Been mucking around with a few of the sign-up freebies lately just to see if any of them are still half decent for Aussie players, and yeah... heaps of them look better on the banner than they do once you actually open the terms.
Main thing I keep running into is the tiny max cashout. You might get a few spins or a little free chip, hit something decent, then find out you can only pull fifty bucks or whatever after chewing through silly wagering. Bit rough when they splash it like it's some ripper deal. A lot of them also fence off most of the better pokies, so you're left spinning the same old stuff.
The ones I rate highest aren't even always the biggest offers. Usually it's the sites that keep it simple - fair enough wagering, clear game restrictions, and they don't make you jump through seventeen hoops the second you try to verify. If a place wants docs, sweet, that's normal... but if they drag it out for days on a tiny withdrawal from a freebie, I start thinking they're taking the piss.
Another thing, if you're brand new to these, check the cashout cap before you bother. Properly check it, not just the headline. Same with whether you can use the bonus on pokies only, and if the bonus balance expires in 24 hours. Seen that one a fair bit lately too.
Anyway, that's where I'm at with them right now. Not saying they're all rubbish, just a lot of them are more of a quick mess-around than something you'd seriously grind. Keen to hear which ones people here reckon are actually worth signing up for lately, especially ones that don't feel stitched up the second you read the fine print.