Righto, you lot. I know that many of you have experienced the frustration of getting banned by a bookie or having your promo offers restricted. It can be a real kick in the guts when you feel like you're just starting to get on a roll with your punting. Here’s a bit of chat as to what they are, why they happen and what you can do about it.

Now, we’re all just piggies trying to get a few crumbs here, but bookies are sharp, they consider almost everything and they don’t open up a business to lose money, so the second they get a whiff that you might be a good punter, your account goes straight under a microscope.

First off, let's talk about bookie bans. There are a few reasons why a bookie might decide to ban you from their service. The most obvious one is if they think you're winning too much money off them! Bookies are businesses after all, and they need to make a profit. If they think you're costing them too much money, they'll probably cut you off. There’s a tonne of other reasons as well, and we’ve seen them thousands of times in the Hub.

It might be a bloke making an account in the wife's name, or their mates dogs name, in order to rinse a bonus or some sort of account opening promo, the bookies are sharp and they will catch onto this 99% of the time.

It might also happen if a bookie feels you’re doing something dodgy that they don’t think is fair, such as betting on a race that’s already resulted, or picking the correct score in some dodgy under 9’s Russian water polo league 5 times in a row.

But what can you do about it? Well, unfortunately, not much. Bookies are well within their rights to ban anyone they like, and there's not much you can do to appeal the decision. Your best bet is to just move on and try to find another bookie who will take your bets. Luckily here in Australia we’ve got dozens of them available.

Now let's talk about promo banning. This is where bookies limit the promotions they offer you, usually because they think you're taking advantage of them too much. This can be really frustrating, especially if you see other people getting better offers than you.

So, how can you avoid getting promo banned? Well, the key is to not be too greedy. If you're constantly taking advantage of every promotion a bookie offers, they're going to start to get suspicious. Try to be a bit more selective with which promotions you take up, and don't always go for the maximum bonus.

Promo bans happen frequently, and most sharp punters will find they’re already promo banned with certain bookies, this means you can still have a punt with them, but if they’re running a promo (such as money back if your horse places 2nd or 3rd, or $2 lines on a sporting event) you won’t be entitled to that promo, and you’ll get their standard odds.

Finally, let's talk about minimum bet laws. These laws are designed to stop bookies from restricting certain punters from placing bets. The idea is that if you're a legitimate punter, the bookie shouldn't be able to stop you from placing a bet just because they don't like the look of your account.

In Australia, there are minimum bet laws in place that apply to all licensed bookies. These laws state that bookies must accept bets up to a certain amount from all punters, regardless of their perceived skill level. The exact amount varies depending on the type of race and the bookie in question, but it's usually around $1,000 for Win bets and $500 for Place bets. Please note minimum bet laws don’t cover all races, and don’t apply in every possible case, this is something you’re best approaching a bookie about directly if you have questions.

So, there you have it. Bookie bans and promo restrictions can be frustrating, but they're a fact of life for serious punters. Just remember to stay within the rules and don't get too greedy, and you should be able to avoid getting kicked out of your favourite site. And if you're worried about being restricted from placing bets, remember that there are minimum bet laws in place to protect you. Happy punting!