Meta Description: Know how to follow the rules of bonus claiming at online casinos to avoid being labeled a bonus abuser. Don’t become a bonus hunter. Tips to follow wagering requirements.
Bonus abuse or bonus hunting has been around for as long as online casinos have been in operation. Because it is human nature to find a short cut, or an easier alternative, to beat the system and reap profits. But, first things first – do we know what a casino takes into consideration before labeling someone a bonus hunter? If the label ‘bonus abuser’ rings a bell, chances are you’ve taken advantage of so many casino bonuses that it’s raised a red flag with the specific provider you’ve been playing at. This article aims at giving you useful tips and tricks to not only avoid this negative label, but still be able to continue benefiting from possibly lucrative promotions. It is important to know what the casino takes into account before labeling someone a bonus abuser, because it could well mean the difference between you having a great time playing with the bonuses that the casino offers or being labeled a bonus abuser!
What Exactly is Bonus Hunting?
Bonus abuse is the act of a player or patron taking advantage of the loose terms and conditions attached to a bonus and exploiting it for profit, leading to the casino suffering losses. In the early days of the online casino industry – with not too many stringent rules in place – bonus abuse was rampant and caused huge losses to online casinos. Bonus hunting exists even today as players use different techniques to gain an edge and exploit a bonus.
Casinos quickly caught on to the existence of bonus abuse and put in place measures to ensure players weren’t able to use the bonuses to fleece them. For starters, the terms and conditions were tightened and made stricter. The wagering requirements – which many casinos had lowered back then – were made steeper. Higher wagering requirements and stricter terms – like the introduction of a maximum cashout limit, eligible games, maximum single bet and other measures – ensured the casino didn’t land up in the red because of a player’s greed or misadventure. Of course this worked against the players – they ended up wagering more than they withdrew, but at least it saved the casinos the blushes and was therefore okay.
What Happens If a Casino Labels You a Bonus Abuser
Being labeled a bonus abuser is bad for your rep as an online casino fan. The first, and in the bigger picture a relatively easy penalty is that the casino confiscates the winnings that you have earned so far by abusing the bonus. Along with that comes the automatic cancelation of the bonuses available to you. You could of course make your case before the casino if you were ignorant or unaware about the circumstances that resulted in you being labeled.
The bigger penalty is the possibility of the casino banning you from its premises. That is bad for your business, especially if the casino operator has multiple casinos on its roster. Because it would likely result in you being banned from all of them. The worst-case scenario is that word spreads about you abusing bonuses, in which case you face the possibility of multiple casinos ensuring you are unable to visit their websites again. One look at these possible consequences and you immediately begin to understand the importance of knowing the things to look out for and avoid if you don’t want to end up with a bonus abuser label.
Factors that a Casino Considers When Labeling a Bonus Abuser?
What makes a casino take the step of labeling a player a bonus abuser? There are different actions that it considers as contributory to this fact. We list them for you below, so you know what to avoid doing when you use the bonuses that an online casino offers.
The Act of Creating Multiple Accounts
One of the first things that a casino considers the perfect fit for labeling someone a bonus abuser is if they find him or her creating multiple accounts at the same casino. Each bonus can be used only once by a single account from one IP and house; this is a rule that is laid down in the terms of each casino.
The thing about creating multiple accounts is that while a few players may do this with the intent to exploit the bonuses available, there are many players who indulge in this without actually knowing that it is an offence, and thereby unnecessarily invite the risk of being labeled a bonus abuser. So if you are, knowingly or unknowingly, creating or are in the process of creating multiple accounts at the same casino you will need to stop, because the risk and penalty associated with it when the casino finds out – and it will given that it is all driven by software today –is just too big.
Failure to Meet the Wagering Requirements
One of the most important terms that casinos associate with their bonuses is the wagering requirement. It requires you to wager your bonus (in some cases it is the bonus and deposit amount) or your winnings from it – in case of a free spins bonus – a given number of times; only then would you be able to claim winnings from it. Casinos have a specific objective behind incorporating a wagering requirement into a bonus – to ensure they don’t run up losses. And the casino states the need to fulfill it clearly in its terms and conditions document. It is therefore imperative that you fill it, because failure to do so will invite penalties, including the extreme one of being labeled a bonus abuser.
Claiming a Bonus Multiple Times
Each bonus is available only once per deposit per player. The only exception is when a casino specifically states that you can use a bonus multiple times; even then you are required to make a deposit each time you want to claim the offer. Along with the rules, the casino also has the tools and technology to track the usage of each bonus; anyone attempting to use a single bonus multiple times will be, inevitably, tracked down. And that will definitely lead to some form of penalties.
For starters, the casino could flag your account and block the bonus you are using. Along with that it would also cancel out any winnings you had earned so far with the bonus. Other more extreme steps could include being identified and labeled as a bonus abuser and the possibility of being banned not just from the casino where you were caught but also from other casinos run by the operator. Not everyone would use the same bonus multiple times knowing that it is wrong; a newcomer to online casino gambling could, for instance, make this mistake genuinely. It is therefore important that you read the terms andconditions associated with the bonuses that a casino offers minutely.
Using Your Bonus Funds to Place Large Single Bets
A large bet doesn’t translate to a big win; that is the simple rule of thumb in gambling. There are times when luck favors you and you place the large bet at the right time and are able to land a big win. But more often than not, it will likely result in a loss. Casinos insulate themselves from the rare possibility of a large number of players placing a large single bet and winning millions on the whole by placing a cap on the maximum bet you are allowed to place while using a bonus and while the bonus wagering requirements are on. They also limit the bonuses on which wagering requirements apply. Casinos usually limit the amount you can bet each time when you are playing with the bonus funds, i.e. funds that the casino offers you as a reward for your deposits.
