simple application, criminal background check, and a $500 application fee.

Indiana has a second licensing tier for affiliates who wish to promote online betting sites on a rev share basis.

Useful links:

Iowa does not require sports betting affiliates to acquire licenses.

State law does not address marketing affiliates. In response to an inquiry, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission said this:

Currently, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) is not licensing marketing affiliates or payment processors. However, licensed operators need to provide a list of companies they are partnering with to IRGC and the licensed operator may be required to submit qualifying contracts to IRGC for approval. 

Note, Iowa does have problem gambling requirements and a voluntary self exclusion program. Each licensed operator is required to submit controls on how they are going to comply with this program.

Additionally, licensees are required to conduct all advertising and public relation activities in accordance with decency, dignity, good taste and honesty.  Certain services on the platform may also require lab certification.

Louisiana law requires sports betting affiliates to acquire non-gaming supplier vendor permits if they receive more than $500,000 per year from licensed operators.

Affiliates earning less than $500,000 per year may operate without permits but must complete non-gaming supplier vendor waiver applications.

Resources:

Maryland law requires sports betting affiliates to be licensed.

Current regulations require vendors to register with Maryland Lottery and Gaming, but define “vendors” in specific terms unrelated to marketing.

We will update this section with Maryland sports betting affiliate licensing details soon.

Useful links:

Michigan law establishes two licensing classes for online gambling affiliates.

Affiliates who receive compensation on a flat fee basis must register with the state as vendors. Vendor registration includes filling out an application and submitting a nonrefundable $200 application fee.

Registrants must also certify that they do not promote illegal online sportsbooks to Michigan residents.

Affiliates who operate on a revenue share basis must hold Michigan sports betting supplier licenses.

Supplier licenses include a $2,500 nonrefundable application fee, background check, $5,000 licensing fee, and $2,500 annual fee.

Resources:

Mobile sports betting is a limited market in Mississippi, but some operators work with affiliates to promote their apps.

State law allows bettors to register from anywhere, but they must complete the KYC process and place wagers while physically located at retail casinos.

Affiliates who secure marketing partnerships with sports betting operators in Mississippi do not need licenses.

Useful links:

Nevada is not a major affiliate market despite having legal sports betting and online poker.

Mobile sports betting is limited by in-person registration, which hampers the effectiveness of online marketing.

Meanwhile, the Nevada online poker market is limited to a single operator, WSOP.com.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) at one point stated it would require online poker affiliates to apply for licenses. Documentation drafted by the NGCB indicated “marketing affiliates” would need to undergo basic background checks, supply their fingerprints and pay $3,000 in licensing fees.

However, it seems those requirements never made it into law as Caesars Affiliates allows affiliates to promote WSOP Nevada on a CPA basis after filling out a simple online application.

In New Jersey, prospective affiliates must acquire vendor registration numbers to promote online betting sites on a flat advertising or CPA basis.

Acquiring a vendor registration number incurs no cost to the affiliate, but a licensed gaming operator must submit an application on behalf of the affiliate.

The affiliate is then given a Vendor Registration Supplemental Disclosure Form to complete and submit to the NJDGE directly.

After approval, affiliates are added to the active vendors list and may work with other operators without re-filing.

New Jersey betting affiliates interested in revenue share need to get an Ancillary CSIE license which requires significantly more information about the affiliate and incurs a non-refundable $2,000 application fee.

To recap:

  • Promoting on a flat fee or CPA basis: affiliates need a vendor registration number
  • Promoting on a revenue share basis: affiliates need an Ancillary CSIE license

The NJ gambling affiliate licensing process originally confused so many operators and markets alike that the NJDGE released this form to clarify the rules regarding affiliates and sub-affiliates.

Useful NJ affiliate licensing resources:

New York online sports betting law does not address affiliates; additional regulations may institute licensing requirements. BettingUSA will monitor developments regarding NY sports betting affiliates and update this page accordingly.

Registering as an affiliate in Pennsylvania is similar to NJ, as are the market options, but the application is quite a bit more complex.

There are two licensing models for online gambling affiliates in Pennsylvania: one for CPA and one for revenue share agreements.

Pennsylvania affiliates are required to get fingerprinted and complete an extensive background check.

Prospective Pennsylvania online gambling affiliates must apply to become registered gaming services providers.

