Bonuses at UK Online Casinos
Casino bonuses aid player acquisition, encourage loyalty and help casinos stand out in what has become a very crowded market; with so many new sites popping up every day there are more than ever before to contend with.
Casino bonuses come in many different shapes and sizes, with some being targeted at certain types of player or game. Some sites offer no deposit bonuses, which require no financial input whatsoever (although do require you to create an account), while others focus on giving away free spins for use at the casino.
UK Casino Sign up Bonuses
Some casinos offer a variety of no deposit bonuses. These are frequently called sign up offers because to collect the bonus you're only required to sign up as a new playing casino member and a real money deposit isn't required of you. This type of no deposit required bonus allows players to take advantage of free cash and/or spins without having to make any type of financial commitment whatsoever! Here-in lies their popularity, free casino game play is a tasty carrot to dangle and some players bounce from one site to the next purely to claim the no deposit offers. Make your way to our dedicated No Deposit Bonus page for more information about theses offers, in short they show themselves in two main variants.
No Deposit Free Spins
Free spins on slots with no deposit required. These spins can be allocated to specific games or providers or occasionally players are free to pick their own game to play. You may be awarded 10 free spins no deposit while another offer might give away 50 Free Spins No Deposit. Remember to check the wagering as the best value offer isn't necessarily the one with the most giveaway spins.
No Deposit Cash
No Deposit Cash Bonuses are typically awarded as a cash reward credited to your casino account upon registration. These funds will be non-withdrawable bonuses at this stage and are designed to be spent on slots and sometimes other casino games. Check the terms and conditions so you know exactly which games you're allowed to play.
Match Bonuses
Deposit match bonuses are one of the most popular casino welcome bonuses around and can be an excellent way to enhance your budget to play online games. Match offers work by matching your deposit, typically with a 100% match to the amount you've deposited. So if you made a £50 deposit you'd receive £100 to play with! Make sure you read through the terms and conditions as this isn't always the case and it's essential that you understand what's required of you before taking advantage. Match bonuses are also often available on a new players 2nd, 3rd or even 4th and 5th deposits. If you enjoy the new casino that you've discovered and were planning on using their games and services anyway then these deposit match bonuses can get you more casino play time. Sometimes deposit match offers run side by side with free spins on deposit and both can be present in a 'Welcome Package'.
Some casinos give you extra spins (also referred to as Free Spins) when you make a cash deposit. Technically these bonus spins shouldn't be called free because you've parted with real money to obtain them. Free spins on deposit usually have wagering requirements imposed on them but often the play through requirements are less harsh than those seen on no deposit free spins. Often, extra spins will be for a popular game by a well known provider like Starburst from Netent, Book of Dead from Play N Go.
Loyalty Reward Casino Bonuses
There are also welcome bonuses that provide you with something extra when you first sign up for an account at a particular site as well as reload offers which require players to visit their casino on certain days in order to get more coins. The final category is loyalty programs where players earn points whenever they play by gambling real money and can then use those points towards future wagers or draws.
Free Spins on New Games
New game arrivals can be the most eagerly awaited event in online gambling for some players. New games, especially when they're from top providers like Netent or Microgaming can be guaranteed to get players attention and provide more of an opportunity for huge wins within a new slot game. Many games studios collaborate with the casinos that host them and offer free spins on the new slot machines that they're releasing in order to build the hype and get more players spinning those reels.
Casino Wagering Terms and Conditions
Wagering requirements are in place to protect the casino from bonus abuse and they work by stipulating that you wager a set amount before withdrawing winnings generated from the bonus. If the wagering (also often called 'play through') is high, seeing the bonus through to the point where cashing out real money is a possible can be tricky. Pay close attention to the wagering requirements when you sign up to a promotion, they are there for a reason. In our opinion wagering under 20-30x is standard and realistic, if you can source a bonus with less wagering - great. A bonus with upwards of 30x wagering, eg 40x or even 50x can be regarded as steep and the prospect of paying out winnings is increasingly slim.
It is important to remember that casinos can reclaim bonuses should they suspect fraud or other rule breaking, so stick within the terms and conditions if you want to keep what's yours!
Top 10 Casino Bonus Tips
- The most popular types of UK casino bonuses are the ones that are given when you first sign up
- It's a good idea to check out multiple casinos before signing up with one in particular
- A lot of people like to use the free money they get as their initial bonus, but don't forget to look for ongoing perks like Cash Back Bonuses!
- If you're not sure what game you want to focus on, playing slots is a good option because there's always a chance for winning even if your luck doesn't seem great at first glance
- Online casinos have different types of games - some offer poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps
- Poker is popular because it requires more strategy than other casino games do
- When looking for an online casino site, make sure that it has been approved by the Gaming Commission in Great Britain (UKGC)
- Make yourself aware of the payment options and speed of payout.
- Make sure to check withdrawal limits!
