Are Online Casinos Allowed to Cancel Your Bonus?

We understand how annoying it can be when a casino takes away your bonus. We’re players ourselves, but also casino experts, so don’t worry! We will explain the reasons behind bonus cancellations and discuss related situations to make things as clear as day.

• Mini-FAQ about Casino Bonus Cancellation 
• 8 Reasons Why Bonuses Get Cancelled
• Related Issues with Online Casino Bonuses
• Concluding Remarks: What You’ve Learned Today

Mini-FAQ about Casino Bonus Cancellation 

Our expert team at CasinoBonusCA has answered the 3 most pressing questions relating to online casino bonus cancellation. 

Can casinos cancel your bonus?

Yes, Canadian online casinos have the right to cancel a bonus if you’re found breaching the Terms and Conditions, even if you initially qualified for it. Similarly, they have the right to refuse to give out a bonus. As long as they state everything openly in their Terms and Conditions, online casinos can handle their offers at their discretion.

Do casinos cancel bonuses frequently?

Our Canada casino industry analysis shows that bonus cancellation does not happen that often. After all, bonuses are marketing tools. Both parties, the casino and the player, have an interest in playing the casino bonuses.

On the one hand, casinos have to run a business. Primarily, their income comes from gamblers’ wagers. Casinos use bonuses as a means to attract new players and keep existing ones on the platform. On the other hand, players want to play their favourite casino games in advantageous circumstances.

Can a casino legally cancel bonuses?

Yes. Provided the casino states their total control over bonuses clearly in their Terms and you agree to them and sign up, then you can’t attack them legally.

We’ve done the hard work and inspected hundreds of T&C’s to make it easier for you to find the best online casinos in Canada. Player security is a critical feature of a trustworthy gambling platform. However, you shouldn’t overlook that, when you agree to a casino’s Terms, the situation is like a binding contract.

That’s why it’s essential to always read the site’s Terms before agreeing to them and completing your sign up process.

8 Reasons Why Bonuses Get Cancelled

We’ll walk you through all the scenarios that might trigger bonus cancellation. The goal is to keep you up-to-date with your rights and obligations, so that you may enjoy your gameplay safely and smoothly.

#1. The bonus has expired

Almost all casino bonuses expire after a certain time. That’s particularly the case with no deposit bonuses, which have to be wagered within a few days at most. If you have not completed the necessary wagering within this period, you will not be able to use it at a later time, and the bonus will be removed from your account.

The reasoning behind this is quite simple. Casino offers are meant to be one-time events. However, you can easily work around this issue if you read the Bonus policy and plan your sessions in a way that allows you to complete the wagering in the necessary time frame.

Depending on bonus type, the validity period may vary. If there is a hefty, multi-fold bonus, then you might have up to a month to play it through. Smaller offers can be limited to just a few days.

#2. You have displayed rude behaviour towards other gamblers

If a casino allows communication with other players, you need to keep a civil attitude. Any casino would sanction exceptions to this rule, and bonus removal is a likely outcome.

Offensive comments or attitudes are frowned upon virtually everywhere and they will result in bonus removal. In certain situations, inappropriate conduct may lead to account suspension.

Similarly, you cannot promote competing gambling platforms. If you promote other websites in the chatrooms, you will most likely lose your bonus incentives.

Lastly, you can’t say untrue or defamatory statements about the online casino you’re playing on.

If anything about a casino upsets you, it’s best that you file a complaint or settle the dispute through a specialized agency. Engaging in rude comments won’t solve your problems.

#3. You have displayed rude behaviour towards the casino staff

Your interaction with the casino staff, for example with the support team or the dealers, should also be free from any inappropriate behaviour and speech. Refrain from harassing the staff based on their gender, nationality, or race.

As we have seen over the years, casinos have zero-tolerance for derogatory attitudes towards their teams. Undoubtedly, your casino bonuses will be removed from your account if you’re found to have made hateful remarks. Possibly, your account will be suspended or deleted as well.

Casinos keep logs of your interaction with the support team. Whatever you say in the Chat window can become the casino’s reason to cancel your bonuses.

#4. You have shown signs of suspicious behaviour

Casinos will remove any active promotion if they believe your moves and decisions are odd, or if your activity seems suspicious. It’s difficult to define what counts as suspicious behaviour, as different casinos often have different definitions. Still, we’re positive that you should avoid:

• Depositing and then quickly withdrawing without wagering your funds. This may be considered money laundering
• Stacking bonuses or leaving them unfinished
• Logging from too many devices/IP addresses. This looks like you are sharing your account with others
• Low-risk betting in roulette casinos. For example, covering more than 2/3 of the roulette table

Online casinos are very vigilant to these red flags, but it’s understandable since they have to protect their businesses.

Abusing free bonuses is considered suspicious, so you should try to alternate no deposit bonuses and deposit-triggered ones.

Keep in mind that if you are banned by a casino whose parent company manages other casinos, you’ll most likely be banned from its sister sites as well.

#5. You created more than one account

Casinos explicitly forbid creating more than one account. This is against basic points in the Terms in an overwhelming majority of cases. Thus, this action will nullify your bonuses.

