Do you play with Signup Bonuses? (2015)

[Gaz237]

Bonus

I used to always take a bonus.

Unless it's a 100% bonus, never touch them now.

 

[mjmetz]

I don't care about bonuses. Terms and conditions hoops, no thank you, life is too short.

 

[Nightfly]

I have only signed up with a few new casinos in recent years. For the most part I bypassed their signed-up bonus and played with my own cash or took a different deposit bonus with better terms. I agree with others that have stated casinos have adopted tougher restrictions and limited cash-outs on sign-up bonuses.

Back in the old days I enjoyed taking a sign-up bonus most of the time. But times have changed and so have the casinos T&C. And here in the US we only have a limited amount of accredited casinos to sign-up with.

 

[dreamguardian1]

Nope, Nope and Nope, By the time every single person uses a bonus, honestly the odds are the same, stacked in favor of the house anyway. All it does is get your more addicted to a game. Deposit my own money, any wins i get are mine.

 

[Mnx42]

No. I email any casino I have just Signed Up to stating that I wish to take NO bonuses whatsoever. Before I deposit any cash I wait to receive a reply agreeing to my request (which I keep) and only then will I invest.
Sometimes though, when I log in though for the first time, I do sometimes get chat pop up and I get the " Hi, I see you are a new player here and you are entitled to a bonus...." etc. I like to be able to play what I want, when I want and withdraw etc in my own time.

 

[Orbmail]

I always take bonus as long as there is no max cash out and there are no hidden rules. I've never had an issue with anywhere I've taken a bonus but you need to read the T&C carefully, if a casino provides bonuses with fairs rules they will get my business. I think the bonuses extends your play which is really why we play, it certainly not a place to make money! Everyone to their own though, if you don't want to take a bonus don't but if you do proceed with caution until you fully understand what you have agreed to

 

[peteyweestro]

Years ago when i first started playing at online casinos i also looked for the biggest sign up bonus but after seeing all the nightmare's that some went through and then beginning to see the way casino's were starting to use them against the players if they won i decided that on the rare chance i hit it big i didn't want them to pull some obscure rule out on me over some stupid bonus so i only play with my money now that way if i win i actually win.

 

[picassocat]

Only small bonuses for me please

I come to understand bonuses as poisoned apples. I accepted a large bonus, thus it’s taking a mighty long time to meet the wagering requirements (only BJ), so much so it’s demotivating me from playing all together. I can’t withdraw and my progress is slooow. If and when I meet the requirements, I will only thereafter accept small bonuses.

 

[plasticnote]

much prefer casinos rewarding for players' loyalty rather just sign up.

I rarely use sub/bonus, I sign up a casino based on its reputation, and my loyalty is based on how casino treats me.

cheers

plasticnote

 

[Ahthat1]

Never take a Bonus

Just under 2 years ago we ran the same poll. More has happened since then, new terms added, more restrictions and issues, some new ways of presenting them etc. So I am out to see if opinion is shifting or not.

I never take a sign up bonus, I deposit they put a bonus, i go to online chat and ask them to remove it. I have come across some online casinos that say they "cant" remove sign up bonuses, but quickly change their story when I say, fine, just return my money. Amazing how quickly that bonus disappears after that.

Free spins on sign up a pain in the butt, they wager 1c get you nothing but a few dollars that dont go away as you wager with your won money and say you win big with your own money but have a crappy $5 bonus and then they refuse to pay you your winnings as you had a bonus? screw that, they can keep their bonuses.

I have found online casinos now also send your loyalty points to the bonus money, so i stopped that too. The only online Casino I still transfer loyalty points to my cash account is Royal Vegas, goes to cash and not Bonus.

I have been stung badly with a bonus, so i will never take one. its a pain in the butt going to chat after depositing for the first few times at a new casino to remove their automatic bonuses.I also feel that maybe the system doesnt know youve removed the bonus and pay out like you have one and think they might screw you over with their bonus terms. I think sign up bonuses should always be with a code word, save me heaps of time of not having to deal with slow services in the live chat.

