Question Blatant advertising or am I getting it wrong?

[SAunnyS72]

Ok, I dont normally care about bonus promotions to join casinos as I have enough bonuses thrown my way from the ones Iam playing.

But, when I checked my email today I got this Signup offer for $1000 free cash and keep whatever you win within the first hour at Redflush (Which is a highly regarded casino here). Now, normally I would pass such emails straight to my junk as I know better, but knowing the name of the casino and the amount I was a bit curious. So, like any trained gambler, first port of call was Online Chat ... for the life of me, I can not understand the logic of this promo ... please see the chat below ... I am sorry if I am reading it wrong, but how else can you conclude this:

Link:

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Get $1000 Free - No Deposit Required
1 hour to make as much money as possible
​

That contradicts entirely with the chat answers.

You are now chatting with Agnieszka
Agnieszka: Welcome to the Casino . How may I assist you?
Me: Hi ... I just wanted to know more about the 1000 no deposit bonus...
Agnieszka: may i first have your username please?
Me: I dont have an account yet ... I wanted to know more about the promo to join before I do
Agnieszka: ok freeplay offers you 1000 credites to play with in one hour
Agnieszka: to win freeplsy you have to get minimum balance of 1020 and minimum 100 bets/spins
Agnieszka: it you will win freeplay you will deposit 20 and get bonus of 100
Agnieszka: it you will loose freeplay your offer will be 100% match up to 100
Agnieszka: minimum dpeosit is 20
Me: So if I win 500 after playing the freeplay?
Me: 5000
Agnieszka: if 5000 then you will deposuit 20 and get bonus of 100
Agnieszka: if you will win 500 then your offer will be 100% up to 100
Me: so I dont win anything?
Me: so its not really free 1000$ ... its just play money? right?
Agnieszka: its 1000 credits to play for one hour
Me: why does the website say keep whatever you win...
Me: I dont know... you tell me.. lol
Me: I am happy to start an account and deposit but I need to be clear about what the terms are for this promo
Agnieszka: to be 100% sure please read termas and condition of the freeplay in our website
Agnieszka: in terms and codition is stated keep whatever you win up to 100
Me: NO... your website says - The free play casino bonus gives you the chance to get a feel for the casino without having to make a deposit, thus play our casino games for free. You can simply test our online casino games, try your luck at making as much money as possible and explore our casino and its many features. It really can't get any easier. Then, once the set time limit has expired you can claim winnings over and above the initial $1000. Are you ready to give it a go?
Me: Get $1000 Free - No Deposit Required

1 hour to make as much money as possible
Agnieszka: i know it
Me: As much money as possible doesnt match with upto 100$
Agnieszka: sorry but as per out terms and coditions you can not get more than 100 bonus
Me: Can you please send me to the exact terms of this particular promotion?
Agnieszka: FREEPLAY BONUS TERMS AND CONDITIONS (WHERE OFFERED)
*Keep up to $100 (or local supported currency) of your winnings. Please read Terms and Conditions carefully before playing

