Wagering Requirements
As you look around our website, you’ll see a variety of casino welcome bonuses. Some may be 100% up to $1,000 (or more). Of course, the casino operator is running a business. It can’t go around handing out $1,000 to every new player who signs up.
Instead, it offers (up to) $1,000 in casino bonus credit with wagering requirements attached. If the player manages to complete the wagering, winnings are converted to real money and can then be withdrawn.
For example, if you claim a sign up offer of 100% up to $1,000 with a wagering requirement of 50x, here’s a breakdown of the total wagering requirements. Note that the maximum value of the bonus is capped at $1,000, although players can still deposit more if they choose.
| Amount Deposited |
Bonus Amount |
Total Wagering Requirement |
| $20 |
$20 |
$1,000 |
| $50 |
$50 |
$2,500 |
| $100 |
$100 |
$5,000 |
| $500 |
$500 |
$25,000 |
| $1,000 |
$1,000 |
$50,000 |
| $2,000 |
$1,000 |
$50,000 |
Terms and Conditions
Wagering requirements are one part of the terms and conditions of casino bonuses, but there are other stipulations to take note of. These include:
Time Limits
Whatever bonuses and casino promotions you claim, they will have certain time limits applied. These vary according to the type of bonus and the site you play at. For casino welcome bonuses, the site operator may state that newly registered customers are only entitled to claim the welcome offer if they make a deposit within a certain number of days from the time they registered. Around 7 to 14 days is the industry average.
Another time limit to check for is how long the player has to complete the wagering requirements. Most sites allow 30 days, which is a good marker. However, you may come across casinos which only give players 3 to 7 days. The size of the bonus you claim will determine if the time limits are realistic.
Game Exclusions
Even the best casino bonuses rarely allow players to roam the site and play whichever game they wish. A free spins bonus, for example, will be restricted to one slot or a small handful of slots.
Matched deposit bonuses give players more freedom, but still there are exclusions. The casino usually doesn’t let you play any progressive jackpot games. This is because some players would abuse the bonus in an attempt to win the jackpot with the bonus credit while keeping their real money deposit to play other games.
Additionally, several sites also restrict you from playing live dealer games with bonus funds, although we’ve noticed an uptrend in live casino welcome bonuses designed for players with a penchant for this gaming experience.
Payment Exclusions
You may find there are payment exclusions with deposit-related casino bonuses. Multiple sites these days state specific payment methods must be used in order to be eligible for the advertised offer.
Commonly, e-Wallets and prepaid cards and vouchers are payment types which players cannot use. Interac, bank transfer, credit cards and debit cards are usually accepted.
Welcome bonus
Nearly all online sites offer a welcome bonus to new players. In most cases, the player needs to make a deposit to activate this casino bonus. There are different types of welcome offers, and casinos are continually trying to out-do each other in an attempt to catch your custom. Among the more common welcome sign-up bonuses are:
Matched deposit
With this bonus, the casino will match your deposit by a specified percentage; for example, 100% up to $500. Therefore, if you deposit $100, the casino gives you another $100, so you have $200 to play with. The casino bonus funds are non-withdrawable until you have completed the playthrough requirements stated in the terms and conditions.
Free spins
It is possible to get a welcome bonus of only free spins. These are a favourite for online slots enthusiasts. A minimum deposit will be required to unlock these offers. However, you may find some offers are staggered. This means you get more free spins with larger deposits. For instance, deposit $20 – $49 and get 50 free spins; deposit $50 – $100 and get 100 free spins. We talk more about free spins casino bonuses in the next section.
Matched deposit & free spins
This is a combination of the two bonus types mentioned above. These are one of the best casino bonus offers because you can use the free spins on slots, and the bonus funds on table games. Thus, you can vary the games you play.
Multi-deposit welcome package
At many casinos, the welcome bonus applies to your first deposit. However, you can find an abundance of multi-deposit offers on our website. This means that the bonus is spread out over your first two, three, or even four deposits. The advantage of this method is that you don’t need to load up your account with so much money on your first deposit.
Free spins
Free spins have been one of the best casino bonus offers for well over a decade, and they are still as popular today as ever before. These bonuses are attractive to both new and seasoned players. For newcomers, they provide you with a chance to familiarise yourself with online slots so that you can learn more about the features and how to play. Experienced players love them because they are exciting and offer some potentially massive wins.
