How Do Online Casino Wagering Requirements Work
Hopefully this has given you an insight into the sometimes murky world of wagering requirements, which are a bit of a pain after being promised such a great deal by your casino or bookmaker. But it makes business sense for an online gambling platform to do this; to entice new customers but to protect themselves financially. Most online casinos require you to meet the wagering requirements within a time span of 30, 60 or 90 days. Here’s an example to make this more concrete: Let’s say you get a 100% match casino bonus of Rs 1,000 that comes with a 25x wagering requirement which you. Casino game weighting tends to be the one which is lower than average. Some sites such as Betfair actually have a list of the games which offer the most efficient way to fulfil your wagering requirements. Hopefully this explains what we mean by wagering requirements. Whether you an online slots lover, live blackjack or a Roulette game aficionado, wagering requirements apply in almost anything bonus-related at Canadian online casinos. You might further wonder what role do the wagering requirements play in casino games, so today we will discuss the part of wagering requirements, how to calculate them, and how.
- How Do Online Casino Wagering Requirements Workers
- How To Beat Casino Wagering Requirements
- Wagering Requirements Calculator
- Best Online Wagering Sites
Most things in life come with a hidden agenda or cost and it’s fair to say that casino, bingo and slot sites are the same. For many of us the excitement of that welcome bonus is always overshadowed by the terms and conditions, more specifically the wagering requirements. There are only a handful of sites which actually offer wager free keep what you win bonuses, so if you’re an online gamer it’s really something you should be aware of and understand.
Most gaming sites use the same system, so if you understand it on one casino then it’ll be the same for another. The main difference is the multiplier, which on average is around 35x but can be as extreme as 75x or more.
The UK Gambling Commission has made it compulsory that basic terms and conditions are laid out somewhere on the casino, bingo or slot sites. You’ll tend to find a link at the bottom of each page, although it can be quite mind numbing when you see rafts and rafts of information. In addition, the gaming site has to add basic terms and conditions on any images they use to promote a bonus or offer, this includes wagering requirements. So, if you head to any of your favourite sites, you should see a X and then a number, this is your wagering requirement.
The Basics on Wagering Requirements
If you are feeling confused already then don’t worry, because we’ve got your back. This guide is perfect for any new players out there, or even those of you who are more experienced but are unsure of what a wagering requirement is.
A wagering requirement tends to be fixed to a welcome bonus or the regular promotions. If you were generally playing and not receiving any additional free credit, then this would not apply.
When you receive a bonus, it will tend to be a percentage of the money you credit to your account. For example, if a welcome bonus was 100% and you added £10, then you would get £10 free credit making a total of £20 to play with. Some bonuses require certain actions to trigger any restrictions, such as free spins for adding card details.
The wagering requirement is expressed as a multiplier, so for example 40x or 65x. This number is the amount you will need to wager before you can withdraw winnings from the site. Say you have received £10 in bonus credit due to your initial deposit and the wagering requirement is 65x, then you will need to wager and play through £650 worth of credit.
When we use the term wager, we simply mean playing games, so to get through your wagering requirements you just play your favourite casino, bingo or slots. Many of the sites will have a calculator to show how much you have used up of your wagering requirement and how much is left. This will help keep you on track and informed.
If you’re worried about your winnings then fear not because they will be retained in a pending balance. Funds cannot be withdrawn from the pending balance, but you can use it to work through the wagering requirement. Once you have met the wagering requirements then the funds from within the pending balance will be transferred to your main wallet. What you do with the funds is up to you, either use then to play more games or withdraw.
Why Have These Requirements?
The reasons behind wagering is so you don’t get the bonus credit and withdraw it straight away. Imagine if customers began depositing the maximum amounts and then withdrawing free credit, the gaming site wouldn’t be around for long. So, this is to make sure that you stick around and enjoy the site before you can actually withdraw.
There is also a legal reason and that is to ensure the site isn’t used for money laundering. This is why strict checks are conducted by the online sites when you register, especially if the amounts are above average.
Should I Stay Away from Wagering Restrictions?
This is a personal choice and completely dependent on whether you think you’ll stick with the new casino site. On most sites you do have the option of not accepting the welcome bonus or other promotions, as such you won’t be tied into those pesky terms and conditions; this is ideal for players who to play at fast withdrawal casino sites.
You also need to consider if you have the funds to fulfil the multiplier, because if for example you were to add £100 to a 100% deposit then you would enjoy a bonus of £100. But if alike the previous example the wagering requirement was 65x then that would total a colossal £6,500 you would need to wager and play through.
