How To Avoid Bonus Abuse - A 5 Step Guide
Bonus abuse is one of the most common ways for new players to have their welcome bonus forfeited. In this article, we'll talk about how to avoid bonus abuse and what it is.
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✖What is Bonus Abuse?
Bonus abuse is defined as any action taken by a player that goes against the rules of the casino. Since completely free welcome offers are common, it’s prevalent in the world of online casinos.
When a new player signs up for an account, they get either bonus money or free spins to use without having to put down any of their own cash.
These offers were made to mimic the real online gambling experience, allowing players to win real cash by sticking to the terms and getting a bit of good fortune along the way.
However, fraudsters figured out that they could make multiple accounts under fake names and have, in theory, an infinite number of free chances to win real money.
Online casinos have devised various methods to stop people from abusing their bonuses. However, every new rule just gives people more ways to break the old ones.
Since then, ‘bonus abuse’ has come to mean any violation of the original or rules, as well as the new rules that were made to stop it from happening.
Steps to Avoid
- Placing big bets – Casino bonuses limit how much you can bet per gameround.
- Creating multiple accounts – Each player or household can only have one casino account (IP Address).
- Claiming more than one bonus – Each casino only lets you claim one bonus at the same time.
- Playing restricted games – Every bonus comes with a selection of games that are ineligible.
- Trying to withdraw right away – Unless otherwise stated, all casino bonuses come with playthrough requirements.
To prevent the possibility of losing your bonus from happening, you must follow the rules carefully. It really is that easy.
You should be fine as long as you follow our 5 rules on how to prevent bonus abuse:
Step 1. Bet Below The Bet Limit
So that players don't win excessive amounts after claiming a bonus, the casino will impose limits on the size of their bets.
Please don't go over the amount you can bet. If you try to bet more than the maximum bet size, it might look like you're trying to get around the wagering requirements and cash out your winnings quickly.
This is a clear sign of abusing bonus rules, potentially leading your account to be shut down straight away.
Read the terms and conditions to find out the applied bet limits whilst a bonus is active on your account.
Step 2. Sign up With Real Information
If you don't use your real personal details, the casino might think you have made more than one account.
So, when you register for a casino, it is very important to make sure that the information you give is correct.
Please be aware that casinos may ask for more proof of your ID when you try to cash out.
If you don't verify your ID, you might not be able to withdraw bonus winnings and your account might also be shut down.
Step 3. Don't Make More Than One Account
As a general rule, each person or household can only have one account.
Therefore, don't try to sign up for more than one account at the same online casino.
Now, casinos use high-tech software that can find your IP address. So, they can find out if the same person is making multiple accounts, and they can even find out your real identity.
Also, be careful if you come from a family with a lot of gamblers online. If the bonus is limited to one per household, any successive bonus claimed by a different account will violate the casino’s terms.
If you try to make an account whilst on a public network, you might run into the same problem.
Step 4. Only One Welcome Bonus Can Be Claimed
Only one welcome bonus is given to each player. It is prohibited to try to claim more than one sign-up offer.
This is easy to avoid because you usually get to choose which bonus you want when you sign up.
Step 5. Play For Fun
This rule may appear vague at first, but when casinos look for fraud, they are actually looking for patterns of abuse.
How likely you are to show up on their system depends on what you do with your bonus.
For example, most welcome bonuses are linked to games that are eligible to play with bonus money. Most likely, these are slots with a low-to-moderate RTP where your spins can return a regular stream of wins.
Please only play games on the list. Trying to play a forbidden slot, especially one with an above-average RTP rating, is usually not allowed and will be seen as suspicious at the very least.
Read the terms and conditions carefully. Every bonus comes with a list of rules that tell you what you can and can't do with it. Make sure you follow them carefully, or you run the risk of losing any bonus winnings.
Common Bonus Terms and Conditions
- Wagering requirements - the number of times you have to play through the bonus before you can withdraw.
- Expiration dates - how long you have left before your bonus is taken away.
- Win caps - the highest amount you can withdraw after playing a no-deposit bonus.
You must read and understand the terms and conditions of your bonus. Even if you accidentally break the rules, it is likely that you will still lose your bonus.
Players often break these rules because they don't know what "wagering requirements" are and think they can get their bonus money right away.
Even though it might not be "bonus abuse," you are likely to lose your bonus.
Conclusion
If you read the T&Cs, you have a good chance of avoiding bonus abuse. We suggest you do this every time you claim a bonus.
If you don't want to play for real money yet, it’s not recommended to try and claim a no deposit bonus more than once.
There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of online casinos that offer free sign-up bonuses. You are welcome to take advantage of more than one no-deposit bonus. Just make sure they are from different brands.
FAQ
Your IP address is the most common way to do this. Most casinos only let each IP address have one account.
Another way is to ask you to show proof of your ID at a later date. If your ID documents match those of someone else, you may be banned.
If you are thought to be abusing bonuses, you may be asked for more proof of your ID. This can be a driver's licence, a passport, or a bill from a utility company.
If you don't give the casino these documents, it may close your account and even blacklist your IP address.
Welcome bonuses are a way for online casinos to get new players to sign up. The goal is to get more people to play and let people try out their service.
Your trial period is over once you've used your welcome bonus. You will then be asked to put down real money or find another online casino.
The majority of online casinos have a way for you to appeal if they close your account.
