What is an Online Casino Bonus?

If you’re new to the gambling world, an online casino bonus is a great way to start your gaming experience. We’ll explain in further detail what the various types of promotions look like and entail, but they all essentially boil down to giving you something extra. Most of the times it’s pure cash or free game rounds, called free spins, in selected slots and jackpot games.

At the best online casinos, players get an especially big sign up bonus in exchange for their first deposit to the site. Typically, the casino operator will match the first deposit up to a certain amount. Which begs the question…

Why do Online Casinos Offer Bonuses? 

Why would the casino and betting sites give out money for free? It’s quite simple, really. For the operator, it’s just a way to compete with other online casinos and a way to attract new players. And lucky for us as gamblers, high competition leads to bigger and better promotions. And we can capitalize on the casinos goal to make money by taking advantage of the very best promotions available. 

And the best part? The rewards don’t stop coming after the welcome bonus, the best sites tend to pamper their players with continuous perks and rewards in exchange for their loyalty. Some sites have a built in loyalty program and offer VIP rewards along with weekly or even daily promotions and other lucrative offers. In short, it’s a good time to be a gambler!

How to Claim a Casino Bonus

Claiming a casino bonus is easy and shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes of your time. Want to skip to the good part and start playing fun and exciting casino games with a new bonus straight away? Then follow these simple steps:

1. Choose an offer from our list of the best online casino promotions.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions and register to the casino website.
3. Read and accept the terms and conditions of the site.
4. Confirm the casino bonus that you want.
5. If it’s a deposit bonus, proceed to choose a banking method. Otherwise, enjoy your new casino no deposit bonus!

If you want to learn more about a casino site or promotion you can check out our expert reviews by clicking the “INFO” link next to the site name. Most gambling sites have a campaign page where you can learn all about ongoing promotions. Remember to read the terms and conditions of the casino bonus, since most bonuses come with wagering requirements. But more on that later…

How we Find and Evaluate Online Casino Bonuses and Promotions

If you’re just trying to find a big sign up bonus, you may want to think again. Most casino promotions are designed to be eye-catching and look good, but one of the most important factors to consider are the terms and conditions. Here’s where our expertise comes in. We look at both the size of the bonus and the T & C’s attached.

Our experts use a data driven approach to find the best casino sites, then scrutinize the policies at the sites and compare them in order to pick out the very best. Here are some of the factors we consider before listing a bonus offer at our site:

• The size of the casino bonus.
• The cash value of free spins and other deposit bonuses.
• If there’s a limit to how much you can win with your bonus.
• How much you need to deposit unless the casino bonus have no deposit requirements.
• Whether there’s a playthrough requirement and how much.
• What games and formats contribute to a potential wagering requirement.
• If the site offer refill bonuses and continuous promotions on top of a welcome bonus.

How to Find the Best Casino Bonus for You

If you’re just going to pick one promotion, you may want to take a few minutes to consider what you’re really after. Do you like the idea of free game rounds in popular online slots? Or do you prefer cash so you can choose for yourself what games you want to play? Here are some tips for finding the casino bonus that best meet your individual needs:

• Consider the cash value of the bonus – E.g., a 200% bonus might sound tempting, but the value is proportionate to how much you’re allowed to deposit. Consider this, an alternative 50% bonus up to €1000 can give you €500 which is way more bang for your buck against a 200% bonus up to €100 which would net you €200. 
• Choose a low wagering requirement – This way, you run less of a risk of losing your entire bonus before you’ve had time to meet the playthrough requirement.
• Play games with a low house edge – If you like video slots, choose ones with an average return-to-player rate over the industry standard of 96%. If you like table games, there are plenty of games with an RTP over 98%, such as different variants of Blackjack. Choosing games with a low house edge doesn’t come with any guarantees but can give you more chances to win.

Here’s a bonus tip: in case you’re going with a first deposit bonus and have the means, consider depositing the maximum amount allowed. The limit is there for a reason, and if you deposit the full amount, you get 100% out of the promotion and the most bang for your buck. But don’t sweat it, a bonus is always a bonus.

Different Types of Online Casino Bonuses 

You’ve come to the nit and grit of our casino bonus guide where we’ll go through and explain every type of promotion available at our recommended sites. Sit down in your favorite chair, grab a drink and get comfortable, it’s a long list! 

Welcome Bonuses

A casino welcome bonus typically require you to register an account and deposit some money to play with. In return you’ll get cash or free spins.

Deposit Bonuses

Deposit bonuses require a deposit in order to claim. It can be cash, free spins or something else and may be part of a welcome bonus or a refill bonus.

Refill Bonuses

Some of our best casinos give out deposit bonuses not only for your first deposit but also your second, third, and so on.

No Deposit Bonuses

An online casino no deposit bonus is as the name suggests, a promotion that is 100% free. Some of our sites occasionally offer them, but it’s very rare. Furthermore, the terms are usually way stricter compared to your average deposit bonus.

No Wagering Bonuses

What’s even better than a free welcome bonus with no deposit requirement, is a bonus that also comes without a wagering requirement. This means you can withdraw your winnings immediately without the need to bet your bonus money a certain number of times first.

Free Spins

Free spins (free game rounds) is another popular casino bonus that online casinos love to give out, especially to new players. In our list of the best casino bonuses, you’ll find plenty of free spins bonuses for popular high-RTP slots with a good max potential.

