Betting promotions in Australia are offers that bookmakers make to people who already hold an account with them, such as bonus bets, refunds, boosted prices and savers on multis. Rewards for opening an account or referring a friend have been banned since 26 May 2019 (26 November 2019 in NSW) under the National Consumer Protection Framework, which also makes bonus bet winnings withdrawable with no turnover requirement attached.
What an offer is worth comes from its shape and its terms, not its headline. A refund paid as a bonus bet is not cash, because a winning bonus bet normally returns only its winnings, and caps, minimum odds and expiry dates trim the value further. Exchange prices supply the chances, so you can put a dollar figure on an offer before you bet: with illustrative prices, the same $40 win bet ranges from -$3.00 to +$17.81 in expected value depending on the promotion attached.
How betting promotions work
A promotion starts on your account. The bookmaker decides which accounts receive which offers, on which events and under which terms, and it can stop offering them to an account. Many offers sit on the account as a bet token, a single-use credit such as a bonus bet, a boost or a refund offer with its own expiry. Others need you to opt in to the promotion before your bet counts. How bonus bets are issued covers where they come from.
From there, a promotion usually runs through four steps:
- You place a qualifying bet that fits the terms: the right market and bet type, at or above any minimum price, and within the stake cap.
- The event settles: a winning bet is paid as usual, and a losing bet loses unless the promotion's condition is met.
- If the condition is met (your runner finishes second, one leg of a multi fails, your team reaches a set lead), the reward is credited as cash, a bonus bet or a higher return.
- A bonus bet then has to be used before it expires. Its winnings can be withdrawn; the bonus itself is not cash and cannot be withdrawn.
Three things set the value of any offer: the trigger (what has to happen), the payout form (cash, a bonus bet or a better price) and the limits (caps, minimum odds, eligible markets and expiry).
Gambling laws treat a promotion as an inducement. NSW defines an inducement to include the offer of a credit, voucher, reward or other benefit, or of a gambling product with added benefits or enhancements (Betting and Racing Act 1998, s 33GA). The 2026 Commonwealth amendments, which start on 1 January 2027, describe an inducement as any payment or benefit that could reasonably be expected to get a person to bet or gamble, and name credit, gifts, rebates, rewards, tokens and vouchers.
Betting promos explained: the seven main types
The seven main shapes of Australian betting promos each pay on a different trigger, so each is valued a different way:
| Promotion | What triggers it | What it pays | How to value it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus bet (a free bet in UK terms) | Issued to the account, often as a refund or a reward | A bet that usually returns its winnings only | Chance of winning x bonus x (odds - 1) |
| Money back | Your runner finishes in a named placing, often 2nd or 3rd | The stake back, usually as a bonus bet, up to a cap | Chance of that placing x stake x what the bonus is worth to you |
| Paid as a winner if second | Your runner finishes 2nd | The win bet paid at the price you took, usually up to a stake cap | Chance of 2nd x stake x price, on top of the bet's normal value |
| Odds boost | A boost token you apply, or a boosted market | A higher price or extra winnings, up to a maximum stake | The boosted price against the fair price |
| Multi insurance | Exactly one leg of a multi loses | The stake back, often as a bonus bet, up to a cap | Chance that exactly one leg fails x what the refund is worth |
| Same game multi saver | A same game multi loses in the way the terms set, such as by one leg | The stake back, often as a bonus bet | As for multi insurance, except the legs move together |
| Early payout | Your team reaches a set lead at any point | The head to head bet paid as a winner | Chance of reaching the lead but not winning x the return, on top of the bet's normal value |
Other shapes turn up too: protest payouts (bets paid on a runner first past the post that loses on protest), refunds if a runner falls or is narrowly beaten, multi boosts and extra places in a race's place terms. A deposit match, a bonus credited as a share of a deposit, is the classic joining offer, and Liquor & Gaming NSW's inducement guideline uses one as an example of a prohibited offer. Deposit match bonuses explained covers the rules.
Risk: Betting involves risk. A bonus bet that loses pays nothing, a saver offer does not stop a same game multi from losing, and each promotion pays only what its terms say. See responsible gambling for limits and support.
