If you spend any time at online casinos you will have encountered something called a casino bonus. These are marketing tools used by online casino operators to either attract new members or retain existing members. The ultimate goal is to have happy gamblers at their site who will spend more money wagering as that is how these operations make a profit. However, casino bonuses come in many different forms and often are accompanied by regulations on how to claim them. In this article, we will look at many of the different types of casino bonuses, some of the eligibility requirements, and how you can find the best bonuses and meet the requirements to collect some of this free money offered by online casinos.
The Different Types of Bonuses
Online casinos offer many different bonuses and often they differ from one site to another. Regardless of this, all casino bonuses fall under specific categories. More on these categories below. To get a sense of what casino bonus offers look like when you are choosing an online casino to join, visit Time2Play for an example.
The Welcome Bonus
A Welcome Bonus is one of the most popular online casino bonuses available. It essentially increases your bankroll without you having to spend a lot to start gambling. Welcome bonuses typically provide between 5 and 20% cashback on your first deposit. One way to benefit even more from this offer is to seek casino sites that stretch the Welcome Bonus beyond your first deposit. Some sites extend it to a new player’s third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth deposit. These sites do exist, but you have to spend time searching for them.
The Deposit Bonus
This is very much like the Welcome Bonus but instead of the cashback based on an initial, or series of initial deposits, this casino bonus is attached to any deposit a player makes. Some sites will provide a Deposit Bonus on amounts as low as $10 and others will focus on offering the bonus on much larger deposit amounts.
The No Deposit Bonus
The No Deposit Bonus is a favorite of new players as it is free money that a player receives without spending anything to get it. These bonuses are not large, but provide a risk-free way for new players to check out an online casino site to see if it is interesting enough to become a member.
The Free Spin Bonus
Free Spin bonuses attract a lot of new players to an online casino. That is because slots are the easiest game to learn as there is no strategy involved. You just hit the ’spin’ button. This type of bonus is usually attached to another bonus where there is a set amount of cashback and a volume of spins offered.
The Loyalty Bonus
The Loyalty Bonus is intended to retain regular players. It comes in a variety of formats such as something called Comp Points or Loyalty Points and a multi-tiered VIP Program. Comp Points are collected through regular gameplay at the site. Players that collect certain amounts of Comp Points can “trade” them for cash, prizes, and other perks. A VIP Program is much the same in that points are earned through gameplay and the more a member plays, the higher they climb up the VIP ladder. Each level offers bigger and better extras.
The Cashback Bonus
The Cashback Bonus is another favorite of new players. Usually, when a player signs up, they receive an option for a cashback bonus in addition to a Welcome Bonus. The cashback bonus may be in effect for a month or more and provides a player with a percentage of cash back based on that player’s betting activity.
The Reload Bonus
As the name implies, the online casino will “reload” your bankroll with regularity as long as the player spends that amount gambling. It is a good incentive for new players as it keeps them playing and not always spending money out of pocket.
The Regulations
Each of the bonuses listed above will have an extensive list of eligibility requirements attached to them. These can often be found in a section on an online casino site labeled “Terms and Conditions.” In the T&C will be such things as time limits for bonuses that expire, wagering requirements that outline how much a player must wager before earning certain bonuses, and other requirements such as dollar limits and time limits as some bonuses are only available once per day or less frequently. One of the most important eligibility details is the wagering requirements. These are written as ##x. So, a wagering requirement of 5x is less than one of 30x. For a 5x wagering requirement, a player must gamble five times the bonus amount before earning the bonus.
How To Collect On These Offers
First, it is a good idea to visit several online casinos to compare the bonuses they offer. Refer to the Terms & Conditions as your guide. For sites that require wagering requirements to be eligible for certain bonus offers, find sites that have the lowest play-through stats or you may have difficulty claiming a bonus. When in doubt, contact the online casino’s customer support department for assistance. Also, check online review sites to find out which online casinos honor their bonuses and which ones make it difficult to claim bonuses.
Final Thoughts
There are many online casino bonuses out there. However, how a player qualifies to claim any of them is left up to the individual casino to decide. This is why it is important to do some homework before joining an online casino site. The casinos have strict guidelines in place to prevent abuse and to keep their sites safe for serious gamblers. Sadly, some of these sites have put such tight controls on the qualifications that it can be difficult for some players to claim bonuses that they qualify for. Be sure to read the terms and conditions at the online casino site you are playing at to be sure you meet all the stipulated requirements, and good luck!