 

[vorcirion]

I always take sign-up bonuses in casinos that have been getting good reviews from other players and if I don't find anything weird in T&Cs. I also love taking these regular deposit bonuses in trusted casinos (32Red, Redbet, Casinoluck, Nextcasino and Casinoeuro). For me these deposit bonuses are the way to go since I don't have unlimited amount of money to spend for gambling and I want to get extended playtime with my money. Casinos with max cashout I just avoid completely or if they've gotten some valid complaints from other players (and there are tons of these casinos).

 

[Cassaon-casino]

Since I've started gambling online I've never been a fan of the deposit bonus. Simply put the contemporary bonus (just my opinion from what I've seen of late) is not in your best interest since it's structured with only one thing in mind and that's to solicit more money from you.

If one can go back in time and compare the bonus terms of yesteryear you might find that the contemporary bonus is akin to that of a fox in a hen house. Some of the bonus terms are downright diabolical and I might add have been discussed to the point of exchaustion in this thread.

1. Extreme playthrough up to 80xb.
2. If you accept the sign on bonus some of the operators I've seen even impose a max. win of 3,000 Euros.
3. My old friend the max. bet rule, normally it constitutes 10% of your deposit.

If operators continue to impose bonus terms like the aforementioned their player base will decline like Sunday congregations in an Anglican church.

 

[Contraband]

I wouldn't bother signing up to a casino without a sign up bonus. I also don't play if a casino never has reloads or comp points or some other promo. They make it fun and you get more playing time out of your deposits. It's the advantage online casinos have over land based casinos, without them I'd play at my local casino more often even though I don't drink so free drink comps are worthless to me.

 

[rockycatt]

I only look at reload bonuses if w/r is 10 or under and if im low rolling

 

[bgdubs]

personally i think all/most bonuses are just a scam.


why bother with getting xyz% added on with a playthrough of 25x minimum to only get the deposit + bonus as your winnings when instead you could just keep the 25x that you've played through? sure there's ups and downs and ups and downs.... but on the whole, i'll take my bonus-free chances...

no deposit bonuses and free spins i'll take to try a casino out.

 

[seaquest]

RE Bonuses

I think they are good for a new player to get an extended feel for the nuances of the particular casino you are playing with. It gives you a better opportunity to try different games as well which can possibly give you a more informed decision on whether or not the casino is a good fit for you- You have to understand though that winning is probably not going to happen due to the high bonus affixed to new deposits so you may want to consider it a test drive - seaquest

 

[goatwack]

I think the principal point here is whether the depositor has a workable budget to begin with. If you're likely to only be able to deposit eg £15 then it's all very well to state that bonuses are evil but the fact remains even at high wagering requirements, doubling your bankroll to £30 is likely the difference to hitting a bonus round or not.

Most low rollers are happy to grind out a withdrawal and the bonus is pretty much the only thing preventing the hapless player from saying 'thankyou and goodnight!' amongst other less savoury expressions. I'd imagine most of these players also welcome the additional playtime and are not of the hit- and- run variety either.

But there is no doubt that with decent and sizeable depositing means of say £100 and upwards the old bonus system becomes redundant and its effects negligible in my mind.

 

[Marge]

RE Bonuses

I voted more "more often than not" and now after I have read your opinion, I will never take another bonus. I realize now how stupid I have been falling for it. The older I got the dumber I got, for sure: Thank you for all the fabulous information I have found here. I am an avid reader of most subjects.

 

[mrshyguy]

I think the principal point here is whether the depositor has a workable budget to begin with. If you're likely to only be able to deposit eg £15 then it's all very well to state that bonuses are evil but the fact remains even at high wagering requirements, doubling your bankroll to £30 is likely the difference to hitting a bonus round or not.

