I can`t understand. It seems that they are planning bounty campaign, but the same time it looks like that they want to get someone to help with the site only. So the best way is to ask.
About the thread - you are right, it is possible to lock the thread, but it is not good for the marketing. We have a lot of questions right now. And if we will see closed thread - we will add some questions.
Since the company already has an active gambling website, I think it's reasonable to assume they have their own developers. Getting help from someone on this forum has nothing to do with their website imho. The comment that they are in talks with someone here is most likely related to this ANN thread, or maybe they are planning a bounty campaign. I guess we will have to wait and see.
There are a lot of work that can make common user. They can translate articles for example, check errors, probably manage social media accounts. This work is needed and i don`t think that it need developers time. The man to support ANN thread is possible too. And all this works are possible without bounty campaign - this is just correcting mistakes.
And bounty manager can be the same man, that will support the ANN thread.