No Deposit Bonuses

How do regular deposit bonuses work?

Normally, when you visit an online casino, the first thing you will see is the welcome bonus offer. This is the casino’s way of saying “thank you” for registering an account and making your first real money deposit. Just like the welcome bonus, other types of deposit bonuses work the same. You simply enter your personal information, enter your payment information, make a deposit and receive the bonus.
Bonuses come in form of match bonuses, free spins, cashback and other forms of benefits at the casino. Match bonuses will essentially double, triple or even quintuple your first deposit in form of bonus money. It is important to note that bonus money is not real money. Bonus money needs to be wagered/weighted a certain number of times before it becomes real money and these wagering requirements can be quite high sometimes. Some casinos try to avoid the confusion between bonus money and real money by using terms like “gold coins” or “gold coin package” instead of bonus money.
The same principles apply to free spins. Once a player has exhausted his/her free spins their winnings (if any) have to be wagered a certain number of times before they can be cashed out.

How do wagering requirements work?

As we’ve already stated, if you’ve ever visited any casino, it’s likely that you’ve seen the welcome bonus advertisement. It’s also highly unlikely that you’ve spotted the extremely small letters that indicate how exactly high are the wagering requirements for a certain bonus. Displaying wagering requirements is mandatory according to gambling laws but Casinos (especially) online casinos can still hide them quite well.
Here is how a wagering requirement would work:

Say, for example, that there is a 100% deposit bonus with wagering requirements of x30. For this example, let’s say that we deposit £20. Now we have £40 (£20 real money + £20 bonus money). The £20 bonus money needs to be wagered 30 times. So, you would have to wager a total of (20×30) £600. Naturally, the idea is that you use your bonus money in order to play casino games and not just withdraw it without ever playing anything (doubling your money for nothing).

Sticky bonuses

Remember when we said how it can be difficult to locate where the wagering requirements are located on a bonus page on the gambling site? It is safe to say that locating whether or not a bonus is Sticky is even more difficult.

A sticky bonus is basically a worse version of a deposit bonus with high wagering requirements. After making a deposit and claiming a sticky bonus, your real money will essentially become bonus money along with your bonus amount. Taking the above example from earlier with £20, this would mean that you would be left with £40 worth of bonus money but it would all have to be wagered again. This time, however, you would have to wager them (40×30) for £1,200. Needless to say, many casino players don’t like sticky bonuses. Sticky bonuses are generally considered less profitable than regular deposit bonuses.

Now that we’ve covered how deposit casino bonuses work in general, we can move on to No deposit bonuses.

What is a no deposit bonus?

Essentially, a no deposit bonus is a welcome bonus that you can claim before the regular welcome bonus, however, it doesn’t require that you add a payment method. It is the equivalent of a free trial offer in online casino form. Many online casinos will award their players (who have already made many deposits) with free spins and some bonuses through email, however, there ARE NO no deposit bonuses (even if the casino claims that they are).
True no deposit casinos will require no previous deposits to have been made to the casino. Essentially, all that you need to do is create an account with a valid email address and you will be on your way to a no deposit bonus.
Generally, online casino no deposit bonuses are a rare sight. Casinos in general don’t like to give anything for free and don’t want to think about players leaving the casino with more money while not coming in with anything. Because of this, no deposit bonus casinos will usually stand out among the competition.

The benefits of a no deposit bonus

The biggest benefit of a no deposit bonus is the risk-free ability to test out a casino before you actually make any real deposits. With the no deposit bonus you can test out the waters and decide whether or not you think a casino is worth investing in. A lot of questions can be answered about a casino by simply playing a few games while using the casino currency.

The other benefit is that, after much luck, you could actually win a small amount of real money but this is a very rare occurrence.

The disadvantages of a no deposit bonus

Unfortunately, there are a ton of disadvantaged to no deposit bonuses. So many, in fact, that they are really not worth going for.

The one thing that turns any casino bonus from good to bad is when you realize how high the wagering requirement is. While no deposit bonuses can’t have sticky bonuses they can still have obscenely high wagering requirements. We have seen playthrough requirements that are as high as x99. Some online casinos really don’t want you to leave with your no deposit bonus.

Other times, the wagering requirements may not be so high but there will be a limit to how much money you could win. The limit is usually around £20 or even less. Again, the casinos don’t want you to just come in, take a lot of money and never make a deposit.

Quite often, the no deposit bonus will be limited to a few or even just one casino game. This is to prevent players from wagering on real money casino games where they have a better chance of winning. It’s also used to promote certain content. Don’t expect to use that no deposit bonus on live dealer games.

