When you read our news articles about different casinos and their bonuses, we most often mention that there are wagering requirements. Such requirements apply regardless of whether you play via the computer or through a mobile casino. In other words, there is no way around it. However, you can play both via the computer and the mobile casino on the same account to fulfill a turnover requirement.
So what exactly is the wagering requirement? And how does it work? This is exactly what we are going to address in this casino guide. Hopefully, you will learn everything you need and a little more – read on!
Wagering requirements are tied to casino bonuses
Sure, it can sound very sad that there are wagering requirements tied to more or less all casino bonuses – with the exception of free spins at some casinos. The reason why there exists is the fact that online casinos would not be able to afford to give away thousands of euros to each new player who becomes a member. If there were no wagering requirements, everyone could open an account, make a deposit, collect the bonus and withdraw the money instantly. The wagering requirements are thus a kind of security for the casino sites. Unfortunately, when the industry took off, a lot of people abused the casino bonuses, which in turn has led to the strict terms and conditions that apply today.
Wagering requirements vary from casino to casino
There is not a template that says the same sales requirements apply to all online casinos on the market. Each casino has the opportunity to decide what the requirements should be for their bonus offers. In addition, one and the same casino may have different wagering requirements for deposit bonuses and cashbacks and winnings from free spins. For this reason, we recommend that you always do yourself a favor and read through the T&Cs that belong to the bonus offer.
Today, it is common for regular reload and deposit bonuses to have a wagering requirement of between x30 and x50. However, there are, of course, casinos that have both lower and higher wagering requirements than that which affect how fast you can play and withdraw your money. A cashback usually has a lower wagering requirement of either x1, x5 or x10 depending on which casino you play at.
Here's some of favourite mobile/online casinos with free spins without wagering requirements:
Wagering requirements with bonus amount + deposit = true
The next thing to be aware of is that there is a significant difference between the wagering requirements in online casinos. It is whether the wagering requirement applies only to the bonus money or whether it also applies to your own deposit. In order to simplify it all, we have made two examples of how you can calculate how much money you must put in before you can make a withdrawal. Before you meet the wagering requirement, your money is locked in to the account which means you cannot withdraw it from your gaming account.
To calculate a bonus offer that applies only to the bonus of a casino with a wagering requirement of x30:
100% bonus up to €200 = You deposit €200 and receive €200 in bonus = €200 in bonus x30 = You have to wager €6,000 for you to withdraw your bonus money from the casino.
To calculate a bonus offer that applies to your deposit and the bonus of a casino with a wagering requirement of x30:
100% bonus up to €200 = You deposit €200 and receive €200 in bonus = (€200 + €200) x 30 = You must turn over €12,000 in order for you to withdraw the money from the casino.
As you can see, there is a big difference depending on whether you play at a casino where the wagering requirement is tied to just the bonus or whether it is tied to the bonus and your deposit. This is how you can count both when you use 100%, 150% or 200% deposit bonuses as well as you can use the set up when you use reload bonuses of 25%, 50% or 75%. Just change the percentage and amount you deposit!
(No) Wagering requirements on free spins winnings
As you know, free spins are also an immensely popular bonus variant at online/mobile casinos today. Therefore, we think it is reasonable to explain wagering requirements regarding free spins as well. Or rather, the wagering requirements that apply to the money you possibly win using your free spins.
Today, there are casinos that offer free spins both with and without wagering requirements. Of course, casinos with wager-free spins are in the minority. But if you become a member of such a casino, this is, of course, a great advantage! If you win money with your free spins without wagering requirements, you can withdraw the prize at once. Compare this to free spins where the wagering requirement is for example x35. Let's say you win €100 with your free spins – then you have to count €100 x 35. This means you have to wager €3,500 before you can withdraw the money from your account at the casino.
Tips for meeting wagering requirements
The wagering requirement is obviously not the only thing to look for when choosing a casino to become a member of. However, we think it is a smart move to check out what applies before opening an account so that you know what to expect. Likewise, check whether the free spins at the casino are wager-free or not. You can always read about this via the terms and conditions that apply to each offer. If this information is not presumably included, you can contact the support via live chat or email to get answers to your questions regarding WR/T&Cs.
In order to fulfill the wagering requirement as quickly as possible, you should devote yourself to playing slots. There your bets are counted as 100% – table games and video poker usually do not count as high, which in turn means that it takes even longer to meet the wagering requirement. Although it may sound very much when, for example, you have to turn over €10,000, this does not mean that you have to deposit €10,000. Every time you play and win or lose, this counts. But if you do not want to feel bound and get a headache from wagering requirements, you should, of course, avoid saying yes to all casino bonuses.