With the online gambling industry in the US booming, online casinos continue to be a big driving force of the success of iGaming. The allure of them is often down to simple gameplay, particularly through a large selection of slots, and of course, the dream of landing a jackpot payout.
There is an enormous range of online casino platforms to choose from, all offering different experiences in terms of payment options, game selections and customer support. This is where dedicated online casino review sites can be helpful, as the online gambling experience is going to be subjective to the individual player.
So, a platform like https://www.wsn.com/online-casinos/playstar-casino/ that analyses online casino sites by gaining hands-on experience of their services can be an extremely useful tool. This is especially true in the sometimes complicated world of casino bonuses, as having some expert insight and listings of the top offers is great for cutting through the noise.
The handshake of acceptance
Players will be extremely hard-pressed to find an online casino that doesn’t have a welcome bonus offer available. Online casinos are always looking for ways to attract customers, and one way they do that is by offering incentives.
Welcome bonuses are a staple of the industry and can be found on both gambling websites and mobile apps, as operators set the bait with things like free spins and bonus cash. They may be a marketing tool, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t offer something of value for players.
Matched deposits
This is the most common type of welcome bonus offer, where an operator matches the value of your qualifying initial deposit with a certain percentage. That could be anything from 50% or 100% to over 200%, and it will just depend on the operator.
An example is a 200% matched deposit bonus on a $50 deposit. That means $100 in bonus cash will be credited for fulfilling the terms of this type of deal. As the name suggests, a matched deposit offer will only kick in once the initial deposit on the account has been made, but that’s just the start.
The value of that bonus then has to be wagered a certain number of times with real cash before winnings from it are released. Wagering requirements are typically between 35x and 45x, and there will be a set period in which those requirements must be fulfilled. This sometimes applies to both the bonus amount plus deposit.
No deposit bonus
This is a variation on the above, but less commonly found. No deposit is required for this form of welcome bonus offer, as the casino operator will just credit the bonus amount when account registration and verification have been completed. No deposit bonuses come in much smaller amounts than matched deposit bonuses, but they, too, are still subject to wagering requirements before any winnings can be claimed from them.
Free spins
Free spins don’t usually have such large wagering requirements applied to them. There may be some, perhaps 10x on free spins winnings, but nothing like the high wagering requirements found on matched deposit bonuses.
Free spins are tokens that replace the value of the lowest-value stake that can be used for a spin. So, they aren’t of particularly high value and can be restricted to certain slots. They are, however, valid game tokens that can still lead to wins. Free spins will only be valid for a certain period, usually 14 days from the time they are received.
Reload bonuses
Online casinos want you to keep coming back and playing, and therefore, reload bonuses are quite common. These are very similar to matched deposit offers, only for existing players. For making a valid reload to the account, the casino may throw a percentage bonus at you, like 50% of that deposit’s value. Reload bonuses typically specify a minimum deposit and are sometimes limited by payment method. This type of bonus will also be subject to wagering requirements as set out in the T&Cs.
Cashback bonuses
Cashback deals that refund a percentage of the net losses accrued within a certain period can be found at online casinos. Naturally, the operator isn’t going to hand out something like 75% cashback, and it is more likely to be a percentage in the region of 5% to 10% of losses in a month. In most instances, the rewards from cashback deals are issued as bonus funds, which means wagering requirements again come into force.
Loyalty/VIP programs
This is a popular format of online casino bonuses, providing long-term rewards for those who play regularly on a site. Most simply work on a tiered system and operators will typically put new customers into the base tier automatically when they register.
The value of rewards on offer, like bonus cash, free spins, faster withdrawals and higher withdrawal limits, gets better as a player gets further up the tiers. A concern over Loyalty/VIP programs is that they can encourage players to play more than they normally would, just to try and sustain their current level or reach the next one. There’s often a significant amount of wagering to be done to shift from one level to the next.
Wagering requirements
The common theme that runs throughout all online casino bonuses is the terms and conditions. These can be quite daunting, and some of them, especially the high wagering requirements found on welcome bonus offers, can limit the potential of a player completing them.
A low 30x wagering requirement on a $100 bonus would mean wagering $3,000 to meet the terms. For the average casino player, it’s a scenario where bigger isn’t always better. A 30x wagering requirement on $10, in contrast, would require $300, which may be more feasible, but it’s down to the individual’s risk assessment and bankroll management to decide that.
Game contributions will differ as well, as 100% of a stake on slots will usually be applied to the wagering requirements, whereas table games will be less, like only 10% of stake from blackjack, for example, going toward the fulfilment.
What to check for in bonus T&Cs
● Bonus only vs deposit plus bonus for wagering requirement.
● Game contributions.
● Deposit minimums.
● Game restrictions.
● Time limits.
● Maximum bet size.
The golden rule of casino bonuses is not to overspend on your budget just to try and claim one. If a bonus fits in with your natural gambling bankroll and strategy, it can provide some value, but it’s not worth overextending your bankroll to secure a bonus.
Also Read-The Best Games for Storytelling Enthusiasts
