Deposit bonus terms, clause by clause: what each one does to a $50 deposit

The clause table

Twelve conditions, in the order they touch your money. The right-hand column works each one on a $50 deposit against a 100% match capped at $50, which is the simplest shape a deposit bonus takes.

Two further clauses hover over all twelve. Sportsbet's 8.3: it "reserves the right to cancel or change the Offer at any time", and 1.5: it may restrict the markets a bonus bet can be used on "at any time, including after a Bonus Bet has been credited".1 TAB's 62.8 says a promo "can be cancelled at any time at our discretion".3

Eligibility clauses (rows 1 to 3)

State exclusions come from state law, mostly NSW's s.33H, and the NSW page explains why the lists differ between bookmakers. The "recreational" clause is the one to read twice. TAB clause 63.2: "Promo Benefits are intended for use by Recreational Gamblers only. We reserve the right to … refuse to award a Promo Benefit to, or remove a Promo Benefit from, any Eligible Participant … if we have a reasonable belief that the Eligible Participant is not a Recreational Gambler."3 TAB gives 14 days to request a review by someone other than the original decision-maker (clause 63.3). Sportsbet's 8.2 says "professional gamblers or other gamblers considered by Sportsbet management to be abusing this Offer may have their right to participate revoked", and 8.4 adds "the decisions of Management are final".1

TAB's fair-play clause 63.1 lists what triggers a refusal: the same promo code entered on multiple accounts in one name, from one device or IP address, in one household, or sharing a card number, email or phone.3

Money clauses (rows 4 to 7)

The cap is worked through on the deposit match page; the short version is that the smallest deposit reaching the cap is the only one that earns the full token. Deposit method is where most missing tokens go: TAB's FAQ 14 makes online debit card the only qualifying method, and Sportsbet's clause 4.5 excludes Cash Card and BPAY.4 Credit cards have been banned at licensed bookmakers since 11 June 2024, so they're not an option either way.6

TAB's rounding clause 61.5 gives its own examples: 50% of a $75 stake is $37, and 25% of $103 winnings is $25.3 On round deposits it changes nothing; on odd ones it always rounds against you.

Use clauses (rows 8 to 12)

TAB clause 62.2 sets the default shape of a qualifying bet: "unless specified otherwise, the Promo Bet must be a single bet, (multi and Super Multi bets are not valid Promo Bets)" and "cannot be an each way bet".3 Then the token itself follows the bonus bet rules: seven days, profit only, no cash out at TAB, excluded bet types listed in Sportsbet 9.1 and TAB FAQ 10, all covered on the bonus bet page.

Row 12 is the one people forget because it isn't in the promo terms at all. Sportsbet: "Sportsbet does not charge fees on deposits on the understanding that deposits will be turned over at least once, which means if you deposit $50 you'll need to bet $50 before you can withdraw the balance."2 PointsBet calls it "a compliance requirement for all bookmakers under Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations" and says it applies "at any odds".5

Deposit bonus terms weighed up

My verdict