Tang Luck sweepstakes casino is facing questions from players over the way its bonus Sweeps Coins (SC) can affect redemptions.
We’ve seen Trustpilot reviews highlighting this, plus a recent post on the SweepsFlow.com Facebook group where users discussed just how unusual and confusing the system can be, even for seasoned sweeps players.
The issue isn’t simply that Tang Luck has a 5x playthrough requirement, which is towards the higher end of what you’ll typically see. The confusion comes when players receive free bonus SC through features like the Jade Pass or the Red and Blue Scratch Cards.
According to information displayed on the ‘How It Work‘ page, claiming any promo SC will temporarily lock a player’s ability to redeem at all until:
- The required playthrough is completed at 5x with coefficient applied
- The player’s balance returns to what it was before the bonus SC were acquired
- The player chooses to forfeit the bonus
The particularly unusual part is how progress is calculated. Yes, Tang Luck says progress is based on the number of plays multiplied by a game ‘coefficient’ – AKA a multiplier – and that coefficient is determined by the RTP of the game you play.
A 96% game has a 1.0 coefficient, while a 99% RTP game has a coefficient of 0.25. In other words, the 5x playthrough doesn’t tell the whole story – the amount of progress a player makes can depend on the game they choose, with lower RTP games getting them through faster because they have a higher coefficient.
For example, if the player wanted to playthrough at the standard 5x rate, they should choose a game at 96% RTP, because 1.0 x 5x = 5x. However, if they chose a 99% RTP game, each play would only contribute 0.25 towards the multiplier, meaning the 5x requirement effectively becomes 1.25x in terms of progress.
Because each play contributes 4 times less progress, the player would need to wager 4 times as much, effectively turning the advertised 5x requirement into a 20x playthrough!
That combination is what makes the system potentially confusing. A player might see a balance that appears to be available for redemption, accept some promotional SC, and then discover that the redemption of their wider balance is locked until they either complete the associated requirement or give up the bonus and its locked winnings.
Is Tang Luck’s Bonus Playthrough Requirement Unusual?
A 5x playthrough requirement by itself isn’t particularly unusual in the sweepstakes casino industry. Our own review criteria show that wagering requirements on bonuses are the norm, with those requirements often falling between 1x and 5x (but usually closer to 1x).
A discussion on the SweepsFlow.com Facebook group
However, the Facebook discussion we saw suggests that the poster wasn’t expecting a bonus to affect the redemption of their wider balance – and this is fair because this doesn’t usually happen at sweepstakes casinos. The poster expressed her confusion, while others advised her to either complete the playthrough or cancel it.
It’s worth noting that Tang Luck’s sweeps rules do disclose that promotional conditions can apply, and they give the casino discretion over bonuses. Still, the fact that players are having to explain the mechanism to one another is worth bearing in mind.
Does Tang Luck Casino Have Other Problems?
On top of the unusual bonus system, there are other factors at Tang Luck that could give you pause.
On our own SweepsKings Forum there’s been discussion of Tang Luck’s TV commercials which make some pretty extraordinary claims, including winning a jackpot within 10 minutes of playing – this is something no legitimate online casino can guarantee. Players have pointed out that some of the games shown in the commercials don’t appear to match the actual gameplay either.
Tang Luck also charges a 5% fee on redemptions, which cuts into the value of any winnings. We’ve seen reports from players who say they haven’t received their redemptions in a timely manner too.
Because of issues like this, you will find 1-star reviews on the Tang Luck Trustpilot page, including the one below:
“Their CS [customer service] team is non existent. Been waiting hours for a response which is ridiculous. They said they sent my money but they did not. I didn’t receive anything. They usually pay me within an hour but it took days for an approval and once I got the confirmation email that funds were sent, still nothing has hit my account.” – Sydney Denise
The current overall rating on Trustpilot is 3/5, by the way, despite the app trending recently.
Finally, in terms of design, the site does look a little more amateur than we would usually feel comfortable with.
So considering all of the above, we urge players to be careful and perhaps consider another option. With some social brands shutting down without paying players over the last few years, there’s no need to play at a casino you have doubts about when other established options exist.
Author: Alex Windsor
Updated:
