Spotlight - PokerTableRatings.com

[Beanie]

It's great that you are looking at this with eyes wide open, a lot of poker training sites have made perfect examples of how it's difficult to use rakeback to help acquisition and also try to build relationships with affiliates.

I've always maintained it's an easy bridge to fix, sounds like it's already on your agenda. Thanks for the replies Sam.

PokerTableRatings is banned by most sites, the others just aren't paying attention. Who owns PokerTableRatings, who are they? Oh wait, now we know it's some random guy named Sam. I am not exactly sure why this site would legitimize what you guys are doing but if you are willing to steal from people that don't want you to steal from them (and continually asking you to stop). Why wouldn't you steal from affiliates. I mean it's not like you have any reputation in the industry.

So let's start here SAM, what's your info, who is your company and why should we believe that you have good intentions as it relates to affiliates when you have had nothing but bad intentions for both customers and online poker sites?

I look forward to your answer.

[PTR]

I can only speak to matters directly related to our affiliate program, as that is my role in the company. If you have any complaints or comments unrelated to our affiliate program please direct them to our customer service department at info@pokertableratings.com.

Please feel free to courteously ask me any questions you have about our affiliate program.

[Newjabber]

I can only speak for myself, but if you cant/wont answer the question, or get someone to come here who can, i dont think you will get a lot of affiliates onboard! But thats just my oppinion.
Your last reply surely got me on alert.

[Beanie]

PokerStars flat out has you guys as prohibited, Full Tilt is apparently asleep at the wheel but does prohibit your site while people are playing (of course you guys don't mention that fact to the people that visit your site possibly putting their accounts in jeopardy).

PokerStars - Third Party Tools & Services - PokerStars Poker Room

Online Poker at Full Tilt Poker - Legal Information: Prohibited Programs

No one authorizes you to sell your pirated data (Full Tilt specifically mentions it as you scroll down) which you are peddling for us to sell for you, so as I see it that is a pretty relevant question as it relates to affiliates because wouldn't it be fairly easy for sites to track down that we are selling your stolen data (since banners would be on our sites and all). Aside from all of that when I am selling myself or my company I start off by saying "Hi, my name is Paul Nobles but people do indeed call me Beanie" I own ......

It would seem to me that if you are asking us to trust who you are then that should be step 1.

Lastly (it's an affiliate question) what happens to all of the rakeback people we refer to you when the sites figure out a way to shut down your data collection? If we knew who you were and could call you as an example maybe we would be comforted, or maybe we should just email info@pokertableratings.com (that hasn't done much for all of the people that want to opt out of your database).

[TonyG]

I have worked closely with Sam on a few projects for the last six months. He has been nothing but superb in his business practices and has honored his end of our partnership since it's inception.

[Beanie]

So essentially for rakeback people would have a deal with PAS? I think most people would be comforted by that but would likely just be better off going with PAS rather than some rogue company that steals poker players data and possibly gets their accounts shut down.

You know I have always had a problem with you guys having a relationship with them, that is no secret, in effect they benefit from my relationship with you. I personally think anyone supporting their company is doing wrong by the poker industry and the online poker companies that they represent.

Sam might be the greatest guy on the planet but Sam works for some people who would rather remain anonymous because of their illicit business practices. How many times do we have to go down this path before someone realizes that it is the wrong direction?

[Ridge]

Ok, so is PTR doing Rakeback with Rakebrain or PAS? Sorry this thread has me confused now. I'm not even 100% sure what the product is, is it datamining software? then you are selling datamined HH's?

[PTR]

I can only speak for myself, but if you cant/wont answer the question, or get someone to come here who can, i dont think you will get a lot of affiliates onboard! But thats just my oppinion.
Your last reply surely got me on alert.

I agree that trusting your partners in this business is very important. In an industry where virtual signatures and verbal agreements play a large role in binding partnerships, testimonials of our current and past satisfied partners are the best assurance I could offer you.

[PTR]

Ok, so is PTR doing Rakeback with Rakebrain or PAS? Sorry this thread has me confused now. I'm not even 100% sure what the product is, is it datamining software? then you are selling datamined HH's?

We work with both Rakebrain and PAS. Our partnership with PAS has been more for revshare/CPA. though it continues to grow.

Currently on our site we sell HH, both as a one time and subscription based. We pay our affiliates commission on both.

[Jeremy]

I know there's a lot of varying opinions on the product itself, fair enough. I think everyone can form their own opinion on that. But I don't think your going to find many people in this industry, whether it be operators, affiliates, owners, etc. that are going to be willing to post all their ownership information on a public message board and not remain anonymous.

If this were the case how come virtually every skin or poker operator is "owned" by some holding company located outside the U.S.

I'm just saying anonymity is nothing new in this industry.