What is revenue share
Revenue Share is the dominant long-term commercial model in iGaming affiliate marketing. Instead of paying a fixed fee per acquired customer, the operator pays a percentage of the NGR generated by referred customers across the duration of the relationship. Standard rates fall in the 25% to 45% range, with higher tiers for top-performing partners and lower tiers for smaller volumes.
The model aligns affiliate and operator incentives on cohort quality. An affiliate paid on revenue share earns more from customers who deposit more, retain longer, and produce higher NGR. CPA-only deals, by contrast, can produce volume that does not retain.
Why revenue share runs on NGR
Revenue share is calculated on NGR rather than GGR because NGR reflects the actual contribution margin the operator earns from a cohort. NGR subtracts bonus costs, loyalty costs, and gaming duties from GGR. Paying revenue share on GGR would shield the affiliate from the costs of acquiring and retaining customers, creating incentive misalignment.
The exact definition of NGR in the contract matters. Which bonuses are deductible, which fees, which jurisdictional taxes: each item has to be specified in writing. Industry-standard contracts spell out the methodology explicitly, and reputable operators are transparent about how the figure is calculated.
Why revenue share matters in B2B
Revenue share is the structural foundation of the iGaming affiliate economy. It determines how much value affiliates and partners can build over time, how operators forecast acquisition cost, and how cohort risk is distributed between the two sides. Hybrid models (CPA plus reduced revenue share) bridge short-term cash flow needs with long-term cohort value. Gamblers Connect tracks affiliate and partner deal structures across the B2B layer of the iHub directory.
Frequently asked questions about What Is Revenue Share in iGaming?
Industry rates typically fall in the 25% to 45% of NGR range, with tiered structures where larger affiliates earn higher percentages. New affiliates often start lower and climb tiers as their volume grows.
NGR reflects the operator’s contribution margin after bonus costs, loyalty costs, and duties are subtracted. Paying on GGR would shield the affiliate from the real cost of acquired customers and misalign incentives.
CPA pays a fixed fee per acquired customer at a defined trigger event (often first deposit). Revenue share pays an ongoing percentage of NGR across the duration of the customer relationship. Hybrid deals combine both.