Online casinos have access to a supreme tool they can use to effectively promote their services. You already know about them because you have probably used them yourself already. It’s the casino bonus we are talking about, and its utility is unmatched in the iGaming industry.
Players from all over the world use them every day, but only a few really master the art of using them correctly. It is crucial not to know when or how to opt for a bonus, but how to decide if it’s a good one or not. Therefore, here is your ultimate guide to properly claiming worthy casino bonuses.
Top Casino Bonus Red Flags You Did Not Recognize Before
I know how exciting it is to find good and hefty bonuses. But those huge welcome packages or profitable incentives are not always as good and generous as they seem. Behind those giant numbers and hundreds of extra rotations may hide tricky conditions, withdrawal limits, or misleading practices aiming to manipulate you.
Here are the most common red flags you or other players often miss:
Wagering Requirements That Are Too High
“$200 Up to $400 welcome bonus” with the requirement to wager it 80 times before you can request a withdrawal is an obvious red flag. Wagering $200 for 80 times adds up to a total of $16,000, which no casual player can fulfill. If, after such a tedious playthrough, you end up hitting a withdrawal limit as well, you got yourself a disappointing session, and you have probably lost your deposit money.
No Deposit Bonuses With Deposit Requirements for Withdrawals
The no deposit bonus is an extremely appreciated promotion, and most users would claim it to supplement their bankroll. The reason for this bonus being so beneficial is the fact that it requires absolutely no financial commitment, so users have nothing to lose from claiming and using it.
However, if you encounter a no deposit bonus that has a deposit requirement for withdrawal, it is definitely abusive, and it is one red flag that tells you not to interact with that platform anymore. You simply cannot take a bonus and call it “no deposit” if you hide a “deposit” requirement in the T&Cs.
Game Restrictions on Developer Collections
If the bonus title says “300 free spins celebrating Pragmatic Play”, it gives you the impression that you can now use those 300 free rotations to play any Pragmatic game available on the website. However, you should still read the T&Cs policy because you may find that you can only play one game from Pragmatic and not the entire slot collection.
This is another example of how deceiving a bonus title can be, and how important it is to not immediately trust what a marketing campaign says.
Delayed Bonus Activation After Deposit
Players and people in general are pretty anxious and impatient when it comes to making payments. What I mean by that is that you cannot let a person wait for too long for his perks to be loaded into his account or money balance, especially if they had to make a deposit beforehand.
After transferring a minimum sum of money for bonus activation, there should be zero delays between that moment and the actual validation. If the operator says that it may take up to 5 working days for the bonus to activate, it is definitely a red flag.
Hidden Payment Exceptions
Let’s imagine a scenario where a casual player finds an attractive bonus and goes for it. There are absolutely no payment exceptions mentioned inside the T&Cs policy, but he cannot use Neteller to load his account. Or worse, he has to use only PayPal for withdrawal requests. Nevertheless, all these details cannot be found in the bonus rules.
But, if you go and open the general terms & conditions policy, you will find them mentioned in the “payments” section. So, if certain rules apply to a bonus, why are you not transparent and giving all the information a player may need? Hiding payment exceptions, fees, taxes, or transactional limits is definitely a red flag.
Strategic Betting is Forbidden: Or Abusive Bonus Abuse Clauses
This one is pretty hard to identify on a daily basis, but if you find any term that sounds like it, you should avoid claiming bonuses from that platform at all costs. “Strategic betting” is just a polite form of saying that the operator has the right to determine if you have used any forbidden strategies when betting using the bonus benefits.
Why is this abusive? Because there are no rules on how someone can determine if you have used forbidden practices or not. Having the right to do this only means that you can never be sure that you will receive your bonus money, withdrawal approval, and so on.
Bonus Abuse
Since we have mentioned this a few times already, it is probably a good idea to explain why abusing bonuses and casino promotions is actually a bad practice. As a casual player, you must not fall into this never-ending cycle of claiming bonuses only because you may turn them into profit.
What is bonusabuse in iGaming? The intentional act of registering on a casino platform with the intention of only claiming its bonuses and promotions. Also, trying to claim multiple bonuses from the same operator simultaneously is also an abuse attempt, which most casino operators do not allow.
Also, manipulating the platform features, betting mechanics, and systems so that they benefit you is also a form of abuse.
Tips On Maximizing Casino Bonus Outcomes
● Always focus your attention on understanding bonus rules first. Read the terms and conditions policy until you understand it entirely.
● Decide which bonus to claim based on wagering conditions, maximum withdrawal, and eligible games.
● Be always responsible about it and set yourself a money-spending limit.
● After claiming and using your bonus, focus on your wagering requirement and prioritize it.
● Be Always aware of the available payment methods and their fees and whether you have the option to switch between them on a daily basis.
Verdict
This is not your usual bonus claiming guide, but we thought it would be beneficial for someone to approach this topic from another angle. Everyone talks about what you should do, but nobody has the courage to educate players about what operators do wrong. There you go, a complete guide on how to avoid casino red flags and remain safe.
