Cashback Bonuses

Casino cashback returns a percentage of a player's losses over a set period, as cash or as bonus funds. Most offers pay on net loss, meaning deposits or stakes minus wins over the period, not on the total amount wagered. That one distinction decides most of what a cashback offer is worth.

How is cashback calculated?

The typical formula is: cashback = rate x net loss in the period, up to a cap.

The same player wagered $1,000, but the refund is worked on the $200 lost. A player who finished the period in profit receives nothing.

Is cashback paid on wagers or on losses?

Usually losses. A small number of offers pay a percentage of turnover instead, which is sometimes called rakeback or a rebate. A turnover-based rebate pays whether or not the player lost, and is worth more for the same percentage. The terms state which base applies.

What limits apply?

• Period: daily, weekly or monthly, with a set cut-off time.
• Cap: a maximum refund per period.
• Excluded games: some games, often low-edge table games, do not count towards the net loss.
• Minimum loss: a threshold below which nothing is paid.
• Bonus balance: losses made with bonus funds may not count.

Does cashback have wagering?

It depends. Cashback paid as real money can be withdrawn at once. Cashback paid as bonus funds usually carries a wagering requirement, often low, such as 1x. Even a low requirement adds a small expected cost before the refund can be withdrawn.

What is cashback worth?

Cashback lowers the effective house edge on the losses it covers, but it does not remove it. A 10 per cent refund on net losses still leaves 90 per cent of those losses with the player. It is a discount on losing, not a route to profit.

Where the almanac stands

The almanac works out each cashback offer from its published terms: the base, the period, the cap and any wagering, with changeable figures dated.

Where to start

Read Casino cashback bonus: how refunds are calculated for the full worked method.