What makes online casinos different from their land-based counterparts is the availability of welcome bonuses that are the main reason why players choose a certain casino over the competition.
What makes online casinos different from their land-based counterparts is the availability of welcome bonuses that are the main reason why players choose a certain casino over the competition.
9.6 / 10 Excellent
100% Bonus up to £/$150.
18+ | New Players Only | T&C Apply
There are several types of welcome bonuses given upon sign up. What you need to do is to decide which welcome bonus best fits your individual playstyle. For the purpose, you should “do your homework” and read our detailed guide about the best welcome bonuses. Needless to say, every casino has its own terms and conditions, and more often than not, the fine print is the obstacle that ruins all the fun.
If you cannot find T&C and bonus policy pages, you’d better hit the escape button as there is a 99% chance that you have come across a scam casino and claiming a seemingly appealing welcome bonus can turn into a nightmare. To avoid such disappointments, we recommend playing at reputable online casinos that have stood the test of time. Below, you will find up-to-date information about the most common welcome bonuses as well as additional details that will help you better understand how the welcome bonuses work.
Let’s assume you find a casino that offers a 100% match deposit bonus of up to £300. What does it mean? It means that the casino will double the amount of your first deposit, but it has set a limit of £300. In other words, if you deposit £100, the casino will give you another £100 and you will have a total of £200 to play with. If you deposit £300, the casino will give you another £300, and your bankroll will increase to £600. And here’s the catch. If you deposit £500, this time around, the casino will not match your deposit. You will get the limit of £300.
In most cases, casinos set wagering requirements. To make your bonus cashable, you need to play it through between 25 and 40 times. Some casinos require players to play through only their winnings while others require them to play through both the bonus amount and winnings.
Also, every casino has a list of games that outlines the contribution each game has to meet the wagering requirement. Slots usually have a 100% contribution, but most of the table games have 0% contribution. As you can see, it takes a bit of a learning curve to know if a welcome bonus is worth the effort or you’d be better off without it.
Some casinos go the extra mile and grant new players a match deposit bonus plus free spins. We already figured out what a match deposit bonus is, but are there any caveats regarding the free spins?
The free spins are usually valid for selected games only. Some casinos, such as Sky Vegas, are a bit too restrictive regarding the eligible games. Their T&C state that the free spins will be automatically used on the first eligible game you load. That’s an exception rather than a rule, though. Most casinos allow greater flexibility and you can use your free spins across all eligible games.
Keep in mind that in the best case scenario, the max bet of the free spins will be £5-£7. Once you use up all your free spins, the bet values will reset and you will be able to place larger bets with your own funds.
Check out if you need to clear any wagering requirements to release your free spins bonus winnings. If you are looking for a casino where there are no wagering requirements attached to the free spins, visit bgo, Vegas Luck, and/or Power Spins.
Last but not least, it is important to note that casinos set limits as to how much you can withdraw from the free spins. If the casino has set a max cashout of £100, and you won £110 while using the free spins bonus, the outstanding £10 balance will be forfeited.
Free cash is reportedly the sweetest bonus you can get in exchange for your registration. If you decide to join a no deposit bonus casino, you have to take into account the wagering requirements you have to clear to make the bonus withdrawable, and the max amount of winnings you can cash out. We have summarised all the factors you need to consider in our no deposit bonus guide.
A no wager bonus is not as alluring as a no deposit bonus but it is the next best thing. There must be a good reason why the popularity of the no wager casinos is rapidly growing. The absence of a playthrough requirement eliminates the chance of ending up empty-handed while trying to release the bonus.
The no wager bonuses are usually free spins. You get 1 free spin for every £1 you deposit. Your wager free bonus is granted when you make your first deposit.
High rollers are players who win and lose massive amounts at the casinos, and they would consider a £100 welcome bonus too modest, to say the least. That’s why casinos have a team taking care of the VIP players. The team keeps track of players’ deposits and sends them a personalised welcome offer that goes beyond the £100 bonus for casual players. Planning to bet more? Check out our list of the best high roller online casinos.
At the dawn of the smartphone craze, many casino operators used to offer a mobile bonus to players who download and install their native apps. Today, it is a matter of personal preference whether to play games in your mobile browser or download an app. The apps are said to ensure smoother gameplay, although contemporary casino sites are tailored to provide seamless gambling experience on the go. So, you may come across casinos offering a £5 no deposit bonus for downloading their app, but in most cases, the mobile bonuses are no different from the bonuses you get if you use the desktop version.
Infographic explaining the difference between First Deposit Bonus and Welcome Package.
The other bonuses casinos grant are:
