Casino Bonuses: What You Should Look Out For
There are various factors you need to take into consideration when looking at casino bonuses as each UK online casino will offer a bonus unique to them that also comes with varying terms and conditions, as well as other restrictions. Take a look below to find out what makes a casino bonus good and what you should be looking out for when claiming them.
The Bonus Type
First of all, you’ll need to take a look at what the casino bonus is offering as it can vary depending on the website. Most welcome bonuses at online casinos offer users a cash bonus of a certain amount or bonus spins on various video slots. There are some websites which offer special live casino bonuses too, such as Genesis Casino. However, some casinos offer their own unique bonuses which don’t fall into either of these categories, but more information on this later.
When you’re looking at claiming a bonus, you’ll need to check what exactly its offering and whether or not it’s worth claiming when linked to its wagering requirements and other restrictions. Good bonuses will offer you something great such as a large selection of spins or a decent cash bonus – just remember to check the restrictions.
Wagering Requirements
Now, wagering requirements are the biggest limitation you’ll have to deal with when it comes to bonuses at UK online casinos. Essentially, wagering requirements are the number of times you’re required to wager a bonus before it becomes withdrawable for you. The downside of claiming a bonus with high wagering requirements is that there’s a chance that you’ll potentially end up losing all of your bonus, deposit, and winnings when trying to complete these ludicrous requirements, so it’s always better to try and find a bonus with lower requirements.
Depending on the online casino, the wagering requirements can either be ridiculously high, low, or non-existent as some sites offer wager-free bonuses. While these wager-free bonuses do exist, they’re actually incredibly hard to find so you’re better off searching for an online casino that offers a bonus with low wagering requirements, since this means you’ll have to spend less and will have a good enough opportunity to keep winnings.
Other Limitations
Alongside wagering requirements, many online casinos will also impose other restrictions. This can include a time limitation where you must use the bonus within several days or it expires, a limitation where the online casino caps your win so you can only win or withdraw so much, or a limitation in which you’re restricted to the games or activities you can use the bonus on. All of this impacts how good a bonus is since too many restrictions will make the bonus a chore to use when they should be fun.
So What’s A Good Bonus?
Essentially, the best casino bonuses will offer you something good such as spins or a cash bonus, will have little to no wagering requirements, and will not come with tight expiry dates or similar restrictions. With this in mind, it’s important to read through the terms and conditions of a bonus before claiming it so you know exactly what it is you’re claiming.
What Are The Different UK Bonuses?
No Deposit Bonus
A rare bonus you may be able to claim is a no deposit bonus which are usually credited once you’ve registered with the website or added card details and have verified your account. These bonuses are rare since they offer you spins or cash bonuses without you needing to make a deposit, making them free. Online casinos that do offer these bonuses are hard to find and may impose tougher restrictions such as low max win caps or high wagering requirements. Take a look at our in-depth guide if you’d like to know more about no deposit bonuses and how they work.
Deposit Match
Deposit matches are the most common bonuses at online casinos. These bonuses match your deposit up to a certain amount, most deposit match bonuses are 25%, 50%, 100%, and higher of your bonus. Again, the match and bonus you receive will depend entirely on the online casino but most of these bonuses are a 100% match of up to £100. The great thing about these bonuses, however, is that many online casinos offer two or three of them as part of a welcome package, allowing you to claim a larger pool of money through them.
The terms and conditions, and the limitations on these bonuses all vary. Some online casinos will have low wagering requirements while others will have high wagering, the expiry date on these bonuses will also usually be around 30 days, giving you more time to enjoy them.
What’s more, all deposit match bonuses require a minimum deposit for you to claim which can range between:
- £5 minimum deposit
- £10 minimum deposit
- £20 minimum deposit
The minimum required deposit will depend entirely on the individual online casino, so we suggest you read through the terms and conditions before claiming a promotion. It’s also important to point out that some bonuses require a deposit but prohibit you from using e-Wallets like Skrill and Neteller.
Bonus Spins
Similarly to match deposit, bonuses spins are spins that you can use on video slots. However, these spins are not free and require a deposit for you to claim. In fact, these bonus spins, or however they’re referred to, usually come with a deposit match bonus. The number of spins you receive will vary, as well as the games you can use them on. You’ll also find that most of these spins are only available for around 72 hours, and they may have maximum win caps.
