Casino Bonus Review
Vienne Garcia
Nowadays, you can expect to get a welcome bonus from an online casino when you sign up. However, the kinds of casino bonuses you can get can vary in type and in quality.
If you're new to online casinos, it can all seem a bit confusing. Our team of experts have put together this page to give you an overview of the online casino bonus landscape and explain all the important things you should know about when it comes bonuses. We'll also explain the terms and conditions behind many of these offers that players often find a bit complicated.
To make things even easier, we've put together a list of the best casino bonus offers out there so you can pick and choose what's right for you. In selecting these offers, we've considered both the bonus amount as well as the conditions the offer comes with.
Casinos are updating their offers all the time. Our reviewers are constantly checking online casinos for the latest promotions for Canadian players and updating the listings here. Sometimes we have exclusive bonus offers for our readers too. Come back to this page every now and then to see what new casino bonuses you can snag!
The Best Casino Bonus Offers - April 2024
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A bonus is only as good as the casino. That's why we also test the casinos through and through, right from making the initial deposit to withdrawing winnings. The bonuses listed here not only good promotions but also come from trustworthy and reliable casinos with a great choice of games. Bonus money is only worthwhile if you have something to play them on!
The Different Kinds of Casino Bonuses
- Casino Bonuses for New Players
- First Deposit Bonus
- Welcome Bonus Package
- Free Spins
- No Deposit Bonus
- Live Casino Bonus
- High Roller Bonus
- Exclusive Bonus
- Other Casino Bonuses & Promotions
- Reload Bonus
- Rewards Programme & VIP Club
- Cashback
- Featured Games
- Tournaments
- Lucky Draws
Casino Bonuses for New Players
As mentioned, most online casinos will have a welcome bonus when you first start playing. There are different kinds of offers though, and here are the main kinds of bonuses you will see as a new player.
1.) First Deposit Bonus
When you sign up at an online casino, you can usually expect to receive a welcome bonus with your very first deposit. The going rate for welcome bonuses is 100%, which means that if you deposit $50, you will get another $50 worth in extra chips to play with.
Some casinos may offer a higher bonus rate or a welcome bonus package. These offers are updated on a regular basis as casinos decide what they can best do to attract new players. The bonuses listed on this page are all the latest welcome bonuses from some of the best online casinos.
2.) Welcome Bonus Package
Some casinos have a welcome bonus package, and not just one bonus for your first deposit. In these packages, the casino will throw in extras like free spins or guaranteed bonuses on your next deposits. This can go up to bonuses on your next 4 or 5 deposits. Typically, the first one will have the highest bonus rate although sometimes the rate can go back up when you reach the last deposit in the package.
3.) Free Spins
You will often see free spins as part of a welcome bonus package. These let you play online slots for real money on the house. No deposit free spins can also sometimes be found and all you have to do is sign up at the casino with the offer to claim them.
Free spins are certainly not exclusively found in welcome bonus packages nor for new players. You will also see them in various promotions that players can enjoy on a regular basis. Free spins are normally for a specific slot chosen by the casino and also have specific values. For example, they might be worth $0.10 per spin. More about Free Spins on this page.
4.) No Deposit Bonus
Some casinos also offer a no deposit bonus for new players, designed to let you try the casino's games without risking any of your own money. After signing up for an account, you will get some free spins or a bonus amount credited to your account that you can use right away. You don't have to put any money down.
LeoVegas for example has a no deposit bonus that gives you free spins on sign up. We talk more about no deposit bonuses and the latest offer here.
5.) Live Casino Bonus
Most casino welcome bonuses are designed for slot players. Not only will see you a lot of free spins, but if you drill down to the offer's terms and conditions, you'll see that the wagering requirements can mostly be met through playing slots and instant games. For table games and live casino players, some casinos such as LeoVegas have Live Casino Welcome Bonuses.
These will have terms that will be much more meaningful to your gaming preferences. Usually these are exclusive offers and you will have to choose between the standard offer and the one for the Live Games. Other casinos such as 888 have regular Live Casino promotions even though they don't have it as a welcome bonus.
6.) High Roller Bonus
If you're ready to bet big and have the cash to do it, then you may want to consider a high roller bonus. Whereas many regular welcome bonuses might be a 100% offer up to $200 or $300, a high roller bonus will let you go up much higher. A $800 high roller bonus is not unheard of, although the bonus rate itself might be a bit lower.
Not many casinos have this, but if you count yourself among these players, then check out the Premium Welcome Package from 888. To really take advantage of these offers, you need to have that cash sitting around to make those big deposits. They don't call them high rollers for nothing!
MoreLess7.) Exclusive Bonus
Last but not least, some casinos might even have an exclusive bonus for our Casino.Guide readers! These are welcome bonuses that you can claim when you sign up and can include anything from no deposit free spins, higher bonus rates and guaranteed bonuses on your first few deposits.
Other Casino Bonuses & Promotions
The online casino business is a competitive one and that's why casinos work hard to keep their players happy. One of the ways they do this is by offering frequent casino promotions. Below are some of the main kinds of offers casinos have for regular players.
