Casino Affiliate Program Onboarding for Pro Marketers: 5 Setup Steps to Avoid Tracking Losses

Integrating into a new casino affiliate program as an experienced marketer usually feels like this: you want to launch the offer quickly, but your mind is full of doubts and questions: “What if the tracker misses deposits? What if user payments fail? Will my traffic get cut? And overall, will I even know where my cash is?”. The result always turns into a massive loss of time and money.

However, this can be easily avoided if you approach the process systematically. Today’s brand new 888STARZ Partners step-by-step guide breaks down five steps that let you complete onboarding without losses and with minimal risk. It’s a practical handbook on how to set up everything you need without hassle and under transparent conditions: what to ask your manager, what to check in the dashboard, which tests to run, and how to record agreements so there are no surprises later.

Step #1: Communication with Your Manager and Follow-Up Checks

Any new offer in an affiliate program doesn’t start with creatives or trackers – it begins with a simple conversation with your account manager. You might deposit dozens of times, only to suddenly find that the iGaming offer isn’t even assigned to you in the dashboard, or that payouts are crypto-only while you need online banking. And who bears the blame in such cases? Only you, if you haven’t documented the terms in advance.

Rule #1: Everything you discuss with your affiliate manager should be in writing, either via email or chat. Do not use excuses like “he promised me verbally online”. Save screenshots or copy text somewhere convenient.

Here’s what you need to clarify with your manager:

Offers and GEOs

Right away, ask which offers are actually assigned to you. Request the name and ID, and ask for a screenshot from the dashboard to compare later with what you see. Ideally, your account manager should correctly set up your dashboard – only then can you start working quickly and comfortably.

At the initial stage, clarify if there are any specific restrictions for the selected GEO, such as payments, regulations, etc. Also, remember to ask whether private offers are available for trusted partners and, if so, under what conditions.

With 888STARZ Partners, you can stick to a single agreed-upon offer long-term. If desired, you can negotiate a new deal, and we can always provide special offers tailored individually for each partner.

Payout Model and Rates

Clarify which payout models are available: CPA, RevShare, Hybrid. If you choose a hybrid model, what are the terms for each component? Are there initial caps or minimum payouts? It’s even better to get everything in correspondence, because phrases like “we’ll figure it out later” almost always end with “later on”, meaning that the pre-agreed rate has already changed.

888STARZ Partners offers up to $200 CPA, up to 50% RevShare, or Hybrid deals.

Payments

This is often a major headache. Some programs pay monthly, others weekly. Some pay only in crypto, others via cards or bank transfer. Ask your manager right away what payment methods will be used, the minimum withdrawal limits, and the actual processing times. Are there any holds? It’s best to settle and document all this initially; otherwise, you risk being left without payouts when needed.

On 888STARZ Partners, all payment methods compatible with your GEO are usually available. Depending on the deal type, weekly payouts (every Tuesday) or monthly payouts can be arranged.

Postbacks and Integration

Ask which postback events are supported: click, registration, FTD, deposit, retention, chargeback? What’s the postback format? Request an example. Check if there are ready-made integrations for trackers like Keitaro or RedTrack. If you already use a tracker, ask if the new affiliate network supports it. Even if you haven’t connected a tracker, ask for a complete list of events. If the affiliate program only provides FTD, your control over the funnel will be minimal.

Fraud and Caps

The most unpleasant moment is when deposits get cut because of “fraud”. To avoid such surprises, it’s best to clarify how the affiliate program filters fraud: what counts as a mislead, how traffic is checked, what reasons exist for removing a deposit or cutting it, and how you can appeal in disputed cases.

For reference, 888STARZ Partners has an internal anti-fraud system. We accept most traffic sources except SMS, misleads (motivated traffic, offers with outdated/invalid content), and cross-brand and brand traffic without approval from your personal manager.

Quick checklist on what to check in your dashboard:

• Offers are visible and assigned to your account (check ID/name).
• The payout section shows the chosen partner method and payment frequency.
• You can access statistics (even just aggregated) and check if clicks/registrations/FTDs are displayed.
• Postback documentation and an example string are available.
• Caps and limits (if any) per traffic source are visible.
• Contact for moderation/support is available directly in the dashboard.