In addition to welcome offers, there are plenty of free spins casino bonuses for existing players. Multiple sites have ‘Game of the Week’ promotions where you can claim a certain number of free spins by making a deposit. Commonly, these offers will be on new releases, which adds to the excitement. The number of free spins you get depends on your chosen casino and the type of bonus it is. However, to provide some ballpark numbers, between 10 and 100 free spins are the most common, but don’t be surprised if you come across a few casinos offering 200 or 500 free spins.
To improve your chances of profiting from a free spins casino bonus, we advise you to preview the playthrough (wagering requirements). Some online casinos now have no wagering free spins bonuses. Meaning that the money you win from the spins is instantly withdrawable. However, for the most part, you will encounter a wagering requirement, which will be a multiple (e.g. x35) of your winnings from the free spins. The trick is to find the lowest wagering demands to help improve your odds of winning overall.
No deposit
The no deposit bonus hardly needs an introduction. Online casinos generally use these to encourage new players to try out their site without risking any of their own money. An example of a deposit casino bonus could be 20 Starburst free spins upon registration. Alternatively, you can also get $20 in free play with no deposit required.
For such offers, they will be wagering requirements to clear before any winnings are available in your real money wallet. Still, there is no better feeling than playing world-class online casino games with the house’s money. Further no deposit casino bonuses come your way from VIP clubs and loyalty programs – check out the VIP perks section below for more information.
Cashback
It’s subjective as to which is the best casino bonus of them all; however, many experienced players say it is the cashback offer. Also known as rebate bonuses, cashback deals are usually associated with blackjack, roulette, baccarat and other live casino games.
They work by refunding the player with a percentage of their aggregated losses over a predetermined period of play.. For instance, you may find 10% cashback on live roulette this weekend. Therefore, if you play, and lose $50 on Saturday, and do the same on Sunday, so your total aggregated loss is $100, you get $10 cashback.
It’s a fact that the casino holds a slight advantage (2.30%) in a game like roulette. You will have sessions when you win, and the casino will have sessions when it wins. However, by claiming a rebate on those losing sessions, you are effectively lowering the house edge of the game. Potentially, if the cashback casino bonus is wager-free, the edge is swinging in your favour over the long term.
Reload
Reload bonuses share many similarities with welcome bonuses in that they are normally matched deposit offers. However, the welcome offer is for new players while the reload bonus is something for existing players to get their teeth into.
Furthermore, a reload bonus is generally smaller (compared to a welcome bonus); for example, you may get 25% up to $50. On a positive note, these offers are available on a daily or weekly basis depending on your preferred online casino. All free cash helps to boost your bankroll, so they are worth snapping up because you can play your favourite games for longer.
Rakeback Bonus
The top casino bonuses are not just for slots, blackjack or roulette. You can also pick up some great offers on the poker tables. One of the most popular poker casino bonuses is rakeback.
Poker games, such as Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7-Card Stud are different to casino poker variants because players are gambling against each other. Therefore, the way the poker operator makes money is to take a rake from each pot, which is usually around 5%. For sit and go games, the rake is the additional charge alongside the buy-in – for example, $10 buy-in + $0.50 (this is the rake).
While there are multiple variations of rakeback bonuses, the basics of these offers remain the same. A player will get back a percentage of the rake they have paid. Of course, there are a few T&Cs like the rakeback could be paid in increments, and players have to wager a specified amount to release their rakeback. However, if you’re an avid poker player, the rakeback bonus is one casino promotion you don’t want to miss.
VIP perks
When high rollers join an online casino, the site boss doesn’t want to let them go. To convince these big spenders to stay, most operators have a VIP club, which lavishes these players with perks which aren’t available to others in the casino. Among the most popular benefits are:
Faster withdrawals
All online casinos have a withdrawal policy which outlines how long players have to wait before a withdrawal request is processed. This ranges from a few hours up to three working days at some sites. Casino VIPs bypass this policy. Their withdrawals are dealt with almost immediately, so the cash is back in their accounts faster.
Customised Bonus Offers
Each player has their own gaming preferences. Some prefer slots, while others enjoy live blackjack for instance. So, not all regular promotions are suitable for the games you want to play. However, VIPs get to call the shots on which are the best casino bonuses for them. The casino is more than happy to create customised offers, as it means the high rollers will continue to play.
Increased Matched Deposit Offers
If you’re a high stakes player, a 100% up to $100 casino bonus doesn’t quite cut it. Therefore, other perks afforded to VIPs are higher limits. This applies to both the amount they can deposit and the size of the matched deposit bonus. Of course, there will be terms and conditions attached similar to those found with regular casino bonuses.
