Many new players are unaware of the grave consequences breaching the bonus terms of an online casino or sportsbook can bring, which include seizure of bonus funds, or the closure of your account and the seizure of all funds therein.
And that is why we want to bring clarity to the conditions and terms that must be met by the player when claiming and using online gambling offers.
Bonus funds from online casinos and matchbooks usually come in three forms.
- Bonus cash
- Free game credits
- Refunds
You can use the bonus cash on all casino games, while free game credits are subject to game restrictions. Refunds are given under the circumstance you have made a loss betting.
Please remember that there is no general standard regarding bonus terms and conditions as they vary greatly from one operator to another.
Verification process
The online casino will not release your funds or winnings until they have verified your identity, which is why we recommend doing it right after your registration.
The verification process of online casinos is stringent and thorough, especially if you are accessing online casinos from within the United Kingdom.
Be prepared to provide the following documents to verify your identity after registering to an online casino:
- Your ID or passport.
- Banking statements
- Proof of residency
You will sometimes be required to send a picture of you holding your Identity Card next to your face.
The casino might ask to see banking statements from your provider to verify that the payment methods you are using are indeed yours.
Wagering requirements
Casino operators attach wagering requirements to the bonus funds you receive, whether you use a free or first deposit bonus. You must meet these within a period of time which the casino specifies, usually no more than 28 days.
In the United Kingdom, your deposit amount has no wagering requirements, only the bonus funds.
Example: If you were to claim a bonus of 100% up to £200 with a 40x wagering requirement to the full extent, you'd have £400 in your account. £200 of that is yours and ready for immediate withdrawal, while the other £200 are bonus funds and subject to 40x wagering requirements. Due to the wagering requirements, you'd now have to bet 40x £200 before being able to withdraw the bonus funds.
The casino will always automatically deduct money from your bonus funds first when playing casino games, of which each bet contributes to the wagering requirement. You only play with your own money if you lose your bonus funds.
Now comes the hook. If you win bigly playing with bonus funds, your winnings might be subject to wagering requirements, too.
Suppose you bet £8,000 overall to meet the wagering requirements and win £2,000. In that case, you’d have to wager an additional £80,000 to be eligible for withdrawing your winnings, as 40x£2,000=£80,000.
If you are playing from outside the United Kingdom, your first deposit might be subject to wagering requirements, too.
Some online casino operators will invalidate your bonus funds if you are trying to withdraw while not having met the wagering requirements.
Not all games contribute to the wagering requirements equally.
Here is how wagering requirement contribution could look like:
- Poker 10%
- Roulette 10%
- Blackjack 10%
- Baccarat 10%
- Wheel Games 50%
- All other games 100%
As you can see above, table games usually contribute less than other games.
Factors like the RTP (return to player) can also influence the wagering contribution, and some games may not contribute to the wagering requirement at all.
Tip: If you want to avoid having to wager your funds multiple times before being able to withdraw your winnings, we recommend looking for online casinos offering bonuses that have no wagering requirements.
Maximum bet
The online casino operator will limit how much you can wager per bet while clearing the bonus’ wagering requirements. Any breach of the limits can result in the forfeiture of bonus funds and winnings accrued from playing with them.
The maximum bet allowed when using bonus cash varies, and it can be as high as £10 per spin or £1.00 per bet line, or the approximate equal thereof in the territory’s currency in which you are resident. That is applicable until you meet the wagering requirements.
Maximum win
Most online casinos will limit the amount you can win using bonus funds and set a different limit for each, the bonus cash and free game credits, separately. That is aside from the general withdrawal limits the online casino might have in place.
Fraudulent activity
The online casino reserves the right to suspend any player suspected of fraudulent behaviour, which includes acts like creating multiple accounts, finding loopholes to make the use of bonus funds profitable for the player or other illegal activity specified in the respective terms and conditions.
Have any input?
If you think that this article was helpful or has something important missing, we’d like you to write a comment to let us know. Want to vent about specific online casinos’ terrible terms and conditions and warn other players? Feel free to leave a comment, too. Till then, we will amend this article to add and correct the list of the abundance of conditions set by online casino operators to bring more clarity to you.
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