Are you going to make a topic about every site? If I get a merit from someone for posting my opinion in a stake thread, then stake is illegally incentivizing me?
When a person is hired by a manager, that manager is NOT allowed to tell users to post in certain threads. They're not allowed to say post in the company's announcement thread or promotions threads. I think people should try to support a company that has hired them and help keep their topic bumped, but I have never tried to require it for users. Companies have to follow the rules of the forum. People generally post in threads where they have an interest in the subject. Now, there are a few douchebags out there who are chasing a merit and see if they post in a certain thread they have a high chance of getting merited, but it's not illegal for them to do so.
Sportsbet.io is doing nothing wrong IMO.
It might be allowed but it definitely should not be.
Imagine if there are shady practices that happen in the gambling company, a new member goes to complain and the *gang" who are blindfolded by the payments that they receive from their master, attack legitimate complaints and claims?
This is where incentivizing posts within the same thread that the employer is running, goes wrong.
Then you add merit into the mix, people are able to/see that joining this circle jerk gets you ranked up faster, adding to the blindfolded numbnuts in the thread.
It shouldn't be allowed.
If I remember correctly, I contacted LoyceV about this 6-12 months ago, asking if it was worth posting about several members meriting each other in the Sportsbet thread. I ended up deciding against it temporarily, though I am glad the OP has pointed things out. I'll be sending him my research soon too.