Dealing with Bonus Hunter Audiences

Bonus hunters are players who sign up specifically to exploit bonuses, with no intention of becoming regular players. They're a problem for affiliates—especially those on RevShare—and one of the common mistakes that tanks affiliate businesses.

This guide explains the issue and how to handle it.

What Are Bonus Hunters?

The Profile

Bonus hunter behavior:

• Sign up for welcome bonus
• Complete minimum wagering requirements
• Withdraw any remaining funds
• Never deposit or play again
• Repeat at next casino

Sophisticated bonus hunters:

• Calculate expected value of bonuses
• Play optimal strategy to minimize losses
• Multi-account when possible
• Share strategies in communities

Why They're a Problem

For casinos:

• Bonus cost without long-term revenue
• Players who beat the system
• Negative player value

For affiliates:

• Low/no RevShare earnings
• May trigger negative carryover
• Programs may reject your traffic
• Can damage casino relationships

The RevShare Impact

The Math

Normal player:

• Deposits $100, loses $20 (2% edge)
• Returns monthly for a year
• Your 40% RevShare: ~$96/year

Bonus hunter:

• Takes $100 bonus, completes wagering
• Expected loss: $10-30 (depending on terms)
• Withdraws remainder, never returns
• Your 40% RevShare: $4-12 total

If casino paid bonus from marketing budget:

• Casino lost money on player
• Negative carryover possible
• Your RevShare could be negative

Program Consequences

What can happen:

• Traffic flagged as low quality
• Commission rates reduced
• Program termination
• Reputation damage

Signs You Have Bonus Hunter Traffic

Metrics to Watch

Indicators:

• High signup rate, low retention
• Players deposit once, never return
• Activity clusters around bonus promotions
• High bonus redemption, low subsequent play
• Complaints when bonuses aren't as expected

Content Indicators

If your content focuses on:

• "Best bonus" rankings
• Bonus-only comparisons
• Wagering requirement exploitation
• "Free money" messaging

You're likely attracting bonus hunters.

Traffic Source Indicators

Bonus hunter traffic often comes from:

• Bonus hunting communities/forums
• Social posts about bonuses
• Keyword targeting like "casino free money"
• Coupon/deal sites

Managing the Problem

Strategy 1: Shift Content Focus

From:

• "Best bonuses" as primary focus
• Bonus size as main ranking factor
• Exploitation tips

To:

• Overall casino quality
• Long-term value factors
• Game selection, withdrawals, support
• Bonuses as one factor among many

Strategy 2: Different Keywords

Bonus hunter keywords:

• "Casino no deposit bonus"
• "Free casino money"
• "Best casino bonus 2026"
• "Casino bonus codes"

Regular player keywords:

• "Best online casino"
• "[Casino name] review"
• "Is [casino] legit"
• "Crypto casino for [game type]"

Learn more about finding high-intent casino keywords that attract serious players.

Shift targeting toward player quality over bonus-focused traffic.

Strategy 3: Qualify Your Audience

In content:

• Explain that bonuses have wagering requirements
• Discuss realistic expectations
• Focus on players looking for a casino home
• Discourage pure bonus-seeking behavior

Filters:

• Content that appeals to long-term players
• Messaging that sets expectations
• Casinos positioned for quality, not just bonus

Strategy 4: Program Selection

See our full guide on how to spot red flags when evaluating programs.

Choose programs that:

• Have CPA option (paid regardless of player value)
• Have hybrid deals (balance CPA and RevShare)
• Understand your traffic type
• Don't have harsh negative carryover

Avoid:

• Pure RevShare with negative carryover if bonus hunter traffic
• Programs that will punish you for traffic quality

Strategy 5: Consider CPA

When bonus hunters are significant portion:

• CPA guarantees payment per player
• You get paid regardless of player behavior
• Let the casino manage player value
• May get lower per-player amount but more predictable

CPA removes the retention problem from your side.

Long-Term Traffic Quality

Building Better Audiences

Goal: Attract players who want a casino, not just a bonus

Approaches:

• Educational content (builds trust with serious players)
• Honest reviews (attracts informed decision-makers)
• Community building (creates engaged audience)
• Non-bonus content (diversifies traffic sources)

Content That Attracts Quality

High-quality player content:

• "Complete guide to [casino type]"
• "[Casino] review: Everything you need to know"
• "How to choose the right casino for you"
• Strategy and educational content

Lower-quality player content:

• "Grab your FREE $500 bonus NOW"
• "This bonus hack gets you free money"
• "Best casino bonuses this month"

Audience Diversification

Don't rely only on:

• Bonus keywords
• Deal-seeking traffic
• Social promotion of bonuses

Also build:

• SEO for informational queries
• Brand recognition
• Email list
• Community presence through Discord or Telegram

Working with Programs

Transparency

Be honest with affiliate managers:

• About your traffic sources
• About player quality concerns
• About what you're doing to improve

Good programs:

• Will work with you
• May offer appropriate commission models
• Appreciate transparency
• Can provide data to help

Negotiating Appropriate Terms

If bonus hunter traffic is significant:

• Request CPA or hybrid deals
• Negotiate no/reduced carryover
• Discuss traffic expectations openly
• Find mutually beneficial arrangement

Finding Good Fit Programs

Some programs accept:

• Bonus traffic (priced into their model)
• Lower value players
• Volume over quality

Others require:

• Quality traffic
• Long-term players
• Will reject bonus hunter sources

Match your traffic to appropriate programs.

The Ethical Dimension

Player Perspective

Bonus hunting isn't wrong:

• Players are playing by the rules
• Casinos set the terms
• Rational behavior given incentives

But your content can:

• Attract players who will enjoy gambling long-term
• Or attract people gaming the system

Business Sustainability

Bonus hunter traffic:

• Creates adversarial relationships
• Programs react with worse terms
• Casinos tighten bonus restrictions
• Everyone loses eventually

Quality traffic:

• Creates win-win relationships
• Programs reward good traffic
• Sustainable long-term business

Your Choice

You can optimize for:

• Volume (any signup counts)
• Quality (players who stick around)

Quality often wins long-term even if volume wins short-term.

Action Plan

Assessment

1. Review your content—how bonus-focused is it?
2. Analyze your traffic sources
3. Check player retention if data available
4. Assess program feedback

Short-Term

1. Diversify content beyond bonuses
2. Shift keyword targeting
3. Consider CPA for current traffic
4. Communicate with programs

Long-Term

1. Build content for quality players
2. Develop non-bonus traffic sources
3. Build audience relationships
4. Position for sustainable business

Conclusion

Bonus hunter traffic is a common affiliate problem with real consequences:

The problem:

• Low player lifetime value
• Poor RevShare earnings
• Potential program issues
• Unsustainable business

Solutions:

• Shift content focus beyond bonuses
• Target different keywords
• Choose appropriate commission models (CPA for this traffic)
• Build audience for quality over time

The principle: Traffic quality matters. Attracting players who will become regular customers creates more value—for the casino, for you, and arguably for the player—than optimizing for signup volume alone.

For more on player quality issues, see our guide on player retention problems. And if you're looking for a program that values quality traffic, check out PureOdds.