RevShare vs CPA vs Hybrid: Which Casino Affiliate Deal Fits You?
Updated 27 October 2026
Ask ten affiliates which deal is best and you will get ten answers, all of them right for their own traffic. The deal model is not a matter of taste. It depends on how many players you send, how long they stay, how badly you need cash this month, and how much variance you can live with. Here is how each model actually pays, with worked examples, and a way to decide.
The short version
| RevShare | CPA | Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You are paid | A % of net revenue from your players, for as long as they play | A fixed amount per qualifying depositing player | A smaller CPA plus a lower RevShare |
| Cash flow | Slow start, grows over months | Immediate | Some now, some later |
| Variance | High: a big player win can hit a month | Low | Medium |
| Best for | Content sites, communities, loyal audiences | Paid traffic, high volume, cold audiences | Growing sites, mixed traffic |
RevShare: you own a slice of the player
With revenue share, you earn a percentage of the net gaming revenue (NGR) your referred players generate. NGR is roughly what players lose, minus things like bonuses, payment costs and adjustments; each programme defines it in its terms, so read that definition. Our glossary covers NGR, GGR and the rest.
At Casino Affiliates Group, new partners start on 25% RevShare and move up, to as much as 50%, based on performance. That 25% applies to players across all six brands in your account.
A worked example (hypothetical numbers)
You refer 20 depositing players in March. Over March they generate $3,000 NGR. At 25%, you earn $750. In April, 12 of them are still playing and generate $1,600: you earn $400, plus whatever April's new players bring. By the end of the year, a site that adds 20 players a month can be earning on a hundred-plus active players at once. That stacking effect is why patient affiliates love RevShare.
The catch
RevShare follows the casino's results, not just the players' activity. If one of your players hits a large win, NGR for that month can be negative. How a negative month is treated, carried forward or reset, varies between programmes; we explain the mechanics in negative carryover explained. With a small player base, one lucky player can swing your month. With a large base, it evens out.
CPA: paid once, paid now
Cost per acquisition pays a fixed sum for each player who meets the qualifying conditions, typically a first deposit at or above a minimum, sometimes with some wagering. The amounts and conditions are agreed per deal and often per country, which is where geo deals come in.
A worked example (hypothetical numbers)
You run paid social campaigns and send 40 qualifying players in a month on a deal paying $X each. You know your income the day those players qualify. If your cost to acquire a player is below $X, you scale; if it is above, you stop. That arithmetic is why media buyers prefer CPA: they can calculate return before spending.
The catch
A player who goes on to play for three years earns you exactly the same as one who deposits once and leaves. Programmes also watch CPA traffic closely for quality, because they pay before the player has proven valuable. Send low-quality players and the deal gets reviewed. CPA rewards volume and honesty; it does not reward building a loyal audience.
Hybrid: a bit of both
Hybrid combines a CPA payment with ongoing RevShare. Usually both parts are lower than they would be on their own, because the operator is sharing risk with you in both directions.
A worked example (hypothetical numbers)
A review site with 8,000 monthly visitors sends 15 depositing players. Under Hybrid it gets a CPA for each qualifying one, so there is money in the account this month, and a RevShare on their play afterwards. If a player wins big, the CPA already paid cushions the month. If players stay for a year, the RevShare part keeps paying.
Hybrid suits sites in their second year: big enough to send a steady number of players, not yet big enough for RevShare variance to average out.
How to choose: four questions
- How many new depositing players do you send per month? Under 10, RevShare variance will hurt sometimes, but CPA may not be offered anyway; RevShare is the usual start. Above 30 or so, any model can work.
- Do your players come back? Telegram channels, newsletters and communities produce returning players. That is RevShare territory. One-off paid clicks are CPA territory.
- Do you pay for traffic? If yes, you need predictable returns: CPA or Hybrid.
- Can you wait? RevShare builds slowly. If you need the site to pay its bills next quarter, Hybrid is a fair compromise.
One more thing: you do not have to choose forever. Many partners start on RevShare, show a few months of data, then discuss Hybrid or CPA with their manager, sometimes per country. With a multi-brand account, your numbers from all six brands are in one report, which makes that conversation easier. See how the models apply here on our commissions page.
Mistakes we see often
- Choosing CPA for a tiny site. Ten players at a CPA is a one-off. Ten players on RevShare might still be paying in two years.
- Judging RevShare on one month. Look at three to six months. A single negative month says little.
- Not tracking by source. If your Telegram players are worth three times your SEO players, you might want different deals per source. You only know that with sub-IDs.
- Ignoring the definitions. What counts as a qualifying player, how NGR is calculated, what is deducted. Read the terms; ask your manager when something is unclear.
Comparing programmes side by side rather than deals? Our comparison hub looks at well-known casino affiliate programmes on deal flexibility, tracking and brands covered. And if you run your own tracker to compare deals across networks, AffTrackers affiliate tracking software is the technology our platform runs on.
FAQ
Which pays more in the long run, RevShare or CPA?
For players who stay active for many months, RevShare usually ends up higher. For players who deposit once and leave, CPA wins. Your audience decides which group is bigger.
What RevShare does Casino Affiliates Group offer?
New partners start at 25% RevShare, rising with performance to up to 50%. CPA and Hybrid deals are also available, including deals by country.
Can I switch deal models later?
Usually yes, by agreement with your affiliate manager. Bring data: a few months of reports by source make the discussion concrete.
Does Hybrid mean lower commissions?
Each part is typically lower than a pure deal, but you get both. It trades some upside for steadier income.