I have seen some people that have only one down as affiliate marketers and they are not making any attempt to make any improvement to that situation, this could be the reason why some people see affiliates as a waste of time.
I think you're on point to that considering being an affiliate means you need to have good connections across most industries. What I mean on across industries is that anywhere you'll find a gambler, they might not be seen on their physique but we have lots of gamblers. These days to be an affiliate means you need to try all platforms where you will need those links, you'll never know who you might end up convincing.
Sometimes the referral stuff looks boring to people and tiring. The bonuses when it is small is usually a turn off for many and instead of using the affiliate link they could decide to jettison it. I don't really look at bonus at registration that will be given but the real package that the casino has. Going for the is better sometimes than looking at what comprise the bread.
I agree that it's important to look at the whole package that particular casino offers and choose the best options. Although, there is not much difference, it's just the nuances that differs.
Often referral stuff takes too much effort and too much time for very little result and that is just another feature to attract players but you can't count that you will benefit much from it. Gamblers who think that referral bonuses are something they can make money or are very wrong. You should just focus on playing.