What Is an Online Casino VIP Program?

An online casino VIP program is just another term for a loyalty rewards.

Choosing an online casino is currently a buyer’s market, so players truly are “very important people” to the industry. As such, the best online casinos offer VIP/loyalty programs as a way to entice new players & reward their best long-time users.

So, much like airlines offer “frequent flyer miles” to their entice customers, online casinos offer VIP program promotions to frequent players. In these programs, rewards are typically accrued simply by participating and wagering on various online slots or table games like online blackjack for real money, online poker and online roulette.

Types of VIP & Loyalty Programs

Points-Based Programs

Earn points based on how much you wager

Points-based VIP programs are geared towards those who play a lot. In a points-based programs, players earn points based on how often they play and how much they wager.

The loyalty points earned can then be converted into rewards including cash, free withdrawals, free spins, reduced vig (house edge), tournament entries, and more!

A great example of a points-based loyalty program can be found at BetOnline. In their casino and poker rooms, VIP points are earned by wagering real money and/or buying into poker tournaments. Players earn one comp point for every cent wagered, and those points can eventually be cashed for rewards.

Earn increasingly generous rewards as you progress through tiers

Tier-based loyalty & VIP programs are among the most common in our best online casino reviews.

These programs are simple – depending on how much & how often a player wagers, they’ll move through “tiers” of VIP rewards. With each new tier, the player will unlock increasingly better rewards systems.

One of our favorite tier-based loyalty programs can be found at Bovada. At Bovada, new players begin as a “Starter”, but can move through the ranks of “Rookie”, “Pro”, “All Star”, “Legend,” and “Hall of Fame” depending on their wagering habits. As mentioned, these tiers correspond to rewards: for every 2500 rewards points a “Starter” accumulates, they earn $1. A “Legend”, on the other hand, only has to rack up 1,000 rewards points to earn $1

How to Sign Up For a VIP Program & Claim Rewards

In most cases, once you’ve chosen an online casino, created a new account, and made your first deposit, you’ll be automatically entered into that casino’s VIP program.

From there, the casino’s system will track your wagering and assign points or rewards depending on exactly how the program works. In short, the more you’re active and the more you wager, the more VIP program points and prestige you will earn.

However, just like in Vegas casinos, some VIP programs are invite-only or exclusive to high-rollers. These types of loyalty programs often aren’t advertised – invitations are received by email or internal messaging service. These perks are highly coveted and, at times, very secretive.

These types of programs are often offered ad-hoc and the terms & rewards typically change on a player-to-player and a casino-to-casino basis. As such, we can’t tell you exactly what to expect, but rest assured, if you’re wagering big bucks – win or lose – your online casino will want to keep you around. The more you bet the more the perks will roll

How to Claim VIP Rewards

Again, many of these rewards are automated. Using internal messaging or email communication, once you’ve reached a certain tier or accumulated a certain amount of points, the casino will contact you to tell you that rewards are available & inform how they can be claimed.

However, some online casinos require oversight from the player, particularly those with points-based systems, as it’s up to the player when to cash in.

In most cases, your reward progress can be found by accessing your profile page. Use the casino’s navigation to access your profile or bankroll page and typically you’ll see your reward points or tier progress, along with an option to cash them in.

Available Types of Online Casino Rewards

As loyalty and VIP programs become standard, online casinos continue to try and top each other in terms of creativity and incentives. They know you’re shopping around – and if you aren’t, you should be – for the best promotional offers tied to the games they play most often.

We recommend finding the reward type that suits you best. While the list of rewards vary from site to site, these are the most common types available.

Cashback Rewards

The most common type of loyalty program reward, any player can appreciate a little extra cash being available in their bankroll. While conditions vary, typically cash back rewards are earned as a percentage of wagers a player makes.

Tournament Entries

An exceedingly popular option for real money poker rooms, sites often offer seats at tournaments as a reward for frequent play.

Prizes

These are becoming rarer, but still exist at some casinos, typically in the more premium loyalty and VIP programs.