With the huge competition of online casino providers, it is not surprising that nowadays no online casino can do without a casino bonus. Whoever wants to attract the attention of players, offers at least a lucrative new customer bonus as you can read in Casinomeister’s take on King Billy casino. But even existing customers do not want to miss out on worthwhile promotions and bonuses, so most online casinos also come up with something in this regard.
What are Casino Welcome Bonuses?
One of the most common bonuses offered to players is the welcome bonus. This is awarded to players who open a new account at an online casino. To encourage new players to sign up, this type of bonus is often the biggest and most lucrative that a casino will offer. Usually, it is an amount that is based on the amount of the deposit. Often it is a 100 or 200 percent bonus, but there are some casinos that also offer 400 percent bonuses and even more generous welcome offers. But there are also deposit bonuses with a fixed amount that is independent of the deposit amount. What makes welcome bonuses special is that they are often a combination of different types of bonuses. Sometimes a deposit bonus is also linked to free spins, whereby different rules usually apply here than with the game credit. Usually, a deposit is required to claim them, but there are also some no deposit welcome bonuses. In addition, welcome bonuses are sometimes split. Instead of being tied to just one initial deposit, some casinos split the bonus between the first few deposits. Depending on the casino, the percentage of the bonus varies for each of the subsequent deposits. This is something to watch out for, as many casinos combine all first deposit matches into one lump sum when promoting their welcome offer. You need to make sure that this is not split across multiple deposits.
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Types of Casino Bonuses
Online casinos offer their players a number of different online bonuses. These bonuses fulfill different needs for both the player and the casino.
- Deposit Bonus
- No Deposit Bonus
- Free Play Bonus
- Cashback Bonus
- VIP Programs
Deposit Bonus
A deposit bonus is a casino bonus that is granted after depositing money into an online casino. So, when you make a real money deposit at an online casino, you receive a certain amount of money as a gift in the form of bonus money on the part of the online casino. Quite simply, bonus money is money that cannot be withdrawn directly into your bank account. With such an offer, probably the best online casino could shut down after just a few weeks, because millions of “players” would create an account, cash out the casino bonus and then never show up at the casino again. To avoid this problem, the casino bonus is activated in the form of bonus credits instead of real money in the player’s account. For you as a player, this means the following: Before you can withdraw this money from the online casino bonus, you have to fulfill the turnover requirements and casino bonus conditions.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit casino bonus is occasionally offered to both new and regular customers. Mostly, these are either free spins on slot machines, sometimes also for classic casino games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat or poker, or free casino credits. Neither the free spins winnings nor the free no deposit bonus can be cashed out directly, but must be wagered several times in the casino before they are available for withdrawal. Some online gambling providers offer no deposit casino bonuses as part of their promotional calendar.
Free Play Bonus
As part of a new customer bonus, the first deposit into the player’s account is usually rewarded with extra gaming credit. Many casinos entice with free spins on the slot machines as a casino bonus. Often, these are offered on the one hand without a deposit and thus represent a casino bonus in a class of its own. However, it is usually worth more if you make at least the minimum deposit. Because many providers put in a deposit once again decent games on top. So you can then benefit from several 100 spins on the slots with a deposit of only ten euros. On top of that comes the further subsidy of the casino bonus. This way, one often receives 20€ and free games for a meager deposit of only ten euros as a gift. If you compare this with the non-existent casino bonus at land-based casinos or the classic lottery ticket, you can definitely see the advantages of casino bonus on the Internet. Of course, it’s important to know which turnover conditions and other bonus conditions apply. In most cases, however, it is worth taking the extra money from the casino bonus. However, bad offers also exist, which usually only reveal themselves when reading the fine print. For this reason, it is always a good idea to look at the bonus terms and conditions. Also, check out our guide to the turnover requirements if you need help finding them. Depending on the gambling authority, there are some rules when it comes to promotions and bonuses.
Cashback Bonus
With a cashback bonus, you get a part of your losses back from the casino. So this is not a usual online casino bonus, but a special form. Normally, the payout takes place without turnover requirements. This means: you deposit 100,00€ and lose everything. If the cashback bonus is 10%, for example, you will automatically receive €10.00 in play credit on the corresponding deadline (usually once a week). You can then use this money without any further turnover requirements and keep the winnings. So, all in all, this is a very logical bonus that comes without a lot of fine print.
