Referral Agreement – 5 Copy & Paste Variations For Your iGaming Business

Referral Agreement – 5 Copy & Paste Variations For Your iGaming Business

Looking to spin up referral deals fast—without reinventing the wheel every time? Below are five lawyer-friendly referral agreement templates tailored for iGaming (casino, sportsbook, poker, fantasy, esports), covering the most common payout models: CPA, Revenue Share, Hybrid, CPL/Lead, and Influencer/Streamer. Each template includes iGaming-specific clauses for compliance, player tracking, fraud prevention, AML/KYC, and responsible gambling.

Disclaimer: These are starting points, not legal advice. Jurisdictions differ (and change often) in how they regulate gambling marketing, affiliate promotions, incentives, data protection, and advertising standards. Have local counsel review before you send or sign.

How to Use These Templates

• Pick the model that fits your campaign KPI (e.g., CPA for deposits, RevShare for LTV plays).
• Replace placeholders like [COMPANY LEGAL NAME], [PARTNER NAME], [TERRITORIES], [RATE], [VERTICALS], [LAWS].
• Attach your Affiliate Program Policy, Marketing Guidelines, and Brand & Compliance Playbook as schedules.
• Confirm tracking method (postback, S2S, GA4, MMP), cookie windows, and accepted traffic sources in writing.

Which Model Should You Choose?

Model	Best For	How You Pay	Pros	Cons
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)	Fast growth; new market launches	Fixed fee per qualifying FTD/player	Predictable CAC; simple	Fraud risk; needs tight validation
Revenue Share	Long-term, quality traffic	% of Net Gaming Revenue (NGR)	Aligned incentives; lower upfront	Accounting complexity; volatility
Hybrid	Balanced growth + LTV	Reduced CPA + lower RevShare%	Shared risk; attractive to top partners	Heavier ops; careful clawbacks
CPL / Qualified Lead	Upper-funnel scaling	Fee per qualified, verified lead	Big reach; cheaper per unit	Lower intent; strict validation needed
Influencer / Streamer	Brand + community trust	Flat fees + trackable bonuses/CPA/RevShare	Audience credibility; creative content	Disclosure, ad rules, and UGC risks

Core Clauses You’ll See Below

• Definitions & Territories (licensed markets only)
• Tracking & Validation (S2S, cookie window, duplicate suppression)
• Prohibited Traffic (incent, brand bidding, SMS spam, minors, self-referrals)
• Compliance (responsible gambling, AML/KYC, ad standards, GDPR/CCPA)
• Payments & Clawbacks (chargebacks, self-excluded, bonus abuse, fraud)
• Data & Privacy (processor vs controller, DPA attachment)
• Term & Termination (for cause, convenience, post-termination payouts)
• Audit & Reporting (log-level exports, reasonable audits)
• IP & Brand (approved assets only, no sub-licensing)
• Governing Law (pick where you’re licensed or contractually comfortable)

Template #1 — CPA Referral Agreement (iGaming)

REFERRAL AGREEMENT (CPA) – iGAMING
This Referral Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between [COMPANY LEGAL NAME], a [JURISDICTION] company with registered address at [ADDRESS] (“Company”), and [PARTNER NAME], a [JURISDICTION] entity with registered address at [ADDRESS] (“Partner”), effective as of [EFFECTIVE DATE].

1. Scope & Appointment
1.1 Company appoints Partner on a non-exclusive basis to refer prospective end users (“Players”) to Company’s iGaming brands: [BRANDS / DOMAINS] in the following territories only: [TERRITORIES] (collectively, “Services”).
1.2 Partner will market solely via approved channels: [LIST] and in accordance with Schedule A (Marketing & Compliance Guidelines).

2. Qualifying Action & CPA Fee
2.1 A “Qualifying Player” means an individual who: (a) is 18+ (or higher local age), (b) resides in an approved Territory, (c) is a new user with no prior account at any Company brand, (d) completes registration and KYC, (e) makes a first deposit of at least [MIN DEPOSIT] within [X] days of click, and (f) places at least [BET/WAGER CRITERIA] as applicable to [VERTICALS].
2.2 For each Qualifying Player attributed to Partner per Section 3, Company shall pay a CPA fee of [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] (“CPA”).
2.3 Exclusions: self-referrals, fraudulent activity, bonus abuse, chargebacks, self-excluded players within [X] days, duplicate accounts, or any user acquired in breach of this Agreement.

