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Someone who gambles at a casino who’s only express objective is to collect and withdraw a cash bonus.
These folks specialize in knowing the exact terms and conditions of each offer and developing a playing strategy specifically targeted at collecting the bonus.
Cash bonuses were designed to incentivize real players for joining and playing at an online casino. They are also used as a retention tool and to reward ACTIVE players. They were NOT designed for people to play the minimum number of slot pulls or table hands then withdraw all the money and leave the casino.
Though it’s not generally acknowledged by the casinos they all DO maintain and share lists of people suspected of bonus abuse.
I think this may explain why some people have difficulty collecting “No Deposit” bonuses from certain casinos.
It’s altogether possible that if you refer a player to a casino who has been identified as a potential bonus abuser or one known to collect bonuses from numerous casinos, that this person may be denied the bonus. The casino will not come right out say you are on a list, but often this is the reason the bonus is rejected and not some written term and condition the player missed when reading the offer.
Note: Casinos generally deny existance of any such list, but if you ask a casino manager in confidence they will often admit that such lists exist. This is a prudent business practice that protects the casino and affiliate. It’s very important to remember that this is a business and we are partners with the casinos. If they dont make money we dont make money either. Bonus abusers hurt our income as well as the casino.
I have seen recent postings on player boards where casinos did tell the player why the bonus was refused – because of the list you mention, Professor.
I think there may be various categories of “bonus abusers”.
There are some that will sign up under many different names – their aunt’s and uncles and friends etc. and collect the same bonus over and over.
Then there are those you mentioned that play the wagering requirements through properly to get the bonus, but do not use fraudulent identities. I suppose these are called “advantage players”.
I don’t know what all else is going on there.
It mostly hurts new players – and that hurts me because I have mostly newbie players. If I had a dollar for every new player who asks me why they have to play Slots or Keno, or who told me that all online casinos are rip offs because they went and played their favorite – BJ or roulette – and won and the casino stole their money. They never read the wagering requirements. You try to explain this situation to them. It doesn’t even sound plausible to a normal, non online gaming savvy person.
Personally, I think firstly a person should have a clearly presented CHOICE – play with bonus and wagering requirements, or play without bonus and wagering requirements. Or also – play without bonus now, and get the bonus free of wagering requirements after depositing xxx amonut of money over time.
I have been more active testing casinos lately, and I find some will not give you a bonus unless you ask, and some will automatically give it. It is all very confusing to novice players. If you suddenly have twice the money in your account – what are you to think? Will you immediately quit playing and go to a website to read some complicated small print? Of course not!
This is a problem we need to fix. How can we prevent bonus abuse without scaring off all the new players? The market needs to keep expanding like all other markets.
It looks like the market is mostly concentrating on stealing away existing players from other casinos by using bigger bonuses – and creating a monster in the form of abusers and scared novices.
I am sure the entire industry is hurting from this.
With todays bonus terms and conditions I dont see how anyone could be defined as a “bonus abuser”!
Sure once upon a time a gambler could easily manipulate the system and walk off with some quick cash. HOWEVER with todays play through requirements and cash out requirements and and and blah blah blah – I just dont see how its possible.
If a player opens up an account, qualifies for a bonus, wins some money, meets all the requirements and cashes out – HOW could they be considered an abuser? Because they didnt lose? COME ON!
Arkyt – there is still a bunch of bonus abusers out there.
How can these players hurt the casinos? Well if a person signs up with multiple accounts ” no deposit bonus” and plays only progressive games, the casino is paying progressive fee’s on these players. So is it fair to the casino to allow them to keep coming in even though they do not win?Dom a newbie player should never be effected. Since they are not on the ” list”
… signs up with multiple accounts
Then they are abusing the casino and the system …
To me a bonus abuser is someone who tries to defraud the casino somehow. #1 would be multiple accounts. As far as a ‘list,’ I certainly believe it does exist. I wonder if the casinos pass around the SAME list though :confused: Like in Las vegas they have a database to match cheaters? Anyway, if a casino offers you something for free, MOST will take it, so I don’t think that is abuse. But when they make it a life long career well then that is a problem. If someone hops from casino to casino without EVER having the intention of depositing, that is a form of abuse and hurts all parties involved.