What to do if something doesn’t match:

1. If an offer isn’t assigned, don’t generate traffic. Demand it be linked and send you the ID.
2. If a postback string isn’t provided – ask for it (without it, your tracker is useless).
3. If payout methods aren’t in the dashboard, clarify with your manager what documents are required to activate them (scans/receipts/forms).

By the way, 888STARZ Partners’ dashboard is set up “as if for yourself”. Check this link to see what features become available after registration.

Now that you understand the workflow in affiliate marketing, let’s return to the starting point. Here’s a classic template for your email or messenger message: “Hi! I’m planning a launch for [GEO/source]. Let’s lock in the specific terms: offers and IDs, rates, payout model, payment methods, postbacks, and caps. Please send everything in a single text so I can check it and run tests tomorrow”.

Once the groundwork is laid, don’t hesitate to ask: how long does it take to approve terms and open offers in the dashboard? Will it take up to 24 hours, or longer? And who is responsible for urgent edits (manager/moderator) in emergency cases?

Usually, affiliate managers respect this kind of thorough approach. This way, you immediately show that you’re a pro marketer and won’t create unnecessary issues later. A reasonable, professional tone is the key to productive cooperation with your chosen affiliate program.

Notably, 90% of early-stage problems aren’t caused by “bad traffic” but simple oversight. Offer not assigned = then deposits are lost. Postback not set = then tracker will show nothing. Payment method not activated = then payout is delayed. All of this can be solved with one thing: proper dialogue with the manager and documenting all details online. Completing the first step means you’ve already removed half of the risk. After that, you can focus on tracker and postbacks, without running around in panic trying to find your money. Trust me, no one benefits from that.

Step #2: Tracker – Selection and Integration

You know perfectly well that without a tracker, you’re working blind – even if your campaigns are profitable, you won’t know what worked: the GEO, the creative, or the landing page. A common mistake among affiliates is: “I already have my own tracker, I’ll just keep using it”. Later, it often turns out that the affiliate program doesn’t support the necessary functionality, or the API doesn’t send all events.

What to do:

1. Check compatibility. Before launching, ask your account manager which trackers are officially supported (888STARZ team supports Keitaro, but others can also be integrated).
2. Prepare in advance. If you work with multiple affiliate programs, your tracker must handle the entire infrastructure: separate streams, dedicated domains, filters for each GEO, etc.
3. Don’t skimp on paid trackers. Free or “grey” solutions often have constant postback issues and data gaps. At first, this may seem like a savings, but later, you lose your optimization budget.

Pro tip: Experienced affiliates run a test traffic batch (100–200 clicks) before launch to check how data aligns between the tracker and the dashboard. Even a 2–3% discrepancy clearly signals that something is wrong with the integration.

Check out our separate guide to learn more about affiliate trackers and which option suits you best.

Step #3: Postbacks and Events

Without postbacks, your tracker will only record clicks. Many newcomers (and even some experienced marketers) connect only with FTD and think everything is fine. This approach can lose up to half of your funnel data.

What to do:

1. Enable all events. Click → Registration → Deposit → FTD → Retention. This way, you don’t just see whether deposits came in – you see exactly where the funnel breaks.
2. Use custom events. For example, 2nd or 3rd deposit levels are essential signals of traffic quality.
3. Check with your manager. Sometimes, the affiliate program doesn’t send certain events by default – they must be requested separately.

An experienced webmaster usually maintains two control channels: the postback in the tracker and a summary table (e.g., Google Sheets or Google Analytics) exported from the affiliate dashboard. If the numbers don’t match, go straight to your manager. This helps spot “holes” before they eat into your profit.

If you have trouble setting up postbacks, check our short manual for guidance in our blog.

Step #4: Payment Methods and GEO Verification

The problem usually doesn’t appear immediately: you run traffic, see registrations, but FTDs don’t grow. Or even worse – deposits are coming in, but half vanish to an unknown destination. 

Most affiliates fail here: they only check if payment methods are “connected” in the dashboard, but in practice, some methods simply don’t work for a specific GEO. Or, verification turns into a full-blown quest.

