One of the biggest advantages of playing at an online casino is that users are able to claim bonuses and other promotions. These bonuses can be used to provide players with extra funds to make more winnings or to try out a new website or game. But with their limitations, are online casino bonuses actually worth claiming?
Online Casino Bonuses: The Different Types
When it comes to online casino bonuses, there are three main types of bonuses you can claim; welcome bonuses given to customers as a reward for registering, regular bonuses which can be claimed at any time for making deposits, and no deposit bonuses which do not require deposits and are usually credited after registration.
Most online casinos and sister sites in the UK offer a welcome bonus to new players, allowing them to claim a lump sum of bonus cash, a selection of free spins on specific games, or both as part of a welcome package. These bonuses vary depending on the casino; some sites may offer small bonuses while others may offer large bonuses.
Regular bonuses are available to registered users. These bonuses can usually only be claimed once or on a regular basis such as every month or every weekend. Similarly to welcome bonuses, what is offered depends entirely on the casino. Some sites may offer small regular bonuses, some may offer larger regular bonuses, and others may not offer any regular bonuses at all!
Finally, no deposit bonuses are small bonuses credited to users after they’ve registered or after they’ve shared payment details. These bonuses, which are hard to find due to recent Gambling Commission rule changes, usually offer £10 in cash or a small selection of free spins.
Limitations & Restrictions
These bonuses sound great, particularly if you’re a new customer to an online casino site. However, they do have their limitations, and this can actually make an online casino bonus worthless no matter how big it is.
First of all, it’s important to understand most online casinos offering bonuses will have wagering requirements. For those that do not know, wagering requirements are the number of times you need to wager a bonus before it can be withdrawn. Now, wagering requirements can vary between casinos as some may require you to wager a bonus 4x while others may require you to wager a bonus a jaw-dropping 99x. Remember, you are required to wager bonuses before they and their associated winnings can be withdrawn, and trying to meet high wagering requirements can cause you to lose your bonus, deposited funds and winnings, potentially leaving you with nothing at all by the end of it.
Many online casino bonuses have maximum win and withdrawal limits which restrict how much of your winnings you can win or withdraw. This means that if you’ve been successful in meeting the wagering requirements and have won £100 on a bonus with a £50 withdrawal limit, you’ll only be able to take home £50 and the rest will be forfeited. Again, the limits will vary between casinos as some do not implement these restrictions while others have low and high win or withdrawal restrictions.
Finally, most online casino bonuses have time restrictions requiring you to use the bonus or reward within a specified timeframe. Most online casinos will require you to use your bonus funds within 30 days and spins within 24 or 72 hours. While this doesn’t sound bad, it can be difficult to meet wagering requirements within a short timeframe, causing you to lose out on funds and winnings.
Conclusion
Online casino bonuses can be great and a fun way to make extra winnings or try out a new game. However, it’s important to look through the terms and conditions of a bonus before claiming it. You’ll need to note the wagering requirements and the timeframe and consider whether you have enough time to complete the requirements. You’ll also need to check on win limitations to check whether or not you can keep all of your hard-earned winnings or not. Not all online casino bonuses will be worth it, but some really are.