In Game Ad Network – Some ad spaces within a game are reserved for ads that are ‘swapped out’ or rotated at intervals.  Usually these ad rotations are handled by an advertising network such as MochiAds, CPMstar, AdsB4, GameJacket, etc.

Branding – This is what a portal is buying with the 'traditional' sponsorship model.  The portal is paying the game developer money to insert their splash screen and logos into the game.  Additionally, they usually require a 'more games' button and sometimes integration with their high score system.

Exclusive License – This usually means 'Exclusive Branding License' but could encompass a wide range of terms.

Exclusive Branding License – A license on a game where the sponsor's branding is always on the game regardless of where it is played on the web.  The developer's branding and links are usually allowed. This is the ‘traditional sponsorship’ that was prevalent through 2006 and 2007.  

Restricted Domain License – An exclusive license where the game can only appear on a single website (or collection of sites) determined the by buyer of the license.  This reduces the ability of the game to attract traffic but can give a site unique content that isn't playable anywhere else.  Often this is also time limited, so after a set amount of time (usually 1-4 weeks) the game is able to spread across the web.

 

Time Limited License -  a variant of a Restricted Domain License where the sponsor licenses the game exclusively for a set period of time, and after that time the developer can spread the game to other sites.

Sponsor – When used as a proper noun (A Sponsor): an entity which pays for advertising space within a game. When used as a verb (To Sponsor): paying to get your advertising into a game.

Sponsorship – A deal made between a sponsor and a developer in which the sponsor pays to have their branding/ads in one of the developer's games.

Exclusive Sponsorship – Synonymous with Exclusive License.

Non-exclusive license/sponsorship – A license of the game is sold in a way that isn’t exclusive to the buyer, and the developer still retains complete control and freedom over the game.  Often the only way this makes sense (for all parties) is for the non-exclusive license to apply to a single (or collection of) domain name(s).

Non-exclusive site-locked license – This is the most common form of non-exclusive licenses and it is compatible with the primary license.  There are a lot of forms this can take such as: API integration, In Game Ads removed, Original Sponsors Branding Removed/Replaced, Removing External Links, and all the way to re-skinning the game or changing game play elements.

Primary Sponsor/License – This is currently the ideal license for a game developer.  The holder of the primary license will have their branding in every copy of the game on the web except where the developer has explicitly sold a non-exclusive site-locked version to another company.  The developer has complete freedom to remove the primary sponsor's branding and make any other changes to the game as long as it is licensed and locked to the buyer’s domain.  The developer is also able to use in-game ads (a critical component to maximize earnings).  It is often possible to base the primary license price on the amount of traffic that the game brings the buyer.  

Collective Licensing – A situation where a group of licenses (consisting of one primary license and multiple non-exclusive licenses) are sold for a game before the game's release.  This gives the developer a larger 'collective deal' to compare against a single site’s exclusive offer.

 

Distribution license – a license that gives the owner of the license control over the distribution of the game. This can be exclusive or non-exclusive. Usually the developer will keep or share distribution rights to  their game in a sponsorship, but in some cases the sponsor may want to handle distribution exclusively.