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Online Casino Bonuses & Free Spins Explained

When you first start to play with online casinos the amount of welcome offers can seem daunting.  How can you possibly choose between them?  How can you tell what offers are most suitable to you?  And what do terms like wagering requirement and game weighting mean?

Spending a few minutes researching bonuses and how to use them can save you a lot of time and also disappointment and so below we have complied an FAQ of the major questions most players ask when thinking about taking an online casino sign up offer.

Are Casino Bonuses & Free Spins A Trick?

Not at all, without bonuses it doesn’t matter how good the casino site is they simply won’t many people to come and play.  The gambling market is an example of free market capitalism in its most pure form and competition is fierce.

It doesn’t take a lot to set up a casino site, which is why there are so many, and this drives introductory offers on an upward path.  Just because an casino is giving you £70 free if you wager £10 (as an example) doesn’t mean they are trying to trick you, they are simply doing everything they can to beat the competition.

This is all excellent news for the consumer, who not only have a wealth of options but can take advantage of multiple bonuses to get more promotional cash.

The casinos don’t give anything for free however without restrictions, i.e. you can’t just rock up and take a bonus then withdraw it as cash, you need to meet the various requirements first, which we help you understand as you read on.

How Do Casinos Afford To Offer Bonuses?

Casino bonuses cost operators money, it is a fact of the market that they must give incentives otherwise they would fail pretty quick.  Therefore bonuses are seen as a loss leader, the idea from their point of view is by giving you something for free to play with that you might like them and stick around, meaning they make money in the long run (on average).

Don’t be fooled though, if a casino is giving away say £50 for free it doesn’t mean they are losing £50 in all instances.  Bonuses are primarily awarded to give the player promo cash to try the site out, with less risk to your own funds.  The fact you have wagering requirements, expiry times and restricted games means that most people don’t end up winning with the bonus, but at least they didn’t have to use all of their own money to try out the brand.

Therefore when using a bonus try not to think about it so much as free cash but rather promo funds that can be used to give the casino a go.  Saying that many people do win with bonuses and the more bonuses you take the more chance you have of converting a few of them.

How Do I know What Offer Is Right For Me?

The first thing to do is to think about what kind of stakes you like to play and how much you like to deposit.  It is always better to find a bonus that suits how you want to play rather than trying to adapt how you play for a bonus.

If you only want to deposit £5 or £10 then there is no point going for a bonus that requires a higher deposit.  In fact, it is generally the smaller stakes offers that give more free as a percentage.  It is common to see offers like ‘Deposit £10 get £40’ but you are unlikely to see ‘Deposit £500 get £2000’.

Next think about the types of games you want to play with using your deposit and bonus.  If you want to play slots then most offers will allow you to play pretty much all slots.  If, however, you want to play table or live games you will find many bonuses are resticted and you will either need to look for a specific offer or for a deal that has less restrictions.

Many of the bigger sites also have multiple bonuses and games sections, therefore it is often worth looking through these first to find the promotion that is going to suit your playing style.

What Are Wagering Requirements?

Wagering requirements are simple when you understand them.  It is basically the amount of times over you need to wager the promotional cash value before if gets turned into real cash.  This is sometimes also termed the Rollover, Play-Through or Turnover requirement – they all mean they same thing.

If you have a £20 bonus with a 35x wagering requirement it means you need to stake a total of £20 x 35 = £700 using the bonus and bonus winnings, before the bonus becomes cash.  If you achieve this within the time limit on qualifying games then the bonus and winnings are yours to keep in cash.

There are a couple of things to look out for with wagering requirements. Some casinos list the wagering requirement applying to the bonus amount only, some list it as the bonus amount plus the deposit.  This can catch people out, e.g. if you take a 100% matched bonus that has a wagering requirement of 40x the bonus this is the same as saying 20x the deposit + bonus.  The second looks better on paper, but they are exactly the same.

All bonuses have wagering requirements, otherwise they would be cash not bonuses.  Although some bonuses have lower rollover amounts they may also be more restricted, so it is not necessarily always the bonus with the lowest turnover that is the best.

What Are Game Weightings?

Some games, especially table games, are weighted when it comes to offers.  This means they can count towards the wagering requirement but they will not do so at 100%.

With most bonuses the vast majority of slots will count 100%, although some feature titles will not so check if you have a specific game in mind.

If table games count they will usually have a lower weighting.  For example, if you have a £10 bonus with a 30x wagering requirement then you need to play a total of £300 to convert it, however, if you want to play say Roulette and the contribution is only 10% then the wagering for that game would be (30 x £10) / 0.1 = £3000.

Some offers allow you to use them on table games at 100% but some bets may be restricted, e.g. even/odd or outside bets on roulette.