3. Tracking & Attribution
3.1 Attribution is based on last-click tracking via [S2S postback / cookie] with a [X]-day attribution window. Company’s tracking platform: [PLATFORM].
3.2 In case of tracking disputes, Company’s logs prevail, provided Company supplies reasonable evidence upon request.

4. Payments & Invoicing
4.1 Payouts are calculated monthly in arrears and paid within [X] days of month-end via [PAYMENT METHOD], net of taxes, refunds, and clawbacks.
4.2 Minimum payout threshold: [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT]. Unpaid balances roll over.
4.3 Company may claw back CPA paid for players who trigger Exclusions within [X] days.

5. Compliance & Advertising Standards
5.1 Partner shall comply with all applicable laws, licensing conditions, and codes including but not limited to safer/responsible gambling, advertising standards, consumer protection, and any regulator-issued guidance in Territories.
5.2 Prohibited marketing includes: targeting minors or vulnerable persons, misleading claims, unapproved bonus language, unsolicited SMS/email, ad content in restricted contexts, and brand-bidding on Company Marks unless expressly allowed.
5.3 All creative must adhere to Schedule A. Company may require takedown within [24] hours.

6. Data Protection
6.1 Each party shall comply with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR/UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA). A Data Processing Addendum (Schedule B) applies when Partner processes personal data on Company’s behalf.
6.2 No sale of personal data. No scraping, data appending, or cross-tenant profiling without express consent.

7. Term & Termination
7.1 Term: 12 months from Effective Date, auto-renewing for 12-month periods unless either party gives 30 days’ notice.
7.2 Either party may terminate immediately for material breach or regulatory/brand risk. On termination, Partner shall cease all marketing and remove Company Marks within 48 hours. Validated CPA accrued pre-termination remains payable, subject to clawbacks.

8. Audit & Reporting
8.1 Company may audit relevant Partner records on 10 business days’ notice, not more than twice per year, to verify compliance.

9. IP & Marks
9.1 Company grants Partner a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to use Company Marks solely for the Services and subject to Schedule A.

10. Liability & Law
10.1 Limitation: Neither party is liable for indirect or consequential losses. Aggregate liability shall not exceed total fees paid in the prior 6 months.
10.2 Governing law and venue: [LAW / COURTS].

Signed:
[COMPANY NAME] ___________________ Date: ____
[PARTNER NAME] ___________________ Date: ____

Template #2 — Revenue Share Referral Agreement (iGaming)

REFERRAL AGREEMENT (REVENUE SHARE) – iGAMING
Between [COMPANY LEGAL NAME] (“Company”) and [PARTNER NAME] (“Partner”), effective [DATE].

1. Model & Definitions
1.1 “Net Gaming Revenue” (NGR) = Gross Wagering Revenue minus: (a) player bonuses, (b) payment processing fees, (c) chargebacks, (d) gaming taxes/levies, (e) jackpot contributions, (f) fraud write-offs.
1.2 Territory, Brands, and Verticals: [DETAILS].

2. RevShare
2.1 Company pays Partner [X%] of monthly NGR generated by Partner-Attributed Players during the earning period.
2.2 Tiers (optional): 0–[X] NGR = [A%]; [X–Y] = [B%]; >[Y] = [C%].
2.3 Negative carryover: [Choose one] (a) No negative carryover; resets monthly. (b) Negative balances carry over to next month.

3. Attribution & Cookie
3.1 Last click within [X] days. Tracking via [S2S/Pixel]. Duplicate/previous customers are excluded.

4. Payment Terms
4.1 Paid monthly within [X] days of month-end via [METHOD], net of taxes and adjustments. Threshold: [AMOUNT].
4.2 Company may withhold payment where reasonable suspicion of breach, fraud, or regulatory risk exists.

5. Compliance, Responsible Gambling & Prohibitions
5.1 Strict adherence to ad codes and safer gambling messaging in each Territory. No interest-based targeting of minors or vulnerable demographics. No claims that gambling solves financial issues.
5.2 Prohibited: brand bidding (unless permitted), coupon sites (if excluded), incentivized traffic, spam, spyware/adware, masked redirects, cookie stuffing, or any unlawful practice.

6. Data, Privacy & Security
6.1 Each party complies with data protection law. DPA at Schedule B.
6.2 Partner shall implement industry-standard security for any personal data it processes.