How can casinos know you own multiple accounts?

Firstly, they always read and store the IP addresses and devices you use. Thus, if you log into more than one account from the same devices, they will know.

Secondly, a casino account is based on your identity, backed up by your ID and bank statements.

Casinos are expressly against using more than one account to abuse the welcome promotions. Doing that will void all your bonuses and all winnings accrued.

#6. You have displayed irregular play patterns

When you have an active bonus, you need to play it through in order to get to cash out. But some instances may end up in you losing your bonus. Keep an eye on these rules:

• Do not make low-risk bets on table games. This is considered to be taking advantage of the low house edge
• Do not make equal bets on both sides in Baccarat
• Do not move between low and high-contribution games when wagering a bonus
• Do not delay bonus rounds to play them with real funds once wagering requirements have been met

Consider these aspects before you start wagering your bonus. This way, you will protect your deposits and keep your bonus winnings.

#7. You have used technical errors to your advantage

There may be times when the website displays technical issues, like a game freezing, a page not loading or a glitch somewhere. If you use these mishaps to your advantage, or worse, you trigger them yourself, then you risk losing your bonus.

Technical errors examples

• When the platform logs you out while you’re placing a bet
• When a high-stake bet freezes the platforms
• When the connection is inconsistent, and your game session is interrupted (especially in Live Dealer games)

If you notice technical errors, you should make a screenshot and send it to the support team, so they can fix it quickly.

#8. You have used VPN software

In the online casino industry, the use of VPN software is banned, because not all countries accept online gambling, and a casino may not accept people from certain regions.

Casinos have VPN-detecting software, so they can easily detect if you are using one. Once they spot you, your bonuses and any winnings associated with them will be cancelled.

Related Issues with Online Casino Bonuses

Our aim is to be your trustworthy source of casino information, so let’s look at related player concerns for online casino bonuses. Stick around and learn how to handle your bonuses so that you don’t have them cancelled. 

What happens when you don’t follow the Terms and Conditions?

The consequences depend largely on the casino’s policies. However, we have identified 3 main possibilities:

1. The casino may cancel your bonuses
2. You may have your casino account suspended temporarily or permanently
3. You may be reported to local authorities for fraud or money laundering

Can I cancel my own bonuses?

Most casinos allow you to cancel your own bonus if you so desire. Usually, you don’t have to provide a reason. Some casinos let you cancel your bonus at any time, while others require a conversation with support.

When you cancel an offer, your bonus winnings will be removed as well, along with any funds that were tied to that offer.

You cannot request a refund or reactivation if you cancel your own bonus.

What happens if I cancel my own bonus?

You will lose your bonus funds, and in some cases your deposited funds too. Once an offer is cancelled, all the incentives that were part of it will disappear from your account.

On some casino websites, you can choose never to receive any promotions. Still, we think it’s a good choice to leave that option on, because you’d miss out on chances to size up your bankroll effortlessly. For example, during the holidays, many online casinos offer no wagering bonuses, both to new and existing players, and you get to keep your winnings and cash them out right away, without having to roll them over dozens of times.

Main reasons why your deposit was declined

Deposits trigger most online casino bonuses. However, your deposit may be refused in certain cases. You can find the main 4 reasons why here:

• You didn’t complete the KYC process: Most online casinos employ KYC to confirm that you are a real person, of legal age, and gambling with legal funds. You submit relevant ID documents and the casino team checks their authenticity. If KYC is not completed, your deposits may not reach your gaming account. Still, not all casinos require this, so you should look into the site’s Terms to be sure.
• Your card is low on funds: Sometimes, you may want to make a payment to a casino with a card that is either low on funds, or it has expired. You should plan your online gambling sessions in detail before commencing play. That includes setting up a gambling budget and making sure the casino accepts your preferred payment method. Obviously, you need sufficient funds to cover your deposit and any associated fees.
• You’ve reached your self-imposed Responsible Gaming limits: When you reach your spending limit, time limit or loss limit, your deposits may be refused. However, when quotas reset, you’ll be able to deposit and play again. In such cases, the casino should send you a pop-up message or an email alerting you that you’ve reached your Responsible Gaming limits.
• Your bank has anti-gambling policies: This is a rare case in Canada, but it’s not completely impossible to encounter banking institutions that decline to process gambling transactions. Thus, it would be wise to consult your bank and see if they allow such payments.

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Suppose you can’t use your bank card. In that case, you might try e-wallets or consider Canada’s favourite Internet banking services. You can deposit with Interac or iDebit, but we recommend using an e-wallet. You could get faster casino withdrawals with Neteller. However, fast withdrawal online casinos may incur additional fees. Always read the fine print.

Concluding Remarks: What You’ve Learned Today

Online casinos are allowed to cancel your bonus at their discretion, as long as the conditions are specified in the Terms. Hopefully, you understand the importance of reading this document attentively before accepting its conditions.

Now, you’re familiar with the most frequent situations that lead to a cancelled bonus, so you know what to avoid. If you follow our tips closely, you’ll always be in control of your bonuses and only have them removed when you specifically desire so.