If you want to play table games or games that often have lower weightings it is even more critical you read the full terms first.

Why Are Some Games Restricted?

Games have a set value known as Return To Player (RTP), this is the payout rate for the game.  For most slots this ranges from around 80-95%, however for some slots and many table games the RTP can be much higher, for example Baccarat can be close to 99% and standard European Roulette is 97.3%.

Casinos often restrict bonus usage on games with high RTP as it puts the odds more in the players favour and makes the bonus liable to abuse.  Therefore it is often hard to find offers that will allow you to play such games with promo cash.

Some slots are also restricted, such as Bloodsuckers from NetEnt that has an RTP around 98%.  You will also find table game themed games are also restricted, such as Blackjack switch.  Video Poker is another one often on the restricted list as its RTP rate can be high.

Other games that are often restricted are those in different sections. If you want to play live casino games these may be in a different part of the site and usually have their own welcome deal.

The same is true for sites that split their games up into Vegas, Games, Macau, etc.  If you join the casino you will usually have to use the bonus on games within the casino tab.  There may be other bonuses available for the other sections and it is worth thinking about which sections have the games and offers that best suit you before you take the generic casino offer.

What is almost certain is that you won’t be able to use any bonus for sports betting, virtuals, lottery or instant win games (scratch cards basically).

How Much Time Do I Have To Use My Bonus?

This varies from as little as 24 hours up to unlimited.  The average for a bonus is 30 days, the average for free spins is 7 days.

There are four time factors to be aware of:

• Time from registration or deposit to claim or activate a bonus (if opt-in and not instantly given)
• Time to wager the qualifying amount
• Time to play any free spins
• Time to wager the bonus or free spins winnings

Knowing the expiry time is absolutely critical to getting the best out of a welcome offer.  If you sign up to a site and start playing with a bonus but then go away for two weeks you want to know it will still be there when you return.

Likewise if you join a site but don’t get around to depositing yet it is good to know how long you have to do this before you forfeit. Some bonuses/spins are awarded automatically on deposit but others may need an opt-in or activation, this is often also time limited so be aware.  There are lots of bonuses that require you to wager a set amount before it is awarded and again this will often have an expiry.

With free spins there are often two time factors, the time you have to use the free spins and then the time you have to wager the winnings from the free spins (if winnings are given as a bonus not as cash).

What Is A Maximum Bonus Bet?

What a casino does not want you to do is throw your whole bonus on one wager and then walk away if you lose.  Remember the primary purpose of welcome offers from the casinos perspective is to give you free funds to try them out, therefore there is often a maximum bet limit.

If the maximum bet is set at say £5 this means if you play more than £5 of bonus money in a single spin or hand then only the value up to £5 will count towards the wagering requirement.

Sometimes the maximum bet is fixed, £5, £10, etc., other times it is set as a proportion of your bonus, e.g. 10%.  If the max bet is proportional it means the bigger your bonus the more you can bet / hand.  There are some deals that have no max bet limits, but these are fairly rare now.

What Is Bonus Conversion?

This is what happens when you meet the wagering requirement and your bonus funds turn into real cash.  You are ‘converting’ promo cash into withdrawable money.

The conversion will only happen if you meet the rollover terms on qualifying games in the required amount of time.

Some terms stipulate a maximum conversion amount, this is the same as maximum winnings that can ultimately be withdrawn.

What Happens If I Exceed Maximum Winnings?

Some offers, especially no deposit bonuses, will have a maximum winnings or conversion level set.  This means no matter what you’ve won after meeting the wagering requirements you can only withdraw the maximum winning amount.

If you say have a £10 bonus with maximum winnings of £100 and you have £80 left after meeting the turnover terms then you can withdraw in full.  If however you have £150 after wagering you will only be able to withdraw £100.

Why does this matter?  It can change how you play with your bonus if you are close to or have exceeded maximum winnings but you still have wagering requirements to meet.  For example if you already had £100 and you had 3x wagering left you might be safer in the way you bet to ensure you keep close to the max win level.  If there is no max win level you might be more risky.

What Happens If I Win A Jackpot Using My Bonus?

If you win a fixed jackpot in a game it may still be subject to maximum winnings levels if done using a bonus.  If however you win one of the big progressive jackpots these are generally exempt form the maximum conversion quota.

The reason is progressive jackpots are run by the game provider, stakes from a whole group of sites are combined to make a bigger overall jackpot.  Therefore if you win this you will be paid out by the game provider, not the casino, and therefore they will often pay you the full amount.

There is a caveat, most sites have withdrawal limits set daily, weekly, monthly or annually and these can vary widely.  Therefore if you plan to use your bonus on progressive jackpots it might be worth looking for a site with a high withdrawal limit, otherwise it could take you a long time and a lot of withdrawals to get those winnings out.

