Bonus Terms and Conditions Explained (2026): A Glossary of Every Clause in Australian Casino Bonus Rules, With the Numbers Operators Actually Print
Bonus terms are written in a vocabulary of about thirty words, and every one of them is a price. This glossary defines each in plain language, says which operator prints it and at what number, and notes the trap the wording hides. It is the reference behind our bonus section: the guides explain how to use an offer; this page explains what the words mean when you read one yourself. Entries are grouped by what they govern: the requirement, the money, the play, the time, and the account.
The requirement
| Term | Meaning | Printed at |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering requirement (playthrough, rollover) | Total bets that must be placed before bonus money and its winnings can be withdrawn, expressed as a multiple | 40× the bonus at the Novatrix brands, BitStarz, the Wolf Winner family, Casino Mate; 60× at Grand Rush |
| Base (“of the bonus” / “of deposit plus bonus”) | What the multiple applies to. The second base roughly doubles the turnover for the same number | Deposit + bonus at Fair Go (30×), Ozwin (35×), Lucky Tiger, Rich Palms, Shazam (35×); bonus only elsewhere |
| Free-money wagering | A separate, higher multiple for no-deposit bonuses, free chips and free spins | 60× at Fair Go, Ozwin, Grand Rush; 45× at the Lucky Tiger family; 40× at Novatrix and BitStarz |
| Game contribution (weighting) | The share of each bet that counts towards the requirement, by game type | Pokies 100%; table, live, instant-win, lottery and bingo games 5% at BitStarz; roulette 50% and three-card poker less at Grand Rush; jackpot pokies often 0% |
| Restricted (excluded) games | Games that may not be played with an active bonus; a bet on one voids the bonus | Named per operator; European roulette excluded at Fair Go and Ozwin; progressive and accumulating-mechanic games at BitStarz |
| Sticky vs non-sticky (cashable) bonus | Whether the bonus amount itself can be withdrawn after wagering (cashable) or is removed at withdrawal (sticky). Non-sticky also means real money is bet first | “All deposit bonuses are cashable” at Fair Go and Ozwin; “the initial bonus amount will be deducted upon withdrawal” on some Lucky Tiger family offers; real money bet first at the Novatrix brands |
The money
| Term | Meaning | Printed at |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum cashout (max win, withdrawal cap) | The most that can be withdrawn from a bonus, whatever was won | A$75 on sign-up bonuses and A$150–225 on spins at the Novatrix brands; A$150 at BitStarz; A$100 at Grand Rush; 5× the bonus at Fair Go and Ozwin; 6× the chip at the Lucky Tiger family; 1× the bonus above A$100 at Ignition |
| Bonus-funded withdrawal cap | A ceiling on withdrawals from a deposit bonus, separate from the free-money cap | 5× the deposit, no more than A$7,500, on the Novatrix welcome offer |
| Minimum deposit | The smallest deposit that qualifies for the offer | A$20 at most operators; A$45 for the Novatrix welcome offer; A$10 for Neosurf deposits at Shazam |
| Match percentage | The bonus as a share of the deposit | 100% (Golden Crown, Fair Go), 125% (Wolf Winner, Bizzo), 200% (PlayCroco, Ozwin’s first part), 475% (Jackpot Jill) |
| Bonus ceiling | The largest bonus the percentage can produce | A$200 at Fair Go; A$15,000 at Golden Crown |
| Processing fee on unmet wagering | A charge or refusal when a withdrawal is requested before the requirement is met | “The Casino reserves the right to charge a processing fee or refuse withdrawal if wagering requirements are unmet” at the Novatrix brands; 10% fee clauses at several operators, see withdrawal times |
| Comp points (loyalty points) | Points earned on real-money play, convertible to cash or bonus | 100 points = A$1 with no wagering at Lucky Tiger, Rich Palms, Shazam; A$100 cap on redeemed points at Grand Rush; only on deposit-funded wagers at Fair Go and Ozwin |
| Cashback | A share of losses returned as bonus credit or a free chip, with its own wagering | 25% (40% VIP) at 20× at Fair Go and Ozwin; free chip at 45× at the Lucky Tiger family; see cashback and VIP |
The play
| Term | Meaning | Printed at |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum bet | The largest stake allowed per spin, hand or round while a bonus is active; exceeding it voids the bonus and winnings | A$7 on the Novatrix welcome offer, A$3 on some reloads, A$10 general; A$10 at Fair Go, Ozwin and the Lucky Tiger family; A$5 a round and A$0.50 a line at Grand Rush |
| Bonus abuse (irregular play, low-risk wagering) | Patterns the operator treats as gaming the offer: minimum-risk bets, switching to low-variance games after a win, delayed bonus rounds, multiple accounts, deposit-to-bonus ratios | Listed in full at the Novatrix brands (“deposits-to-bonus ratio exceeding 50%”, “reducing stakes after a large win”) and BitStarz |