What a promotion is worth, worked on one runner
Every promotion can be valued with one sum: expected value = the chance of each outcome x what you receive in it, added up, minus what you stake. The chances come from a betting exchange, where punters set the prices and the exchange takes commission on net winnings rather than building a margin into them, so 1 / exchange price gives an estimate of each chance. The guide to betting exchanges in Australia explains back and lay prices.
Example: Illustrative prices, not a real race or a current offer. Runner 4 is $3.70 to win with Bookmaker A. On the exchange it is $4.00 to win, $2.56 to finish in the first two and $2.00 to finish in the first three. You have $40 to bet.
The chances, from those exchange prices:
- win: 1 / 4.00 = 25%
- first two: 1 / 2.56 = 39.06%, so second: 39.06% - 25% = 14.06%
- first three: 1 / 2.00 = 50%, so second or third: 50% - 25% = 25%
A winning $40 bet at $3.70 returns $40 x 3.70 = $148, so the bet alone is worth 25% x $148 - $40 = -$3.00 on average. Each promotion below adds to that:
| Promotion on the $40 bet | Working | What the promotion adds | Expected value of the bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | No promotion | $0.00 | -$3.00 |
| Price boosted to $3.90 | 25% win chance x $40 x (3.90 - 3.70) | +$2.00 | -$1.00 |
| Stake back as a bonus bet if 2nd or 3rd, bonus valued at 70% | 25% (2nd or 3rd) x $40 x 0.70 | +$7.00 | +$4.00 |
| Paid as a winner if 2nd, in cash | 14.06% x $148 | +$20.81 | +$17.81 |
Reading down the last column:
- Cash is worth more than a bonus bet: paid in cash, the refund would add 25% x $40 = $10.00, not $7.00. The 70% is an assumption about the refund's bonus bet, whose value depends on the price you use it at. Bonus bets are usually stake not returned, so a $40 bonus bet used on this runner has expected winnings of 25% x $40 x (3.70 - 1) = $27.00, or 67.5% of its face value. At a fair $4.00 it would keep 75%. The best way to use bonus bets and bonus bets on multis show how the price moves that share.
- A boost that leaves the price under the exchange price still loses on average. $3.90 beats $3.70 but falls short of the fair $4.00, so the bet is still worth -$1.00.
- Paying second as a win is the richest shape here, and it usually comes with a stake cap and only on named races.
- Expected value is a long-run figure. Even with the second-place offer, Runner 4 finishes outside the first two 100% - 39.06% = 60.94% of the time, and each of those bets loses the full $40.
The same sum values multi insurance, early payouts and same game multi savers, with an extra step for each. The guide to valuing a betting promotion applies it to an odds boost with a stake cap and to qualifying bets. The bonus bet converter works out what a bonus bet keeps when you hedge it with an exchange lay, after commission.
Hedging a bonus bet or qualifying bet with an exchange lay is matched betting, and the back lay calculator sizes the lay; matched betting on horse racing and matched betting software cover racing and tools. It is never certain: prices move, the two bets can settle differently, and a bookmaker can limit stakes, void bets or close an account under its terms.
Risk: Betting involves risk. Exchange prices are estimates that move, a lay is not certain to be matched, and there is no guarantee of profit. See responsible gambling for limits and support.
Terms that change what an offer is worth
The headline names the reward, and the terms decide how much of it you can collect. Four terms do most of the work. With illustrative figures, built on the same $40 example where it applies:
| Term | What it says | What it does to the value |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum stake or refund cap | The most the promotion covers | Bet $100 into a $40 refund cap and the extra $60 is a plain bet: $100 x (25% win chance x 3.70 - 1) + $7.00 = -$7.50 + $7.00 = -$0.50, not +$4.00 |
| Minimum odds | The shortest price that counts | Rules out short prices. On a bonus bet it rarely costs much: at a fair price a bonus bet keeps 1 - 1 / price of its face value, about a third at $1.50 and three quarters at $4.00 |
| Qualifying spend | The bets you must place to earn the reward | $200 of qualifying bets that lose 6 cents in the dollar on average cost $12, more than a $15 bonus bet is worth at 70% ($10.50) |
| Expiry | When the bonus or the offer lapses | An unused bonus bet is worth nothing once it lapses, but expiry is no reason to bet on a race or game you would otherwise skip |
The rest of the terms decide whether your bet counts at all:
- Eligible bets: many offers cover fixed-odds win bets only, and each way bets, multis, tote bets and bets placed with a bonus bet count only if the terms say so.