Can I Withdraw My Bonus Or Just Winnings?

The general definition of a bonus is that it is yours to keep if you meet the wagering requirements.  Therefore the answer in 99% of cases is yes you can withdraw your bonus and winnings if you meet the wagering requirement.

There are exceptions where you cannot actually withdraw the promo cash only winnings from it.  If this is the case it will be clearly stipulated in the significant terms.

Can I withdraw My Deposit When My Bonus Is Active?

You usually cannot withdraw your original deposit if you’ve claimed a bonus with it until you’ve met the wagering requirement.  This is especially the case if the turnover stipulates you must rollover the deposit + bonus amount.

Of course you can withdraw your deposit at any time, it is your money and that is your right, but you will likely forfeit the bonus.  It is also worth noting that if you deposit and don’t play with that money then try to withdraw it you will liekly be liable for a withdrawal fee.

What you can usually do is withdraw any winnings made with a deposit.  Real cash winnings will not be subject to the same restrictions – although it is still worth checking as some sites won’t let you make any withdrawals with an active bonus.

Can I Multiple Deposits To Meet The Wagering Requirement.

This comes down to the site and the offer.  Some sites will let you make additional deposits to continue wagering a bonus if you’ve wiped out the original deposit and bonus amount.  In general though once your bonus is gone its gone.

Again this is something that will be clearly stated in the full terms and conditions.

I Want To Play Table Games, What Offers Can I Use?

If you want to use your bonus to exclusively play table games then look for a bonus specific to table games.  The bigger operators have multiple welcome offers and may have one for table games.  This will generally be lower than the main slots offer, but at least the table games count to the wagering.

Should you wish to play both tables and slots look for a bonus that does allow wagering on table games but always check the game weighting.

Good ones to look for are those that allow wagering on games like roulette but may restrict certain bets, such as outside bets and odd/even bets.

The other option is to use a live casino offer, this means you can play live table games, but not instant play.

Can I Use My Bonus On Live Games, Sports Or Other Products?

You may be able to use some bonuses on live games but it is rare to find promotions that let you use funds across products.  Therefore if you want to bet on sports you would be better claiming the sports offer.

The same is true for virtuals, even though these are software generated games they generally fall outside the casino section.

You need to be particularly careful if a site spits their games across several section (Games, Macau, Vegas, etc.) as usually if you take a bonus for a specific section it is restricted to that section only.

Why Are Some Payment Methods Not Eligible For A Bonus?

The level of verification for eWallets such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller is not as stringent as it is with a bank.  Therefore, in the past these methods have been widely used by people to abuse bonuses by setting up duplicate accounts.  It is very common no that these methods are not eligible to claim a sign up offer.

PaySafeCard and cash vouchers are also often restricted as again these can be obtained with little verification making them liable to abuse.

If you want to use a method like an eWallet but still claim a bonus you could consider making you first deposit using a valid method such as a bank card and then switch to an eWallet after you’ve used the offer.  It is worth noting however that even existing customer offers are often restricted with certain banking methods.

Are Free Spins Better Than Bonuses?

Only you can decide this.  There are benefits and drawback to both.

With a bonus you know the amount of money you will have to play with and you can divide it between many different games to suit you.  Bonuses however tend to have high wagering requirements.

Free spins are quicker and easier to use and you could end up winning more than with a bonus.  You will generally still need to wager the free spins winnings (like a bonus) but the wagering is generally less.

The problem with free spins is they are often resticted to one game or a select number of games, although some are open to all slots games.

Why Can’t I Withdraw My Free Spins Winnings?

If your free spins pay you in bonus cash, which most do, then the winnings will be subject to a wagering requirement.

Free spins winnings should be treated the same as a bonus, you will need to bet those winnings several times over to turn them into withdrawable money.

Most winnings from free spins are open to be used on most slots and some table games, just as a bonus is, even if the original free spins are restricted to one or a handful of games.

What Is The Difference Between Bonus Free Spins and Cash Free Spins?

Most free spins are not ‘free’ in the sense that any winnings are treated as bonus cash.

There are some offers that give you cash free spins where the winnings are your to keep straight away, although you usually get much less spins and they are usually restricted to one or a few games, although some are open to all slots.

Cash spins are unbeatable when you can find them.  You will often find they are lumped in with a bonus however, so you will still need to deposit and claim the bonus to get the cash spins.

What Are Tiered Bonuses and How Do They Work?

Some deposit deals give you multiple bonuses to claim on your second, third or fourth deposits.  This can significantly increase the amount of promo cash you can claim and it is common for the biggest offers you will see.

