At the dawn of interactive gambling in the mid-1990s, the rules for bonus participation were considerably less strict than they are today. Savvy gamblers quickly learned how to exploit promotional incentives to their advantage and increase their profits through free play.
Online casinos quickly realized that these practices were affecting their bottom line and took the necessary precautions to thwart these customers, labeling them bonus abusers. Today, you will find the term ‘bonus abuse’ in the user agreements of all online casinos. Various restrictions are now imposed on bonus participants to deter potential abusers, and we cover them all in the following article.
Practices That Qualify as Bonus Abuse
1What "Bonus Abuse" Means
The term “bonus abuse” encompasses a broad range of practices rather than a single specific action. There are slight nuances to the definition across different online casinos, but in most cases it refers to intentionally violating bonus terms to gain an unfair advantage over the house during free play. Below, we outline some of the most common forms of bonus abuse that every online casino disapproves of.
2Multi-Accounting
Multi-accounting is the most widespread form of bonus abuse, where a player creates multiple accounts at an online casino to claim the same promotional offer more than once. As a rule of thumb, online gambling operators limit each customer to no more than one real-money account per household and IP address.
The practice is common among shrewd players who try to exploit welcome or no-deposit offers that are limited to one bonus per customer. Some gamblers attempt to circumvent these restrictions by signing up with different email addresses or by using virtual private networks (VPNs) to mask their location and IP address.
3Clearing Bonus Playthrough with Large Bets
Nearly all online casinos impose wagering requirements on their bonuses, a condition also known as bonus playthrough. The rule requires customers to earn their bonuses instead of withdrawing them instantly after redemption. Players must wager a specific amount before the bonus becomes available for withdrawal in their cash balance. Here is an example of how wagering requirements work:
- John and James both qualify for a $150 first-deposit bonus
- The wagering requirements for the offer are set at 30x the bonus value.
- Both players must place 30 x 150 = $4,500 in bets to withdraw their bonuses.
- John clears his playthrough after placing 450 bets of $10 each (4,500 / 10 = 450)
- James meets his wagering requirements after only 9 bets of $500 each (4,500 / 500 = 9)
Savvy players try to clear the playthrough quickly by dramatically increasing their bet size per round and then reducing it as soon as the wagering requirement is met. The approach spares them the grind against the house edge simply to unlock a bonus. Online casinos spot potential bonus abusers like James by monitoring these irregular betting patterns.
Most gambling operators impose restrictions on maximum bets with active bonuses, limiting them to $10 or even $5 per round. Customers like James who attempt to outsmart the system and violate the maximum bet limits usually have their free credits confiscated in favor of the casino.
4Combining High RTP Games with Low-Playthrough Bonuses
Bonus abusers sometimes try to outsmart online casinos by intentionally playing only games with a high theoretical return to player (RTP). These players further increase their chances of turning a profit during free play by pairing high-return games with promotional incentives that carry very low wagering requirements. Let’s use James as an example to illustrate how this strategy works:
- James opts in for a $100 bonus.
- The promotion in question has 20x wagering requirements.
- James decides to clear the playthrough on single-zero roulette with an RTP of 97.30%.
- James must bet 20 x 100 = $2,000 to clear the wagering.
- His potential winnings are equal to 2,000 x 0.973 = $1,946 and his losses will amount to $54.
- James’ theoretical profits from this bonus will be $100 – $54 = $46.
James has not cheated or done anything inherently wrong by choosing a roulette variation with a higher theoretical return while wagering his bonus. Moreover, the $46 profit is only theoretical, meaning he could win less or more than this amount.
Even so, many online casinos frown on this practice and label it bonus abuse. Some operators take precautions by excluding high-RTP games from bonus playthrough or dramatically reducing their wagering contribution. Others completely prohibit customers from playing such games while a bonus is active.
5Having More Than One Active Bonus
On rare occasions, glitches or errors in an online casino’s system may allow players to redeem the same promotion twice or hold several active bonuses at the same time. As tempting as it may be to exploit these mistakes, we advise against it. Sooner or later the casino will detect the issue and revoke your bonuses, and some operators may even close your account entirely for this violation.
6Low-Risk Betting and Hedging with Active Bonuses
This approach is mainly used by online sports bettors, although it can also be applied to casino games like roulette. It enables gamblers to reduce their risk exposure and potentially secure some winnings. In essence, the player places bets on two opposite sides of the same market.
