Casino Bonuses: Everything You Need to Know

What are online casino bonuses?

If you are looking to join a new casino and extend your playing cash, then online casino bonuses are a great way to boost your gameplay. They are credited to your account upon registration and usually come in the form of cash, free/bonus spins or both.

The most popular casino bonus is a deposit match bonus that is offered to you as part of a welcome package or a special promotion. Think of it as a nice welcoming cup of tea and biscuits on arrival to the site.

The best thing about a casino bonus is that it’s easy to claim. All you have to do to receive the bonus is to find a good deal, register with the casino and make your first deposit. You can always use our up to date casino reviews page to find the best bonuses for UK players.

Types of online casino bonus

A welcome bonus is a good way for you to have a taste of what a casino has to offer along with some extra cash or spins to kick things off. The interesting thing is that it could come in many different forms, most of which we’ve covered below.

1. Bonus with deposit required

A deposit bonus is one of the most popular casino bonuses and is awarded to you when you make your first deposit. It usually looks something like this: 100% up to £100 and means that your first deposit will be doubled. Deposit £50 play with £100. Not bad, huh?

When casinos feel generous, they can give you a layered match bonus where you can claim your casino’s bonus via multiple – 1, 2, 3, 4 and even 5 – deposits. Often, that’s a great offer, because by using the first deposit, you can dip your toes in the waters of the casino to see if you like it.

Another type of deposit works by having a predefined amount of bonus cash given with free spins or bonus spins. For example, 100% up to £100 + 50 free/bonus spins. That’s a great offer because, on top of your match bonus amount, you can also use these extra spins on preselected slots.

2. No deposit bonuses

A no deposit bonus is a great bonus and does what it says – awards you a bonus without having to make a deposit. In this case, you can either claim free cash, free spins or bonus spins.

3. Free Spins

As we’ve briefly mentioned above, free spins or cash spins can come as a no deposit bonus or part of a casino’s welcome offer. They can be used to play slots without having to spend your own cash.

Previously all kinds of spins were called free spins whether they came with the wagering requirements on not. Today, due to strict UKGC regulations, only wager-free spins can be called free spins.

4. Bonus spins & extra spins

Just like free spins, you can use bonus spins and extra spins to play slots without spending your own money. And they too can be offered as part of a casino’s welcome deal or a no-deposit bonus offer.

What differentiates free spins from bonus spins is that bonus spins have wagering requirements attached to them. Following the UKGC guidelines, casinos are required to advertise free spins as bonus spins if they come with any wagering requirements. But, and here is the best part, once you fulfil the wagering requirements you get to keep the winnings.

5. Reload bonus

Otherwise known as a deposit bonus, a reload bonus can be given to you after you’ve claimed your welcome offer. In other words, it’s an incentive for you to make a further deposit. Think of it as a deposit bonus, but smaller.

Reload bonus amounts differ from site to site and always change. To keep up with the new offers, you could either subscribe to the casino’s promotional emails or opt-in to their SMS service. That way you’ll stay up to date with the best deposit bonuses. Because, ultimately, you want to claim more bonus money. The more you have to play with, the more cash you could potentially win.

A reload bonus is here to keep you happy and loyal to the casino. But beware that it’s a time-sensitive bonus. Therefore, to claim your bonus money you’ll need to deposit within a certain time frame.

6. Cashback

Cashback is a great way for you to win some money back on your losses. Depending on your status at the casino, you could receive a real money cashback bonus.

It’s usually based on your total losses over a certain time (i.e., a week) and determined by a fixed percentage. The average cashback percentage varies from site to site, but commonly it sits between 5% and 25%.

For example, a casino might include a 5% cashback offer on losses made on a particular day, as long as your balance is at £0. So, if you played £100 that day and lost it all, you could earn £5 cashback.

How to choose the best casino bonuses?

Choosing the best casino bonuses can be a little tricky at times. It’s not enough to pick a casino with the highest bonus on offer. Because the biggest bonus doesn’t always mean a good bonus.

That’s not to say that it can’t be a good deal, but it can come with lots of restrictions and risks. In most cases, if a bonus looks too good to be true it probably is. You want to look out for those casino bonuses that have reasonable terms attached and can extend your gameplay.

