What Is The Actual Bonus Value (ABV) Of Online Casino Welcome Bonuses?

Welcome bonuses are a prominent feature of online casinos, an investment by the operator designed to onboard new players with promises of generous rewards if they sign up and fulfil the requirements.

However, while some bonuses may be quite juicy, others might be rather disappointing, especially if you don’t have realistic expectations.

Understanding the true value of online casino bonuses and being able to navigate through the endless sea of welcome offers deserves dedicating some time and effort and can play a crucial role towards getting a good user experience.

Case Study Compares What Casinos Really Offer

A recently conducted extensive case study by the SevenJackpots casino comparison website was dedicated to evaluating the true worth of welcome bonuses provided by various leading online casinos in India. For the purposes of their study, the researchers introduced the concept of Actual Bonus Value (ABV) and developed a unique mathematical formula to calculate it.

The ABV formula was used to convert the results of the thorough review process each casino bonus offering was subjected to by the team into comparable ABV parameters that allowed the researchers to rank India’s top-rated online casinos by the actual worth of their welcome bonuses.

The methods employed in the study were aimed to ensure a comprehensive, fair and objective evaluation of welcome bonuses, taking into account crucial factors such as the bonus offered amount, wagering requirements, wager contribution, the number of playable vs non-playable games, and the clarity of bonus terms and conditions.

Which Casinos Stand Out with Decent Bonus Offers?

Among the Indian online casinos analysed in the SevenJackpots study, two operators stood out with commendable bonus offers – Casino Days and Big Baazi. These casinos managed to provide attractive welcome bonuses that exhibited a higher ABV compared to their counterparts.

Casino Days offers a maximum bonus amount of ₹1,00,000, with an industry-standard wagering requirement of 35 times. The casino’s bonus is applicable to a wide range of playable games, contributing to its overall appeal.

Showing up with an equal offer, Big Baazi presents a welcome bonus of ₹1 lakh, featuring a 35x wagering requirement and fairly good wager contribution (100% from casino and 10% from live casino).

Both welcome bonus offers registered an ABV of 41.60%, equal to ₹41,600, spread over three offers (the first offer matches your deposit by 100% up to ₹50,000, the second and third offers match deposits by 50% up to ₹25,000).

The common thing between these two online casinos is that they are run by one and the same operator, who apparently prioritises transparency and clarity in their terms and conditions, making them attractive options for Indian players seeking valuable welcome bonuses.

The third ranking position is taken by PlaySQR with the same Actual Bonus Value when measured in percentages – 41.60%, but coming up at a much lower monetary value – ₹8,320 because the advertised bonus value is only ₹20,000.

PlaySQR compensate the lower value of their deposit by making it the most user friendly one on the list, and “the only bonus that doesn’t list specific game titles as excluded from the wagering requirement,” the authors of the study point out.

The other reviewed casinos displayed lower ABV, starting from 31.20% and ending up with the lowest score in the study at 8.00%.

Size is Not All that Matters with Online Casino Bonuses

An earlier study conducted by ENV Media in 2020 reveals some intriguing findings regarding the effectiveness of casino bonuses in India. The study highlights the immense diversity of active online casino bonuses and promotions in the country but suggests that excessively high bonus amounts may not be as effective in attracting players as one might think.

India, with its vast and underexploited online consumer base, presents a unique opportunity for foreign gaming companies looking to expand their international reach. However, the data shared in the study shows that only 9% of end users across India activated casino bonuses between August 2019 and August 2020, a stark contrast to mature markets in the European Union where this figure surpasses 90%.

The ENV researchers note that many operators focus on promoting high bonus amounts and suggest that this approach may not be the most effective in the Indian market. Indian players are looking for safe and secure opportunities to play, along with features such as easy and convenient payment methods in their native currency, and these aspects get priority over bonuses, however tempting the casino welcome offer may sound.

Thus, the study highlights the need for a strategic and nuanced approach to promotions and bonuses in India. Considering the immense diversity that exists in the Indian market, operators need to go beyond extravagant bonus offers and consider culturally specific content promotion and targeted approaches, the authors advise.