I was chatting with my Auntie a couple of weeks ago and it was the first time we’d spoken for a while.
I told her a little about what I’ve been up to of late and, to my surprise, we found some common ground – online casino gameplay. It turns out she’d seen a TV ad and thought she’d give it a whirl. She’s now found herself a new hobby, at the ripe old age of 58.
That conversation with my Auntie was a timely reminder of the growing, increasingly widespread appeal of gambling in the modern world. The industry has reached an entirely new audience and broader demographic, and the resulting stats are compelling. Surveys suggest nearly 50% of UK residents gamble regularly, while the figure is much higher in the United States. Gambling is different these days, and one obvious contributory factor lies at the heart of the change: the rise of the online gaming.
The Growing Popularity Of Online Casinos
It’s easy to understand why the best online casinos are so appealing. The games are bright and perfectly suited to mobile technology. They also allow people to play in comfort or on the move. Online slots, one of the most popular types of game, are easy to understand and finite in nature; players can dip in and out of them at will. It’s the perfect pastime for modern day tastes and trends.
The mass appeal of online gaming has created plenty of choice for enthusiasts. New online casinos pop up every week, and competition is fierce. The various brands are constantly searching for innovative ways to attract fresh business, but one marketing ploy has remained constant: the welcome bonus. Casinos use the bonuses to entice new players, who benefit from a little ‘something for nothing’. Most of us love online casino welcome bonuses, but how many of us truly understand them? Let’s explore them a little further.
Introducing Online Casino Bonuses
Online casino bonuses are great for players, if they weren’t, they wouldn’t be much use. But sites wouldn’t last very long if they dished out freebies with no hope of a return. That’s why most bonuses come with certain conditions, which limit the prospect of the casino ‘losing out’ when players use their bonuses.
The concept of ‘wagering requirements’ are central components of these conditions, and you’ll need to understand what they are and how they work to grasp the full picture. We’ll explore both wagering requirements and other bonus T&Cs in more detail below, but let’s quickly run through the types of bonus you can expect to receive in a standard welcome bonus package first.
Types Of Bonus
Online casinos can be broadly separated into five categories. A typical welcome package will include one, some, or all of these elements in different combinations:
- No Deposit Bonus – You’re under no obligation to deposit before you receive this type of bonus, you will simply receive it when you register with a site. Sometimes, casinos will offer free cash, but that’s rare. You’re more likely to receive a small number of free spins, such as the 25 no deposit free spins offered by NetBet.
- Free Spins – Otherwise translated as ‘free rounds’ on a video slot, if you’re given 30 free spins, you can play the game 30 times for free. Typically, you can only stake the lowest amount possible on a nominated game.
- Cash Match Bonuses – The casino pledges to match a designated proportion of your deposit. 100% bonuses are most common, and the easiest to calculate. If you deposit €100 and in doing so, activate a 100% deposit, the casino will provide you with another €100 in bonus cash, effectively doubling your money.
- Cash Back Bonuses – This type of bonus provides you with a bit of insurance when you play online games. The casino will pledge to return a percentage of any losses incurred if you’re luck’s out. So, if you lose €50 but benefit from 10% cash back, you’ll receive €5 back in bonus cash.
- Reload Bonuses – So named because you receive your bonus when you ‘reload’ your account (ie. deposit again), some casinos offer this type of bonus to encourage ongoing engagement. You might receive cash match bonuses or free spins with subsequent deposits.
Explaining Wagering Requirements
All types of bonus can be – and usually are – subject to ‘wagering requirements’. Online Casinos use these wagering restrictions, also known as ‘playthrough’ requirements, to reduce their exposure to heavy losses against free bonuses. They are commonly expressed as a sum, which refers to the number of times you must stake your bonus amount (and possibly your deposit amount too) before you can access any associated winnings.
Wagering requirements are best explained with the help of a simple example. Say Casino A offers you a 100% bonus, with x30 wagering requirements. You decide to deposit €50 and receive a €50 bonus on top, leaving you with a total of €100. For the purposes of this example, the wagering requirements apply to your bonus cash only, so you’ll need to ‘play through’ the €50, 30 times before you can withdraw your winnings. 30 x €50 = €1500, so you’ll need to make €1,500 worth of bets before you get your hands on any spoils.
Some Common Questions About Wagering Requirements
The example above explains the concept in the simplest terms, but we’ll need to delve a little deeper to provide you with a more complete picture of wagering requirements and how they work. These FAQs should help:
How Do Wagering Requirements Work With Free Spins?
Typically, wagering requirements will be applied to any winnings you earn from free spins. So, if you make €10, it will be added to your account as bonus cash. If x30 wagering requirements apply, then you’ll need to stake €300 worth of bets before you can withdraw the cash.
Do Wagering Requirements Apply To Both Your Deposit And The Bonus?
They can do, yes. Some online casinos insist that you play through both your deposit and the bonus amount. If you’ve deposited €50 and received another €50 from a 100% bonus, then you’ll need to play through €3,000 worth of wagers to fulfil x30 wagering requirements if the conditions apply to your deposit and bonus combined.
Are The Same Wagering Requirements Applied To All Types Of Bonus?
This depends on the casino. Some may apply stricter terms to no deposit bonuses. Others may have different terms for free spins vs cash bonuses. A casino might, for example, attach x40 wagering requirements to a no deposit bonus, x 30 to free spins and x35 to a 1st deposit cash match. Others will apply the same wagering requirements across the board, however. Always check the specific terms if you’re unsure
Can I Fulfil Wagering Requirements On Any Casino Game?
Again, this depends on the casino. However, most casinos will have some restrictions around this area, and bets on selected games might not count against wagering. Again, check the individual terms and conditions.
Can You Still Win Using Your Online Casino Bonus?
Yes, you can, and people do. However, wagering requirements are very effective and have a significant impact upon your chances. A lot of sites also attach a ‘maximum win’ ceiling to the bonus for added insurance. Our advice? Just enjoy the opportunity to play casino games for free using your welcome package treats. Anything else really is a ‘bonus’.
Are There Casino Bonuses With No Wagering Requirements?
Competition between casinos is fierce, as we outlined early in this article. This has created something of a battleground, and some sites have decided to banish wagering requirements to increase their appeal to prospective players.
It’s a trend that promises to grow further so look out for these attractive opportunities. If you need a helping hand, you’ll find many of the casinos that offer casino bonuses with no wagering requirements at 777 Casino. Some sites will only remove wagering restrictions from free spins, and you may still find a maximum win ceiling. But by minimising the requirements, they increase your chances of winning. That can only be positive!