The pitfall of bonus offers in online casinos

Nowadays there is hardly an online casino which does not advertise with an allegedly attractive welcome bonus. The main aim of the gambling providers is to increase the number of members. In view of the constantly increasing number of online casinos this is no mean feat. To be able to survive the market, the providers must set their services apart from that of the competitors either by providing an exclusive game portfolio or with a lucrative bonus offer. As a potential player one has the privilege to choose the favourite provider and receive significantly higher bonuses then previous times, when there were less virtual casinos. But watch out: There are a number of pitfalls which could be the downfall of inexperienced players.

In the following handbook we would like to explain what motivated gambling enthusiasts should look out for before they simply sign up anywhere and deposit their money.

How do bonus offers in online casinos function?

As a general rule, new customers are awarded with bonus rewards which is a certain percentage of the amount of the first deposit made. Very often the online providers even promise to double the first amount deposited up to a predetermined maximum amount. Example: A 100 % bonus of up to 150 Euro is granted for the first deposit. After the new player has made the first qualifying deposit, besides receiving a credit of the amount deposited, the player will also receive a bonus credit. But can the bonus amount be paid out to the player immediately? Unfortunately not.

Because in order to reach the so-called “disbursement maturity“ the terms and conditions and play through requirements must be fulfilled. Here the management of the provider stipulates what the player must actually do to receive the bonus and eventually convert it into real money which can be disbursed. Most gambling enthusiasts are not aware that many mistakes can be made at this stage which can consequently make the bonus invalid. If one is adequately prepared however one can dodge this pitfall.

Which pitfalls threaten the use of bonus offers?

1. Bonus is not activated: On many platforms the bonus offer will be activated automatically on the first payment. In some cases however an individual bonus code must be keyed in or a checkmark must be placed during the registration or when the deposit is made.
2. “Wrong“ Payment Method: The majority of the bonus offers can be only used when using a particular payment services provider. In the Terms and Conditions there is usually a hidden reference to which methods of payment exclude the player from receiving the bonus when used. Very often no bonus is awarded when Skrill or Neteller are used to process the payment.
3. Minimum Deposit is ignored: Most gambling providers stipulate on their campaign website the minimum deposit amount which must be made. If the first limit falls below this limit, the player is not entitled to a bonus payment. On the other hand, if a deposit exceeds the limit and “too much“ is paid, the player will still receive the maximum bonus amount without having to fear any further consequences.
4. Wagering requirements are not fulfilled on time: The provider stipulates in the Terms and Conditions of Use, how often the total bonus amount and/or deposit amount may be wagered and converted to a game, to ensure that it is paid out. Very often a time frame is also prescribed for this exercise and most of the time it is that of 30 days.
5. Different weightings are ignored: Not all games use the same proportion to convert the bonus in real one. Whereas the turnover of many slot machines is given a weighting of 100 %, in other games the weighting is only 0 to 20 %.
6. Exceeding highest stake per game round: A further provision usually refers to the maximum stake in a round. In the case of many providers one can only make a stake which is not more than 5 Euro per round when using the bonus money. If this provision is not adhered to, one risks that the total bonus credit and all resulting winnings from it are cancelled.
7. Ignoring winning limit: In free game offers especially there is often a maximum win which can be paid out within the promotion and this is usually hidden in the Terms of Use of the Campaign. Those who exceed this limit after the bonus is redeemed, must unfortunately accept the fact that the rest of the credit will be withheld. However for the sake of keeping the players happy, many online casinos do not impose such a limit.
8. Setting up a second account: Setting up a second player account with the same provider to receive the welcome bonus once again is an absolute No-Go. In this case the concerned player will be blocked by the management within a short while and the player is also excluded from any further play.

High bonus amount on its own is not enough

Very often online players with limited experience decide hastily to use a bonus offer as they are impressed with the amount of the bonus. However this is basically the ninth pitfall. Why? Very simple: one cannot judge if an advertising campaign is attractive by the amount of the bonus. In this case the terms and Conditions of Use of the Bonus and wagering which the player has to comply to release the bonus. If this is too strict or there is simply not enough time to fulfil the requirements, then the high amount of the bonus is useless.

Note: Fair wagering conditions are more important than the amount of the bonus to ensure a fast payment.

What makes a bonus really attractive and fair?

Till now we have listed some typical pitfalls to which a significant percentage of “novices“ fall victims to. It is however till now not clear which characteristics and requirements a really player- friendly bonus offer for new customers has to fulfil. Above all a bonus must be honest and the conditions which come with it must be transparent. This means that that those responsible must communicate in a clear way the conditions which must be fulfilled for the bonus to be paid out or as the case may be not paid out. Hereunder we would like to outline our criteria for an especially attractive welcome bonus.

Especially fair conditions of use are those where the deposit amount and the bonus amount can only be covered 30 to 35 times respectively. As many games as possible must here be able to fully contribute to the bonus wagering. The “bonus claimant“ should be given at least a month’s time to unlock the bonus, therefore to fulfil these wagering conditions. Besides this ideally the minimum deposit amount should be between 10 and 20 Euro and thus this would also attract free time players. Further on, activation without a bonus code should also be possible and there should not be a stipulated winning limit.

Conclusion 

Those who do not read the valid Conditions of Use of the bonus beforehand, are in danger of not being able to unlock the bonus in payable real money. As we have found out, there are several pitfalls which could be the downfall of even an experienced gambling enthusiast. For this reason the player should look at every bonus offer with a critical eye and concentrate on the details. This means that one should find out beforehand not only the percentage bonus amount but also the maximum bonus amount. Furthermore one has to look out for a fair wagering requirement, check that there is enough time as well that the minimum deposit amount is as low as possible. This is the only way to guarantee that the credited bonus amount can be “converted” to real money, step-by-step, and also be paid out on request. If all these prerequisites are fulfilled, then the bonus offer is ideal and it can offer potential players peace of mind. Meanwhile many serious gambling providers on the internet make many efforts to set Terms and Conditions for the Campaign which are easily understandable. Very often these are even formulated in point form, thus making them easier to read for potential players.

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