Casino Bonus Guide
| The casino bonus concept has changed a good deal over the years. Thanks to "bonus abusers", online casinos have got wise to players simply trying to profit from free money and the terms and conditions of bonus play have got tighter and tighter. For what it's worth, I no longer take a casino bonus when I sign up - I prefer to know that if I win, I can cashout without any wagering restrictions. But...for those of you who like the idea of a bit of extra cash, then the following may be useful to remember. |
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Casino Bonus Terms To Watch For
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When you accept a casino bonus on signing up with an online casino, it will invariably come with terms and
conditions. These should be clearly outlined on the "Promotions" page at the casino, but they can be quite
complex, so please read them carefully. Here are a few things to watch out for:
Country Exclusions: Some players from countries like Denmark, China, Russia, The Far East and Eastern Europe are often excluded from taking a bonus, or have more stringent terms. This is because more bonus abusers come from those countries than others. Do check before you deposit! Game Exclusions: Many casinos do not allow you to play certain games with a bonus. Invariably these are games which are, or come close to, a 50/50 chance of winning. The trick players used in the past was to wager the whole bonus and deposit in one or two 50/50 bets to double up straight away, thus giving them far more chance of completing the wagering requirement while in profit. Even Blackjack, Roulette and some Video Poker games can now be exempt from bonus play, but not in all cases. Wagering Requirements: All signup bonuses come with a wagering requirement. In the "old days" this might have been as low as 4x the total of deposit and bonus, meaning if you deposited $100 and received an extra $100, you would have to make $800 of bets before you could cashout. These days you are lucky to find anything less than 15x "d&b", although some casinos have lower "WR" but with cashout limits. Another reason to check the T&C's. Sticky Bonuses: A "sticky bonus" is one where you cannot cash out the bonus at all. Sometimes this means you get a better WR, although there is often a max. cashout. When you cash out, the amount of the casino bonus awarded initially is deducted from the amount you withdraw and removed from your casino account. ID and Documentation: Players who choose not to take a signup bonus are generally afforded a more lenient approach to id'ing themselves - depending on the amount of the cashout. However, because of bonus abuse and historical issues of fraud, first time bonus players profiting from the signup bonus will more often than not be asked immediately to send in documents, or scans of, usually including a utility bill, passport or photo-driving licence and copy fo their credit/debit card details. This is pretty normal, and the online casinos featured on this site are reputable enough to trust IMO. But expect it at some point. It's a one-time only thing, so if you stay at that casino, you will not be asked again. |