- Don't forget that you can always sign up for free so you don't have to spend any money until you find an offer that suits your needs!
Give us some feedback!
How is your experience with casino bonuses? Let us know in the comments!
- How much did the bonus you claimed online pay out?
- What was your favourite game?
- What was your most successful online winnings to date?
- Do you think casino bonuses are worth it in the long run?
- How much did the bonus you claimed online pay out?
- What was your favorite game?
- What was your most successful online winnings to date?
- Do you think casino bonuses are worth it in the long run?
If you are thinking of playing at a new online casino, check out these tips first. They will help you to ask the right questions before you deposit any of your own money.
Is the casino site trustworthy?
Probably THE most important thing to look for when choosing an online casino; find out the license details to ensure they have permission to run a casino. This is particularly important as a casino can often look the part with a professional site but without the licenses and regulations in place you are at risk of unsecured play and not being able to cash out your winnings! You can usually find details of a casino’s license under the ‘About Us’ section, or if you scroll down to the bottom of their homepage you can often find the logo of the relevant governing body. Another good indication of a trustworthy casino is do they have legitimate contact details and known and trusted methods of making payments?
Which slots and games software providers do they have?
Whether you’re a regular gambler or new to online casinos the choice of software provider is an important factor when picking your casino. As a regular you probably already have preferred software providers and favourite games, so you’ll know to look for those familiar titles when you’re browsing through the choice of games. If you love table games then check out the choice available before you sign up as some casinos only offer a token selection, whilst others go all out with live dealer games and multiple varieties of blackjack and roulette.
What’s this casino's customer service like?
There’s nothing more frustrating than being left to wait for an answer when you’re having trouble cashing out your winnings or figuring out how to deposit cash in the first place. Most casinos now offer live chat which will give you instant answers direct from a customer service agent. This is a huge advantage so worth looking out for. Also having a Freephone number is great as you don’t want a hefty phone bill after you’ve been stuck on the line for 15 minutes!
What payment methods are available? Most casinos these days will offer multiple secure payment methods, but it’s well worth checking this out before you sign up. Any casino worth their salt will have a list of all payment and withdrawal methods accepted along with any fees and cash out times which apply.
What requirements need to be met to cash out winnings?
Casino payments are a very important part of the service! Arguably the MOST important. This is particularly relevant of course when you are trying to cash out any bonus winnings as you’ll need to understand the wagering requirements (see point 6). You should have any relevant proof of identity details ready that are stipulated by the casino, and meet the minimum withdrawal limit to cash out. Always check the casino terms and conditions!
What’s the welcome bonus and wagering requirements? This is one of the first things most gamers will look for when scouting around for a new casino…who can offer me the most free spins, what’s the best cash back bonus out there? These are all great reasons to try out a casino but proceed with caution, all are not what they seem! You MUST, MUST, MUST check out the terms and conditions of any welcome bonus before you sign up to it. Are the wagering requirements realistic? How long do I have to play through the bonus before I lose it? There’s nothing worse than feeling duped by a casino!
How safe is your personal data?
Unfortunately online fraud and identity theft are an all too common occurrence, so it’s vital that you only submit your personal details to a site that’s 100% secure. If you check out a casino’s FAQs, under online security you should find details of the precautions they take to keep your data safe. Most casinos these days will use SSL encryption technology. Another quick test to see if a site’s secure is when you type the web address in to your browser, at the bottom of your browser there should be a padlock symbol and the web address should come up as ‘https://’ as opposed to an unsecure ‘http://’. Aslo, since the UK Gambling Commission tightened the rules, UK casinos are very secure and your money is kept separate to casino business funds.
Do they have mobile slots and gaming?
This isn’t always important to everyone but it’s nice to know that you can access your favourite casino games whilst you’re on that boring commute to work. Gaming on the go is a growing part of online gambling with most casinos now offering at least a selection of games to play on your phone or tablet.
Download or instant play?
This is a completely personal preference and may depend on what your gaming requirements are at that particular time. A no download or instant play casino offers players the ability to immediately start playing the games they love without the need to download the casino software to your computer, which can take up valuable memory space. A perfect option for mobile gaming and when you just want a quick spin on your favourite slot game. Downloadable casinos offer the option to play directly from your desktop, you’ll often find more games are available on the full version with superior quality, sound and graphics. Downloading a casino’s software often opens up areas of gaming that you won’t get at the instant play version, like tournaments and certain promotions and bonuses. It’s well worth checking out the difference in the casino FAQs. (Please note, not all casinos offer a download option to players).
Can you play at this casino for free?
This is a great way to get a feel for a casino, the speed at which it runs and of course the games on offer before you make a commitment to making a deposit. Most casinos offer this option on the majority of their games. Another way is with free spins, as you can try out a casino for free and may even end up winning without even having to make a deposit! Make sure your check the bonus terms before you sign up though, and be prepared to provide personal and banking information. All our UK online casino bonuses are checked out by us before being added to the site.
