What are casino bonuses?

An online casino bonus is a promotion offered by the leading casino sites. It is designed to attract new customers to its platform, whilst rewarding loyal, existing customers that regularly play their state-of-the-art online casino games. The iGaming industry is one of the fastest expanding sectors in digital entertainment. With so much competition, online casino bonuses give operators a chance to incentivise players to sign up and play with them over other sites.

Although it is not a free gift per se, the advantages of a casino bonus are obvious. First and foremost, you play with little to no risk. Better still, there’s also a chance to win real cash payouts that can be withdrawable to your bank account – providing you meet the terms and conditions attached to your chosen casino bonus.

Types of casino bonuses

Types of Casino Bonuses

Bonuses for beginners

If you are just starting out on your journey playing at online casinos, check out the following casino bonuses that are tailor-made for first-timers.

Welcome bonus

As indicated by the name, an online casino welcome bonus is designed to reward new customers for signing up to an online casino. When you create a new account with an operator for the first time, you will usually be rewarded in the form of a matched deposit offer.

Many of the NetEnt casino bonus sites listed above display a percentage bonus, which is how much your first real-money deposit is matched in free bonus funds to play with. For example, a 100% bonus up to 100.00 means if you deposit 100.00 of your own money, the online casino commits to offering you like-for-like in bonus funds too. Some casino welcome bonuses will also dish out free spins on selected online slot titles to encourage you to sample new releases or their most popular slot games.

Claiming a welcome bonus is easy. Just click on one of the links above to your chosen online casino, complete the registration form and your welcome bonus will be activated as soon as your account and identity are verified.

Free spins

We’ve already mentioned that free spins are sometimes included as part of a casino welcome bonus. In some cases, casino sites will offer free spins alongside a deposit match bonus. Alternatively, some NetEnt online casinos may prefer to focus solely on free spins, giving you a risk-free session on any eligible slot titles.

Free spins often come with terms and conditions attached, known as wagering requirements. This restricts how quickly you can withdraw any subsequent winnings as real money. More on this concept later. Some free spin offers that are given with no real-money deposit necessary may also have a maximum win limit, capping how much you can win with your free spins.

Ultimately, free spins casino bonuses are a great starting point for casino beginners. You can familiarize yourself with the dynamics of slot gameplay without risking any of your own money up front.

No-deposit bonus

This is the best casino bonus in many players’ opinion and one of the most popular promotions in the global iGaming industry. It’s the pinnacle for beginner players, as there’s literally zero risk attached to any of the bonuses applied to your account.

Most no-deposit casino bonuses are triggered from the moment you create a new account. The bonus funds are applied to your account immediately, but they are ring-fenced in your ‘bonus balance’ rather than your ‘real money balance’. All no-deposit bonuses are subject to the wagering requirements of your chosen online casino. These conditions may often be stricter, considering that the casino is giving you a risk-free opportunity to play, so it’s not always possible to make money from no-deposit bonuses. Treat them as a handy way to sample new games and broaden your horizons.

Bonus types for intermediate players

If you’ve had an online casino account and taken advantage of online casino bonuses in the past, the following intermediate promotions will suit you down to the ground.

Reload bonus

Essentially, a reload bonus is designed to incentivise existing customers to play more of their favourite online casino games. A reload bonus operates in the same way as a matched deposit bonus. Your online casino will commit to giving you a certain percentage of your next real-money deposit in additional bonus funds.

The bonus amount is almost always capped. For instance, customers offered a 50% reload bonus up to 100.00 can deposit 200.00 to receive the maximum 100.00 in reload bonus funds.

Since online casinos will periodically dish out reload bonuses to their valued existing customers, the percentage match is often lower than that of a welcome bonus. It’s no surprise when you consider some online casinos commit to monthly or even weekly reload promotions, which typically offer a matched bonus percentage in the 25%-50% range.

Remember, as with all other bonus funds, reload bonuses are usually awarded with wagering requirements attached.

Daily deals

If you are active daily on your chosen online casinos, you may be able to take advantage of daily promotions offered by your licensed operators. For example, online casinos are increasingly running online slot tournaments, giving you a chance to enter and play to win cash prizes by reaching the top of the slot tournament leaderboard. You do so by winning the most amount of money in the allotted time.