A $500 application fee plus an additional $60 for each direct and indirect owner of 10% or more and a $2,500 registration fee (renewable every 5 years) is required.

Online gambling affiliates who wish to apply for licenses to promote Pennsylvania online gambling sites on a rev share basis must become certified gaming services providers.

This involves a more in-depth and expensive background investigation than what is required to promote on a CPA basis.

Becoming a certified gaming services provider involves filling out three forms

  • Gaming services provider application
  • Gaming services provider holding company form
  • Personal history disclosure form

Rev share affiliates must also pay larger fees:

  • $2,500 application fee
  • $500 for each of the applicant’s holding companies
  • $1,000 for each key employee or principal
  • $5,000 initial licensing fee

Useful PA affiliate licensing resources:

Tennessee sports betting regulations do not require CPA affiliates to be licensed. It is unclear if revenue sharing is an option, but would most certainly require licensing if available

Useful links:

Virginia requires sports betting affiliates to register as vendors to perform marketing activities on behalf of licensed online sportsbooks.

Affiliates can complete the Virginia sports betting vendor application online and must pay a $500 application fee. Vendor licenses are good for three years and renewable for $500.

Resources:

Affiliate marketing opportunities are limited in Washington DC due to GambetDC having a monopoly over district-wide mobile betting.

However, some Class A (stadium) operators work with sports betting affiliates to promote apps that are available within a two-block radius of their partner stadiums.

Affiliates do not need licenses to promote online sportsbooks in the District of Columbia.

West Virginia sports betting affiliates must apply for a supplier license and pay a $1,000 registration fee.

The simple registration form asks for the applicant’s name and business name if applicable, address, phone number, website and $1000 check or money order payable to the West Virginia Lottery.

Applicants must also acquire a WV State Tax Department Business Registration Number and a WV Secretary of State Certificate of Authorization, both of which can be applied for online (provided within the supplier license application).

Resources:

Wyoming does not require sports betting affiliates to acquire licenses of any type.

Resources:

What Are Online Betting Affiliates?

Affiliates are marketing partners that earn commissions for referring new depositing customers to online betting sites.

When a visitor clicks on a referral link or enters a unique promo code, the affiliate is credited for having sent that player.

Affiliate compensation models usually include either a flat fee for each new customer (CPA) or a share in a percentage of each customer’s expenditures (revenue share).

Online gambling affiliate programs are free to join, although the licensing process in several states can be expensive for startups.

It is also worth noting that because of increasing compliance regulations, operators are becoming increasingly more selective in choosing marketing partners, sometimes limiting deals to major affiliate media companies.

It’s fairly easy to get started in the affiliate marketing industry (aside from licensing in some states), but the market is extremely competitive. Online betting can be very profitable for affiliate companies.

The earning potential for betting affiliates is massive, limited only by the number of customers referred to online betting websites. Some of the most profitable gambling affiliate companies make millions of dollars per month.

Tip: Making money as a gambling affiliate is easier said than done. Spamming referral links doesn’t produce results and is prohibited by every reputable affiliate program, plus it’s annoying.

Promoting to qualified prospects who trust you to provide recommendations is how you produce results in the gambling affiliate industry.

I personally know many successful independent gambling affiliates who regularly bring in five and even six figures a month. These are not big corporate affiliates but rather small operations that know how to build websites, produce compelling content, and connect with their readers.

A select few gambling “super affiliates” and large media companies generate seven figures or more in commissions each month. Some of the biggest gambling affiliate companies are publicly traded multi-national companies with hundreds of employees.

Naturally, you can’t expect to see these types of results overnight. It takes time, dedication, experience, and hard work to learn affiliate marketing skills and build trust in the community.

Sometimes, new affiliates can get off to a quick start, generating conversions and earning commissions. Usually, these are recognized experts who bring unique insight and value to customers.

Most new affiliates start out like we did by earning the occasional commission, working for other affiliates, and slowly working up from there.

If you work on revenue share commission plans, affiliates can build up a player base at multiple sites and grow your earnings as your customer base grows.

Eventually, you may have a large database of players who, as a group, produce consistent monthly income.

As those old referrals earn money, affiliates can dedicate resources to attracting new players, increasing monthly income, and replacing inactive customers.

Experiences as an online betting affiliate range from disappointing to life-changing. Remember, marketers who are not “super affiliates” can still generate significant revenue.

