First-Time Depositor

A first-time depositor, abbreviated FTD, is the standard conversion event in iGaming and sportsbook affiliate programs. Unlike a registration or a free-bet claim, an FTD requires the user to move real money into the operator account, which makes it a far stronger quality signal. Operators typically define an FTD with a minimum threshold (commonly 10 to 20 EUR/USD/GBP) and a verified payment method to prevent low-value or fraudulent deposits from triggering payouts. The FTD rate (FTDs divided by registrations) is one of the core funnel metrics operators use to evaluate both traffic quality and onboarding effectiveness.

Attribution of an FTD back to an affiliate depends on the tracking model. Cookie tracking vs cookieless tracking materially affects which click receives credit, especially as browsers shorten cookie lifetimes. S2S tracking with a unique click ID per visit is the more resilient pattern because attribution is recorded server-side rather than relying on a persistent browser cookie. The attribution window determines how long after the click a deposit can still count toward the affiliate, with 30 days being a common default in iGaming.

FTDs are a frequent fraud target because the payout is large and the verification surface is narrow. Common patterns include bonus arbitrage (depositing only to claim bonuses), multi-accounting fraud (the same person creating many accounts), and bonus abuse (extracting bonus value with low wagering activity). Operators counter these with KYC checks, deposit-to-bet ratio monitoring, device fingerprinting, and applying a commission hold period before the FTD CPA clears. The hold gives time for chargebacks and bonus-only behavior to surface before the payout becomes irreversible.