Most low rollers are happy to grind out a withdrawal and the bonus is pretty much the only thing preventing the hapless player from saying 'thankyou and goodnight!' amongst other less savoury expressions. I'd imagine most of these players also welcome the additional playtime and are not of the hit- and- run variety either.

But there is no doubt that with decent and sizeable depositing means of say £100 and upwards the old bonus system becomes redundant and its effects negligible in my mind.

couldn't agree with you more goatwack, when making smaller deposits say around £20.00 it does seem logical to take a form of bonus just to extend your playtime.

I myself will now never take a bonus, the world of casino t&c is just an open minefield of clauses and restrictions

 

[ozscouser]

It's a con job

I utilised Casino Bonuses twice (both without realising the "play through" implications)

The first time (out of frustration) I just played until my initial deposit was exhausted and then never went back. It was a paltry amount but their attitude made it certain that they had lost me as a future player.

The second was a bonus credited to me by Royal Vegas that I was simply unaware of until I tried to cash out. The Bonus was again a paltry amount but a more significant amount remains stuck until I get around to complying with the "Play Through" provisions...I contacted them by phone pointing out that I realised that the error was mine but as I hadn't gone even close to using the Bonus that I felt an exception could be made. (You can guess the answer) So...I'll get around to complying with the PT Provisions sometime...But I won't go back...WIN or LOSE

Bonuses are simply a tool used to con the gullible... the ignorant...new players etc.

Casinos will eventually wake up to the fact that these Bonuses may work in the short term but they will lose most "REPEAT" players...and that has got to hurt

 

[topboss]

I am both a player and an Affiliate so I am speaking from both sides of the fence.

My personal opinion is that casino bonuses should be done away with completely as I believe they cause more problems than good.

From an Affiliate point of view - When I am advertising bonuses to players I often feel that I am luring them into a no win situation by offering them a bonus, because I know that they are going to have to jump through hoops to try and cash out the potential winnings.

There is just so many factors that players need to take into account, and many don't read the terms and conditions, so whilst they may know that there is a play through requirement - many don't know that there is often a maximum cashout amount, certain games are excluded, more often than not - progressive jackpots are excluded ( imagine winning a huge jackpot only to discover you were not allowed to play that game due to taking a bonus!! ) a maximum bet amount - lets say you were playing $6.00 per bet but the maximum amount is $5.00 per bet - again you lose your potential winnings. Those are just a few of the potential problems - there is many more I haven't listed.

At the end of the day I believe that My job as an Affiliate is to recommend various reputable casinos to players in the hopes that they become regulars and lose or win a few bucks every month. I am not in it to make money from someone depositing their rent money in order to get the highest bonus they can when they have a slim chance of every being able to cashout. That is just plain unethical, and whilst many may say Our job is unethical in the first place - I believe that an Affiliate should be there to point out the potential pitfalls to the player, so they know exactly what they are in for, and I would prefer them not to take a bonus, so I know that if they win - they can get ALL of their winnings.

The problem is that unless all casinos choose to do away with casino bonuses - we are fighting a losing battle because we have no choice but to advertise the casino bonus if we want to advertise the casino at all and remain in the market.

From a player point of view - I operate in 2 ways - If I am testing out a new casino that I am considering promoting then I will make a small deposit and take up the bonus purely to see how quickly it gets credited, how difficult it is for the player to claim it and how onerous the conditions are. However, When I play it - I have already written off that money in my head and look at it as purely "testing money" I have no intention of trying to cash it out.

If I am playing for my own entertainment and it is a casino I plan on playing at regularly - I won't take up any welcome bonus offers and will only use the odd free spins and loyalty bonuses that get credited to my account once I become a regular as I generally know that the free spins have a low play through requirement as the casino already knows I am not there just to grab the bonus.

Bottom line - I would be very happy for every casino to be on a level playing field and do away with all welcome bonuses. Loyalty bonuses are fine.

 

[mat_b]

Not if I can avoid it...