In casino play, low-risk betting usually involves wagering on both black and red in roulette or simultaneously backing the Player and Banker sides in baccarat. Some casinos completely prohibit bonus users from placing even-money roulette bets such as black-red, even-odd, or high-low until the playthrough is cleared. Others disallow the use of the double-up feature in online slots and video poker while a bonus is active.
How Online Casinos Combat Bonus Abusers
Online casinos have introduced various measures to combat bonus abusers and safeguard their bottom line. The rules are clearly stated in the terms and conditions of each individual promotional offer, enabling players to avoid violations in advance. Other common measures include IP tracking, country restrictions, and payment method restrictions for bonus redemption.
IP Tracking
Identity Verification
Country Restrictions on Bonus Participation
Restrictions on Qualifying Banking MethodsIP Tracking
Online casinos track the IP addresses of all players who register, preventing customers from setting up multiple accounts to claim the same bonuses repeatedly without repercussions.
IP (Internet Protocol) addresses consist of unique strings of characters assigned to devices connected to the internet. They help remote gambling operators automatically detect whether a customer has already created an account on their websites.
Identity Verification
Mandatory verification checks are arguably the most effective way to thwart bonus abusers. After you sign up at an online casino, the operator will prompt you to submit documents that verify your identity, payment method, and residential address.
You cannot withdraw anything from your account, including wagered bonuses, until you complete verification successfully. It is obviously impossible to pass this check if you sign up multiple times with fake details.
Country Restrictions on Bonus Participation
If you read the terms and conditions carefully, you may notice that some online casinos completely exclude certain countries from redeeming bonuses. Players based in some jurisdictions are notorious for abusing bonuses and have done so repeatedly in the past, giving their countries a poor reputation.
To deter these bonus hunters, online casinos either ban their countries from redeeming bonuses altogether or impose higher wagering requirements on customers from these jurisdictions. Most would agree this approach is unfair to honest players, but the expression ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater’ is apt in this context.
Restrictions on Qualifying Banking Methods
Bonus abusers tend to use banking methods that facilitate fast cashouts. These payment solutions enable them to withdraw quickly and move on to their next targeted casino, where they can create new accounts and exploit sign-up bonuses.
To counter this behavior, many online casinos disqualify e-wallet deposits from bonus redemption. Digital wallets are among the fastest payment methods available, allowing you to withdraw funds in less than 24 hours.
Gambling operators exclude them from promotional participation so that the staff has more time to assess and detect suspicious bonus activity. Some casinos even restrict customers to debit card deposits for bonus redemption.
Commonly Disqualified Deposit Methods:
- Neteller
- Skrill
- PayPal
- Paysafe
- ecoPayz
- MuchBetter
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Rules to Follow to Avoid Bonus Abuse
1Overview
Having a bonus rescinded is never pleasant, but you can easily avoid this outcome by steering clear of the practices listed above. You can also mitigate the risk by registering at different online casinos and reading their bonus terms carefully.
2Opt in for Bonuses at Different Online Casinos
There is no shortage of lucrative deals at online casinos because nearly every gambling site on the internet offers bonuses to customers. These promotions come in many forms, from no-deposit and welcome bonuses to cashbacks, free spins, and loyalty points.
Given this variety, creating multiple accounts at the same casino is pointless. Instead, register at several sites, take advantage of their offers, and return when they launch new promotions that catch your eye.
3Ensure You Understand the Bonus Terms and Conditions
Some players violate bonus rules unintentionally because they are too lazy to read the conditions thoroughly. You can easily prevent bonus confiscation by reviewing the terms carefully so you know exactly what is and is not allowed.
If you have trouble understanding a clause, ask the customer support team for clarification. The most common conditions bonus users must meet include:
- Minimum deposit – Most bonuses require a minimum deposit to trigger. If you deposit less, the casino will not credit the free funds to your bonus balance.
- Valid promo code – Players may need to enter a promo code to activate their bonuses. Make sure you type it correctly because the codes are case-sensitive in most instances.
- Wagering requirements – After you activate your bonus, you typically must wager it a specific number of times before you can withdraw it.
- Eligible games – Many casinos exclude certain games from bonus wagering. Check the list and play only eligible titles until you clear the playthrough.
- Maximum bets – Verify how much you can bet per round with an active bonus and stay within that limit while meeting the wagering requirements.
- Country restrictions – Make sure your country qualifies for the bonus. If not, find another gambling site where you can opt in for promotions.