The referral code, in plain terms
A referral code is a tag that ties your friend's first deposit to your account. The reward is real, but the headline usually buries the four lines of the bonus terms that decide whether the reward clears. Read those four lines before you share.
How the code moves
The referrer's account carries a code. The new player's first deposit carries the same code in the cashier field. The operator's bonus engine matches the two and assigns the reward to both accounts. The match happens server-side, not in the app · the app is just the surface where the code is entered.
What the code does not do
It does not match a friend who already has an account. It does not stack with the welcome offer. It does not pay out into the cash balance if the wagering is not cleared. It does not survive the operator resetting the bonus engine for a new season.
What the reward actually is
Most referrals pay a small cash credit to the new player and a smaller one to the referrer. The new player's credit is usually tied to the first deposit's wagering. The referrer's credit is usually tied to the friend's first deposit clearing the wagering. The math rarely matches the headline.
Realistic numbers
A 200 rupee credit to the friend, with 10x wagering on cash tables, is a 2,000 rupee playthrough before the credit clears. The referrer's credit is often half that, and only released after the friend's first withdrawal. The headline is rarely the floor.
What "cleared" means
Cleared means the wagering multiple has been hit on cash tables that count toward the bonus. Practice tables, free tournaments and a few real-money formats usually do not count. The bonus terms page lists the formats that count in plain text.
The four lines that bite
Before you share or enter a code, find these four lines in the bonus terms. Each one is a clause that voids the reward in a specific way.
Four clauses to read first
1) The wagering multiple · the number of cash-table hands you must play before the credit clears. 2) The expiry window · the time you have to clear the wagering before the credit is removed. 3) The per-table contribution · the percentage of every wager that counts toward the multiple. 4) The withdrawal cap · the maximum amount that can be withdrawn from bonus-funded winnings.
What the referral program really pays out
The referral program pays a fixed rupee credit per qualified friend, or a percentage of the friend's first deposit, or a tiered bonus that grows with the friend's lifetime deposits. The headline figure on the operator's landing page is usually the upper end of the tier. Most referrers land on the flat credit.
The three common payout shapes
Shape one is a flat rupee credit: ₹100 or ₹200 credited to the referrer's bonus wallet after the friend clears KYC and plays a minimum number of hands. Shape two is a percentage of the friend's first deposit: a 50 percent match up to a cap. Shape three is a tiered bonus that grows with the friend's lifetime play.
What shape most operators run
Most regulated rummy operators run a hybrid: a flat credit for the first qualified friend, a percentage match for the second and third, and a tiered bonus from the fourth onward. The shape is published on the referral page inside the cashier. The T&Cs list the exact numbers.
What the wagering looks like
The referral credit is bonus wallet, not cash wallet. Bonus wallet funds carry a wagering multiple that the player must clear before withdrawing. The multiple is the actual cost of the referral program. A flat ₹200 credit with a 10x wagering on Points rummy is worth less than a ₹100 credit with a 5x wagering on the same format, once the eligible format matches the player's real play.
For the related read on the wagering mechanics and the eligible format list, see the bonus code page. For the related read on the seven-axis rubric winnow uses when it scores the operator's published terms, see the reviews page.
What counts as an "eligible deposit" on the friend's side
An eligible deposit is a first cash deposit from a new account that clears KYC and is not a bonus-funded or promo-funded transfer. UPI, netbanking and card deposits are usually eligible. Wallet-to-wallet transfers, prepaid instruments and crypto on-ramps are usually excluded.
What the operator excludes
The operator excludes deposits made with bonus wallet funds, deposits made through a payment aggregator that does not return a PAN, deposits under the minimum table entry, and deposits made on an account that has previously been flagged for KYC mismatch. The exclusions are listed in the T&Cs on the referral page.
What the minimum looks like
Most operators set a minimum eligible deposit of ₹100 to ₹500. The friend must clear the minimum on the first deposit, not across multiple deposits. A first deposit of ₹50 followed by a second deposit of ₹100 does not qualify under most programs.
What the referrer should set as expectation
The referrer should tell the friend to make a single first deposit above the minimum, with a payment method that returns a PAN, and to complete the KYC before the deposit. The referrer should not promise the credit until the operator's eligibility engine has accepted the deposit. The credit lands inside the referrer's bonus wallet inside twenty-four hours in most cases.
For the related read on the KYC process that gates the deposit, see the safety page. For the related read on the welcome offer that runs alongside the referral credit, see the bonus code page.
Which rummy formats the wagering counts on
Eligible formats are the rummy variants on which the wagering multiple actually counts. Most operators restrict eligibility to Points, Pool and Deals rummy. Tournaments, freerolls and practice tables are usually excluded. The exact list lives in the cashier screen under "Referral T&Cs".
What usually counts
Points rummy at the lower entry fees usually counts at 100 percent. Pool rummy at the standard entry fees usually counts at 100 percent. Deals rummy usually counts at 50 percent or 100 percent depending on the operator. Higher-stakes Points tables sometimes count at a reduced percentage.
What usually does not count
Tournaments, freerolls, practice tables, and table entry fees paid from bonus wallet usually do not count. Some operators exclude tables above a fixed entry fee. Some operators exclude all tables during a promotional window. The exclusions are time-bound and the cashier screen is the source of truth.
What the referrer should communicate
The referrer should name the formats they actually play when they tell the friend about the program. A referrer who plays Points rummy should not oversell a program that excludes Points. A referrer who plays Pool rummy should not promise a fast clear on a program whose eligibility is restricted to Deals. The eligible format list is what decides whether the credit is reachable inside the window.
For the related read on the eligible format list and the wagering multiple, see the bonus code page. For the related read on the format catalogue that defines Points, Pool and Deals, see the games page.
Why stacking a referral with a welcome bonus can void both
Most operators do not allow a referral credit to be combined with a welcome bonus on the same deposit. The T&Cs usually say "the referral credit and the welcome bonus are mutually exclusive on the first deposit". Stacking them is the most common reason both credits disappear.
What the operator's stack rule looks like
The stack rule usually states that only one bonus applies to a single deposit. If a player enters both a welcome code and a referral code on the first deposit, the operator picks one and voids the other. The choice is usually the welcome bonus, because the welcome bonus has a higher marketing value to the operator.
What the order of operations should be
The friend should pick one path before the first deposit. The referrer should not push the friend to use both codes. The friend should read the welcome offer's T&Cs and the referral T&Cs, compare the eligible formats, and pick the one that matches the real play. The single action that helps is to enter one code only, not both.
What to do if both credits vanish
Open the operator's bonus history inside the cashier. The bonus history lists every credit, every void, and every wagering multiple. If the entry says "voided: stack conflict", the operator's T&Cs are the contract. If the entry is silent or shows a different reason, the operator's support inbox is the right escalation. Winnow logs the dispute under the support widget.
For the related read on the dispute path and the operator's grievance officer, see the safety page. For the related read on the welcome offer that the referral can collide with, see the bonus code page.