The Player will need to open a first time REAL downloadable account during the promotion time period in order to be eligible for this promotion.
For the purpose of this promotion, players will be allocated $1000 FREE. This amount cannot be increased or reallocated during the promotion.
The Player will have precisely 60 minutes before this promotion ends once it has started.
Any time required to download games that are available within the software will be counted as being part of the allocated 60 minutes.
The initial $1000 is for the purposes of this promotion only and cannot be used as part of normal play.
A minimum purchase of $20 must be made in the Player's REAL account before winnings from this promotion can be transferred to the Player's REAL account.
The Player can claim his or her winnings as soon as he or she has made 100 or more bets and won at least $20 over the original $1000. The Player will be eligible to claim his or her winnings into a real casino account.
The maximum amount that can be won and transferred into the Player's REAL account for this promotion is $100. Any amount over this will be null and void.
Any winnings from Free Spins are credited to the player’s bonus account and are subject to a 50 times play through before they may be cashed in.
Click here for more info...
Different games played may contribute a different percentage of the play through requirements.
The Player will need to activate the free play promotion within 2 days of the REAL account being registered.
If any winnings are made while using the promotional software, these must be claimed within 2 days. The ability to transfer these winnings will automatically be closed at the end of these 2 days. All outstanding credits will be lost.
If the Player is running short on time at the end of this promotion, the Player should ensure that he or she is able to complete the bet that he or she has started. Any pending bets will be deemed to be lost and the funds deducted from the Player's total balance at the end of the promotion.
If the player chooses not to take the Freeplay offer, they become eligible for the alternate offer of 100% up to 100 on their 1st deposit.
In the interest of avoiding any confusion related to this promotion and the winnings transferred to the REAL account, the Player is committing to the wagering requirements in accordance with the normal Terms and Conditions. These include:
The Player's deposit may be cashed in, providing any minimum bet requirements associated with redeemed bonuses have been satisfied.
Bonus amounts credited to the Player's bonus account are subject to 30 times play through before they may be cashed in.
Different games played may contribute a different percentage of the play through requirements.
The wagering requirements (for withdrawal purposes) will start being counted from the time the Free Play Bonus winnings are added to the casino account.
If the Player claims his or her winnings as part of this promotion he or she will not be eligible for any first deposit bonus offered.
All promotions can only be claimed once per person, household, family, household address, email address, credit card number, or shared computer environment such as a library, workplace, fraternity, university or school.
The Player acknowledges that in order to be eligible for any promotion or bonus, the Player must be playing with the primary currency used in the country where he or she has a registered address and from where he or she is playing. The casino reserves the right to withhold bonuses resulting from deposits in any currency made in contradiction to this condition. If the currency of the Player's country of residence is not available, the Player will need to play in US Dollars.
In the event that the casino dee
Agnieszka: The maximum amount that can be won and transferred into the Player's REAL account for this promotion is $100. Any amount over this will be null and void.
Agnieszka: Any winnings from Free Spins are credited to the player’s bonus account and are subject to a 50 times play through before they may be cashed in.
Click here for more info...
Me: OK thats fine... I dont mind WR as that is a normal requirement for most casinos and I dont expect to get something for nothing but all I am saying is that the website is misleading people
Agnieszka: but it still offers you 1000 credits to play
Me: You can get 1000$ credits to play at an MG casino if you chose Freeplay anyways ... theres no point if you cant win real cash if you get 1000 or you get 0
Agnieszka: Is there anything further that I can assist you with ?
Me: Is that a move on question?
Agnieszka: i have answered your questions. there is nothing else i can say.Is there anything further that I can assist you with ?
Me: No worries... Ill ask some other casino players in a forum to see if they are reading it right or I am not reading it right. Thanks
Agnieszka: no problem

I really dont care about joining yet another MG at the moment but ... am I getting this wrong???

 

[vinylweatherman]

This is very misleading. It implies you keep whatever you win over that $1000, and with nothing to say otherwise, you might consider "keep" to mean cash out and spend as you wish. The reailty is different. If you win $100 or more, you just get $100. However, you DO then have to make a deposit of $20, and then to really "keep" that $100 you have to make the WR as the $100 is credited as bonus.

One thing IS clear, as advertised, the offer makes no sense at all for the casino, they would be bust in no time were it true.

This is merely the Microgaming "win your welcome bonus" marketing ploy. Unlike the deposit related welcome bonus is delays the fact you have to deposit until you have "won" $100. Having $100 available is more likely to get a player to part with $20 than the up front promise of a match bonus on that $20.

It also differs from the standard free chip of between $7 and $20 that one sees offered. $1000 is going to stir interest than "free $7 for registering".

Once you have taken one of these baits, they have you and can market further offers in order to keep you.

 

[KasinoKing]

I really dont care about joining yet another MG at the moment but ... am I getting this wrong???

