Introduction

[onlinecasinooptions]

Hello all.

Quick intro — I'm James, based in England. I spent a number of years working around bookmakers before moving over to the online side, which has left me with a fairly cynical view of how bonuses get marketed.

The thing I've become slightly obsessed with is wagering requirements, and I'll happily die on this hill: the industry standard 35x is basically a fiction. A £100 bonus at 35x means staking £3,500 to unlock it. Most players never get there, and the operators know that. It's a number designed for an advert, not for a player.

Which is why I think the zero-wagering casinos are doing something genuinely different rather than just marketing differently. 50 free spins you actually keep beats £200 you'll never withdraw. The maths isn't close, and the industry relies on people not doing it.

Anyway — here to learn as much as contribute. Interested in what this lot make of the no-wagering trend. Genuine shift, or just a smaller hook dressed up as generosity?

Cheers,
James

[Afi4wins]

@onlinecasinooptions Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately for me, my country is forever restricted from anything wager-free, so I can only watch and weep! 

[Blackjax]

1 hour ago, onlinecasinooptions said:

Hello all.

Quick intro — I'm James, based in England. I spent a number of years working around bookmakers before moving over to the online side, which has left me with a fairly cynical view of how bonuses get marketed.

The thing I've become slightly obsessed with is wagering requirements, and I'll happily die on this hill: the industry standard 35x is basically a fiction. A £100 bonus at 35x means staking £3,500 to unlock it. Most players never get there, and the operators know that. It's a number designed for an advert, not for a player.

Which is why I think the zero-wagering casinos are doing something genuinely different rather than just marketing differently. 50 free spins you actually keep beats £200 you'll never withdraw. The maths isn't close, and the industry relies on people not doing it.

Anyway — here to learn as much as contribute. Interested in what this lot make of the no-wagering trend. Genuine shift, or just a smaller hook dressed up as generosity?

Cheers,
James

You may not have to wager the winnings from free spins but you still have to wager the initial deposit 3x or even 5x. And chances are you will lose some. Also lots of casinos are now fixing minimum withdrawal amount to €50 or higher so even if you get these 50 free spins from €20 deposit you have to still play your initial deposit.