- Settlement: how a dead heat, a protest or a scratching affects the promotion is up to its terms, so check them before you rely on a refund.
- Discretion: the bookmaker decides whether a bet qualifies, may limit an offer to one per customer, and can withdraw offers from an account.
- Turnover: a turnover condition can apply to the qualifying bets that earn an offer, but the national framework rules one out on bonus bet winnings, which must be withdrawable as they stand. Betting turnover requirements covers the other places the word turns up and what each costs.
Tip: Before you place a qualifying bet, find four lines in the terms: the cap, the minimum price, the eligible bet types and the expiry. If any of them is unclear, ask the bookmaker in writing first.
Risk: Betting involves risk. These figures are averages on illustrative prices, and a bet that meets every term can still lose. See responsible gambling for limits and support.
Mistakes that cost money with promotions
Costed on the same illustrative $40 example:
| Mistake | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Counting a $40 bonus refund as $40 of cash | It overstates the offer by 25% (2nd or 3rd) x $40 x (1 - 0.70) = $3.00 |
| Taking a worse price to get the offer | At $3.40 instead of $3.70, the money back bet is worth $40 x (25% win chance x 3.40 - 1) + $7.00 = +$1.00, not +$4.00 |
| Placing extra bets because an offer arrived | Each plain $40 bet at these prices is worth -$3.00 |
| Betting before you opt in, where the terms require it | The bet may not qualify, so the offer adds $0 |
Risk: Betting involves risk. Avoiding these mistakes protects an average, not a result: on these prices the money back bet loses its $40 with nothing back half the time. See responsible gambling for limits and support.
What the law allows: national, state and 2027 rules
The national framework and state and territory laws (NSW and Victoria shown here) govern promotions side by side. The Commonwealth's new Part 7D, which commences on 1 January 2027, adds a third layer, and its bans on sending inducements to designated customers apply from a later day the Minister sets.
| Rule | What it says about promotions | Who enforces it |
|---|---|---|
| National Consumer Protection Framework, measure 4 | Nothing of value offered for opening an account or referring someone; bonus bet winnings free to withdraw, with no turnover requirement; marketing only to customers who have expressly agreed to it, with an unsubscribe that works | The states and territories, through their own laws and licences |
| NSW, Betting and Racing Act 1998 | An offence to publish or communicate an inducement to gamble, or to gamble more often, including one to open an account (s 33H); inducements to open, refer or keep open an account, or to consent to gambling advertising, cannot be offered at all (s 33JA) | Liquor & Gaming NSW |
| Victoria, Ministerial Direction of 6 July 2022 under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 | Binds providers licensed in Victoria and any provider taking bets from Victorians: no reward for referrals, bonus bet winnings withdrawable without further betting, marketing only with consent and stopped within five business days of an unsubscribe, and (since 30 June 2023) the right to open an account without agreeing to marketing | The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission |
| Interactive Gambling Act 2001, Part 7D, added by the 2026 reforms | From a day after 1 January 2027 that the Minister sets: no inducements by email, text message, phone call or targeted social media ads to designated customers | ACMA |
The framework, agreed by the Commonwealth, states and territories, says its inducement principles are minimums: each jurisdiction can keep or add stricter rules, including on how inducements are advertised. The National Consumer Protection Framework covers all 10 measures.
In NSW, a line saying an offer is not available to NSW residents does not make an inducement lawful. Certain offers can still go directly to account holders who have consented to receive them. Betting inducement rules in Australia goes through each state's rules and who enforces them.
