Hi All,
To begin, maybe I should define what bonus abuse is NOT:
If the player plays by the casino's posted terms and conditions and fulfills the bonus requirements, it is NOT bonus abuse.
If a player responds to emailed promotions, and plays by the casino's posted terms and conditions and meets the bonus requirements, it is NOT bonus abuse.
Bonus abuse IS:
If a player repeatedly fails to meet the wagering requirements and continues to request a bonus from the casino, that is bonus abuse.
But this is only after it is determined that the player fully understands the terms and conditions that are to be met to receive the bonus. Many players are confused about what needs to be wagered and how often, especially when the player's native language is NOT English. Non-native speakers have more difficulties with online casinos than those who speak and read English fluently. Not that non-English speakers are frequent abusers, they tend to have more problems with terms and conditions.
Now, this should not be confused with bonus hunters. Bonus hunters are players who are only concerned with playing to the terms and conditions and then cashing out. Casinos have big problems with this since they are not making money off these players;
only when they lose. It's like shopping at Safeway only when you have coupons and avoiding anything that is not on sale.
What the casino wants to do is to encourage their customers to play not only bonus rounds but to play at the "full retail" price. Which is fine. It's up to the ingenuity of the casino to build customer loyalty via something else besides bonuses, (contests, loyalty programs, etc.).
Abuse just doesn't happen that often since rules and regs concerning the bonus are pretty straightforward. Hunting is much more widespread, and who's to blame anyone for that but the unimaginative marketing strategies of many online casinos.
~b
