What is bonus abuse fraud?
Bonus abuse fraud, also known as promo abuse fraud, is when a fraudster uses different identities to sign up at betting sites and online casinos, to claim the welcome promotions available with some of these betting sites.
Since May 27 2019, online wagering providers are banned from advertising any credit, voucher, reward or other benefit as an incentive to open an account. However, after you have created an account, betting agencies are free to offer you a welcome offer, which sometimes can include a deposit match. A deposit match is a matched amount of “bonus money” given to you by the bookmaker, depending on how much money you deposit into your account on that betting site.
The majority of people in Australia either don’t bet, or bet using one of the big corporate brands like Sportsbet or TAB. There are, however, over 150 licensed online betting sites in Australia.
Fraudsters, can use many peoples details, to sign up many accounts to betting sites, where some of these betting sites may offer a deposit match. The matched deposit amounts are usually around 100% or 50%, matched up to $100 in “bonus money”.
Betting sites and casinos that are available in New Zealand and some other countries, are still free to promote their sign up offers online.
How does this happen?
To sign up to a betting site, you only need your name, address, phone number, and date of birth. Some betting sites require your license number to verify your details. This means, it can be very easy for fraudsters to find these details online, from a possible data breach where your details have been leaked, or even as easy as social media such as Facebook or LinkedIn, if your details are online - or they could be someone you know.
Bonus abuse fraud can be considered a form of identity theft.
Most fraudsters who partake in bonus abuse, believe they are only cheating the system, as their victims were never going to open an account anyway, and see it as a victimless crime.
How common is it?
Some estimates suggest that bonus abuse fraud costs the online gaming industry 15% of gross revenue.
The online gambling revenue in Australia in 2022, was over $7.1 billion AUD. With types of gaming including sports betting (racing, football, E-sports) and online casinos (blackjack, slots, poker, live casino).
With estimates of bonus fraud costing 15% - this would cost the online gambling industry over $1 billion a year in Australia alone.
How do I know if I have been affected?
The only way to check if you have been affected by bonus abuse fraud, is by contacting, or signing up at a bunch of betting sites. The sign-up process is very easy and their systems will detect if there is already an account with any crossover of your name and address, phone number, or date of birth.
If there has been a breach, you will need to contact the betting site to shut down the account, and may need to provide credentials to prove you are you.
Although we cannot say which betting site offers what, we list all 150+ betting sites in Australia, if you want to see if you have been affected.
Or, you can check the top 50 gambling sites in Australia below.
Company | bonusText | Action |
---|---|---|
Generous Bookie, Best Fixed Odds | ||
Honest & Personal Local Bookies | ||
Competitive Odds, Seamless Experience | ||
Expert Tips & Many Specials | ||
Best Multi Builder & Cash Out | ||
Top Fluc, High SGM Odds | ||
Best Racing Bookie in Australia | ||
Trending Bets, Specials Everyday | ||
Generous Odds, Top Fluc | ||
Many Racing Specials, High Fixed Odds | ||
Very High Intl Racing Odds | ||
Follow Experts & Banter with Mates | ||
Instant Withdrawals via Osko | ||
Winners Welcome, Unique Odds & Tips | ||
Pros Choice, Always High Odds | ||
Quick Payments & Great Support | ||
Small Local Bookie, High Odds | ||
Racing Tips, Safety Promos | ||
Daily Bumps, Daily Withdrawals | ||
Many Markets & Payment Options | ||
Racing Specials, Live Streaming | ||
Opening Specials, Racing Insights | ||
Generous New Bookie, Top Tote | ||
Top Tote, Racing Promos | ||
Country Bookie, Corporate Perks | ||
Seasoned Rails Bookie, Sports Promos | ||
BoB Odds on Every AU Race | ||
Fast Withdrawals, Friendly Support | ||
Betcloud Bookie, Plenty of Markets | ||
Many Cricket Markets, SGM | ||
Top International Markets & Odds | ||
High Sports Odds | ||
Competitive Odds, Protest Payout | ||
Big Multis, High Odds | ||
Protest Payout, 80+ Soccer Leagues | ||
Early Racing Odds | ||
Sharp Fixed Odds, Reliable Site | ||
Fast Site, Top Odds (Racing & Sport) | ||
Great Odds, Quick & Reliable Site | ||
High Fixed Odds (Racing & Sport) | ||
All Exotics Paid at - S-TAB +5% | ||
Great Prices & Service (Racing Only) | ||
Takes Big Bets (Racing Only) | ||
Small Bookie, Big Odds (Racing Only) | ||
Social Betting, Generous Promos | ||
Solid Bookie, New in 2022 | ||
Market-Leading Prices, Daily Bumps | ||
Aussie-Owned, Opening Specials | ||
Excellent for Racing, Launched 2022 | ||
Reliable Bookmaker, Premium Service |