8.) Reload Bonus
Otherwise known as a deposit bonus. "Reload" because you are going to get a top up as you reload your casino account with another deposit. A reload bonus works very much like a welcome bonus. Make a deposit and you will get extra chips to play with. However, the matching rate tends to be lower than welcome bonuses. While welcome bonuses usually offer 100% worth in free chips, reload bonus rates typically go from 25 to 50%.
9.) Rewards Programme & VIP Club
LeoVegas Casino treats its players like VIPs.
Many online casinos will have a reward programme. Generally speaking, you will collect points for playing real money games. With these collected points you can exchange them for various prizes like extra free spins or a bonus.
Sometimes a casino might have a gamified system where you can collect points for completing certain tasks like playing a featured game, but the principle remains the same.
Many online casinos will have their rewards programme as part of a VIP Club with different levels. The more points you collect, the higher your VIP status. This not only gets you more casino prizes like spins and bonuses, but you may also get a personal account manager, faster cashout, real world gifts like the latest gadgets and tickets to concerts and sports events, as well as invitations to exclusive VIP events where you can meet like-minded players!
10.) Cashback Bonus
Let's face it. You can't win with every single bet you make. Or at least it's very unlikely. That's what cashback is about. Cashback promos give you back a percentage of your losses. Somewhat pragmatic, cashback is probably not the sexiest of casino offers, but it does keep things grounded.
11.) Featured Games
A lot of the time online casinos and slot sites will have a featured game of the week or sometimes a game of the month. Featured slot promotions often come with free spins for you to try a new slot or just to help you warmed up. These promos can come with the much anticipated release of the latest slot, or it could also be an old fave that everyone loves to play.
12.) Tournaments
Casino tournaments, sometimes also known as casino races, are friendly competitions where players can win extra bonuses or cash prizes if they come out as the top player of a challenge. For example, players could compete for the biggest winning spin on a specific slot for a week, and the player with the highest win will pocket an extra prize from the tournament.
13.) Lucky Draws
On top of it all, casinos often have raffles with more goodies ranging from spins, to bonuses, to cash and real world prizes up for grabs. Lucky draws are especially popular at online casinos around holidays like Xmas where you might even see a draw every day!
Casino Bonus Direct Comparisons
To find the best casino bonus, it's important to understand what you are looking for. We've put together the welcome bonuses from leading online casinos so you can see all the differences at a glance.
Perhaps you are on a budget and are just looking to get as much free play as possible and don't care too much about withdrawing winnings. In this case, simply choose the bonus with the highest matching rate to the highest amount you can afford.
If you do want to withdraw winnings, then make sure you look at the wagering requirement. Below is a quick overview of various online casino bonuses and their key terms. These bonuses have all received good ratings from our review team.
Our Criteria for Choosing the Best Casino Bonus:
As mentioned, new players can usually get some extra free chips when they make their first deposit at an online casino. Sometimes, this bonus is automatically granted, other times you may have to enter a bonus code. In any case, here are some important factors you want to keep in mind when you choose your casino bonus.
- The matching rate to the bonus, for example is it 100% or 200%?
- The maximum amount you can claim with the bonus
- Any bonus extras, such as free spins
- The wagering requirement
- Time limit to meet wagering requirement
- General terms and conditions
Our tip: If you plan to withdraw winnings from bonus play, then pay attention to the wagering requirement and the time you have to meet them!
You will usually find that a casino bonus is written as a percentage. For example, most online casinos have a 100% welcome bonus. That means when you put in $60, you will get another $60 of bonus money, giving you a total of $120 to play with.
Players in Canada can look forward to a welcome bonus with free spins on top at Netbet Casino.
This means the higher the percentage, the better the bonus. For example, a 200% bonus is better than a 100% bonus. This is because it will give you twice the free chips to play with compared to a 100% bonus. A higher matching rate also means you can put in less money to get more free play.
If you are on a tight budget, then you should definitely keep an eye out for bonuses with higher matching deposit rates. Now, if you care about more than just free play and are hoping to withdraw winnings from bonus play, then you will also need to look carefully at the offer's terms and conditions.
In particular, the wagering requirement will significantly how much of a profit you walk out with. We'll explain the wagering requirement a bit more below, but know that the industry standard for a bonus wagering requirement is around 30 to 40x the deposit. Anything in or below this range can be considered fair.
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Rule of thumb: The lower the wagering requirement, the more of your winnings you will get to pocket.
What is a wagering requirement?
The wagering requirement is the amount of real money you must play before you can withdraw any winnings you won while playing with bonus money. Usually, a wagering requirement is stated as a multiple of the bonus, for example 10x bonus. If you received a $100 bonus that has a 10x requirement, you will have to play $1,000 before you can withdraw anything you won while playing with that $100 of bonus cash.
