If you’ve ever been intrigued by gambling online and did some research, you must have seen the abundance of cash bonus promotions online casinos advertise. Cash bonuses are the most popular perk given to new and existing players in online casinos, and one of the main reasons why most people register at a certain place.
However, as good as these offers can be, they are actually not “free” at all and come attached to various terms and conditions. Thus, if you’re new to the whole online casino scene and are interested in claiming an offer, you might want to keep reading for a simple 1-on-1 with the basics.
You have to Meet Wagering Terms
The first thing you say yes to when you accept a bonus offer are the so-called wagering requirements, or wagering terms. Basically, this is a number that will tell you how many times you have to wager your bonus allowance before you can “clear” a bonus you’ve accepted, and thus actually get some cash back from it.
For example, let’s take a casino like netbet.co.uk, which applies 30x wagering requirements on its bonuses. So, if you claimed a bonus of €100 here, for instance, you’ll have to wager a total of €3000 (30x €100) before your bonus terms are met. If you don’t meet the terms, you risk forfeiting any remaining money made with the bonus funds you’ve received. Not entirely free, right?
Bonuses Have Game Limits
Another restriction you have to face when claiming online casino bonuses is the “game contribution”. What this restriction does is that it limits a game’s literal contribution towards meeting your bonus terms. Slots, for example, commonly have a 100% contribution, which means that every €1 you spend on them will be counted as is towards you bonus terms. Games like Roulette, though, usually have a lower contribution of around 10% and up, which means that for every €10 you wager on them you’ll only be €1 closer to meeting your terms. So, make sure you know this before you spend your bonus.
…And Time Restrictions
One of the less-known bonus terms that inexperienced people who join online casinos are unaware of is the time restrictions. Time restrictions state the time-frame by which you have to fulfill all the terms on the bonus you’ve claimed, or you’ll risk forfeiting the winnings you’ve made with that money. The usual time restriction is up to a month, but some casinos might have shorter or even longer time-frames.
You Have to Watch Your Playing
And finally, nearly every casino will clearly state what you can’t do with your bonus money, i.e. how you can bet on the available games and what’s the maximum you can wager. These restrictions exist so that any advantage gamblers won’t try to scam the casino by using advanced betting systems to meet their wagering terms, and they are the final obstacle you have to “clear” before you successfully wager your bonus money.
