Online gambling mega-affiliate Catena Media has acquired the US-facing affiliate operations of PokerScout.com.

On Thursday, the Malta-based Catena announced that it had paid $350k to acquire PokerScout, which will “contribute to Catena Media’s brand-first strategy in both the US and global markets.” Catena plans to improve PokerScout’s “usability and visibility” in order to build on Catena’s existing portfolio in New Jersey’s regulated online gambling market.

Many industry observers expressed surprise at the lowball price Catena paid for PokerScout, although perhaps the site’s previous owner was in a cash crunch after his latest operator shakedown attempt came to naught. Hopefully some of the improvements Catena has planned for the site include no longer ‘guestimating’ some sites’ traffic volumes.

Catena has been on an acquisition tear this year as the online affiliate market undergoes the same type of consolidation fever that has seen so many UK online gambling operators marching down the M&A aisle. Catena had already spent around £60m on acquisitions this year before adding PokerScout’s scalp to its lodge pole.