| Delayed bonus rounds | Leaving a triggered free-spins or bonus feature unplayed until the wagering is complete, then collecting it as real money | Prohibited, with confiscation, at the Novatrix brands and BitStarz |
| Free spins (bonus spins) | Spins on a named game at a fixed stake; winnings become bonus money | See free spins: 40× and A$75–225 caps at Novatrix, A$100 at Grand Rush |
| Free chip | A no-deposit cash credit, the Realtime Gaming term | 45× and 6× cap at the Lucky Tiger family; A$10 for new Australian players at PlayCroco |
| Mixing (bonus and deposit) | Depositing while a no-deposit bonus is active, which extends the bonus’s cap and wagering to the deposit | Prohibited at Ignition: the no-deposit rules apply “until your balance is equal to or less than the deposit amount” |
The time
| Term | Meaning | Printed at |
|---|---|---|
| Validity (expiry) | How long the bonus stays active before it and its winnings are removed | 14 days at the Novatrix brands; per offer elsewhere |
| Activation window | Time to activate a credited set of spins before it lapses | 24 hours at the Novatrix brands; 1 day at BitStarz |
| Play window | Time to finish an activated set of spins | 24 hours at the Novatrix brands; 1 day at BitStarz |
| Withdrawal deadline on bonus balances | How long a withdrawable bonus balance may sit before a withdrawal must be started | 150 days from coupon redemption at Fair Go and Ozwin |
| Consecutive free offers | Claiming two free bonuses without a real deposit between them | Second offer’s winnings voided at Fair Go, Ozwin and Ignition; last deposit older than three months treated the same at Ozwin and PlayCroco |
| Dormancy | Loss of points or balances after inactivity | Loyalty balance may be forfeited after 12 months without a deposit at Grand Rush |
The account
| Term | Meaning | Printed at |
|---|---|---|
| Verification (KYC) | Documents required before a withdrawal: ID, address, payment method | Every operator; two weeks to supply at the Novatrix brands or the account is closed and funds confiscated; “proof of how they fund e-wallets” at Fair Go and PlayCroco |
| One account (one per household / IP / device) | Duplicate accounts void bonuses and winnings | Every operator; “shared IP or device” named at the Novatrix brands |
| Restricted countries for bonuses | Jurisdictions excluded from promotions even where play is allowed | Sweden at the Novatrix brands; a list of some sixty countries for no-deposit spins at BitStarz (Australia not among them) |
| Disposable e-mail rule | Temporary addresses disqualify free offers | BitStarz: winnings confiscated |
| Deposit before withdrawal | A real deposit required before any winnings from a free offer are paid, regardless of wagering | A$20 at BitStarz; “at least one valid deposit” at the Novatrix brands; A$25 at Fair Go for verification |
| Bonus code | A code entered at deposit to attach the offer; a wrong or expired code means the deposit goes through without the bonus | Required on the Novatrix welcome offer and Fair Go coupons; we do not publish codes because they expire |
FAQ
What is a wagering requirement?
The total you must bet before a bonus can be withdrawn, as a multiple of the bonus or of the deposit plus bonus. At 40×, a A$100 bonus needs A$4,000 of bets; on pokies that turnover costs about A$160 on average.
What is the difference between 30x of deposit plus bonus and 40x of the bonus?
On a A$100 deposit with a A$100 bonus: A$6,000 of bets against A$4,000. The smaller number is the larger obligation.
What does maximum cashout mean?
The ceiling on what a bonus can ever pay out; anything above it is forfeited. A$75 to A$225 or five to six times the bonus on free offers at most operators.
What is a sticky bonus?
One whose amount is removed when you withdraw, leaving only the winnings; a cashable bonus lets you withdraw the bonus itself after wagering. Fair Go and Ozwin state that all deposit bonuses are cashable.
What counts as bonus abuse?
Minimum-risk betting, dropping stakes after a win, delaying bonus rounds, multiple accounts and depositing only to claim offers, as listed by the Novatrix brands and BitStarz. The penalty is the bonus and its winnings.
Sources and method
Definitions are ours; the figures and quotations are from the general terms and conditions of 24 operators and the bonus terms of Golden Crown and BitStarz, read on 19 September 2026 from an Australian IP address. Where a term is used differently by different operators, the entry gives each usage. Expected-cost figures assume pokies that keep 4% of turnover. We earn a commission when readers sign up through links on this site; it did not decide what is written here.
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