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- May 8, 2014
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- chelmsford UK
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I used to always take a bonus.
Unless it's a 100% bonus, never touch them now.
I used to always take a bonus.
Unless it's a 100% bonus, never touch them now.
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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 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.![]()
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.