Poker affiliate programmes work a little differently to casino or sportsbook deals, because the operator’s own revenue comes from rake rather than a house edge on player losses. That distinction matters when you are comparing offers, since it changes how commission is calculated and what counts as revenue in the first place.
Here is what to look for in a poker affiliate programme, along with some of the networks that come up most often when affiliates compare notes in 2026.
How Poker Affiliate Commission Is Actually Calculated
- RevShare on rake: Most programmes pay 25% to 35% of the rake generated by referred players, for as long as those players remain active.
- Monthly Gross Revenue, not gross rake: The detail that catches out a lot of affiliates is that commission is usually based on Monthly Gross Revenue, meaning bonuses, loyalty rewards and rakeback paid to the player are deducted from gross rake before your percentage is calculated.
- CPA for first-time depositors: A fixed fee is paid once a referred player makes a qualifying first deposit, which suits affiliates who prefer certainty over a long-tail RevShare payout.
- Negative carryover: Views differ on how much this actually applies to poker specifically, since commission is generally tied to rake generated rather than whether a player wins or loses at the table. It is still worth confirming a programme’s exact policy, since some networks apply casino-style carryover rules across their entire portfolio, including poker.
Poker Affiliate Programmes Worth Comparing
WPN Affiliates (Winning Poker Network)
WPN Affiliates promotes the Winning Poker Network brands, including Americas Cardroom and Black Chip Poker, which share a large combined player pool aimed largely at international traffic. The network is known for competitive rakeback deals and was an early mover on crypto poker payouts, offering CPA for first-time depositors alongside separate rates for casino and sports verticals under the same umbrella.
PokerStars Partners
PokerStars carries the strongest brand recognition of any name in online poker, which makes traffic conversion comparatively easy. The trade-off, according to affiliate reviewers, is a commission structure that is more complex to navigate than smaller networks, along with a negative carryover policy that affiliates should read carefully before committing significant traffic.
GGPoker Affiliates
GGPoker has grown quickly on the back of a large international player pool and an aggressive tournament and promotional calendar. Its affiliate programme is increasingly popular among poker-focused publishers specifically because of that traffic depth, though as with any large network it is worth confirming current commission tiers directly rather than relying on headline rates alone.
CoinPoker
CoinPoker stands out for a flat rakeback style structure aimed at crypto-native players, reported at a flat 33% weekly cashback on the platform’s rake equivalent, paid in its native token. This makes it a distinctive option for affiliates whose audience already plays or holds cryptocurrency, though the value of the deal is naturally tied to the token’s own performance.
What Separates a Good Deal From a Great One
A high headline RevShare percentage means little if it is calculated after bonuses and rakeback are stripped out of gross rake. Before committing to a poker affiliate programme, it is worth asking directly how Monthly Gross Revenue is defined, what qualifies a player as a first-time depositor for CPA purposes, and whether the network applies any negative carryover to poker specifically or only to its casino and sportsbook verticals.
Final Thoughts
The strongest poker affiliate programmes are transparent about how rake converts into your commission, not just what the top-line percentage looks like. WPN and GGPoker suit affiliates building around international cash game and tournament traffic, PokerStars suits those who can absorb a more complex commission structure in exchange for brand-driven conversions, and CoinPoker is worth a look for crypto-native audiences specifically.
For more on why the affiliate business model is being rewritten across iGaming, or to catch up on our latest games industry coverage, explore the rest of Business of iGaming. If you are building a content strategy around poker affiliate traffic, get in touch with our team.