Other common daily deals include the addition of a small number of free spins to your account for a selected online slot game. We’re not talking hundreds of spins, we may only be talking about just 5-10 spins, but it all adds up. Some online casinos also give their regular customers daily scratchcards that can be scratched off to reveal minor casino bonus rewards to enhance your betting bank.

Live casino bonus

Once you have mastered the online slot games and the RNG-powered table games of your online casino, you might want to try their live dealer games too. Most online casinos now have a branded live casino, featuring table games and wheel-based gameshows streamed in real time and HD quality to desktop and mobile screens worldwide. The NetEnt Live suite of games is one of the most popular in the iGaming scene.

To promote their live casino products, many online casinos offer a separate live casino bonus too. This is usually offered in the form of a matched deposit bonus, giving you bonus funds solely for use on your casino’s suite of live casino games. A live casino game is the closest thing you’ll get to playing in a land-based casino from the comfort of your own home – we urge you to give it a try!

Types of bonuses for advanced players

If you have multiple online casino accounts and you’re familiar with slots and table games, the following online casino bonuses are best suited to advanced players with the deepest bankrolls.

High-roller bonus

Typically reserved for existing, loyal customers that can afford to bet the maximum per payline and play for the highest stakes, high-roller bonuses are the most lucrative promotions offered by online casinos. They reward players that have staked a considerable amount of their own money into their online casino account.

High-roller casino bonuses often take the shape of a reload bonus. The primary difference is that the maximum amount of bonus funds you can claim is ramped up. So, instead of a 100% reload bonus up to £100, you might be offered a 100% reload bonus up to £1,000. It’s not uncommon for high-roller bonuses to offer deposit matches across multiple real-money deposits either, with the percentage match reducing with every additional deposit. For example, 100% for your first deposit match, 75% for your second deposit match, 50% for your third deposit match and 25% for your fourth deposit match.

Loyalty bonus

Long-time customers may also be enrolled in a VIP loyalty program with their online casinos. These programs can often yield loyalty bonuses when you accumulate a set number of VIP ‘points’. Points are usually accrued based on how much you stake over time. Loyalty casino bonuses are usually tiered, with those at the top-tier of a VIP program given the most lucrative offers.

Typical loyalty bonuses at online casinos and mobile casinos include additional free spins and reload offers, as well as the opportunity to convert loyalty points into cold, hard withdrawable cash.

Top tips to find the best NetEnt casino bonuses

Casino Bonus

Make sure you have the best choice of casino offers
It pays to get access to the most comprehensive list of casino bonuses available. You’ll be pleased to know that our extensive range of casino bonuses listed at the top of this page means you don’t need to go anywhere else.

Check the expiry date of casino bonuses
Always read the small print of your chosen casino bonuses. Find casino offers that give you the longest amount of time possible to use the bonus and clear any subsequent wagering requirements attached.

Make sure your chosen casino is fully licensed and regulated
Before you commit to a casino bonus, double-check that your chosen online casino is regulated and licensed . Most operators will list their active licenses in the footer of their homepage. As a regulated operator, you’ll have peace of mind over the transparency and integrity of their services.

New NetEnt Casino Bonus Offers

At NetEnt™ we are always keeping our fingers firmly on the pulse of the latest casino bonuses. Below, we’ve put together a list of the newest online casino promotions, so you don’t have to:
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Guide how to claim casino welcome bonus

Terms & Conditions

There are multiple aspects of a casino bonus to consider when checking its terms and conditions. We’ll explain each area in detail so that you go into each bonus offer with your eyes wide open.

Small print

The small print is typically where you’ll find the nuts and bolts of a casino bonus’ terms and conditions. Although casino sites are duty bound to make their terms and conditions highly visible, they are often overlooked by players when signing up to a new operator. Beneath any marketing material promoting a casino bonus, you should find small print explaining any limitations or requirements as part of the offer.

Below, we’ll look at four of the most common areas discussed in the terms and conditions of a casino bonus.