VIP Programs
Finally, there are loyalty or VIP bonuses and programs. These are aimed at all players, not just VIPs or high rollers. However, the type of loyalty program depends on the casino. There are some that you have to apply for in order to participate. Often, this means that you must have met a certain deposit requirement over a certain period of time in order to qualify. However, there is a much more common loyalty program and that is the auto join version. This type of loyalty program includes all players whether they want to join or not. Essentially, you join the program as soon as you make a real money bet. For every real money bet you make, you earn points. How many points you earn per pound wagered depends entirely on the casino and its specific program. Such systems have different stages or levels. As you earn points by playing, you will reach certain points milestones. This will help you advance through the levels within the program. At each level you can claim certain bonuses and rewards. In some cases, this doesn’t happen automatically. Instead, you will have to take your accumulated points to a casino bonus store on the site and exchange your points for your reward. Likewise, the more points you have, the better your prizes will be. The prizes of loyalty programs usually include additional deposit or reload bonuses, free spins, bigger payout limits and so on. At the higher levels, casinos will provide you with a personal account manager, offer faster payouts, and even award tickets to events and hotel stays. VIPs can even receive cruises and world trips.
Casino Bonuses With or Without Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements or wagering requirements with minimum wagering can be quite annoying for the casino player. You finally have a big win, but you played with a bonus and the bonus has not yet been fully wagered. When wagering, some nice winnings can be lost again. It is even worse if you have not read the bonus conditions correctly and a profit is then simply canceled during the payout. This can happen, for example, if you have played with too high stakes. All these hurdles fall away when the casino issues the bonus without turnover requirements. Not many online casinos offer such a pleasant bonus. We have picked out the best bonuses without turnover for you.
What are “wager free” Casino Bonuses?
A bonus without turnover requirements is a good idea simply because you get free spins or bonus credits. Both can be used to play longer and to get to know a casino better. The online casino bonus without turnover requirements has even more advantages compared to traditional promotions that are tied to wagering requirements:
- Perfect for casino beginners
- No calculating to fulfill the turnover requirements
- Playing with small stakes possible
- Often no time limit for validity
So, with the no wagering requirements bonus, you’re doing everything right if you want to test a new casino and prefer to avoid gambling away the big money right away. You can theoretically win a small sum with a casino bonus even with a low stake – but a loss is of course possible at any time. If you like to take a few risks, you are well advised to use this type of bonus.
Do bonuses without turnover requirements have any disadvantages?
As mentioned above, the bonuses without wagering requirements are good for beginners. If you are already a real pro, then these promotions might not be the right choice for you. For example, it is common that the maximum winnings with free spins bonuses or a deposit bonus without wagering requirements are severely limited. This way, you will not be able to withdraw huge winnings. Another disadvantage is that there are significantly more new online casinos that work with wagering requirements. So, there are far fewer casinos without turnover requirements, which limits the choice quite a bit.
Are Online Casino Bonuses Worth it?
Whether a casino bonus makes sense for you, of course, always depends on what the casino bonus looks like and what your preferences are. Basically, it can be said that a casino bonus usually extends your playing time. The more money you have available, the longer you can play. And the longer you can play at the casino, the better it is, of course. After all, this often allows you to make up for previous losses. However, since every casino bonus is also awarded with certain conditions, you must of course consider whether these fit your preferences. So, if you only want to play a few games or spend between 10 and 20 minutes gambling, then online casino bonus offers, with high turnover requirements, are certainly not for you. After all, these usually require you to play for several hours. Often even spread over days to convert the casino bonus into real money. However, if you don’t mind playing your favorite games for several hours at a stretch, then it can be worthwhile to choose a good casino bonus and then convert it over a weekend.
Conclusion – Online casino bonuses are very enticing
Of course, there is no online casino bonus that suits every player equally. But if you know what to look for, if you take the time to compare the different offers and pay attention to certain features, you will definitely be able to discover the perfect casino bonus.