Gambling has long ceased to be just an entertainment venue for wealthy customers. Today, the gambling industry is a whole industry that has successfully carved out a niche for itself.
It is no secret that casinos have always kept up with the times, using the latest IT technology in their functionality. With the opening of online gambling sites, gambling institutions got a new round in their development: the number of those wishing to try their luck on the vast expanses of the Internet has numbered in the millions. Mobile applications have also been a part of the revolution, allowing players to spin the roulette wheel or play slots at any time of day or night, anywhere.
The most popular bonuses at online casinos
The gambling business generates a lot of income for casino owners, which has led to fierce competition. Casinos actively compete for every new customer, offering promotions and bonuses to suit all tastes. The bigger and richer the place, the better terms it offers to customers. Here are the standard bonus programmes:
- Welcome bonuses are credited to a new player’s account immediately after completing the mandatory registration. All casinos struggle with multi-accounts, so it is necessary to enter your real personal details in order to play successfully. The administration of an officially licensed casino guarantees the safety of such information.
In most cases, welcome bonuses are in the form of free spins or the crediting of an agreed amount of money to a deposit account. Some casinos introduce bonus accounts for this purpose, which can only be used in certain games.
- The deposit loyalty programme is designed to reward active players and regular customers. Its essence is an extraordinary replenishment of the player’s deposit at the casino’s expense. Usually the bonus amount is a fixed percentage of the money already in the account. The details should necessarily be spelled out in the house rules.
- reload bonuses are designed to warm up the excitement and interest of the player. They are often found when a new slot or card table is introduced. Reload bonuses are usually time-limited, forcing the player to make a decision here and now.
- consolation bonuses are used in case of loss. The casino cannot leave the player alone with a bad mood from an unsuccessful game. As a reward, the customer receives a lottery ticket, free spins, or the opportunity to return a certain percentage of the amount spent.
Types of online casino players
Casino clients are fundamentally different from each other in terms of geography, preference for games and financial situation. Each of them has its own goal of the game. Consider the main types of players in gambling establishments:
Amateur
One of the most “convenient” customers for the casino. This category of players is characterised by a lack of gambling experience and a sincere belief in their own victory. They do not have a clear strategy or the necessary knowledge base. The main aim of the amateur is to have a good time in pleasant company and in a relaxed atmosphere.
Professional
This category of player represents the greatest danger to the casino. With decades of personal experience, such customers do not waste their time, but focus all their energies on making a profit. Not all strategies used in the world of gambling have been scientifically proven. However, it is quite common for professionals to leave a gambling hall with big winnings.
Bonus hunter
With the growing popularity of gambling establishments, the number of fake gamblers who seek to profit at the expense of others has also increased significantly. Bonus hunters can also be attributed to a similar phenomenon. This category of players visits the casino not for their own pleasure: their earnings consist of the use of bonus funds. Bonus hunters often have multiple accounts to maximize profits. To do this, they use fake documents, which is a direct violation of the law.
Quont
This definition is better suited to sports betting, but there are also casino-goers who use science to multiply the odds of their own winnings.
Blackjack and baccarat are known to bring in substantial profits if you keep a card count. And poker has long been one of the most fashionable and rewarding gambling destinations. Players are offered full-fledged courses to teach them how to play professionally.
The fight between online casinos and bonus hunters
Initially, gambling establishments were conceived as entertainment for gamblers who dreamed of changing the routine of everyday life for a vivid atmosphere of excitement and celebration even for a moment. A huge number of gaming establishments created fierce competition for each other. To stay afloat, the casino had to meet the needs of the players by offering a variety of promotions and bonuses.
In the early days, the bonuses and the loyalty programme really represented a tangible benefit to the player. The gifts were useful and the wagering was simple and straightforward. Over time, unscrupulous users emerged, causing casinos to risk bankruptcy. Rumours spread, such behaviour became widespread and casinos incurred huge losses.
In order to eliminate such practices, the owners have made wagering and withdrawal of the bonus money more difficult. For example, in order to withdraw the bonus funds, it is necessary to make several bets for a large amount of money, several times greater than the welcome bonus. And it is necessary to play only certain games with low RTP. During this time the player risks losing much more than the player gets.
It is unlikely to be possible to remove the loyalty programme completely, as the flow of new users will dry up in the first instance. Some casinos simply do not give bonuses to players from certain countries. This practice is quite legal and impossible to challenge. Quite often, new customers unsuccessfully wait for a deposit without having read all the rules beforehand.
Large establishments successfully use sticky bonuses. The money can only be used for betting in the conditions of the chosen establishment. As soon as the player fulfils all the specified conditions, the money from the deposit account simply disappears.
Another good option for rewarding customers without the risk of running into a bonus-hunter-maximum use of free games and spins at the chosen machine or card table. The key is that the player is not offered a sum of money, but a certain number of free spins or number of games at the house’s expense.
Of course, there are plenty of loopholes left in online casino strategy for bonus-hunters, but statistics show a significant drop in interest from them. Each casino has its own ‘black list’, which is constantly updated with untrustworthy players.
Leenart Jakobson
