Bonuses are a big feature of the online casino experience, but a lot of the time, the main focus solely falls on welcome promotions. With them, players get the opportunity to collect a bonus cash in return for registering an account or making their first deposit, and it’s possible to find one at pretty much every gambling platform that you come across.
But what is less common are incentives for existing customers, the kind of offers that keep on rewarding players for their loyalty. Loyalty clubs are one of the biggest types of ongoing rewards for regular gamblers, but there is another one, one that is rarely ever spoken about – the reload bonus.
What are Reload Bonuses?
Casino reload offers are incentives given to regular players when they make additional investments after their initial sign-up or welcome reward has been used. Its main purpose is to encourage continued play and reward player loyalty. This is different from a loyalty program (which is based on how much a player bets in a qualifying period), and it’s also unlike a one-time welcome promo, as a reload bonus can be used again and again. This recurring nature of the reward makes the reload deal special because offers of this nature are rare.
Matched Deposit Bonus
The most common type of reload bonus is a matched deposit. This is where a percentage of the top-up value is credited. A simple example of a matched deposit reload incentive would be phrased as something like “50% reload bonus up to $100”.
That means you would need to add $200 to get the maximum $100 bonus. But it could be a deposit of any value, and still get the matched 50% offer. If you only put $20 in, then the prize would be $10. However, because of the upper limit, if there was a $500 deposit, then you would still only get the maximum $100 as stipulated by the terms.
Terms and Conditions
There’s no escaping terms and conditions when it comes to offers. They are part of the package, and reload bonuses are no exception. These work very much in the same way that the common terms and conditions for a sign-up offer do.
They will cover everything from the deposit minimums and maximums to the turnover. As the offer credits bonus cash, it will be subject to wagering conditions. Those conditions will vary depending on the operator and the deal, but the bonus amount will have to be played through a set number of times (typically 30-50) before any winnings from it can be released as withdrawable cash.
Sign-up rewards typically have a turnover between 30 and 50 times the bonus amount (and sometimes the top-up value too). But reload deals typically aren’t as stringent in the rollover requirement, but they will be there, and it’s why it’s important to check the T&Cs.
The Perks of Reload Bonuses
This type of incentive serves as extended funds, which are typically used first as a stake before any of your real-money balance. The boost from the bonus balance gives players extra chances to land winning combinations on the slots.
The bonus cash can also be used for exploring other games, rather than risking your balance on different game mechanics that you aren’t used to. It’s also just a nice feeling to get rewarded for loyalty for sticking with a particular gambling site, when that money could have been used for a welcome bonus deposit on a different platform.
Some reload rewards also come with free spins. These have fewer limitations compared to bonus cash, even though they may be limited to a certain slot. The wagering requirements on winnings from free spins are typically a lot lower than they are on bonus cash.
The Biggest Hurdles
The aforementioned turnover requirements are the biggest hurdle for a reload incentive. For example, a $50 bonus with a 30x rollover means you’d need to place $1,500 worth of bets before you could cash out. While you can usually use the bonus funds to start, the odds are that you’ll need to dip into your own balance at some point, especially if luck isn’t on your side.
Another stumbling block is expiration dates. You will only get a certain amount of time to complete the rollover of the bonus before it’s gone, along with any winnings you might’ve earned. You are typically looking at 3-7 days to meet the wagering requirements on a bonus.
There are other hurdles which could be in the way as well, like certain payment methods being excluded from the bonus, maximum win amounts and minimum deposits.
Are Reload Promotions Worth It?
It’s crucial to remember that a reload reward is not free money. It’s just promotional currency wrapped up with terms and conditions, and those T&Cs should be fully understood. If your overall budget can cover the rollover, then a reload bonus may be a useful little perk, but for the casual player, there may not be enough value in them to benefit from.
