How VIP Casino Loyalty Programs Work: Tiers and Perks

We’ll tell you what the casinos won’t. VIP programs are designed to keep you playing! We have to admit, at first glance they’re appealing because you get faster withdrawals and an account manager. Sounds good, right? Let’s find out together what the truth really is!

• How is a VIP program structured?
• What VIP Benefits Actually Look Like by Tier
• How Players Typically Reach and Keep VIP Status
• VIP Status Across Casino Groups and Networks
• Is VIP Worth It? A Worked Illustrative Example
• How to Maximize VIP Value Without Overspending
• The UK’s Crackdown on VIP Incentives
• The Bottom Line for Players
• How We Verified This

How is a VIP program structured?

You may have already noticed this: most VIP programs are based on points. What does that mean? You spend money on the casino’s website, earn points, and move up in level.

The names vary, but I’ve generally seen Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. You’ve probably already figured out the logic. The lower tiers are the easiest to reach, and as you move up, the top tier becomes the hardest to achieve.

What VIP Benefits Actually Look Like by Tier

Now that you’re here, you’re probably wondering what the actual benefits of a VIP program are, right? Wel, first of all, we’re talking about getting a portion of your losses refunded, sounds good, doesn’t it? You can also enjoy faster withdrawals, personalized service, and better bonuses.

As your level increases, so do the benefits. You can have a personal account manager, though this is usually offered starting at the mid-to-upper levels. Of course, the benefits vary from one casino to another, but generally speaking, these are the main ones.

How Players Typically Reach and Keep VIP Status

If you’ve ever wondered how players actually earn VIP status, there’s no hidden secret. Pay attention: it all depends on the number of points you’ve earned, and you earn points through the bets you place. But keep in mind that different games contribute differently. We’ve tested this extensivly and found that slots contribute the most, so you should stick with those, okay?

Don’t forget that VIP status isn’t permanent. Are you a VIP member this month? Next month, you might not bee if your activity has dropped. Your level is reassessed either monthly or quarterly. If you want to stay a VIP member, we have one solution for you: be consistent, and you’ll succeed!

VIP Status Across Casino Groups and Networks

Let’s move on to the next chapter of our guide and talk a little about VIP status within groups. Have you noticed that many operators manage multiple branded sites under a common administrative system? However, VIP status works differently from one group to another.

We see casinos where points can be transferred from one to another, but also operators that run the program completely separately. We know this is a matter of debate, and it all depends on what you prefer. How do you prefer it? We’re curious to hear your opinion too!

Is VIP Worth It? A Worked Illustrative Example

Now that you’ve learned all this information, you’re probably wondering whether the VIP program is worth it or not I can’t answer that for you, but I can help by giving you an example, and then you can decide for yourself!

Let’s say you earn one point for every $10 you spend on slots, okay? To reach the GOLD level, you need 15,000 points, which means betting no more and no less than $1,650 every day! If the slots have a long-term return of 96% (take note!), the house edge will be 4%, which means your net loss will be approximately $6,000. Did I calculate that correctly?

Now let’s assume this level also offers a weekly cashback of 10% of your net losses. That comes to a total of $600 per quarter, the cashback only offsets 10% of the loss required to earn it! We kno, many people say that faster withdrawals and an account manager are added benefits. Indeed, that’s truue, they add convenience, but not money!

How to Maximize VIP Value Without Overspending

If, however, you’re thinking about becoming a VIP member but don’t want to spend too much, we suggest you follow this plan. Bet as you normally would. Don’t treat the VIP program as an excuse to increase your budget. Continue to calculate your return based solely on the house edge. Forgot how? Take a look a few lines above, we explained it there. Finally, be responsible and use deposit and loss limits. That’s what they’re there for to help you stay in control, right?

The UK’s Crackdown on VIP Incentives

The UK Gambling Commission is much stricter when it comes to VIP program rules. Let’s give you a clear example so you can understand: there’s a 10x wagering requirement limit for bonuses. Starting in 2020, the rules have become even stricter, and every player who wants to join the VIP program is carefully vetted. What is their occupation? What is the source of their funds?

The rules are also strict when it comes to advertising. VIP or HVC programs cannot be promoted to players under the age of 25.

We can draw clear conclusions based on the data we have available. The data shows that the number of high-value customers dropped from 42,000 to 1,600 after the rules were tightened in 2020. We arrive at a simple conclusion: the VIP program of the same group of operators may differ from one jurisdiction to another, and in the United Kingdom, the rules can be much stricter.

The Bottom Line for Players

Now that we’ve reached the end, we want you to understand one essential thing. VIP programs are available at all online casinos and are designed as a loyalty tool not so that you and other players can receive benefits on a continuous basis.

You’ve probably noticed that each one works differently, and the example we gave you a few paragraphs above clearly shows that the wagers required to reach a good tier actually cost more than the value of the benefits you’ll receive along the way. That doesn’t mean VIP programs are useless; it just means you should never bet beyond your budget, do you understand?

How We Verified This

We are honest with you in everything we write, and that is precisely why we’re also showing you how we selected the information. Everything we’ve stated about the United Kingdom was based on current regulations in accordance with the guidelines of the UK Gambling Commission.

We also checked the monitoring report, as you may have noticed from the data we provided a little earlier. There was also operator-specific data regarding VIP programs that we were unable to verify to a standard that would allow us to publish it with confidence. And we don’t compromise our principles! We said from the very beginning that we would show you only the truth and information we’ve verified manually, so we chose to describe the programs in general terms rather than mislead you with false information.