Nobody reads terms and conditions. I know you don’t. I didn’t either.
Then I got burned by a 60x wagering requirement buried in paragraph 17 of a bonus T&C page. Lost $180 trying to clear a bonus that was mathematically impossible to complete.
That was expensive. So I built a system. Five minutes, four sections, zero fluff. Here’s what I check now before depositing anywhere.
Testing T&C clarity across platforms helps identify patterns. Amon Bet presents over 8,000 games with straightforward bonus terms listed upfront—wagering requirements and game restrictions appear on promo pages rather than buried in legal text, making the five-minute check process faster.
Step 1: Search “Wagering” First (60 Seconds)
Open the T&C page. Hit Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac). Type “wagering.”
This shows you every mention of wagering requirements. Look for these specific numbers:
- Bonus wagering: 30x or lower is reasonable. 40x is high but doable. 60x+ is a trap.
- Deposit + bonus wagering: Some casinos make you wager both. If you deposit $50 and get a $50 bonus with 40x wagering, you’re clearing $4,000 ($100 × 40), not $2,000.
I once missed this distinction. Thought I needed to wager $1,500. The requirement was $3,000. Took me two hours to figure out why my progress bar wasn’t moving.
Also check which games count toward wagering. Slots usually count 100%. Table games might count 10% or nothing at all. If you play blackjack, a bonus that excludes table games is worthless to you.
Quick check: If they don’t list specific percentages per game type, email support before depositing. Vague T&Cs mean they’ll interpret rules in their favor later.
Step 2: Hunt for “Withdrawal” (90 Seconds)
Next search term: “withdrawal.”
You’re looking for red flags:
- Minimum withdrawal amounts: $20-50 is normal. $100+ means they’re making it hard to cash out small wins.
- Maximum withdrawal per week/month: Some casinos cap how much you can withdraw even from legitimate wins. $5,000/week is reasonable. $500/week is absurd unless you’re playing micro stakes.
- Withdrawal processing times: 24-48 hours is standard. 7-14 days means they’re hoping you’ll reverse the withdrawal and lose it back.
One casino I tested had a $10,000 monthly withdrawal cap buried on page 3. Hit a $15,000 win on a slot. Took me two months to withdraw it all. Meanwhile they kept emailing me “exclusive offers” hoping I’d gamble it back.
Step 3: Find Restrictions (90 Seconds)
Search for: “restricted,” “prohibited,” “not allowed.”
This reveals what you can’t do. Common restrictions that’ll void your winnings:
- Betting more than $5 per spin while clearing a bonus (very common, easy to break accidentally)
- Playing certain game providers or specific slots (NetEnt games are often excluded from bonuses)
- Using specific payment methods (some bonuses aren’t available if you deposit with crypto or e-wallets)
I broke a $5 max bet rule once without knowing. Got into a bonus round on a slot, game automatically increased my bet to $6.25. Finished wagering, requested withdrawal. Denied. Lost $220 because the game’s auto-bet feature violated their T&C.
Now I manually set bet limits before activating any bonus.
Progressive jackpot games often carry special restrictions. Titles like Mega Moolah at jackpot capital typically exclude bonus funds entirely—you’ll find this listed under “restricted games” when searching T&Cs, since casinos can’t risk million-dollar payouts from bonus money.
Step 4: Check the Gotcha Clauses (60 Seconds)
Final step: scroll to the bottom and look for these specific sections—they’re usually titled something like “General Terms” or “Additional Conditions.”
What you’re hunting:
- “Casino reserves the right to void bonuses at any time”: Means they can cancel your bonus mid-wagering for any reason.
- KYC/verification requirements: Some casinos demand documents before your first withdrawal, others let you play first. Know which type you’re dealing with.
- Multi-accounting rules: Strict casinos will close all your accounts if you accidentally create two. This matters if you forgot you signed up three years ago.
Also scan for time limits. Some bonuses expire in 24 hours. Others give you 30 days. If you’re a slow player who likes weekend sessions, a 24-hour bonus will expire before you can clear it.
What About Everything Else?
The other 35 pages of T&Cs? Mostly legal protection for the casino. Dispute resolution, responsible gambling statements, licensing info. Important if you’re filing a complaint, irrelevant for deciding whether to deposit.
Those four searches—wagering, withdrawal, restricted, gotcha clauses—catch 95% of the terms that’ll affect your actual play. Takes five minutes, saves you from nasty surprises when you’re trying to withdraw.
I keep a notes file now. Any casino where I find suspicious T&Cs gets marked “avoid.” Any casino with clean, clear terms gets marked “trustworthy.” After checking 30+ casinos this way, patterns emerge fast.
The casinos with the worst T&Cs also have the flashiest bonuses. The ones with straightforward terms usually offer smaller bonuses but honor them without drama.
Five minutes reading terms tells you more about a casino than any promotional material ever will.