Live Casino Bonuses

Live casino bonuses refer to any type of bonus that can be wagered on live dealer games. Quality sites will typically allow 10% or more of the bets wagered in the live dealer section to count toward the wagering requirement.

High Roller and VIP Bonuses

This is a kind of “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” bonus. Promotions exclusive to high rollers can’t be found at casino website but instead are tailor-made for specific individuals by the casino managers. We’re talking tickets to major sporting events, jewelry, luxury products and even cars or all-inclusive trips. 

Loyalty Programs 

Modern online casinos sometimes use gamification and a tiered reward structure. Players complete quests and missions to progress and receive various perks and benefits like cash and free spins.

Free Bets

Sports betting sites often give out free bets in conjunction with big sporting events like Super Bowl or the Premier League finals. 

Cashback 

With a cashback bonus you’ll get some of your money back if you lose, e.g., 75%.

Rakeback

For each pot played in online poker, a certain % will be taken by the casino as rake. Poker fans will want to play at our sites that offer a good rakeback bonus. 

Bingo Bonuses

Many of our recommended casino bonuses can be wagered in various Bingo rooms. You may play everything from traditional 90 ball and 75 ball rooms to new innovative bingo variants like Monopoly Big Baller from Evolution. 

Pros and Cons of Casino Bonuses

You get a range of advantages when playing with a casino bonus, and operators tend to be especially generous to those who are just starting out. But are there any disadvantages? To be honest, not many, but there are some. Below we’ve listed both the pros and cons of casino bonuses.

Pros

• More money to play with – A casino bonus will top of your balance and give you more to play with.
• Less risk – When you play with a bonus and lose, you’ll lose the bonus balance before you lose the real money you’ve deposited.
• More time – When you have a bigger bankroll which contains both your own money and bonus money, you’ll get more time for entertainment and a potential big win!
• You can make bigger bets – When you have both your own money and the casinos money to play with, you can justify making bigger bets than you normal would. Not only can this lead to some serious wins, but it’s a surefire way to spice things up and make the gambling all the more exciting and interesting.
• You can win more – Consider this: you have a bonus of €100 and each spin of a slot costs €0.1. The bonus alone in this case gives you 1000 chances to win.
• You can save money – Just as you can win more with a casino bonus, you can also save money. A cashback bonus or risk-free bet is a great way to minimize losses for fans of sports betting. If luck has it, various other types of deposit bonuses can save you money in the short run.
• Opportunity to try and learn new games – It might feel better to try new games when you’re risking the casino’s money rather than your own. So, a casino bonus can also be a good way to discover new favorites or learn new games that you’ve always been curious to try.

Cons

• Wagering requirements. Almost all casino bonuses, except so called no wager bonuses, have a wagering requirement.
• Limits. You’re sometimes limited to how much you can win from a casino bonus. 
• Deadlines. All promotions have a deadline, which can be stressful if the wagering requirement is set high. 

Casino Bonus Codes 

You might be happy to learn that free casino bonus codes can be found in our casino reviews when they’re available. But these days most online casinos have streamlined their promotions and codes are becoming less and less relevant. Typically, you’ll just have to sign up to the site to claim a bonus.

When we come across a site that asks for a code, it’s usually a no deposit casino bonus code for instant play without the need to deposit money first. Though you can appreciate that a free sign up bonus with no deposit requirement is very valuable and thus very hard to come by. 

Read the Bonus Terms and Conditions

Now to the boring part of casino bonuses and promotions. Casino terms are sometimes written in a longwinded and tedious way to make players bored out of their mind before they finish reading. As tedious as it is, it’s always a good idea to read the fine print. We also recommend choosing a casino bonus that our experts have reviewed and tested. 

EuropeSlots have very high standards and our recommended sites will show you the terms and conditions clearly in the bonus descriptions. If a site offers lenient terms, it will receive a better score from our reviewers. Even better if it offers a low playthrough requirement or a no wager bonus.

To sum things up, here are the most common terms and conditions you should look out for when choosing a casino bonus:

• Wagering Requirement – A number of times a casino bonus and/or deposited amount will need to be wagered before you’re allowed to withdraw your winnings. 
• Deadline – This indicates how many days you have before you need to meet the wagering requirement so as not to disqualify for the bonus. The best casino bonuses come with terms that give you at least 30 up to 60 days which is plenty of time as long as the playthrough requirement is also realistic.
• Deposit limit– Deposit bonuses always have a limit to how much you can get from the bonus, e.g., 100% up to €500. 
• Max win limit – This indicates how much money you can walk home with after you win using a casino bonus.
• Excluded games – Another thing to consider is that it’s not necessarily all games that count toward a wagering requirement. For instance, a good live casino bonus will count at least 10% of the bets toward the playthrough requirement. You may find a list of accepted or excluded games and their respective wagering amount in the casinos bonus terms and conditions. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Casino Bonuses

How do I claim a casino bonus?

Register at the site that’s offering the bonus and deposit the required amount. Some casino bonuses may have to be activated with a bonus code.

Where can I find the best casino bonus in 2023?

In our list of the best casino bonuses on the top of this page.

Are there any downsides to casino bonuses?

Most bonuses come with a playthrough requirement, and some can only be wagered on specific games. 

Where can I find a casino sign up bonus with no deposit required?

When there’s a casino welcome bonus with no deposit required from the player, we’ll pick out a spot for it among our other promotions in the toplist of this page.