Other Bonuses
Finally, some online casinos other different bonuses entirely. This can include a cashback bonus on losses you made within a certain period, or potentially even a spin on a special bonus wheel which will then grant you some spins or cash bonuses. Usually, however, the bonus you can claim is a deposit match with some bonus spins on the side.
The Best Casino Welcome Bonuses Available Now
There are dozens of casino bonuses available for you to claim but it can be a hard and time-consuming process to filter through all of them and find the best offers. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best casino welcome bonuses in the UK. Take a look below for more information:
PlayOJO – Best Casino Wager-Free Bonus
PlayOJO Casino, a site which is widely regarded as the fairest online casino in the UK, is currently offering new users 50 wager-free spins with no maximum win cap. To claim, you simply need to make a deposit of £10 or more!
READ OUR PLAYOJO CASINO REVIEW HERE
Captain Spins – Best Spins Bonus
Captain Spins is an online casino operated by White Hat Gaming Limited which is currently giving its new customers up to 520 bonus spins across four deposits. You must deposit a minimum of £10 to claim each of the bonuses, but the bonuses and winnings from spins must all be wagered 35x within 30 days before anything can be withdrawn.
READ OUR CAPTAIN SPINS REVIEW HERE
Wink Slots – Best Casino No Deposit Bonus
Wink Slots is an online casino operated by 888 Holdings which is offering all new users 30 free spins with no deposit required. To claim this, you’ll need to simply register and verify your account. Once you’ve done that, the spins will be credited to your account at a rate of 10 spins per day for three days. However, the spins are only valid for seven days and wins are capped at up to £4 per 10 spins. There’s a maximum overall cap of £100 and all winnings must be wagered 30x before they can be withdrawn.
READ OUR WINK SLOTS REVIEW HERE
Touch Spins – Best Unique Casino Bonus
Touch Spins is an online casino operated by Jumpman Gaming Limited which is giving all new users a spin on the Mega Reel where you can win various bonuses, including spins on select games as well as Amazon vouchers. To claim this, you’ll need to deposit a minimum of £10. The Amazon vouchers will be emailed to you, and the spins will be used on select games. There’s an £8 max win per every 10 spins and an overall £250 maximum win. Finally, all winnings must be wagered 65x before anything can be withdrawn.
READ OUR TOUCH SPINS REVIEW HERE
LeoVegas – Best Casino Welcome Package
LeoVegas is an online casino operated by the LeoVegas Group. The website is hugely popular in the UK for offering new players a generous welcome package. The package consists of a free no deposit bonus of 10 free spins on Book Of Dead as well as a cash bonus of up to £100 with 20 wager-free spins. The cash bonus requires a deposit of £10 and the funds must be wagered 35x before anything can be withdrawn. The free spins have no wagering requirements but must all be used within three days of claiming or earning them.
Questions & Answers (FAQ)
What's the best casino bonus in the UK?
The best casino bonus is entirely up to personal opinion. What you consider the best may be different to someone else, just take a read through our guide to learn about the different bonuses and then consider some of the promotions we’ve listed on the page.
Why should I claim a bonus?
Claiming bonuses are just one of the many incentives of registering and playing at a UK online casino. These bonuses can be used to try and earn additional wins or they can be used to try out a brand new online casino or game without much risk.
Are all casino bonuses worth claiming?
No, as mentioned in our guide here, it’s actually important to read through the terms and conditions before claiming a bonus so you know exactly what you’re claiming and what the bonus’ restrictions are. This will help ensure that you can take home the maximum amount possible.
What type of casino bonus is better to claim?
That depends entirely on your own opinion. Many people will prefer to play with spins as that’s their preferred casino game while others will enjoy the freedom of cash bonuses which can be used on anything. Have a think about what games you like and then try to find a casino bonus that works with it.
Are casino bonuses mandatory?
No. In fact, some people just don’t like claiming bonuses and avoid doing so. If you feel like you’d prefer to play without a bonus, you don’t need to claim it and most online casinos will allow you to skip them.