A few affiliates have even sold their operations to large digital lead generation companies. Catena Media, Better Collective, XL Media, RakeTech and GDC have actively sought acquisitions as the legal online betting market grows.

Some of these gambling affiliate media acquisitions have run well into eight figures.

Online Betting Compliance Issues

State and federal online betting laws shape the legal landscape in which affiliate companies operate. As a result, affiliates need to be aware of licensing requirements and compliance regulations.

FTC advertising disclosures, privacy policies, and terms of use should all be included on all affiliate websites.

Online horse racing betting and daily fantasy sports are both exempt from federal anti-gaming laws, and fairly safe industries from a legal standpoint as marketing affiliates.

If you live in a prohibited state, you can still safely work as an affiliate and earn commissions referring new customers in states where online betting is legal.

Promoting offshore gambling sites is very likely illegal.

Offshore gambling affiliate programs tempt affiliates with high-paying commissions without oversight or licensing. It is not worth the legal risk to promote illegal gambling websites, and you are likely putting customers’ funds in danger because consumer safeguards don’t exist.

It’s only a matter of time before the government cracks down on rogue operators and affiliates alike.

How Can I Get Started?

There is no standard formula for getting started in the betting affiliate industry but licensing hurdles can prove challenging to some prospective companies.

Thankfully, services like Compliable assist with affiliate licensing and renewal processes.

Start by considering which online gambling verticals to promote, which states to target, and how to generate traffic that converts while staying compliant with local regulations and licensing requirements.

Some affiliates start betting advice websites, offer picks and predictions, or build communities. Sometimes affiliates leverage existing relationships (such as your local fantasy sports league) and specific areas of expertise to find referrals.

The easiest way to start as an online betting affiliate would be to build a website and publish articles/blog posts.

Free content management systems such as WordPress make publishing content fast and convenient, but complex design, tools, and features for your users will likely require the help of a professional unless you have prior experience as a designer and/or developer.

Next, sign up for accounts at betting affiliate programs you personally trust and would not hesitate to join yourself.

In regulated betting markets, most operators have a manual approval process for onboarding new betting affiliates to ensure compliance and verify licenses.

Once your account is approved, you can log in to check stats, get tracking links, and stay on top of the latest promotions.

Publish useful and interesting content with the goal of attracting visitors who trust your information enough to click on your referral links. There are an infinite variety of topics you can talk about, but the one thing to keep in mind is that you should attract people who are likely to be interested in online betting.

The type of content you produce will shape the types and amounts of traffic you generate. Even more importantly, the quality of the information you provide will help you drive more traffic and registrations.

A basic example would be reviews of betting apps and websites. If someone is considering signing up at FanDuel or DraftKings, that person may first run a search for “FanDuel reviews” or “DraftKings reviews.”

In this case, you would spend the time to become an expert on the pros and cons of each brand and deliver it honestly to your readers. Write a review based on your experiences and then ask readers to sign up using your referral links and promo codes.

Side note: You can probably see the conflict of interest there. It can be tempting to write overly positive reviews in the hopes of getting signups. Don’t do that. Be honest in your reviews. It’s OK to point out flaws. You only alienate visitors when you insult their intelligence by giving a glowing review and stuffing it full of affiliate links.

Another example would be to write “how-to” articles for placing specific types of bets, making deposits, or collecting payouts on winnings. Some affiliates write betting strategy articles, provide odds comparisons, or offer picks and predictions in the form of event previews.

Many affiliates now hire journalists and focus on publishing betting news. The possibilities are endless, just be aware that it’s a highly competitive environment.

The hardest part of succeeding as a gambling affiliate is separating yourself and offering value. Other affiliates have already written reviews of betting sites. This is not a unique idea or concept.

If you decide to tackle a topic, I recommend that you write the best factual article, with your own take.  Offer value to your readers that they are not finding elsewhere.

This is how you earn trust and attract repeat visitors. It also helps establish your brand as a trusted authority, which in turn makes people more willing to click on your referral links.

And on that note, be transparent about who you are and what you do. Not only is it required by FTC advertising guidelines, but consumers also have a pretty good nose for sniffing out BS.

Research all gambling brands before promoting them to ensure each operator is reputable, a good fit for the target markets, and provides customers with a safe and secure experience.