7. Term, Termination & Post-Term
7.1 Term: 12 months, auto-renew. Either party may terminate for convenience with 30 days’ notice or immediately for cause.
7.2 Post-termination: RevShare payable for [X] months on existing attributed players only, provided Partner remains compliant and responsive.

8. Audit, IP & Law
8.1 Audit rights on reasonable notice. Company Marks licensed solely for approved campaigns.
8.2 Governing Law: [LAW / VENUE].

Signed:
[COMPANY] ___________________ [PARTNER] ___________________

Template #3 — Hybrid (CPA + RevShare) Referral Agreement

REFERRAL AGREEMENT (HYBRID: CPA + REVENUE SHARE)
This Agreement is between [COMPANY] and [PARTNER], effective [DATE].

1. Hybrid Compensation
1.1 For each Qualifying Player (Section 2), Company pays CPA of [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT].
1.2 Additionally, Partner earns [X%] of NGR for that player for [Y] months from first deposit (or lifetime if agreed).

2. Qualifying Player
2.1 New to brand, 18+, KYC passed, first deposit ≥ [MIN], meets wagering criteria [DETAILS], within [X]-day window.

3. Caps & Floors (Optional)
3.1 Monthly cap: up to [N] CPAs; overage by mutual consent.
3.2 Quality floor: if [X%] of acquired players self-exclude within [Y] days, Company may pause or review terms.

4. Tracking, Validation & Clawbacks
4.1 S2S tracking; last click [X] days. CPA clawback if chargeback or self-exclusion within [Y] days.

5. Compliance & Creative
5.1 All content requires pre-approval or must strictly follow Schedule A. Prohibited sources listed in Schedule A-1.

6. Term & Termination
6.1 6-month initial term; renewal by mutual agreement. Termination for breach or regulatory risk is immediate.

7. Miscellaneous
7.1 Governing law: [LAW]. Dispute resolution: [ARBITRATION/COURTS].
7.2 IP license limited, revocable.

Signatures:
[COMPANY] ___________________ [PARTNER] ___________________

Template #4 — CPL / Qualified Lead Referral Agreement

REFERRAL AGREEMENT (CPL / QUALIFIED LEAD)
Between [COMPANY] and [PARTNER], effective [DATE].

1. Qualified Lead
1.1 A “Qualified Lead” is a unique individual who: (a) submits complete and valid registration data via approved forms, (b) consents to contact, (c) passes basic validation (email/SMS/duplicate/IP), and (d) resides in [TERRITORIES].
1.2 Optional “MQL/SQL” stages: MQL (validated lead) billed at [CPL]; SQL (account created + KYC started) billed at [CPL_SQL].

2. Pricing & Caps
2.1 Partner earns [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] per Qualified Lead. Weekly cap: [N]. Traffic pacing: [DETAILS].
2.2 Invalid leads (duplicates, bad data, non-consenting, minors) are not billable and are shared in rejection logs within [X] days.

3. Traffic Policy
3.1 Approved sources only: [LIST]. Prohibited: incent, co-reg without written consent, SMS/email without compliant opt-in, brand-bidding, and any unlawful ad.

4. Validation & Evidence
4.1 Company will provide daily/weekly validation files with accept/reject flags and reasons.
4.2 Disputes resolved within [X] days based on log-level evidence.

5. Privacy & DPA
5.1 Partner represents and warrants that all lead collection complies with GDPR/UK GDPR/CCPA and applicable ePrivacy/consent rules. DPA at Schedule B.

6. Payment, Term & Termination
6.1 Monthly invoicing; net [X] days. Threshold: [AMOUNT].
6.2 Termination for convenience on [30] days’ notice; immediate termination for breach. Governing law: [LAW]. Venue: [COURTS].

[COMPANY] ___________________ [PARTNER] ___________________

Template #5 — Influencer/Streamer Referral Agreement (Twitch/YouTube/Discord)

INFLUENCER REFERRAL AGREEMENT – iGAMING
This Agreement is between [COMPANY] and [INFLUENCER NAME/BUSINESS], effective [DATE].

1. Services
1.1 Influencer will create and publish content promoting [BRANDS/DOMAINS] on [CHANNELS: Twitch/YouTube/Instagram/TikTok/Discord] during the Term: [DATES].
1.2 Deliverables: [# Streams/Month], [# Posts/Reels/Shorts], [# Stories], unique referral link/code, and one pinned panel with approved CTA.

