What is a ‘wagering requirement’?
One term that you will always come across, no matter which online casino you are playing at, is 'wagering requirement'. Now, this term can be quite daunting if you are new to gambling, but it is a very important term that you must learn. By the time you finish reading this guide, you will know the term inside and out! It is very important that you understand what the term 'wagering requirements' means before you proceed to sign up for an online casino account. Do not attempt to deposit and play with a bonus, if you have no idea what this means because you are as good as throwing your money away.
You may also see the term wagering requirements phrased as 'playthrough requirements' or even ‘rollover requirements’. All three of these phrases mean the exact same thing. You will see these phrases mostly used in the casino's Terms and Conditions and when detailing the Terms of any bonuses. One thing is guaranteed, you will always have to meet the casino’s wagering requirements when you accept a bonus off them. This is the reason why knowing what the jargon means is so important.
Wagering requirement basically means how many times you must wager (play through) the amount of bonus you have been given by the casino. You must fulfil these requirements in order to be able to cash out any winnings. Let’s break this down for you to make it easy to understand. Say you were to receive a bonus from a casino of 100 credits that came with a wagering requirement of thirty times. What this means is you will need to place bets worth 3000 credits. Once you have reached the 3000 credit mark, your bonus and any winnings will then become real money. You are then at the point where you can successfully request a withdrawal. If you are new to gambling you may think that placing bets up to 3000 credits seems a lot, but in fact it’s more than achievable from any gambler. Regardless of how much you deposit or bet. You certainly do not have to be placing high bets just to try and reach the wagering requirements. They can be fulfilled even by placing the very minimum bets. So, if you were to play a 20-payline video slot with a minimum 0.01 credits per line, your total spin value would be 0.20 credits. Ten spins at this stake will mean that you have just wagered 2 credits which will come off the total amount required.
Alternatively, if you were playing the same slot at 0.10 credits per line your total spin value will be 2 credits per spin. Ten spins would mean you have just wagered a total of 20 credits off the total amount. Obviously, the more you stake per spin, the quicker you will meet your wagering requirements. Alternatively, if you were to place stakes of 10 credits per spin, ten spins would mean you have just wagered 100 credits, and so on.
The wagering requirements at most online casinos will be phrased as a whole value of the bonus. For example, thirty times your total bonus amount. The most common wagering requirement can be between twenty and fifty. Still, this can vary from casino to casino and will also depend on what kind of bonus you are accepting. Some casinos may also require you to wager the total of your deposit plus the bonus amount. If this is the case, it can drastically increase the total amount you need to wager. It is of vital importance that you always check these requirements in the bonus Terms and Conditions before accepting the bonus. Once you have accepted the bonus, you are bound by the wagering requirements.
The actual term 'wagering requirements' should by now be pretty straightforward. The only time now when this can become confusing is if a casino places certain wagering requirements for certain games. For example, most slots will count 100% towards your wagering requirements. However, some casinos place certain restrictions and some slots may only count 50% or even 20%. If that is the case, for every bet you place only that percentage of your stake is being counted towards the wagering. Also, wagering for table games can differ vastly and should be checked before accepting a bonus. Another important factor you should always check is whether or not playing the casino's progressive jackpot games will count towards your wagering. The last thing you want is to be placing bets for hours on games only to find out later they have not contributed at all towards your wagering requirements.
Working through your wagering requirements can be very frustrating at the best of times. But now some casinos allow you to easily check how much you have wagered in your account. While this is a fantastic feature and very beneficial to the player, not all online casinos provide this option. If you are playing at a casino that does not offer this service, you will need to contact the casino's support and ask them how much you have wagered, or how much you have left.
Ultimately, there is no escaping wagering requirements if you want to accept a bonus. The only times when you will not be required to meet standard wagering requirements is if you deposit without accepting a bonus. If you play with just your own money, you will be free to deposit whenever you wish.