My personal opinion is that I try to avoid bonuses like the plague...
(Except genuine 0xWR bonuses, like Mr Green Thursday 'cash-drop' prize draws )

Fine, a bonus gets you more play time, and you might hit a win, but there-in lies the problem...

If you win on a bonus, you're then stuck with a 30 or 35, or whatever WR, so will more than likely lose all the winnings back in order to meet the WR...

Its a hassle having to work out how much WR you have left, and also whether your sticking to the letter (and spirit) of bonus terms IE wager size etc...

Stick to cash, then if I get a nice win, can cash out without WR worries...

 

[Cassaon-casino]

I am both a player and an Affiliate so I am speaking from both sides of the fence.

My personal opinion is that casino bonuses should be done away with completely as I believe they cause more problems than good.

From an Affiliate point of view - When I am advertising bonuses to players I often feel that I am luring them into a no win situation by offering them a bonus, because I know that they are going to have to jump through hoops to try and cash out the potential winnings.

There is just so many factors that players need to take into account, and many don't read the terms and conditions, so whilst they may know that there is a play through requirement - many don't know that there is often a maximum cashout amount, certain games are excluded, more often than not - progressive jackpots are excluded ( imagine winning a huge jackpot only to discover you were not allowed to play that game due to taking a bonus!! ) a maximum bet amount - lets say you were playing $6.00 per bet but the maximum amount is $5.00 per bet - again you lose your potential winnings. Those are just a few of the potential problems - there is many more I haven't listed.

At the end of the day I believe that My job as an Affiliate is to recommend various reputable casinos to players in the hopes that they become regulars and lose or win a few bucks every month. I am not in it to make money from someone depositing their rent money in order to get the highest bonus they can when they have a slim chance of every being able to cashout. That is just plain unethical, and whilst many may say Our job is unethical in the first place - I believe that an Affiliate should be there to point out the potential pitfalls to the player, so they know exactly what they are in for, and I would prefer them not to take a bonus, so I know that if they win - they can get ALL of their winnings.

The problem is that unless all casinos choose to do away with casino bonuses - we are fighting a losing battle because we have no choice but to advertise the casino bonus if we want to advertise the casino at all and remain in the market.

From a player point of view - I operate in 2 ways - If I am testing out a new casino that I am considering promoting then I will make a small deposit and take up the bonus purely to see how quickly it gets credited, how difficult it is for the player to claim it and how onerous the conditions are. However, When I play it - I have already written off that money in my head and look at it as purely "testing money" I have no intention of trying to cash it out.

If I am playing for my own entertainment and it is a casino I plan on playing at regularly - I won't take up any welcome bonus offers and will only use the odd free spins and loyalty bonuses that get credited to my account once I become a regular as I generally know that the free spins have a low play through requirement as the casino already knows I am not there just to grab the bonus.

Bottom line - I would be very happy for every casino to be on a level playing field and do away with all welcome bonuses. Loyalty bonuses are fine.

Superb answer! I agree I think the bonus, although a nice incentive to new players creates unncessary problems that outweighs its intended purpose. Another problem I have with the bonus is that the standard playthrough (as you pointed out) is not a stand-alone entity anymore but bogged down by additional bonus terms.

 

[CasinoCruiseRep]

Looking at a post on Wizard of Odds regarding the house edge on slot machines in Las Vegas in 2012: On penny slots the casino win is over 10% on average, the rest of the slots ($0.05 up to $100 domination) average around 5.5%, with the megabucks (jackpots) having a house edge over 12%. Online casinos have always offered players a better edge - 4% casino win on slots and as little as 1-2% house edge on table games - in order to attract players to play online. This is understandable because an online casino doesn't have the overheads of a land based casino and also need to give the players an incentive to want to play online by offering them a better chance to win. More recently, slots like DoA are approaching the payout levels of table games with generous average payouts of around 98%.

