Best Australia Casino Sites determined by the Fine Print

Throughout life, we’re all told time and again to “read the fine print!” Whether you’re signing up a social networking account, or applying for a mortgage on your first home, the terms and conditions (T&C) are pivotal. The exact same can be said when comparing the best Australia casino sites.

For nearly two decades, we’ve been bombarded with internet websites that rate the so-called “best online casinos” by their promotional offers. Sure, I want a big bonus and an affable VIP scheme as much as the next guy, but the fine print attached to those offers is vastly more important than the number of dollar signs that precede them.

Value of Due Diligence

If I want to lease a new car, I don’t just walk in, take a few test drives and sign the paperwork. I want to know what value I’m getting. What interest rate am I paying? How long is the lease for? What happens when the lease runs out? Will I have better options for leasing a new car thereafter, or will I be treated like any other new customer on my next visit?

We should be asking the same type of questions when looking for the best Australia casino sites. How much will I have to wager to collect that brilliant bonus you’re offering? How long do I have to complete those wagering requirements? If I’m a loyal player who deposits and invests in the games regularly, what perks will I receive as a VIP member?

Casual gamblers who spend little time and money playing the pokies or tossing virtual chips on table games may have a very hard time redeeming any bonus offers. Chances are they won’t even qualify for a VIP program. But for more frequent players and high rollers, the fine print should always be the determining factor between the worst and best online casinos.

Understanding The Written Terms

If those bonuses mean a lot to you, the first thing you’ll want to look for is the terms and conditions for bonuses and other promotional offers. Go to the site’s T&C page and search within the text for the term “wagering requirements”.

The wagering requirements (WR) will tell you how much you have to bet to release the bonus and keep the winnings. In some cases, only a certain amount of winnings can be withdrawn. Maybe you’ve used the bonus to complete WR, and got lucky enough to finish $500 ahead. But the T&C might state you can only withdrawal $100 or maybe $200 of that, and the rest is forfeit.

Also, when calculating WR, players generally have to add the amount of the deposit plus bonus, not just the bonus. If you deposit $100, collecting a $100 match bonus, and the WR is 35x, that’s $200*35=$7,000 you have to bet before clearing the bonus for redemption.

Another thing you’ll want to look for is which games qualify for WR. Pokies are always on the menu, with every $1 wagered counting 100% towards WR. However, other games like blackjack, roulette and video poker, may count much less towards WR, if anything at all.

Blackjack games usually contribute just 10% to WR, while the lowest house edge variants, like single deck blackjack, count 0%. Betting Red and Black on roulette is not only ineffective, players could have their bonus revoked if they attempt it.

Privacy Policy Matters

Once you read the T&C to determine if you’ve found one of the best Australia casino sites, you’ll also want to take a look at the privacy policy. The majority of operators will not share a user’s info with third party websites, but it’s always good to check, just in case.

You don’t want to start receiving a ton of junk mail from other gambling sites, all claiming to be the best online casinos with the highest bonuses. It’s not only annoying, it’s an illegal form of spam. But if the privacy policy doesn’t state they won’t give out your information, there’s nothing you can do about it.