Here’s a quick checklist for choosing the best online casino bonuses:

Check the bonus and general terms. You want them to be fair with reasonable wagering requirements.
Some of the best casino bonuses that give free bonus cash and can extend your gameplay are no deposit bonuses or bonus spins.
Check if a casino has a mix of bonuses for both budget-conscious players and high rollers.
You want casino bonuses with a high winning cap and good time limits for longer gameplay.
Look out for bonuses that can be used on a wide selection of slots.

Cash out limits

Most casinos will have a set maximum amount you can withdraw regardless of how much you win with your bonus cash. So, if you happen to win a jackpot of £500 when playing on bonus and the cashout limit determined is £300, you’ll only be able to withdraw the £300 and not a penny more.

Payment methods

Usually, you’ll be able to withdraw your bonus winnings via the same method you deposited with. But beware when claiming your match deposit bonus. In many cases, deposits with Skrill, Paypal, Neteller and Paysafecard are not eligible to claim a welcome bonus.

Restricted games

It’s very rare for a casino to allow you to play your bonus cash on any games you like. You’ll mostly have the titles preselected for you by the casino. The reasons for it are endless. Maybe they want to promote a new game from a certain game provider or encourage you to play games that offer a higher value per spin.

Either way, the number of games you can play with your bonus will be listed in the general terms or conditions or the bonus terms so be sure to check them out.

Wagering requirements

Let’s talk about wagering requirements. The majority of welcome bonus offers at online casinos come with wagering requirements attached to them. It can be anything from as low as 10x up to a whopping 60x and higher.

Typically, a standard wagering requirement will be between 20x and 35x.
Anything above 35x would be high wagering. The higher wagering requirements will usually apply to a bigger 300%, 400% or 500% bonus.

The most confusing part of the wagering requirements is the difference between wagering just the bonus vs wagering bonus + deposit. The main distinction here is that you’ll have to wager the bonus amount only or the bonus + deposit amount respectively. Have a look at the below examples.

Wagering the bonus only:

Example offer: No deposit £10 bonus on registration
Wagering requirement: 45x
Calculation: £10 (bonus money) x45 = £450
Explanation: To withdraw your amount of bonus money, you’ll need to wager your bonus 35 times. This means that you’ll have to bet £450 before you can withdraw your bonus winnings.

Wagering both bonus + deposit:

Example offer: 100% up to £100
Wagering requirements: 35x bonus + deposit
Your deposit: £50
Calculation: £100 (£50 deposit + £50 bonus) x 35= £3,500
Explanation: To cash out your winnings, you’ll need to wager both £50 deposit + £50 bonus 35 times before you could make a withdrawal. This means you’ll have to bet £3,500 to collect your winnings.

Similarly to bonus funds, any winnings from bonus spins will also be tied to similar wagering requirements before you can withdraw your winnings.

Bonus spins example:

Example offer: 30 bonus spins
Wagering requirements: 35x
Your winnings from bonus spins: £60
Calculation: £60 (winnings from spins) x 35 = £2,100
Explanation: To withdraw your winnings from bonus spins, you’ll need to bet £2,100. It might look like a big amount to bet until you can withdraw, but remember that you keep on winning as you spin.

Other requirements

When choosing the best casino bonus, also look out for other requirements including time limits, minimum deposit requirements, bonus expiration date, maximum bet with an active bonus, forbidden betting patterns etc.

You’ll always find them stated in the casino’s general terms and conditions.

Casino Bonus Questions Answered

We’ve covered a fair bit of the casino bonus specifics in this bonus page, but if you have any more questions, take a look at the below casino bonus FAQs.

Can I cancel my bonus?

You can! Simply log into your casino account and cancel from there, or contact customer support. Often your bonus will automatically be cancelled if you try to withdraw your funds without completing the wagering requirements.

Can I win real money with a bonus?

You can but you’ll need to complete the wagering requirements before withdrawing your winnings.

Are there any downsides using a bonus with a higher percentage?

Yes, the downside is that often a higher percentage means a smaller bonus amount. Also, possibly higher wagering requirements may apply. Be sure to check the offer terms and conditions for more details.

Are casinos bonuses time-based?

Often they are, and to benefit from them you’ll need to ensure you claim your bonus within the indicated time frame. The only exception would be a welcome offer, which is available on your first deposit only.