Bonus hunting vs bonus abuse: where is the line?
Bonus hunting is a player moving between operators to take the best welcome offers, one account at each, within the terms: legitimate shopping. Bonus abuse breaks the terms, usually with extra accounts or coordinated play. The line is the terms, not how much a player likes bonuses.
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Side by side
| Bonus hunting | Bonus abuse | |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts per operator | One | Several, or one in someone else's name |
| Identity | Their own, accurate | Varied, borrowed or invented |
| Wagering | Plays the requirement through | Hedges across accounts, or uses play the terms exclude |
| Worth keeping? | Often: some stay and deposit | No: the offer was the only goal |
Why the difference matters
A bonus hunter is doing what the promotion invites. They read terms closely and expect them to be honoured. Treat them as fraudsters, by closing accounts or confiscating winnings without a clear breach, and you lose customers, invite complaints and give your brand a bad name on the forums those players read.
An abuser, on the other hand, turns each offer into a loss. The useful question at registration is narrower than "does this player like bonuses?". It is: "is this a second account, a throwaway identity or a script?"
A fair way to handle the grey zone
Most sign-ups are clearly fine or clearly not. For the ones in between, you don't have to choose between welcoming and refusing:
- Let them in without the offer. InlineShield's
allow_no_bonusis for an allowed sign-up with some risk. The player gets an account; you decide when, or whether, the offer follows. - Hold for review. A repeat inbox, a VPN or a plus-tagged address is held, and your team decides.
- Verify before paying. If you approve a held sign-up whose triggers call for it, the webhook recommends
require_kyc.
Plain-language reasons come with every verdict, so a reviewer can explain a decision to the player. See risk verdicts and the guide on withholding the welcome bonus.
Frequently asked questions
Can an operator ban bonus hunters?
Operators can decide who gets future offers, within their licence conditions and consumer law. Confiscating winnings from someone who kept to the terms is a different matter and invites disputes.
Is using a plus address bonus abuse?
Not by itself. Many people use one to sort their mail. InlineShield holds such a sign-up for review instead of refusing it. You can see the inbox behind an alias with the free Gmail alias checker.
Where does matched betting fit?
Matched betting with one account per operator is bonus hunting. Opening extra or borrowed accounts to do it is abuse. See gnoming.
Screen your next sign-up for free
The Free plan includes 1,000 screenings a month. Create an account, add your keys and see real verdicts on your own traffic. No card, no sales call, no setup fee.