It’s also not uncommon for no deposit bonuses to have a strict time limit. From the moment you claim your no deposit bonus to when you wish to withdraw any potential winnings, you have a time limit that is working against you. This isn’t usually an issue, since no deposit bonuses can be used up relatively fast.

On the off-chance that you actually beat the odds and manage to turn the casino currency into real money, the casino will undoubtedly ask you for additional information before they issue your withdrawal. These aren’t just your ID/Driver’s licence. Many players have described this process as similar to a police interrogation. Get ready for an unpleasant email exchange between you and the casino should you actually manage to meet the wagering requirements.

Finally, probably the biggest issue with the no deposit bonus is that it’s rarely worth the trouble. Like we’ve already mentioned, even if you somehow manage to actually beat the odds and claim the withdrawal from a no deposit bonus, it probably won’t be worth it. The time and effort spent probably won’t be worth the amount that you earn.

Types of No deposit bonuses

Just like regular deposit bonuses, there are different types of no deposit bonuses. It goes without saying that a no deposit bonus will never be as generous as a regular welcome bonus. Here we have a few examples:

Free spins no deposit bonus

This is probably the most common deposit bonus. With a free spins no deposit bonus you can expect to get a couple of spins (about 10 – 25 free spins) on a certain game. Naturally, any winnings that you may receive from the no deposit free spins are subject to wagering requirements which are usually much higher than those of regular deposit bonuses. It is not an easy feat to withdraw free spins no deposit bonuses, but they are quite useful to get you out of a pinch or let you test out a certain game.

Free cash no deposit bonus

Free cash no deposit bonus is the type of bonus where you are given a small amount of bonus cash that you get to use on selected games. Usually, these selected games only include slots because, unlike table games, slots are more luck-based. The amount of free cash will again have to be wagered quite a bit before it’s turned into real money. In our opinion, it’s highly unlikely that many people will be able to meet the wagering requirements and turn the free cash into real money.

Casino bonus code No deposit bonus

The rarest and most valuable no deposit bonuses are those that come through unique no deposit casino bonus codes. While any of these no deposit bonuses could require a code, a casino with a unique code will usually give you the best no deposit bonus.
These unique deposit bonus codes are never given at random. In order to receive one, you either have to visit a venue or be registered to a hotel/casino mailing list.
Many us-only casinos in New Jersey or West Virginia give out unique codes to their hotel guests which they can later redeem at their online casino.

One of the best no deposit casino offered a deposit bonus code that contained about £20 worth of bonus money and even some free spins. The best part about a unique deposit bonus code is that they usually have very low wagering requirements. In fact, we’ve seen a bonus code that has no wagering requirements at all (basically it’s a completely free no deposit bonus). Do note that for such codes, you need to visit or even stay at a hotel/casino and they are the equivalent to free-massage vouchers, meaning, you’ve already paid for it one way or another.

How to claim a no deposit bonus?

At this point, we will assume that you are interested in no deposit bonuses. Here’s how you actually claim one:

First, you need to actually find a casino that offers a no deposit bonus. Again, many online casinos don’t like the idea of giving something away for free so you may have to look for a while. You can also let us save you the trouble of looking and just check our best no deposit bonuses.
Once you’ve found a casino with a no deposit bonus, you need to create an account. If you have Trustly, you can use the Instant Play option. If you don’t you’ll have to register a valid email and password along with a few of your personal details. Depending on the casino, they may require further identification before they issue your no deposit bonus. If there is no code, you should already have the no deposit bonus available to you.
If there is a code (there usually is a bonus code) you’ll have to enter it in your profile page, after which you will have the no deposit bonus.

What to do after you’ve used up the no deposit bonus?

After you’ve used up your no deposit bonus, it’s really up to you. Sadly, you cannot claim the no deposit bonus again and creating a new account from the same IP address is against casino T&C and it can get you banned.
What you can do is stick with the casino by depositing some real money and continue playing money games.
Alternatively, you can also pick a different casino and start the whole process over again. People who do this are referred to as “Bonus hunters”.
Either way, by now you should have a clear idea about how a casino works and if you should spend your time and money on it.

Conclusion

It seems like as time goes by, we are seeing fewer casino no deposit bonus offers. While a no deposit bonus isn’t really an investment that will pay off in the end, it is a good way to give you a nice jump start at an online casino.

FAQ

More questions about No Deposit Bonuses

• Can I play all games with no deposit bonus?