O yes there are lists and many times casino managers will use “the list” as a reason not to credit a bonus.
On a side not, playtech implented a feature about a 1 year ago, where there system, using some sort of creitra, will block users from signing up from all of there playtech casinos if they are seen as bonus abusers. Pretty smart, now if the could only get Black Widow and Grand Banks to pay in a timely fashion
A distinction should be drawn between a “bonus abuser” and an “advantage player”.
Signing up under multiple names to collect multiple bonuses is clearly abuse.
Playing just the wagering requirements and making a profit is clearly advantage play.
I find it hard to believe that a few advantage players are going to seriously damage an online casino’s profitability. Let’s face it; the house DOES have the edge on these games.
I have nothing but disdain for true bonus abuse though.
If a casino labels a person an abuser who follows the terms and conditions to the letter, with the objective of only collecting and withdrawing the bonus, that casino should be labeled a rogue (if only because they make everyone look like idiots).
Calling such people abusers is dishonest in a really Orwellian way. Follow the rules and be labeled an abuser? That’s sick. And of course its basically idiotic of a casino. It should be clear that it is a positive for the option of skillfully winning via a bonus to exist.
An abuser breaks or violates the rules, like having many accounts. Lumping honest people with cheats is like saying all online casinos cheat because some do.
Originally posted by Classics
Calling such people abusers is dishonest in a really Orwellian way. Follow the rules and be labeled an abuser? That’s sick. And of course its basically idiotic of a casino. It should be clear that it is a positive for the option of skillfully winning via a bonus to exist.
…Great analogy, wonder which casino would be Napolean
Originally posted by Classics
An abuser breaks or violates the rules, like having many accounts. Lumping honest people with cheats is like saying all online casinos cheat because some do.Or all portal, casino and online gamblers are criminals.
Dom a newbie player should never be effected. Since they are not on the ” list”
Krystall, I am talking about novice players who sign up, deposit and go to play their favorite game. At some point magically extra money appears in their account.
How nice, they think. They continue to play and win and want to withdraw. Now they are told they cannot do that because they played the wrong game.
That is what I see all the time. My site has crossovers from games players to casino players. They are innocent, brand new conversions to playing at casinos, and they are fxxxxed by the system.
Yes, I do caution them to read wagering requirements. They don’t. They come to me and if I ask if they read them they say they couldn’t find them, didn’t know what they were, just wanted to play, etc.
These people are the new blood the industry needs. And they are being scared off on a daily basis.
There has to be a solution to this. I may feel this more acutely than many of you because of the many newbies I do have, and because I am available to them to talk to. But believe me, without new people deciding to play the industry grows stale and eventually unprofitable. Growth is needed in all industries. When some seasoned players stop playing, new ones need to take their place. New players should be treated like gold. Instead they run into obstacles they should never have to worry about.
Well put! Sometimes you say things I just wish I had said.
This is exactly the point I was trying to make. Calling someone an “abuser” just because they followed the rules to the letter is as hypocritical as saying that a card counter is a cheater, or as saying that a poker player who folds bad hands is cheating.
Randy
Originally posted by Classics
If a casino labels a person an abuser who follows the terms and conditions to the letter, with the objective of only collecting and withdrawing the bonus, that casino should be labeled a rogue (if only because they make everyone look like idiots).Calling such people abusers is dishonest in a really Orwellian way. Follow the rules and be labeled an abuser? That’s sick. And of course its basically idiotic of a casino. It should be clear that it is a positive for the option of skillfully winning via a bonus to exist.
An abuser breaks or violates the rules, like having many accounts. Lumping honest people with cheats is like saying all online casinos cheat because some do.
I haven’t heard of a player, playing the wrong game being considered a ” bonus abuser”. They may not be able to cash out until they have met requirements.
Good to see a few of you got my point …