If you are planning on staying with the site anyway then you may want to add a little extra bonus credit to your wallet. Also, you may find that you work through the multiplied amount quite quickly, depending on wins etc. It’s all a matter of personal preference and luck, but we always recommend that our readers have a look at the terms and conditions before they register.
It’s worth noting that when you register with a Boku Casino, phone bill payments do not trigger welcome bonuses; so you won’t get caught out by any hidden terms and conditions.
The final thing to be aware of is that some games will have a different weighting. This means that the stake you put on one game may reduce your wagering requirement more than another game and others may only have a percentage contribution. For some sites you may reduce the wagering requirements quicker by playing bingo, but then it maybe slots on another site.
Again, check out the terms and conditions, especially if it is a promotion that specifies playing a certain casino or slot game. Casino game weighting tends to be the one which is lower than average. Some sites such as Betfair actually have a list of the games which offer the most efficient way to fulfil your wagering requirements.
Hopefully this explains what we mean by wagering requirements, why they exist and whether as a player they are worth it. Essentially it is your choice, it just depends on how enticing that welcome or regular bonus really is.
With the online gambling marketplace becoming so competitive, it is perhaps no surprise that gambling sites use clever marketing ploys in order to entice new players their way.
One of these tactics is through seemingly generous sign up or welcome bonuses, which grant new players a host of free bets or cash bonuses for opening an account with them. These can take the form of matching your first deposit with free cash, free bets when you stake X amount, or even just free money – no questions asked.
That sounds pretty good, what’s the catch?
The only fly in the ointment from a punter’s perspective is wagering requirements.
What are wagering requirements?
These are essentially the hoops that you will have to jump through in order to get your hands on your bonus and any winnings that come from it. This is generally known as the ‘play through’, and will state how much money you need to stake in order to activate your bonus and profits.
Luckily wagering requirements, or play through, is always low for sports bonuses and free bets.
The majority of wagering requirements are also accompanied by a list of terms & conditions as long as the Magna Carta too, so it pays to become acquainted with these as they will outline exactly what you need to do to secure your bonus or free bets.
How Do They Work?
Some examples:
So let’s say that your chosen a deposit bonus which has granted you a welcome bonus of 100% up to £200. Thanks very much!
But there’s a clever bit of wordplay here when you look closely: up to. So it could well be less. This amount is directly linked to your first deposit amount so if you only fund your account with £10 you only get a £10 bonus.
This will all be outlined in those pesky T’s & C’s, so do take the time to check.
To be able to withdraw your bonus if you deposited £50 these are the requirements you’d need to meet:
- You are given a £50 bonus
- A stipulation of 3x deposit + bonus amount wagering requirement is in the T&C’s
- You will thus need to stake a total of £300 to release your bonus cash.
- Any winnings and your bonus will then be transferred to your account balance and you can withdraw or continue betting.
How Do Online Casino Wagering Requirements Workers
When you look at it that way, it’s not surprising that some people get a little annoyed with welcome bonuses as they’re not always as they seem on the surface. Are they a scam? No but you do need to do your homework.
The 3x wagering requirement is obviously a hugely favourable one for the player, and in most cases will be a lot higher – casino bonuses for example are usually between 20x and 50x.
Tiered wagering requirements
Sometimes a gambling site will offer what is known as a tiered wagering requirement, which is a staggered collection of payments. An example might be:
| Time Limit | Requirements | Bonus |
| 7 Days | £20 | £20 |
| 30 Days | £250 | £30 |
| 60 Days | £500 | £50 |
In this example, even though the tiered wagering requirements make it seem slightly different, the ultimate bottom line is that you need to wager a grand total of £500 within two months of opening your account in order to access your £100 worth of total bonuses.
And whilst this will make it ‘more affordable’ for you, e.g. playing in installments rather than all at once, at the end of the day the financials are still the same.
How To Beat Casino Wagering Requirements
Wagering Requirements: An Overview
Hopefully this has given you an insight into the sometimes murky world of wagering requirements, which are a bit of a pain after being promised such a great deal by your casino or bookmaker.
But it makes business sense for an online gambling platform to do this; to entice new customers but to protect themselves financially. It is a perfectly legal and above-board way of generating new custom.
As the old saying goes ‘only fools rush in’, so do take the time to read the terms & conditions as specified by your provider. The wagering requirements will be clearly stated here, and ultimately it is your responsibility to understand the implications of accepting a sign up bonus or offer.
Wagering Requirements Calculator
Unsurprisingly, many of the complaints that casinos and bookmakers receive are from customers who claim they didn’t know about any wagering requirements, and want their bonus cash pronto. Well, they should have read the T’s & C’s then….
Best Online Wagering Sites
As soon as you sign up for a new account, you have accepted the terms of the sign up offer. There’s no going back now.
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