These three promotions often get lumped together, but they work very differently. A rebate is paid on how much you bet, cashback on how much you lose, and referral commission on how the players you introduce perform. The rates below are examples chosen to show the calculations; always read the actual terms. For Suka2Cuci's current offers, including the 5% weekly commission, see Suka2Cuci promotions.
Rebates: a percentage of turnover
A rebate returns a small percentage of your turnover, the total of all your bets, whether you won or lost. At an example rate of 0.5%, RM10,000 of slot turnover earns a RM50 rebate.
Now compare it with what that turnover costs. On slots with a 96% RTP, RM10,000 of bets costs about RM400 on average. The rebate gives back RM50 of that, so the average cost falls to RM350. Put simply, a rebate lowers the house edge by its own rate: a 4% edge with a 0.5% rebate behaves like a 3.5% edge. It reduces the cost of playing; it never turns it into a profit.
Turnover also builds faster than it feels. RM1 spins at ten a minute add up to RM600 of turnover an hour.
Cashback: a percentage of net losses
Cashback returns a share of what you lost over a set period, often a day or a week. At an example rate of 5%, a net loss of RM1,000 earns RM50 cashback. Finish the period ahead and there's no cashback, because there's no loss.
- Is cashback paid as cash, or as bonus credit with its own turnover requirement?
- Is there a minimum loss to qualify, or a maximum payout?
- Are deposits that came with a bonus excluded?
- When is it credited, and does it expire if you don't claim it?
Referral commission: earning from a downline
Some operators pay commission when players you refer, often called your downline, play. A common basis is the downline's net win/lose over a week: if the players you referred lose money overall, you receive a percentage of that loss.
At an example rate of 5%, if your referred players lose a net RM2,000 in a week, your commission is RM100. If they win a net RM2,000 instead, you earn nothing, and some schemes carry that negative balance into the next week, so it has to be cleared before commission is paid again.
Other schemes pay on turnover rather than losses, pay a share of deposits, or add tiers for players that your referrals bring in. The terms decide which applies.
What to know before you share a referral link
- Your commission comes from your referrals' losses. On a win/lose basis, the more they lose, the more you earn. It's worth thinking about before you share a link with family, friends or colleagues.
- It isn't steady income. Commission swings with how your downline plays, and a good week for them is a zero week for you.
- Read the payment terms. Check whether commission is cash or bonus credit, whether it carries a turnover requirement, and whether there's a minimum payout.
- Read the eligibility rules. Negative carry-over, duplicate accounts and what counts as a valid referral can all cancel commission.
- Check the law where you live. Rules on promoting gambling differ between countries, and in some places recruiting players for an online casino can itself be an offence.
- Never pressure anyone to deposit, and never refer anyone under 18.
The three side by side
| Promotion | Calculated on | Paid when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebate | Your turnover | Whether you win or lose | Small rates; turnover on the rebate |
| Cashback | Your net losses | Only when you're down over the period | Caps, minimums, bonus credit instead of cash |
| Referral commission | Your referrals' net losses, turnover or deposits | When your downline loses (or bets, or deposits) | Negative carry-over, minimum payouts, legal limits on promotion |
Questions to ask before you count on it
- What exactly is it calculated on: turnover, net losses, deposits or something else?
- Over what period, and when is it paid?
- Is it cash, or bonus credit with its own turnover?
- Is there a minimum, a maximum or a cap?
- Which games or bet types are excluded?
- For commission: what happens after a negative week?
If the terms don't answer these clearly, ask customer support in writing before you rely on the promotion.
“A rebate trims the house edge. It doesn't remove it.”
Chasing a rebate tier or cashback threshold means betting more than you planned. Decide your budget first: see setting limits that work. For bonuses with a turnover requirement, try the wagering calculator.