The bonus is a gift that an online casino offers to its players so that they can play and discover its game library without spending large amounts of money. The gift can be associated with a deposit or not, or be affiliated with a game. It is also possible that the bonus may be given in the form of a cashback, i.e. a refund.
Online casino bonuses come in different forms, and each of these variants may be subject to specific playing conditions. However, their main purpose is to encourage the player to be regular and loyal to the gaming room.
The best bonuses from English online casinos with deposit
When you register, you can benefit from advantageous bonuses after your first deposit. Find our ranking of the best English-speaking bonuses:
The best bonuses from English online casinos without deposit
There are several types of free bonuses at online casinos: Free chips or credits, free spins and free playing time (i.e. English online casinos do not offer this type of promotion).
The most interesting types of bonuses are free credits. That’s why we have ranked for you the best English online casinos with free credits without deposits:
The online casino bonus: how does it work?
Online casinos give their bonuses in 2 ways. In the first case, the bonus is free, i.e. the player is not obliged to do anything special before receiving it: this is the case for example with sign-up bonuses, random bonuses given daily, weekly or monthly.
In the second case, the bonus is awarded if and only if the player performs a predefined act. Deposit bonuses, referral bonuses and play bonuses are the main casino bonuses found in this category.
However, the player’s gaming account always has 2 cashier, a bonus cashier and a regular cashier to collect the money he invests and the winnings he receives. This differentiation has two purposes:
allow players to track the use of the bonus in real time, helping the player to control their gambling expenditure and to have a concrete idea of their winnings.
Existing bonus types
It may also happen that the casino awards the no deposit bonus because the player chooses to play a specific game in the cardroom. In this case, the bonus can be free games, cashback or play money.
The deposit bonus can also be awarded to other deposit opportunities, even if it is not the first one. These bonuses are usually issued periodically, on weekends or at a specific time. These bonuses are known as “Happy Hour” or “weekend bonuses”.
Finally, the deposit bonus can also take the form of free games to play a particular game.
In a second step, this bonus can be offered in the form of a special program, called a VIP plan or loyalty club. The player is enrolled in the program as soon as he registers, makes his first deposit or starts betting money on the gaming site. Afterwards, the player progresses through the different levels of the program according to the amount of his investments, deposits and/or winnings. In these cases, he can receive bonus money, but also gifts, surprise gifts and a personalized follow-up for his online gaming activities.
The general conditions to be respected in order to obtain the bonuses
Each online casino is free to define the conditions for obtaining and using the bonuses as it sees fit. However, in the bonus terms and conditions there are 6 clauses that are conventionally adopted by all gaming rooms. These are :
Why do casinos impose conditions?
The reason is simple: casinos cannot afford to distribute money to all their users, otherwise they will go bankrupt. Indeed, they have no guarantee, once the player is registered, that the player will return to play and invest in the casino. Bonus conditions are therefore a way to put pressure on the player to come back and play in the casino, and also, a tool to prevent the gambling rooms from losing their money without any compensation.
What are the specific conditions to be met?
In addition to the general terms and conditions, there are 3 categories of specific online casino bonus conditions to look at.
What to do in the event of a dispute?
The first reflex should be to try to reach an amicable settlement, supported by evidence from the casino cashier. If this attempt fails, it is customary to turn to the online gambling regulatory and supervisory authority in one’s home country. This can be difficult for casinos domiciled outside Europe, which is why it is important to ensure that only legal and authorised casinos are used.
An alternative dispute resolution option is also allowed. If the player does not wish to go to the authorities, he/she may request mediation from his/her registration sponsor, or contact one of the independent representatives of the online casino. There are several online gaming forum operators who are also representatives for specific casinos. They can also help to regularise the situation.
Practical tips on how to use a bonus
All players registered at a gaming site are entitled to online casino bonuses. However, the first thing to do after registering should be to check the terms and conditions of play, and then the terms and conditions for using the bonuses.
If these are suitable for the player and he has understood how to use them, then he can take the necessary steps and receive the bonus. However, the player should remain vigilant in using the bonus, and not necessarily seek to quickly recover the winnings he has collected thanks to the bonus.
An online casino bonus is rather an instrument of pleasure and fun, and also a tool for not spending or losing money all the time. As much as possible, it is better to use it to explore new games and get an idea of the return rate of the online gambling site before investing real money.
Finally, cashbacks are bonuses that can be advantageous, but are often associated with large real money bets. However, they rarely allow you to get your entire wager back, at most 40%. Once again, it is up to the player to evaluate whether or not to validate the cash back. If he notices that there is more to lose than to win, it is better not to subscribe to them.