When something seems too good to be true, you pretty much assume it’s a dud. But when there are so many online casinos peddling so many mind-blowing deals and bonuses, how can you be sure which are worth checking out and which to avoid at all costs?
Casino Papa has the answer – read on for all the info you’ll ever need on avoiding bonus scams!
Just to get the bad news out of the way first, there’s really no such thing as a casino bonus that throws free cash at anyone. It just doesn’t happen – big brands don’t become big by giving things away…especially cash. Instead, the house always wins when it comes to bonuses and they should therefore be seen as fun promos with no cash value.
But at the same time, there really is no excuse for any kind of bonus offer that’s deliberately conceived to deceive. It is unrealistic to expect a free hand out, but at the same time you also shouldn’t expect to be taken for a ride and end up out of pocket.
Keeping your wits about you is important – assuming you’d prefer to avoid falling foul of a scam.
Deciphering the Deals
What’s important to remember is that all the information you could ever need to make a positive and informed decision is right there in front of you. If you don’t bother to use it, you’ve nobody but yourself to blame when things go wrong.
For example, every bonus on offer will be subject to a wide variety of terms and conditions, which are published by the casino in question and must be read in full. Common sense also plays a part in the process as when and where you come across an offer that is suspiciously on the generous side, you should be able to work out that something’s not quite right.
And of course, if the only way of gaining access to the bonus is by putting a hefty sum of your own cash into your account, you may wish to proceed with caution.
The House Edge
Whether it qualifies as a scam or simply an industry standard depends on whom you ask. Nevertheless, the vast majority of casinos handing out excessive bonuses make it almost impossible to meet the specified wagering requirements without facing heavy losses. This is done by only counting certain games toward the specified wagering terms – games in which the house naturally has a massive edge.
In addition, other games may only count for a very small fraction toward the wagering requirement. If for example there was a wagering requirement of 50X and video poker only counted 5%, this would mean that the wagering requirement would effectively be 1,000X if played entirely via video poker!
T&C Amendments
With most web casinos, you will find a clause in the terms and conditions which says something along the lines of “we reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time without notice, therefore our service users must check regularly for updates.” It all sounds a bit dodgy, doesn’t it? And in some cases it is, as one of the most common scam tactics is that of suddenly changing the terms and conditions as a means by which to cheat players out of money.
For example, the casino may over the course of 24 or 48 hours announce and promote an incredible special offer that attracts thousands of new gamers. But then deciding to change the terms and conditions knowing that 99% won’t have read them anyway, they can make a killing.
In another example, a casino may reach the conclusion that it has made something of a mistake with an overly generous promotion, thus amending the terms with no advance warning to minimise losses. We’re looking at you, Betfair circa 2010!
Of course, the very best way of avoiding all such scam tactics is to take into account the reviews and recommendations of those who have already tried, tested and verified the web’s leading casinos.
Check out Casino Papa’s top picks below and stay safe with the web’s best deals!