Cashable vs Sticky Bonus

Whenever you deposit and accept a bonus at an online casino, your deposit bonus will usually fall into two different categories: a ‘cashable bonus’ or a ‘sticky bonus’, which refers to a non-cashable bonus. Both of these Terms have different meanings, but are used to describe the different types of deposit bonuses you can claim. When accepting a deposit bonus, you should first always check to see whether or not you accepting a cashable bonus or a sticky bonus.

In this guide we will explain to you the differences between both of these bonuses. Let us first start with a cashable bonus.

Cashable bonus

A cashable bonus is, quite simply as it sounds, a bonus that is cashable for you. If you accept a cashable bonus, that bonus can then be withdrawn once you have met the casino’s standard wagering requirements. In order to be able to cash out the bonus you must always fulfil the wagering requirements first, which may vary from casino to casino. Before you accept the bonus, make sure to be fully clear on your wagering requirements.

So, to make this a little easier for you to understand, let’s use an example. Say you make a deposit of 100 credits into your casino account and receive a 100% cashable bonus. This bonus will award you with a further 100 credits on top of your original deposit. So, in total you will start playing with a bankroll of 200 credits. Once you have played through your bonus and met the wagering requirements, let’s say your balance is then 400 credits. This is then made up of your original deposit of 100 credits, your cashable bonus of 100 credits and winnings worth 200 credits. As you have fulfilled the casino’s wagering requirements, that bonus now becomes real money. At the point of withdrawal you are then free to withdraw the full 400 credits. The word cashable just means you can withdraw the bonus money itself. Some casinos will offer cashable bonuses, while others will not. If this was not a cashable bonus, your withdrawal would be affected, but we will explain the difference later on in this guide for you.

Just to reiterate, we advise you to always check which kind of bonus you are entering into because, depending on how much bonus you accepted and how much you wish to deposit, this can drastically effect your withdrawal amount.

Sticky bonus (non-cashable bonus)

So, now we move onto the sticky bonuses, also known as a non-cashable bonus. These work in the complete opposite way to your cashable bonuses. Sticky bonuses cannot be withdrawn. As we mentioned, with any bonus you always need to be checking the Terms and Conditions first. If the bonus you are about to accept is a sticky bonus you may find somewhere in the Terms it will say something like: “this bonus is for play purposes only and cannot be withdrawn”.

Basically, what this means for you is you can play all you want with the bonus that is awarded to you. However, the actual bonus itself can never be withdrawn. Any winnings that are derived from the bonus as you play are of course yours to withdraw as long as you meet the casino’s standard wagering requirements. Still, unlike the cashable bonus we mentioned above, when you meet the wagering requirements with a sticky bonus, it will never convert into actual spendable money.

So, let’s use the same example as we used above so you can see where exactly the difference lies between these two types of bonuses. You make a deposit of 100 credits and accept a sticky bonus of 100%. This credits your account with a further 100 credits, so you still have your 200 credits to start playing with, the same as you would with a cashable bonus. You work through your wagering requirements in the exact same way. Let’s just say, once you have met your wagering requirements, you have 400 credits. This consists of your 100 credits you originally deposited, your 100 credit bonus money and winnings of 200 credits. If you request a withdrawal at this point, you will find that the 100 credits bonus money cannot be withdrawn. So, even though you have 400 credits left in your account after wagering, you will only be allowed to withdraw 300 credits, as the casino will take back the 100 credits bonus money you were originally given.

This is exactly where the name ‘sticky’ comes from. Basically, the bonus money is stuck at the online casino. You will always be allowed to withdraw your winnings and deposit providing you meet the wagering requirements, just remember the bonus money will be taken out of your withdrawal amount.

It is important to know which bonus you are playing with before you make a withdrawal. The last thing you want is to make a withdrawal, only to later learn the majority of that withdrawal is being returned to the casino as it is a sticky bonus. If you deposit 150 credits expecting to receive the full amount, only to learn that the 100 credits bonus you originally received was a sticky bonus, it may well be a wasted withdrawal.