Time limits

Most online casino offers will be time limited. This means they will have an expiry date or a timeframe within which you must clear the wagering requirements attached – more on these in a moment. Typical time limits for welcome bonuses are seven days from the day of sign-up. This means you’ll have a week to activate any matched deposit bonuses and use the bonus funds before they expire and disappear from your bonus balance.

The expiry dates of other casino bonuses like free spins and reload offers are typically set 30 days from the date of activation.

Wagering requirements

Wagering requirements are arguably the most important aspect of a casino bonus. As a rule, each casino offer is subject to wagering requirements. This means that you must wager the bonus cash or your free spins winnings several times over before you can withdraw it as real cash. That’s why casino sites show free bonus money separate to cash funds. The lower the wagering requirements, the easier they are to clear and the more likely you are to receive your bonus winnings as cash. Usually, the wagering requirement of a bonus that requires a deposit is significantly lower than the wagering requirement of a no deposit bonus or free spins on slot games.

By ‘wagering’, we mean all bets placed by players in the eligible games, irrelevant of whether there is a profit or a loss in the end.

A player should know that different games contribute differently to meeting the wagering requirement. Normally, video slots have a value of 100% weighting contribution, whereas table games often count 50%.

For example, if you bet £100 in online slots, your wagering requirement decreases by the same amount while betting £100 bonus stakes on roulette an amount of £50 will be considered. Video poker can also be played, but it is possible that only 5% of your stakes contribute to fulfilling the wagering requirement.

Win limits

In some cases, the bonus is limited to a maximum win amount. Win limits are most associated with free spins. An example free spins offer might state that the maximum win from 10 free spins is £200. Any winnings above this limit will not be considered. The amount of this cap can vary significantly, and it really depends on the type of bonus and the casino operator.

Miscellaneous

The terms and conditions of online casino promotions will also state if certain games are ineligible for use with the bonus offer. They may also state if there is a maximum bet that you can place per spin or hand, all of which is usually designed to cap your potential winnings.

Conclusion

As the leading manufacturer of casino games, we know exactly what players seek and we’re always on top of the latest playing trends. By extension, we only offer the best when it comes to bonus offers. On this page, you’ll get the best promotions from secure, licensed casino sites that shouldn’t be missed.

Whether you’re looking for free spins, no deposit bonuses, cash back or match bonuses, we’re confident that we have what you need. Filter the best offers from our recommended NetEnt casinos and get cracking.

Casino Bonus FAQs

Most online casino bonuses can be used across the full spectrum of casino games available with your chosen operator. If it’s a matched deposit bonus, the bonus funds can be spent on online slots, as well as online table games like blackjack and roulette. Naturally, free spins promotions are reserved exclusively for use with online slots and may only be eligible on selected slot titles.
The online casino industry is highly competitive. With so many reputable and licensed casino sites to choose from, brands use casino bonuses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Sign-up bonuses are essentially a ‘thank you’ for giving the online casino your custom. Operators hope that by giving you free spins or additional bonus funds to play with, you’ll stick around and enjoy many more online casino sessions in the future.
Yes, it is possible to win real money using a casino bonus. It’s important to look for casino bonuses that have the lowest wagering requirements attached. This will ensure the number of times you need to rollover the bonus and any subsequent winnings is low enough to give you a chance of having funds left in your account once the bonus is cleared.
Absolutely not. Although welcome offers are some of the most common casino bonuses you will find, there are plenty of offers reserved for existing customers too. Reload offers are designed to reward loyal players with the potential to trigger additional bonus funds with your next real-money deposit. Some online casinos will also dish out free spins and other rewards like merchandise and tickets to shows and live sporting events as a ‘thank you’ for your custom.
Operators must abide by strict compliance regulations to provide total security over customer funds and transparency regarding the terms and conditions of their bonuses. Always make sure you read the small print before activating a casino bonus so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
The key to getting the most from a casino bonus is finding offers that have minimal or no wagering requirements attached. There are some free spins bonuses that may have no wagering requirements attached, although these promotions typically offer no more than 10-20 free spins, which limits your potential winnings.
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