These free-play bonuses have been offered by numerous MG casinos for several years and I think they are totally fine.
The only problem I would have with them, is if any actually say "... keep all your winnings"

When someone brought up this topic a year or so ago I checked all these offers listed on my own website (including Red Flush) and none of them used the word "all". Saying "keep your winnings" IS still slightly mis-leading I agree - but with all bonuses players know they need to check the T&Cs - especially if an offer sounds too good to be true.

I think they are good bonuses, because if you do make the WR and win the maximum you end up getting a pretty decent match bonus at the end.
In this case, deposit $20 for a $100 bonus = a 500% bonus.
You wont find many casinos offering bonuses that big - especially with a WR of only Bonus x 30 and cashable.
(Though I see this Red Flush one is now Bx50)

KK

 

[smcinoz]

Its just a scenic route for you to get to the 100% up to $100 match bonus. Guess the possible advantage is you would only need to deposit $20 to play with $120 (500%) compared to $100 to play with $200

Deposit straight away and get

 

[SAunnyS72]

These free-play bonuses have been offered by numerous MG casinos for several years and I think they are totally fine.
The only problem I would have with them, is if any actually say "... keep all your winnings"

When someone brought up this topic a year or so ago I checked all these offers listed on my own website (including Red Flush) and none of them used the word "all". Saying "keep your winnings" IS still slightly mis-leading I agree - but with all bonuses players know they need to check the T&Cs - especially if an offer sounds too good to be true.

I think they are good bonuses, because if you do make the WR and win the maximum you end up getting a pretty decent match bonus at the end.
In this case, deposit $20 for a $100 bonus = a 500% bonus.
You wont find many casinos offering bonuses that big - especially with a WR of only Bonus x 30 and cashable.
(Though I see this Red Flush one is now Bx50)

KK

KK ... I partially agree with you as it could be a nice little bonus. But what I think is the "not so good" part is how it is worded. It should have been - 'Win upto $100 bonus from the 1000$ for you to keep'. When you say 'keep whatever you win from it' pretty much means all of it over 1k even if it were bonus dollars.For me I know I would NEVER get into a promo without checking and double checking the facts and T&Cs but like VWM mentioned there are a lot of new online gamblers that would just jump at the offer ( including the ones that are only there for the bonuses -you know the ones I mean )

On another note, what it also does is it nullifies the casinos that do have a great offer, they find it hard to push because people go 'oh must be a catch'.

Again, I don't think it is a bad deal just not rightly worded for a lot of people. I read pages of contracts each day and if it is confusing for me I am guessing there would be a lot of people getting the wrong end of the stick

 

[Nifty29]

KK ... I partially agree with you as it could be a nice little bonus. But what I think is the "not so good" part is how it is worded. It should have been - 'Win upto $100 bonus from the 1000$ for you to keep'. When you say 'keep whatever you win from it' pretty much means all of it over 1k even if it were bonus dollars.For me I know I would NEVER get into a promo without checking and double checking the facts and T&Cs but like VWM mentioned there are a lot of new online gamblers that would just jump at the offer ( including the ones that are only there for the bonuses -you know the ones I mean )

On another note, what it also does is it nullifies the casinos that do have a great offer, they find it hard to push because people go 'oh must be a catch'.

Again, I don't think it is a bad deal just not rightly worded for a lot of people. I read pages of contracts each day and if it is confusing for me I am guessing there would be a lot of people getting the wrong end of the stick

I'm not sure "blatant advertising" is the right description.....its more like "deliberately misleading and deceptive advertising".

I am in total agreement with SAunny here. It's fine for old hacks like vinyl and myself, but newbs and those who haven't seen these MGS offers could be easily fooled.

It's the kind of shifty marketing one would expect from TG or Whingepalace or V1rtual. Certainly it is behaviour unbecoming of an accredited casino IMO.

All that aside, if you get the $100 bonus for your $20 deposit its still OK, although the 50xzb WR stinks...why operators keep playing around with IMO the best bonus system ever created (clearplay) I'll never know. I never play anywhere that the system has been bastardised, bonus or not.....it tells you lots about the operator IMO.

I would think any advertising watchdog in the world would ban this immediately.