Online casinos have been around for over two decades, with mobile casinos slowly taking over during the last ten years.
However, one main attraction that both mobile and online casinos have in common is the bonuses and promotions they offer.
Casino bonuses are one of the biggest incentives used for attracting new players and often one of the first things people seek out before choosing a casino provider.
But if you are new to online gambling or are thinking of claiming a casino bonus, make sure you read on to learn more about hidden bonus conditions and tips for getting the most out of your bonus.
Types Of Casino Bonus
Overall, there are 5 main types of casino bonus and each one offers customers different perks in exchange for your custom. These are:
- No deposit bonus; gives you a set amount of cash to play casino games for free without depositing from your own bank account.
- First deposit match bonus; matches the amount of money that you add to your account on your first ever deposit. This is usually a percentage of your deposit such as 50%, 100%, 200%.
- Free spins bonus; provides you with a set number of slot machine spins for free either without a deposit or upon your first deposit. For example, deposit $10 and get 50 free spins, or get 20 free spins with no deposit required.
- Loyalty bonus; rewards existing customers for their loyalty to continue playing at an online casino. This is usually as part of a loyalty points reward scheme, or with regular reload bonuses on a weekly or monthly basis.
- VIP bonus; is a bonus for big money players, also known as high rollers. This type of bonus is not available at all online casinos and usually runs alongside standard bonus offers. A VIP bonus is for players who want to deposit large amounts, such as $500-$2000.
Hidden Bonus Conditions
It is important to know that almost every online casino bonus comes with terms and conditions attached. Though some newer casino providers are now offering very low or no-condition bonuses.
Some conditions are more visible than others, depending on the online casino provider or jurisdiction laws. Some locations have stricter laws in place that enforce terms and condition visibility, so that players can clearly see what is on offer and how to claim it.
Terms and conditions that are attached to a bonus come in many forms, but the primary conditions are:
- Time Limit: Some casino bonuses come with time limits, whereby you need to make a first cash deposit within a specified time of registering in order to claim the bonus. In addition, some time limits apply to how long you have to spend your bonus funds before they expire.
- Wagering requirements: Almost every online casino has wagering requirements, including free spins. This means that you will need to bet / wager a specified amount of money before you can make a withdrawal. So if you claim a $10 bonus with a wagering requirement of 20 x, then you will need to bet a total of $200 before you can withdraw money from the casino provider earned from using the bonus funds.
- Game limits: There are two types of game limit in place when claiming a casino bonus that many people do not know about. The first is usually more clear and involves restrictions as to what games the bonus can be used to play. This particularly applies to free spin promotions, whereby free spins are restricted to one or two slot games. The second game limit links closely with wagering requirements and is that casino games have a contribution percentage of how much they apply to the bonus funds. Some games contribute 100% towards unlocking the wagering requirement, but some games only contribute 20% or less.
- Winnings limit: One mistake new casino players make is thinking that they can win a jackpot life changing sum of money from using an online casino bonus. However, many online casinos restrict the amount you can win with a win-cap, especially on no deposit bonuses. It is important to always check if there is a win limit in place before claiming a casino bonus so that you are not shocked or surprised when, in the event of a win, you can only withdraw $100. Any winnings from bonus funds over the capped amount are discarded.
Online casino bonuses can sometimes feel like you have been scammed and this is often a common complaint from unhappy customers.
However, if you equip yourself with the knowledge beforehand, you can see the benefits of casino bonuses and better understand how they work and what you need to do in order to get the most out of the offer.
Casino bonuses are a great way to try out new casinos and learn the basics of how an online casino functions, as well as get a true feel of each of the games you love to play to maximise your chances of winning.