The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 26 August 2026, and most of it, Part 7D included, commences on 1 January 2027. Part 7D's designated customers are people with an account open 14 days or less, people who left BetStop in the past 90 days (or earlier, without expressly consenting since) and customers identified as at risk of gambling harm. The ban on sending them inducements applies from a later day the Minister sets by notifiable instrument, which must fall after 1 January 2027.
From 1 January 2027 the Act also bans commissions to staff or affiliates tied to customer activity, such as opening an account, depositing or betting. Breaches of the new rules can be reported to ACMA, and the guide to the 2026 gambling reforms sets out the rest of the Act.
A sign-up bonus aimed at Australians is a red flag in itself: betting sign-up bonuses in Australia explains the ban. Under the Interactive Gambling Act it is an offence to provide online sports betting to customers in Australia without a licence from an Australian state or territory. ACMA warns that if an illegal operator withholds your winnings, Australian regulators will not be able to help. Check a provider on ACMA's register of licensed wagering providers before you deposit, and see offshore betting sites for the risks.
Note: Rules checked 7 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Why inducements are a known harm, and how to opt out
A promotion exists to get you to bet, or to bet more often, and regulators treat that as a risk of harm. Liquor & Gaming NSW's inducement guideline says prohibited gambling advertising, inducements included, may cause significant gambling-related harms, including encouraging people to gamble beyond their means. The explanatory memorandum to the 2026 Act says its inducement rules aim to reduce the harm of direct marketing to people coming off BetStop, new account holders and people identified as at risk.
Signs that offers are steering your betting:
- You bet to use a token before it expires, on a race or game you would have skipped.
- You deposit or bet more to reach a qualifying target.
- A refund makes a losing bet feel cheaper, so you place it anyway.
- A message arrives and you open the app when you had not planned to bet.
Every route out of marketing is backed by a rule. Under the national framework, marketing needs your express consent, every message must carry a working unsubscribe, and it must end once you ask. A provider must stop marketing to you once you close your account, and a BetStop registration stops it from every online and phone wagering provider licensed in Australia at once. How to stop betting promotions sets out the steps for each route.
BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, is a free Australian Government service that started on 21 August 2023, and BetStop explained covers how registration works.
From 1 January 2027, an online service showing wagering ads must take reasonable steps to limit them to its logged-in account holders aged 18 or over who have not opted out. Services dedicated to racing or wagering are exempt. Applications to a national Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register open on a day fixed by Proclamation.
If offers are pushing your spending up, a deposit limit is the firmer cap: every provider must offer one, a decrease applies at once and an increase only after seven days. The National Gambling Helpline, 1800 858 858, is free and confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Where B337 fits: promotions already on your accounts
B337 is betting automation and odds comparison software, and its sessions use only the promotions a bookmaker has already issued to your own accounts, such as money-back savers, bonus bets and bet boosts, within each bookmaker's rules. They never create or claim an offer, so an account with no token gets no promo bet, and the bookmaker still decides whether a bet qualifies.
Full Automation runs B337's two strategies as sessions in your own bookmaker accounts while the bot runs on your computer, which has to be on, awake and online: nothing is placed while it is off, asleep or offline.
Classic Racing counts a promotion the account holds towards a bet's value against the Betfair price, and uses a bonus bet only on a runner inside your odds range, and only when its conversion clears the threshold you set. SGM Saver builds same game multis for the saver or stake-back offers already on your accounts. B337 never places the lay, so a bonus bet a session places stays unhedged until you hedge it in your own exchange account.
You set up Full Automation with the team, who confirm its price, including any charges on top of the plan price, before you pay; bets placed through B337 use credits, a per-bet usage charge. Bonus bet automation covers the bonus settings. Bookmaker and exchange names are trade marks of their owners, and B337 is not affiliated with them.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Risk: Betting involves risk. Many bookmakers restrict automated betting in their terms, along with third-party access to accounts; any of them can cut your stakes, void bets or close the account, and that risk sits with you. Automation can bet far more, far faster, than by hand, and a deposit limit at each bookmaker caps the new money it can put at risk. A bonus bet that loses pays nothing, and a saver offer does not stop a same game multi from losing. See responsible gambling for limits and support.