One way or another?

[jdwanchalk]

Here is a question for everyone here...

With the status of online poker in limbo for what seems like an eternity, it seems as though we are making progress towards the absolute regulation of the industry.

Some have speculated that affiliates would have to shift their current business models (be it rakeback or CPA) to accommodate the "new wave" operators. These new companies, Harrah's for example, are expected to pay lower CPAs and would not offer rev share. If this happened to come to fruition it would inevitably cut down on affiliates' profitability.

That being said, the regulation and complete legalization of online poker would undoubtedly ensure that the game (of poker) would live a long and profitable life, with no real end in sight.

This leads to my general point, if someone is able to turn a profit playing online and is also making money as an affiliate, would it then be safe to say that they are essentially "set" one way or another? If the affiliating side crashed, a winning player would have an opportunity for profitability through actually playing. By contrast, if it stays like it is now there is a great opportunity for profits as both a player and affiliate. Sure, even with diminished returns a winning player could be both an affiliate and a player under some new type of regulation, but put that aside.

If this all makes sense to you I would appreciate some input. Pretty much everything I do now involves poker, be it playing live (where I am of age anyway), playing online, writing, or working on my own sites, so I am naturally curious as to what the future might hold.

[pokeraussie]

why would you promote a new poker room if you are getting a shitty deal? more competition is usually a good thing, no?

[wjb316]

I'm relatively inexperienced compared to many in here but I think you will always have more potential on the business side of things. The earning potential for most online poker players has a ceiling compared to affiliates.

Unless you become a TV name and release a few books, you won't make as much as a player. Even then, you would be making most of your money from the business side.

If online poker were suddenly regulated, I think you would see a minor poker boom and fishy waters for a while. But online poker and poker strategy has been around long enough that it wouldn't be the same as the old Party days.

Even if the new rooms give out shitty deals, I still think the passive income and things you would learn as an affiliate would translate better over the long term for your earning abilities. Poker is only one thing out of thousands you can do to make money as an online affiliate.

You have to start over every month as a player. As an affiliate, you have a much better deal with passive income. All the while, you're free to add to that income. It's like you get to replicate your efforts every month. As a poker player, you can only work so many hours per month.

One thing I can see that would be good, though, is if you were able to save up a few hundred thousand quickly as a player. It would be a strong short term boost that you could then use to find additional income streams.

[Planet Mark]

Always agree that looking at possible future scenarios is useful... nobody is really sure how a future regulated environment would pan out of course - and lower CPAs / No rev share is just one many possible routes, but worth considering none the less.

So, taking this scenario - the tables refill with recreational players and the available affiliate income is similtaneously reduced... would playing online poker be a good alternative?

Not in a million years for me!

Now, each to their own and good luck at the tables to those who could stand it long term, but I can not think of anything more horrific than playing online poker for a living... isolation, only getting paid by the hours you work and the sheer mindless monotony of multi-tabling - euch!

Personally I think the skills that bring success in poker affiliating are valuable, these could easily be transferred to other areas online (many here are already doing this), so this would be my first choice. If all else failed I would go back to being a corporate slave with associated slave's perks but no individual identity. Writing is always another possibility too - especially for those who could cover a range of subjects.

Anyway, realize that many people enjoy grinding, so each to their own and best of luck to them... just wanted to add an alernative perspective to the debate!

Mark

[pipeline]

It's taken over 3 years to try and put a "ban" on gambling transactions. Why is there a 6 month delay on the UIGEA? Overblocking. What do you think would happen if we had legalized gambling in the US and "illegal" gambling transactions from overseas from the same type of sites. It would be the biggest clusterfuck you could imagine, and the banking logistics of trying to work it out would take so many years, if not impossible to figure out. For that reason alone I see competition remaining, keeping commissions up, and affiliates still making great cpa's/rev shares. That is, after the major buyout of player databases that would occur.

[MJ]

I wish people would stop pushing the harrahs will pay super low CPA line, ask for it and that's what will happen.

Harrahs already opened two online properties outside the US and pay revshare. Even outside of that brand the whole belief makes no sense - in an industry that is high profit, with regulation increasing competition, affiliates will have lucrative oppurtunities. Online dating is competitive which is why you can easily get high rev share, why would gaming be any different?

[jdwanchalk]

I wish people would stop pushing the harrahs will pay super low CPA line, ask for it and that's what will happen.

Harrahs already opened two online properties outside the US and pay revshare. Even outside of that brand the whole belief makes no sense - in an industry that is high profit, with regulation increasing competition, affiliates will have lucrative oppurtunities. Online dating is competitive which is why you can easily get high rev share, why would gaming be any different?

I have no idea as to the idea's validity, was merely repeating what I had been hearing.

[MJ]

Not singling you out, everyone spouts that line and it's likely catching the wrong people's attention lol.

[Planet Mark]

Just a thought, plenty of newer members will have missed various debates on the subject of the Vegas Casinos becoming involved in the online world / potential future for the US poker market.... so here are a couple of links with decent debates / contrasting views:

Vegas Casinos going online?

Where do you see things going?

Could PartyGaming be coming back to the U.S.

Cheers, Mark