What to do during onboarding:

1. Ask your manager for an up-to-date list of methods for your GEO. This is not a general “all possible methods” list but what players actually use locally. For India, for example, UPI/PayTM; Brazil – Pix; LATAM – Mercado Pago. Cross-check this list with public information. A quick Google search or forum check can confirm whether the method is widely used and if there are mass complaints about blocks or declines;
2. Check the player payment flow. How many steps does it take: registration, deposit, verification, cashout? If the process is too long or requires manual document checks, conversion to deposits and subsequent LTV drops. You can even go through the whole payment cycle yourself as a player – if the method and conditions allow it and you have local payment options.

Red flags to watch for:

• Players mass-complaining to support that “money ain’t coming”. Check online product reviews.
• High payment decline rates (>10–15% on first deposits) in a new GEO.
• Verification (KYC) taking two days or more – this kills new-user motivation and slows down LTV.

Pro tip: You don’t always need to “play as a local user” with foreign payment methods. Request a sandbox/test account or test cards from your manager to test the flow without spending money. Always record which data comes in postbacks for transactions: amount, currency, method, transaction_id. This will be invaluable for reconciliation.

Step #5: Test Launch

The most common mistake, even among pros, is to pour a decent budget into traffic immediately and only then figure out why the tracker and affiliate dashboard are showing different numbers. Sometimes the discrepancy isn’t just 2–3 leads, but tens of percent. Your main task is identifying mismatches between the tracker and the affiliate program, plus understanding the real CPA/CR/FTD on a small budget.

How to run the test:

1. Limit budget and caps. Allocate a small budget (e.g., $300–500 or 50–100 leads per source). This is enough to get initial registrations and FTDs without risking a significant loss if something breaks.
2. Reconcile stats. Make sure clicks, registrations, and deposits roughly match your tracker and the affiliate dashboard. A 3–7% difference is normal technical variance. But if stats diverge by tens of percent, stop and investigate. Ideally, you should have pre-agreed offer benchmarks.
3. Check postback bugs. Ensure each FTD triggers the correct signal: amount, currency, transaction ID. If data is missing or duplicates appear, notify your account manager.
4. Monitor update speed. Don’t panic if data isn’t instant – delays of a few hours are regular. But it’s time to dig deeper if a day passes and the deposit hasn’t appeared.
5. Watch for duplicates and lost events. Check click_id/transaction_id duplicates. Losing click_id in postback rows is a red flag.
6. Verify the payment flow. Ensure the test deposit is fully processed: the transaction appears in the postback, shows in the dashboard, and counts as FTD.
7. Run a test deposit. One or two cases (using a card or a wallet) are enough to confirm that the deposit actually goes through and is recorded correctly.

If even one of these conditions isn’t met, scaling up is premature and risky.

To avoid losses, run tests in small batches. Send 50–100 clicks and immediately reconcile stats: how many clicks are recorded in the affiliate dashboard, how many in the tracker, and whether there are discrepancies in registrations or FTDs.

Sometimes traffic cuts for fraud happen through no fault of yours or your analytics. Part of your traffic might be fraudulent because the ad network sold it to you that way. Online casino players vary, and traffic sources are even more diverse. The bad news: some bots and “junk” slip through filters. The solution:

1. Enable built-in anti-fraud in your tracker (e.g., Keitaro or Voluum);
2. Use your own scripts to check User-Agent, IP, and behavioral metrics.

Or at least manually run logs at the start to see who clicks. Yes, it takes time, but you get a clear picture. It also makes your manager’s life easier: approvals come faster when you show test traffic without bots.

Pro tip: You must regularly reconcile stats with your manager – not just at launch but throughout the first few weeks.

Conclusion

Essentially, onboarding is a tactical check: “do things right – get things right”. If you cover the basic steps from the start, the rest of your work runs smoothly and headache-free. Mistakes in postbacks, incorrectly assigned offers, or payout mismatches always result in lost stats and extra costs.

That’s why it’s crucial to lock terms with your account manager and ensure the integration works transparently. When postbacks are in place, payouts are secured, and test traffic aligns with the stats – you can scale safely without risking your budget.

At 888STARZ Partners, the onboarding process is built so experienced affiliates get straight to work. Everything connects quickly, without hacks or extra hassle. Postbacks are transparent, stats match, and payouts are confirmed immediately. The result? Clean analytics from day one, so you can focus on funnels, traffic, and scaling. Want to play big? Start by choosing the right affiliate program!