With the increasing popularity of online casinos, new sites appear every day. The iGaming market has now become highly competitive, so online casinos always try to attract new players with their bonuses. It’s also a humongous industry, with the US market alone representing $9.5 billion in 2021. However, all casino bonuses come with conditions players must respect to withdraw their winnings, and the most important is the wagering requirements.
If you’re new to online casinos, this guide will help you understand wagering requirements and how they can affect your overall experience of a casino.
What Are Wagering Requirements Exactly?
The wagering requirement is a condition the online casino asks you to fulfill when you activate a casino bonus. This requirement basically asks you to bet the amount you have received (and sometimes the amount deposited to claim the bonus) a specific number of times. It’s expressed as a multiplier, so in the bonus terms, you’ll see it displayed as: “Wagering requirement: 10x”, for example.
Let’s make it clearer by using an example: If you have received a $10 bonus, and your wagering requirement is 10x, you must do the following equation to find out how much the casino wants you to wager before you can withdraw:
$10 x 10 = $100
In this case, you’ll have to wager $100 before you can withdraw your winnings. Furthermore, it’s not the only condition an online casino can require, and it’s important to see if the wagering requirement is attainable with the other bonus terms.
The Different Bonuses With Wagering Requirements, Or Not!
Wagering requirements are fairly common among casino bonuses, and you can find them attached to any kind of bonus. Wagering requirements can be asked when you play with a deposit bonus, the bonus money given back to you with a cashback, bingo tickets, or even free spins. However, not every casino offer comes with wagering requirements, and it’s possible to find a free spin offer without any wagering requirement; you can check the best casino free spins offers to learn more about such incentives.
Not All Wagering Requirements Are Equal!
As mentioned in the introduction, wagering requirements are mainly here to incentivise new players to join and play. Since it’s a marketing tactic, you’ll often see offers promoting a popular game and feature huge percentages or a high number of spins. Yet, when you read the fine print, you’ll realise it’s essential to take all the conditions into account before claiming the offer.
You’ll receive the bonus, and the wagering requirements may also seem easy to meet, but when considering time limits, or the amount you can wager per turn or spin, it may prove more tricky. Moreover, some offers may be difficult to comply with for beginners, and it’s sometimes preferable to find a bonus suitable for beginners, with fewer restrictions and more wiggle room.
How To Choose A Casino Bonus, Step-By-Step
If you’re still unsure of how to choose your casino bonus, here’s a quick step-by-step guide to grasp the core concepts of the various bonus terms.
1. Is It The Offer You’re Looking For?
“Do you want to play with this bonus?”, it’s the first question that should pop up in your mind. The answer depends on the type of games you enjoy playing. If you prefer online slots, an offer featuring free spins will suit you better, whereas an offer for live casinos will be more appropriate for table game lovers.
2. What Are The Bonus Terms?
After finding the right offer for you, take the time to go over the bonus terms, not only the wagering requirements. Ensure the time you have to play with the bonus, the wagering limits, and the list of allowed games fit your play style.
3. Think About What Happens After The Bonus Before Claiming It
Once you’ve played with your casino bonus, maybe you had a bit of luck and won. You may even have won a jackpot on a slot, like this lucky French player. Well, before that, you should think about the available payment methods for deposits and withdrawals, the time the casino takes to pay, and even prepare for the possibility that the casino may pay large sums in increments. So, you should have a look at the general terms and conditions of the online casino to learn more about all of this before you commit.
Furthermore, we’d recommend checking out the games and various services available to decide beforehand if this casino is going to be a one-off for you or your new favourite place to have fun with casino games. Do the games look interesting and varied? Is there a mobile app? Will you find assistance if you need it? Are there more rewards waiting for you? All of these questions must be answered to ensure you enjoy the online casino chosen to the fullest.
Read The Fine Print To Enjoy Your Casino Bonuses
Thanks to this guide, we hope that you now feel ready and enlightened about wagering requirements. Never skip reading the bonus terms; you may lose your bonus and your winnings if you don’t respect them, and choose bonuses offering the best conditions for you.