The major thing to be aware of is you will often need to make these deposits in a short period of time, often 7 days.  You can also only usually use one bonus at a time so you will need to wager the first bonus before the second expires, etc.

These are therefore offers suited to bigger players who want to play a lot in a short space of time.  You shouldn’t get sucked into claiming multiple tiered bonuses if you don’t want to play to a high level.  Even with tiered offers you don’t have to claim subsequent bonuses, you could just use the first.

It is worth also pointing out that not all the tiers will match the deposit to the same level.  You might see something like this:

• 100% up to £200 first deposit
• 50% up to £500 second deposit
• 200% up to £150 third deposit

You can see from this the second deposit offer is half the first but to a higher level.  The third deposit offer is the biggest, 200%, but you need to get through the second to claim it.  This is done on purpose as the third offer is the most attractive, but again only do this if you think you will be able to actually use all the bonuses and of course only if you can afford it.

Should I Claim The Maximum Bonus To Get Most Value

No, not at all.  Yes it is true the more you deposit the more you get in bonus cash but that is immaterial if you don’t want to play with that amount of money.

If you usually only deposit £10 or £20 at a time then there is no point taking a 100% up to £200 offer and depositing £100 (to get £200 bonus).  You are better sticking to the way you want to play, even if you deposit £10 you are still getting £20 to play with.

Never let a bonus dictate how you play, think about the stakes you like and then find the best offer around that to suit you.

Can I Claim Multiple Bonuses For Different Products?

With many of the bigger sites you can.  If you sign up and take a casino offer a lot will still let you claim offers for sports, live casino or other games products.  On the other hand many, especially smaller sites, will only let you claim one introductory deal, so check the offers available and choose the correct one based on the products you want to use the most.

If you do want to claim multiple offers, say a casino bonus followed by a sports free bet, then make sure you don’t deposit, transfer money and bet in the sportsbook before you claim.  Generally the offer will apply to your first deposit and bet so wait until you are ready.

I Didn’t Get My Bonus What Can I Do?

If you signed up to a site and didn’t deposit or bet in time to claim the bonus, forgot to enter a promo code, activate the offer or the bonus was simply never awarded then it is worth contacting the site.

At the end of the day the promo cash or free spins are given as an incentive to play, most decent operators will therefore still manually award the bonus if something went wrong; as ultimately they want your custom.

Can I Let Someone Else Use My Bonus?

Absolutely not.  You can only play using an account in your own name and with your own funds.

If you play using someone else’s account, someone else’s name or money then you will have your account closed and forfeit any winnings.

The same is true in reverse, if you allow your account to be used by someone else you will be liable to have your account closes.  You may also be investigated criminally if there is suspicion you have committed a crime or used criminal money.

Do I Need To Pay Tax On Bonus Winnings?

In the UK you do not pay tax on any gambling winnings, whether derived from your own cash or promo cash.

Operators pay a point of consumption tax on all stakes, this includes bonuses, therefore indirectly you are always paying tax, its just hidden from you and you don’t need to declare any winnings.  The tax the operator pays is transferred to you through poorer return to player rates anyway.

If you do have a very big win it is worth declaring this to HMRC, not because they will tax you but because it proves where that money came from if you were ever audited or had to prove the source of funds.

Why Do I Need To Verify Myself To Withdraw Winnings?

Yes, you now need to verify yourself (in the UK) just to be able to deposit and play.  This is not defined by the betting company but is a stipulation of their gambling licence.

Verification procedures are primarily there to prevent underage people from gambling and to protect the industry from it being used to launder the proceeds of crime.  They also ensure only residents of a country can use a their products.

Casinos have to have very stringent security and data protection procedures, again by law, so you data will be safe.  You will need to provide a form of ID (passport or drivers licence) and a proof of address (utility bill, etc).  It also helps to have your payment method registered at the same address you have signed up with.

Why Do We Only List UK Licensed Casinos?

The UK is the most regulated gambling market in the world, that means it is the safest.  It is also the most open and honest.

All sites that want to accept UK players must have a UK Gambling License issued by the UK Gambling Commission.  The commission was set up in 2005 to coincide with the gambling act.

The commission ensures that casinos are accountable for the players they take, this means they must ensure you are over 18 and that the funds you use to play with are yours.  They also ensure operators handle complaints correctly and that all terms and conditions, promotions and adverts are fair and proportional.  Critically they also enforce responsible gambling and can fine or revoke the license from brands that fail to comply.

Most of the casinos on this site accept non-UK players, it’s just that we will only list those with a gambling license.  If we don’t list a site and you are wondering if they have a license it should be shown in the footer of the home page, or you can search any licenses on the UKGC site.