Gambling Affiliate Programs constitute a reward system for advertisers that bring traffic and new players to the gambling website. The reward is commonly paid in a commission format. CPA, or Cost per Action, is one of the popular commission types. Online casino CPA offers vary in amount and the type of action required from the player.
Case study
Before we dive in, let us look at a case study of how CPA works. P4P Partners gambling affiliate network offers a Spades Queen casino affiliate program with CPA between 100 and 500 EUR. This CPA is paid for player registration and deposit. 
This means that the advertiser promoting the online casino website receives a fixed amount for each player who follows the link to the online casino from their website, completes a registration process, and makes a deposit in the said casino. Registration and deposit are the very Actions for which the Cost is paid.
Nature of CPA
CPA is occasionally referred to as Cost Per Acquisition. Though it is technically a mistake, it reflects the true purpose of gambling affiliate programs – customer acquisition. After signing-up, making a deposit, and sometimes completing a KYC procedure, the casino rightfully considers a player acquired.
CPA is a fixed rate calculated for the number of new players the advertiser refers to the online casino. In order to keep profiting from CPA commission, the affiliate has to continuously promote the gambling website and bring steady traffic to it. Nevertheless, CPA is a straightforward way to profit from a gambling affiliate program suitable for novices.
CPA Variations: CPL and CPC.
- CPL, or Cost Per Lead, usually requires only a simple sign-up or submission of contact data from the potential customer, such as an email. CPL campaigns effectively create a large mailing list of possible future players.
- CPC, or Cost Per Click, offers a price for each click on the link or ad. This commission ranges anywhere from less than a cent to $50+ depending on the scale of the promotional campaign.
Types of Actions Eligible for CPA
The affiliate is rewarded for certain actions of the potential online casino player.
- Registration involves creating an account, subscribing for newsletters and promotions, or registering in certain promotions and tournaments.
- Deposit is a more tangible action and, therefore, more highly rewarded. Making a deposit entails submitting banking details and having a strong intention to play and generate profit.
- Click. Though not often used in gambling affiliate programs, clicks gauge exposure and may result in subsequent interest in the gambling website.
Ways of Tracking the Actions
The biggest question for a first-time affiliate is how do online casinos know that a certain new player came from the affiliate’s website or channel. Ways of tracking the player back to the specific affiliate include:
- Cookie tracking
Cookies drop each time someone uses the ads and banners on the affiliate’s website to transfer to the online casino’s website. These cookies link the new player to the affiliate whose website they came through.
- Personalized links
Sometimes online gambling websites allocate a unique link for each affiliate to simplify the tracking.
- Promotional codes
An affiliate with significant traffic may receive a personal promotional code, and players that use the code will be automatically linked to that affiliate.
Conclusion
CPA commission is a good starting point for new affiliates. It is a fixed sum paid after specific player actions and the affiliates can use it to promote their own platform. Rewarded actions include registrations, deposits, and clicks. They are tracked via cookies, promo-codes, or personal affiliate links. CPA being an easy-to-understand and tangible reward, makes it a popular choice in gambling affiliate marketing.