  In most cases, and on the majority of gambling sites, the answer is yes. The best online casinos will let you use free bonus cash and free casino bonus spins freely. However, casino sites sometimes assign your free bonus money and no deposit bonus spins to a particular online slot, or a casino game. More often than not, Canadian casinos have no deposit deals involving free spins you can use on all slot machines, a few casino games, or preassigned online slots, sometimes made by a certain game provider.

• What types of a no deposit bonuses are offered?

  Canadian casinos offer three different no deposit bonus deals. There’s your free spins bonus, which is the most common no deposit offer. It is usually attached to a single slot machine and carries from 10 to 25 free spins. Keep in mind, in most cases those no deposit spins come with wagering on bonus winnings.

  Free cash bonuses are another incentive used by online casino sites. No deposit cash bonuses consist of a small amount of bonus money players can use on selected games, most often slots, because online gambling casinos prefer slots due to their luck-based mechanics, rather than player’s skill which can be used against online casinos in some other games, such as table games. The number of bonus funds gained by free rounds winnings will again have to be wagered before any real money can be withdrawn. In our own experience, accumulated through hundreds of online casino reviews, if you want to win real money this way you will need a great deal of luck, and bonus offers like these can rarely turn free spins into real money. No deposit bonus casino unique codes are the most important and valuable casino bonuses available. They are rare, but nothing beats no deposit casino codes in terms of sheer value.

  These no deposit promotions are never given at random, and they take some dedication. No deposit bonus codes can be received if a player is on a casino mailing list, visits a real, brick-and-mortar casino, or stays at a hotel or some other gambling facility.

• Can I withdraw winnings from using a no deposit casino bonus?

  Yes, you can withdraw your no deposit casino bonus winnings on your casino account, but it takes both hard play and plenty of luck. If you want to gamble responsibly and do what is right, no deposit bonus should be treated as a fun incentive and not a tool for free rounds that will bring you a fortune. Of all online casino bonuses, no deposit casino bonus is usually burdened by the hardest wagering requirement there is. In conclusion, your ‘no deposit required’ bonus can be used to win real money on online slots, but it is a game against all odds.

• Who is eligible for a Canadian online casino no deposit bonus?

  When it comes to no deposit bonus offers, Canadian casinos apply their own general terms and conditions. Depending on the province, players must be 18 or 19 years old, and they have to open a legit casino account. In most online casinos, only one bonus offer can be active at a particular moment, so keep that in mind when you try to activate a no deposit bonus code.

• Can I claim my no deposit bonus on my mobile?

  Yes, you can. In fact, mobile no deposit bonuses are becoming more and more popular among new online casino customers, who are looking to save their own money and try out some free spins first. More importantly, each day there is a new mobile casino with a free bonus, no deposit required, exclusively for mobile users. As usual, a free spins no deposit bonus is the most common incentive.

• For which games I can use my no deposit bonus?

  With a bonus code, or not, no deposit free spins and no deposit bonus cash is what you can count on. The vast majority of casinos will allow you to use your no deposit free spins on one slot machine, or slots made by a certain game provider. No deposit required bonuses will seldom offer you a small amount of cash you can use in blackjack or some other table game. Online gambling sites prefer to assign no deposit required bonuses to slots because they rely solely on luck and no skill whatsoever.

• Once I claim a casino online no deposit bonus, how long is it valid?

  There is no universal answer to that question. Some casinos allow a 30 day period in which the bonus is valid, and there are casinos with a very limited timeframe, sometimes just 24 hours. In general, a 3 day period is what you might expect in most cases.

• What kind of limits there are on no deposit bonuses?

  Apart from the time limit described in the text above, the biggest limit by far is the wagering requirement imposed on players. No deposit free spins usually have relatively high wagering on all winnings, which a player must fulfil in a limited amount of time. In some casinos, it is against the rules to have more than one active bonus per casino account, and most of the ‘free spins no deposit benefit’ are tied to a certain slot, so players can not choose their favourite games.

• Are no deposit bonuses worth it?

  Sometimes they are, and sometimes they are not. No deposit free spins with very high wagering are not worth it, according to the laws of probability. When it comes to free spins, a no deposit bonus is more of an incentive for players to keep on playing, than it is actually a chance to win real money. The same logic applies with ‘no deposit required’ free cash. However, a free spins no deposit bonus via bonus code can be totally worth it. No deposit free spins acquired by a bonus code are far more player friendly and they carry lower wagering or no wagering at all.