What is an affiliate?

What is an affiliate? A plain definition

An affiliate is a business that promotes another company's product and gets paid for the customers it sends. In online casinos, the affiliate is usually a review site, comparison site, streamer or newsletter, and the company paying it is the casino.

The link between them is the affiliate program: the casino's scheme for signing up affiliates, giving them tracking links and paying commission. This site is one of those affiliates. We're paid by seven partner casinos, and we disclose it. For a deeper look at the money side, read how affiliate casino sites make money; for other short answers, try our casino questions page.

Three meanings of 'affiliate' at online casinos

The same word turns up in three quite different contexts. Knowing which one you're reading saves confusion.

Most of the time, a casino page that says 'affiliate' means the first. Ownership pages, such as who owns SlotoCash, deal with the second.

Casino affiliate terms, defined

Exclusive offers are why the bonus via our link can differ from a casino's own package. SlotoCash's own welcome bonus terms (opens in a new tab) describe $7,777 plus 300 spins over five deposits, while the offer via our link is $6,000 plus 60 free spins. Our bonus codes guide explains how linked offers and codes fit together.

Affiliate offer vs the casino's own bonus: the gap in dollars

Because affiliate links can carry their own offers, the headline you see here often differs from the package on the casino's own site. This table sets the two side by side for four partners. The casino's own figures come from its pages; the linked offers were supplied by the site owner on October 28, 2026.

Neither column tells you the value on its own. Wagering, max cashout and eligible games decide that, and the terms shown at sign-up are the ones that apply. Miami Club's Terms of Use (v2.1, September 28, 2026, section 1.6) list the United States as a prohibited jurisdiction, while the site owner's affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm eligibility when you register. Compare offers with our guide to comparing casino bonuses, or see the Miami Club welcome bonus and Silver Oak welcome bonus pages.

Affiliate vs casino: who is responsible for what

An affiliate publishes information and links. It doesn't hold your deposit, can't approve a withdrawal and has no say over your account. Those jobs belong to the casino.

• The casino sets bonus terms, wagering, max cashout and withdrawal caps.
• The casino runs ID checks; partners ask for photo ID and proof of address before payouts.
• The casino decides disputes. SlotoCash's terms, for example, require disputes within 14 days.
• An offshore casino isn't licensed by any US state, so there's no state regulator to take a complaint.

If something goes wrong, contact the casino first. Our page on how to complain about an online casino sets out the realistic options for offshore sites.

Affiliated casinos: sister brands and shared ownership

Casinos are 'affiliated' when they share an owner, operator or platform. That matters because sister brands often share terms, support and payment processing, and complaints about one can hint at problems at another.

SlotoCash and Miami Club are widely reported as Deckmedia N.V. brands, and Miami Club's support page (opens in a new tab) says it's part of the Deckmedia affiliate program. Miami Club's published Terms of Use (opens in a new tab) (v2.1, September 28, 2026, section 1.6) list the United States as a prohibited jurisdiction, while the site owner's affiliate program confirms US players are accepted, so confirm eligibility at sign-up. See who owns Miami Club Casino.

An LCB forum thread describes Silver Oak, Planet 7, Royal Ace and Slot Madness as sister brands. Silver Oak's terms name Primrose Media Limited; reviewers name Primrose Media Limited, Ace Revenue Group and others for the rest. Michigan's regulator named Silver Oak and Planet 7 in the same April 9, 2025 release (opens in a new tab), and Slot Madness on August 14, 2025; Royal Ace appears in none of the releases.

When US law uses the word 'affiliate'

State lawmakers have started to name affiliates directly. Oklahoma's SB 1589 took effect on November 1, 2026. It bans online casino games and dual-currency sweepstakes, and a bill summary reports that liability extends beyond operators to promoters and media affiliates.

That's one reason our Oklahoma page carries no offers, and neither do our Michigan or Washington pages. Other states regulate casino marketing differently, and federal law doesn't make placing a bet a crime for the player. For the wider picture, see cease-and-desist letters and how regulators use them.

An affiliate referral, step by step

Here's what happens when you use an affiliate link, and what you should check at each stage.

1. You click an offer on an affiliate site. Check that the page that opens is on the casino's own domain, not an unofficial mirror site.
2. You register. Use your real details; casinos verify them before any payout.
3. You see the offer tied to the link. Read the wagering, max cashout, minimum deposit and eligible games.
4. You deposit. The casino records the referral, and the affiliate may later earn commission.
5. You play and, if you win, withdraw under the casino's caps. The affiliate plays no part in this.

Worked example: under SlotoCash's published terms, a $100 first deposit with a 200% match adds $200, and 25x wagering on deposit plus bonus means $7,500 in bets before you can withdraw bonus winnings. The affiliate link doesn't change that figure; only the casino's terms do. Our mirror site glossary entry covers step one.

How to tell if you're reading an affiliate site

• A disclosure mentioning commission, partners or paid links.
• Offer boxes and 'claim bonus' buttons next to reviews.
• Links that pass through a tracking domain before reaching the casino.
• Rankings that only include certain brands.

None of these means the information is wrong. They mean you should look for sources, dates and balance, as our answer on why trust this site explains.

Responsible affiliates vs bad ones

A responsible affiliate tells you it's paid, explains the law in your state honestly, puts bonus terms in dollars, reports regulator actions against its own partners and promotes safer-gambling tools. A bad one hides commission, calls offshore casinos lawful everywhere, quotes codes without terms and pushes urgency.

Gambling is entertainment that costs money, and the house edge means losses are likely over time. If it stops feeling that way, the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) offers free call, text and chat support through NCPG's help and treatment page (opens in a new tab). Our editorial policy sets out the standards we hold ourselves to.

Casinos we're an affiliate for, with offers via our links

We earn commission on the offers below. Slot Madness, SlotoCash and Decode are offshore casinos, not licensed or regulated by any US state, so check your state's law first. Offers are for new players, 21+ (18+ where allowed), and terms apply.

Slot Madness: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report the MAD275 code (275% up to $2,750, or 'unlimited' in another review) at 30x bonus plus deposit, a $30 minimum and no max cashout. It's reported not to accept Ohio players.

SlotoCash: $6,000 Welcome Bonus + 60 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Its own terms set 25x on deposit plus bonus, a $20 minimum per bonus, a $10 max bet and no max cashout, and its site advertises a different package, so the terms at sign-up apply.

Decode: $5,000 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report codes such as DECODE111 (111% up to $1,111, 25x bonus plus deposit, $25 minimum); codes change. It's reported not to accept players from Maryland, New Jersey, New York or Washington. Bonuses are slot-focused; table games are usually excluded or weighted lower. Browse our best slots casinos for more.

21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).