♠Q&A about online casino bonuses and promotions

Good question. The industry has added so many rules to bonuses that often it is like navigating a minefield to stay in compliance. Break just one rule and not only can they take back the bonus but winnings as well. It is acceptable for a casino to seize a bonus if the terms aren't met but it is not fair for them to seize winnings as well. Even if the player doesn't break any rules most casinos may still seize a player's winnings for any reason it wishes under the "management discretion" clause found buried in most terms and conditions. As an example look at one of the most respected casinos in the industry, King Neptune’s, as discussed at Casino Meister. They seized Ј8000 from a player for playing the wrong game, which was added to a list of excluded games the day before the player played.

I regret that it has come to this but terms and conditions in the industry have become so complicated and change so frequently that as a general rule I advise recreational gamblers to not accept bonuses. Only bonus hunters experienced at parsing the fine print should take the risk. Ironically, these are the same gamblers the casinos are trying to protect themselves from, and are the only ones they are going to be left with if the true gamblers get scared off by the minefield.

So, yes, you should be concerned. However that is also a good bonus. I would read the rules very carefully. Then be aggressive and go for a big win early or go bust trying.

Update (May 31, 2006): Within hours of the publication of this column I received a response from Micki representing Trident Entertainment Group, of which King Neptunes Casino is a part. I originally incorrectly stated that the player played the bonus the same day as the rules were changed. In fact the player played the following day, based on server time. So I apologize for that misunderstanding. The letter also details other points arguing the casino's point of view. In the interests of expressing both versions I present the following message from Micki.

Hello Michael
I would just like to correct your statement regarding the issue with the player at King Neptune’s. I know you are ethical and accurate and therefore find it strange that your information is incorrect.
Our Terms & Conditions state very clearly the month they are valid for. This is a sign-up bonus, so who would we inform that we are changing any clauses. The Terms and Conditions also state that they apply from the date the bonus is claimed. This player claims to have read the T & C’s when they stated March 1-31. She did not however register or deposit to play until April 1 9:36pm Server time. They April 1-31 T & C’s were actually loaded soon after 10:00pm on March 31, over 21 hours before she registered, deposited and claimed her bonus. It should also be noted that this player used her bonus money to play on the excluded game. No clause in our T & C’s is buried, everything is in the same font with the Excluded Game list highlighted for the benefit of the player. Had she not used Bonus money to play on the excluded game she would have been paid. Never the less we still left her account with 400 in it, so she could start again. The funds are still there and still available to her.
I thought you should be aware of the facts.
Regards
Micki

May 31, 2006

If you're not afraid of losing, a good way to get out of the wagering requirement is to bet aggressively early, either going for a big win or go bust trying. If you make the big win then grind out required play more conservatively. However, that isn't what you were asking. The probability of turning $400 into $5,900 ($5,500 in winnings), assuming no house edge, is 400/5,900 = 6.78%. Of course there usually is a house edge but if you're smart you can keep it very low. So 6.78% would be an upper bound on the probability. May 10, 2006

If an online casino offered this deal would it still be profitable? Over a one-month period, you take the entire profit/loss of each player. If the player is in profit you, you give them an extra 10% of their profit and deposit it to their accounts at the end of the month. If the player has lost money, you give them 25% of their loss back and credit this back to their account at the end of the month. Would the online casino still be profitable? What is the risk? Can anyone do the math behind this? - Max from London

What is the 'statistical' dollar value of a phantom bonus? Say I deposit $100 and get another $100 in phantom bonus. If my goal is to win $100 (total balance of $300), how much approximate value is the phantom bonus worth to me?

Didn't Kiss Casino used to use Boss Media? If so what are the odds that I could get their welcome bonus again with their current software?

I have encountered an unusual kind of bonus at Aqua Online casinos. If you deposit $100 they will lend you $200. However if you have any money left when you cash out they will deduct the $200 your borrowed. What is your advice on how to maximize the value of this bonus?

I read your review of casinos and want to try Club Dice. Regarding the terms on their website, they mention the bonus will be deducted from the account once you make the cash-in even you fulfill the wager requirement. I wonder then what is the meaning of this bonus?

Most online casinos offer bonus offers but do not allow wagers on games like roulette, craps and baccarat to be part of the necessary wagering requirements. I am wondering about the exact reason for this. They usually state that no risk wagering is not allowed and a player's account would be audited before any payout so it wouldn't make sense to do this anyway. Are they trying to stop players playing games which offer close to even money options then? It seems to me unfair to stop new players to a casino playing such popular games such as these after offering a bonus.

Also you answered a previous question about player abuse by saying you should play 100% more than the minimum requirement to cash out the bonus. As I see it if the casino lays down the rules for minimum wagering then that is all that is required by the player and if he can wager 8x the bonus without losing it then he deserves to be able to cash it out without being labeled a player abuser! Thanks for your time wizard. - Chris Hall from Palmerston north, New Zealand

I just received the e-mail bonus offer for Casino Grand Bay and downloaded their software. I was not able to locate their bonus requirement information but according to bet2gamble.com they require a player to bet 1x deposit to receive the bonus and then the player must bet 7x bonus before withdrawing the bonus. Assuming this is correct it sounds like a decent offer. However, it was also stated that Blackjack play does not qualify for the bonus requirement. Therefore, what game, if any, should be played to limit the risk of losing the bonus/deposit? - Joe from Ramona, USA

Thank you for all the excellent information that you provide. My question concerns your recent answer to the question about gambling for a living. Specifically, making a living from internet casino bonuses. Do you think that this is still possible? Back in 2000, I made a good deal of money from Internet bonuses. If I had worked on it full time, I probably could have quit my job. However in 2001, I only made about 4 grand all year from Internet bonuses. The reason for that is the fact that casinos have gotten so stingy with their bonuses. Many of them require a player to play a deposit five or more times before withdrawing. This of course cuts down a player's advantage and also makes a streak of bad luck a decent possibility. Even with a 100k bankroll, it does not seem that this could work. Am I wrong? Is there something else I don't know about? - Tim from Chicago, USA

I have seen several references to ongoing bonus abuses from people who reside in Denmark. Do you know more details about what is going on here? What are they doing, and how can we avoid being bonus abusers? - Rich

How do online casino's work out their promotions? What is the best sort of promotion to play, money bonus on sign-up or cash back on games? I ask because I have just received a promotion offering 5 per cent of total stake back on any one of five games (keno, slots, sic-bo, video poker and roulette) and wonder if it's worth playing. -- Steve Goss of Lyon France.

5A promotion from an on-line casino lets the customer select various options. The options range from a 10% bonus requiring wagering 2X the deposit, up to a 100% bonus requiring wagering 10X the deposit. How would you determine which option to take assuming you are willing to take a 5% chance of going broke & assume a 0.5% house edge in their 2-deck blackjack game? Harvey Green, Kansas City, Missouri

Q: Thanks for answering my questions. I want to deposit as much as I can at good casinos to take advantage of the "new player" bonus but how much do you think is too much? I don't like wasting an opportunity to get a large 20% bonus by getting a small 20% bonus, but how much is too much? What's been your experience? - Scott T.

Ask the Wizard: Bonuses & Promotions at Online Casinos