2. Compensation
2.1 Base Fee: [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] per month (or per deliverable).
2.2 Performance Bonus: CPA of [AMOUNT] per Qualifying Player (Section 5) and/or RevShare of [X%] NGR for [Y] months.
2.3 Milestone Bonuses (optional): [DETAILS].

3. Brand & Compliance Guidelines
3.1 Strict adherence to Schedule A (Responsible Gambling messaging, age gating, disclosures such as #ad/#sponsored/#18+, platform policies).
3.2 Prohibited content: claims gambling is a financial solution; targeting minors; depicting irresponsible play; unsubstantiated odds or RTP claims.

4. IP & Rights
4.1 Influencer retains ownership of content; grants Company a non-exclusive, worldwide license to repost and advertise content for [X] months with attribution.

5. Tracking & Qualifying Players
5.1 Referral links/codes tracked via [S2S or promo code]. Qualifying Player criteria: [KYC, FTD min, wager requirement, territory].

6. Disclosures & Platform Policies
6.1 Influencer must comply with FTC/ASA/CAP or relevant regulator rules, and platform-specific gambling policies. Disclosures must be clear and prominent.

7. Term, Morals & Termination
7.1 Term: [X] months. Either party may terminate for breach, reputational harm, or regulatory risk with immediate effect. Company may pause campaigns during major incidents or licensing changes.

8. Payment & Reporting
8.1 Monthly report with views, clicks, CTR, geo, and content links. Payment net [X] days.

9. Law & Venue
9.1 Governing law: [LAW]. Dispute resolution: [COURTS/ARBITRATION].

Signed:
[COMPANY] ___________________ [INFLUENCER] ___________________

Schedules You Should Attach (Placeholder Headings)

Note: The following are placeholder headings for schedules. Attach your own detailed schedules or consult legal counsel to draft them.

• Schedule A — Marketing & Compliance Guidelines: Approved claims, bonus disclosures, mandatory responsible gambling lines, age gates, geo restrictions, creative review process, brand bidding rules, list of prohibited traffic.
• Schedule A-1 — Prohibited Traffic: Incent, coupon, co-reg (without consent), SMS/email without opt-in, push-notification networks (unless approved), adult/violent content adjacencies, toolbar/adware, traffic brokers/resale, emulator/VPN traffic.
• Schedule B — Data Processing Addendum (DPA): Controller/processor roles, sub-processors, security measures, cross-border transfer mechanism, data subject rights workflow.
• Schedule C — Payment & Reporting Specs: File formats (CSV/JSON), S2S postback parameters, fraud flags, time zone/currency, validation windows, invoice sample.

Negotiation Tips (From the iGaming Trenches)

• Write your definitions as math. Put your NGR formula in the contract. Ambiguity costs money later.
• Cap the unknowns. For new partners, use monthly caps and quality floors; expand after proof of quality.
• Track with S2S. Pixels break; server-to-server with signed parameters is your friend.
• Audit real logs. Add a right to request log-level exports (hashed IDs) for reconciliation.
• Protect the license. If a market loses a license, allow immediate pause/termination without penalty.
• Responsible gambling first. Require age gates, geo filters, and clear help links. It’s the right thing—and regulators notice.

Conclusion

You don’t need a 20-page contract to run a clean, compliant referral program—just precise definitions, transparent tracking, and clear rules. Grab one of the templates above, attach your schedules, and customize to your markets and brands. Then go build partnerships you’ll still be happy with a year from now.

FAQ

Do I need different agreements for casino vs. sportsbook?
Often you can use one agreement with vertical-specific schedules (casino/sports/poker). Just make sure Qualifying Player and NGR definitions fit each vertical.

What’s a fair RevShare %?
Common ranges: 20–40% of NGR. Higher percentages usually come with tiered volumes, longer lock-ins, or limits on negative carryover.

Should I allow brand bidding?
Default to no. If you do, whitelist exact terms, position limits, and add bid ceilings. Require sharing search terms and creative—and reserve the right to revoke instantly.

How long should post-termination RevShare last?
Many deals grant 6–24 months on existing players if the partner remains compliant. Lifetime is rare and should be priced accordingly.

What about sub-affiliates?
Allow only with written consent. If approved, require the same rules, visibility on sub-IDs, and direct takedown rights for non-compliant subs.