Gambling Bonuses and Play Throughs

If you have ever been in any land based casinos, then you will notice that apart from the comps the casinos heap on recognized, loyal customers who bet regularly, the casinos do little to bring in new players, assuming that they are there to gamble and that they know what to expect. On the other hand, it would be rather difficult for a casino to offer bonuses to complete strangers before having played a single game.

However, in the online casinos, the situation is a little different. Most online casinos offer bonuses for new customers, and many have referral programs. Usually, this bonus is a certain percentage of the initial deposit, up to a certain limit. For example, many online casinos offer a 25% bonus on any deposit up to $100. This means that you will get $25 if you deposit $100, but you will not get more than a hundred dollars in bonus money.

However, before choosing an online casino in which to play, remember that the bonus system is a bit more complicated than the casinos simply giving you money. Most require a play-through. This is their way of ensuring that the player will stay and play, and not just take the money and leave. The formula that many online casinos use is ten times your deposit plus your bonus. Roughly speaking, if you deposit $100 and receive a 25% bonus, then you cannot withdraw any winning until you have played 10x($100 $25) which works out at 1,250 dollars. Although this may sound like a lot of money, this is all a question of the casinos building a good, long term relationship with their customers. Remember always to check with the online casino of your choice about the different bonus policies. Some companies that operate a number of different online casinos may limit your eligibility for only one bonus for all the casinos owned by that company. It is best to check the terms and conditions and the casinos' support line.

By Tanya Stoilkova, Gambling Advisor. 27-12-05.

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