Looking at online slots with 4% average house edge (or what I like to call a 4% commission on play) in effect means that if 100,000 players bet $10 on slots each at the same time $960,000 will be paid out. Then again if all the payout is wagered $960,000*96% will be paid out on the second round of betting and so on. Of course, this is totally incorrect because new players are coming online with new chips to wager just as players are running out of their chips, so we can say on average 96% is paid out on every spin, with a standard deviation that can turn this into say a 102% payout or 90% payout at certain times. On average a casino enjoys an average 50% gross revenue which quickly turns into a 15-20% net revenues. But let's go back to you - say you are one of the players that won a nice part of one of these payouts because of course you have a very random distribution of winnings. But now you have a problem - you took a bonus but on the other hand you only deposited $100 and the casino gave you another $100 and you hit your nice win of $25,000 when you reach your last $20 of your bonus money (from a casinos perspective you always play your own chips first) so on one hand you have won because you had more money to wager with but on the other hand you now need to ensure that you wager the bonus money say 40 times according to the bonus terms. On average $100 will be wagered 20 times before it is lost so 40 times is the equivalent of wagering both your deposit of $100 and your bonus of $100 until they are worked down to zero balance. So, you have won $25,000 and you still need to say wager your bonus 20 times without radically changing your pattern of play and of course within the wagering limits and so if you are level headed and you don't win again (not even once ) you can safely look at a nice $23,000 withdrawal.

I think for social gamblers the bonus is very usefully because they deposit smaller amounts and don't bet larger amounts anyway and this way they get to play longer on the machines with a higher chance of winning. For high rollers, it's a nice way to checkout a new casino but not more than that and anyway after the casino understands you are a high roller you will get the VIP treatment and smaller percentage but larger less stringent bonuses anyway.

A casino that is too lax with their welcome offer bonus terms can find itself in all kinds of trouble as their are no shortage of gamblers online that will make money because mathematically they can and the casino will very quickly find itself running a negative cash flow on new players. This said, I don't think it's realistic for a player to expect a generous bonus together with lax bonus terms.

From a marketing perspective, player surveys show that the welcome offer is overall the single biggest draw card. However, I think there is a very large and growing group of savvy online casino players who realize correctly that it is more important to know that a casino can and will pay you your large or small winnings and treat you with respect all the way than it is to be over-bonused. Plus of course they have great games and good servers etc. Contrary to popular belief the casino business model doesn't make enough money to be able to afford to just give away large bonuses and a casino that over bonuses should be a warning to players because somehow the casino still needs to make money.

Lastly, it is very interesting to see how players from different countries prefer different welcome bonuses and I think this is a reflection of how people from different countries look at things - long term, short term, etc.

Great topic!

 

[JasonFTA]

Thanks Simmo for the great poll.

This is something I question EVERY single day. I look at our promotions and ask why players are not claiming them? What is the perfect balance? Is it a 100% Match up to $100 with 25x Playthrough (Slots only) with a Max Cashout of 20 times the deposit? Or 300% Match up to $600 with 35x Playthrough (Slots only) with a $7500 Max Cashout, are the bonuses redeemable once or multiple times...etc?

At a previous brand where I worked, we never had a bonus to purchase ratio higher than 25% and bonuses were automatically added to the account after a successful deposit. Players were happy and didn't mind the wagering as it was only 30x the BONUS. In the event of a player wanting to cashout, the bonus element would be removed automatically and the player allowed to complete the cashout process. Having said this, it was a totally different market.

Now it's a whole different sorry. Bonus to purchase ratios are insane and we hardly ever see a bonus offer less than 100%.

I thought about cashback bonuses to players who don't claim match offers, but once again what is the magic balance when it comes to wagering and max cashouts off free money?

We don't limit max bets at any of our brands but do have max cashouts on 99% of the offers.

Most of the players which I manage, I advise to rather NOT play off bonus money due to limitations, but how else do you reward your regular players?

Regards
Jason