March 4, 2026 • Reading time: 5 minutes • Written by: Petri Rantanen, Gaming Strategy & VIP Programs Expert
A VIP programme is a discount on the price of play, not a source of income. This article shows how to work out its value from two numbers – and why doing that arithmetic first matters more than reaching the next tier.
How points are earned
Loyalty points accrue on money wagered, not on wins and not on deposits. The real value of a programme comes from two figures, both of which are stated in the terms:
- Accrual rate: how many euros you must wager to earn one point.
- Redemption value: what one point is worth when converted to cash.
An example. If one point is earned per ten euros wagered and a hundred points convert into one euro, the return is 0.1 % of everything you stake. Compare that with the house edge: in a slot with 96 % RTP the edge is 4 %. The programme gives back a fortieth of it – useful, but it does not change the direction of the game.
| Benefit | What it is in practice | How to value it |
|---|---|---|
| Point accrual | Points earned on money wagered | Redemption value divided by accrual rate |
| Cashback | A share of losses over a set period | Percentage × average loss in that period |
| Higher withdrawal limits | A larger sum released at once | Only matters on large wins |
| Faster processing | Your withdrawal is reviewed earlier in the queue | Measured in hours, not money |
| Personal contact | A named person in support | No monetary value |
What to check in the terms
- Whether points expire, and how quickly.
- Whether all games earn points at the same weight – table games often do not.
- Whether a tier drops after a break in play, and how fast.
- Whether cashback is withdrawable money or bonus funds with a wagering requirement.
That last point decides the most. Ten per cent cashback as bonus funds with 30× wagering is a completely different product from the same percentage paid as withdrawable cash.
What chasing a tier costs
Reaching a tier requires wagering, and wagering costs the house edge. If the next tier requires 5,000 euros staked and the game runs at 96 % RTP, the trip to that tier costs 200 euros on paper. So the question is not whether the tier looks impressive, but whether it returns more than 200 euros in benefits. Usually it does not.
Comparing two programmes
Programme marketing talks about tiers, names and perks. There are in fact only two comparable numbers: what one point costs to earn and what one point is worth in cash. Everything else is either conditional or worthless in money terms.
- Find the accrual rate in the terms: euros wagered per point.
- Find the redemption value: points per euro.
- Divide one by the other. The result is a percentage of everything you wager.
- Compare that number with the same number from another programme – not the tier count or the tier names.
If either figure is missing, the programme's value cannot be calculated. The right conclusion then is not ”it is probably good” but ”it is unknown”, and the decision is better made on other grounds.
Cashback and a bonus are not the same thing
Cashback is calculated on losses that have already happened; a welcome bonus is calculated on a deposit before anything happens. The difference shows in what you can do with the money. Withdrawable cashback is money in the account. Bonus funds are conditional: there is a wagering requirement, usually a maximum stake while wagering, and a cap on how much of the bonus can be withdrawn in the end.
The practical consequence: ten per cent withdrawable cashback can be worth more than a hundred per cent bonus if the bonus carries a high wagering requirement. The comparison is worth making by calculation, not by the size of the percentage.
Questions
Is a VIP programme worth aiming for?
If you are playing anyway, collecting the benefits is free. Playing in order to reach a tier is not: then you pay the house edge to get a fraction of it back.
Are the benefits negotiable?
The terms are what is in the terms. If something is promised verbally or in chat, ask for it in writing and keep the reply.
Why do points disappear?
In most programmes points have an expiry date and tiers drop after a break. Both are stated in the terms, and both are worth reading before you start chasing the programme.
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