When you play with bonus money and win, you will have to meet the wagering requirements before you can withdraw those winnings. You will have a limited time to meet the requirements. Usually the bonus is valid from 2 weeks to 30 days, depending on the offer's specific terms. If you don't meet the requirement during this timeframe then all your winnings from your bonus play will be wiped. Thus, it's also important to consider how long the bonus is good for to see if it's realistic for you.
A good online casino will keep your real money and bonus money as separate tabs. You begin with your real money balance and if you win with that, then you can withdraw your winnings without having to meet any wagering requirements. Only once you deplete your real money balance will you move to bonus play, the winnings from which will be subject to meeting wagering requirements and the promotion's general conditions.
Continue readingLessIt's also worth understanding game contributions, especially if you like to play table games. Basically, this means that not all games will contribute equally to the wagering requirement. For slot players it's pretty straightforward as most slots will contribute 100%. However, card and table games like Blackjack and Roulette contribute less. If a game only contributes 50%, then only half of the real money bets you make while playing that game will count towards meeting the wagering requirement.
Another thing to consider when it comes to the T&Cs is the bet limit per round when you are playing with bonus money. Most offers have a limit as to high how a bet you can play per spin if you are playing slots, or a bet limit if you are playing table games. If you exceed the bet limit, then winnings from that bet will be disqualified. Depending on the casino's specific policy, you may even lose your entire bonus completely. The good news is that the bet limits are usually reasonably high to score some big wins and to enjoy the thrill.
With so many differences in terms and conditions, finding a winning casino may seem complicated at first. A lot of it will depend on your personal preferences. Our team at Casino.Guide has put together detailed casino reviews with experts analysing the bonus terms. Read the reviews to find the offers and casinos most suitable for you.
Some online casinos can offer the same bonuses for years. Others will change their offers frequently, increasing the matching rate or the bonus amount. Sometimes, casinos will also change the terms and conditions to their offers, so that they are more competitive and attractive to players. Our team works hard to keep the casino bonus rankings up to date to reflect the latest and the best offers.
Our tip: Check online casino offers regularly to make sure you get the best offers. Even if you already have a favourite casino, picking up a good welcome bonus from another casino will get you a lot of extra play.
Casino Bonus FAQ
- Is the highest casino bonus always the best?
- Can I withdraw a casino bonus?
- What's the difference between a bonus and free spins?
- Can I use the bonus for all games?
- Do I have to use the casino bonus?
1.) Is the highest casino bonus always the best?
No. If you are purely looking for free play, then you can be fine with the bonus that has the highest matching rate to the highest amount. However, if you are hoping to cash out winnings from bonus play, then you should read the fine print. Some casinos offer super high bonuses to lure players in, but the terms will make it next to impossible to withdraw your winnings.
Meanwhile, you will find that a lot of established and trusted casinos have rather average welcome bonuses. That's because the offer is actually designed to be fair. The casino knows what it can afford to pay players. A good online casino knows it has a lot to offer and doesn't need to trick players in with dazzling but unrealistic bonuses.
Continue readingLessBack to TOC2.) Can I withdraw a casino bonus?
No. You can't withdraw bonus money itself. You can however withdraw winnings from bonus play, if you have met the wagering requirements within the specified timeframe. Some casinos now let you withdraw the bonus amount when you also withdraw the winnings, but you can't withdraw the bonus itself straight up.
3.) What's the difference between a bonus and free spins?
Free spins are just a specific form of bonus that's dedicated to slots. They are for specific slot games and a lot of online casinos will give you free spins in addition to a matching deposit bonus. While free spins are for specific slots, the matching deposit bonus will let you play different games.
4.) Can I use the bonus for all games?
This depends on the bonus. Generally speaking, you can use a deposit bonus to play on all games. For example, a welcome bonus would do the job well. However, some games will not contribute to meeting the wagering requirement. This will vary with each online casino, but most slots will contribute fully, while video pokers and blackjack usually contribute much less. There are also a few online casinos that might specify that you can only use the deposit bonus to play slots. Additionally, free spins are always only valid for specified games.
5.) Do I have to use the casino bonus?
No. Some casinos will require entering a bonus code to claim the offer, others require you to check the opt-in box when you make your deposit, while some others are automatically credited. If for whatever reason you don't want to claim the welcome bonus, make sure to keep an eye out for all the options when you make your deposit or contact customer service before you start playing with your real money bank roll.
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The Expert Summary on Casino Bonuses
Anyone who has even taken a glimpse at online casinos will see there is a myriad of bonuses and promotions to attract new players. The fine print to these offers will determine how much of your winnings you will actually see. As they say, there is no free lunch. A good online casino may not offer the highest bonus but if you compare their bonus terms with other casino offers, you will most likely find that these offers balance out. We hope this guide has helped you understand how casino bonuses work so you can go in informed!
More Info on Casino Bonuses
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I've been working in the online casino landscape in Malta for more than 10 years and have seen how the industry works from customer service roles to the backend of the business. While I am lucky enough to call myself a native on the sunny island called Malta, I also enjoy travelling and have travelled across Canada! After wandering through the great white north, I have decided to share my knowledge and now work with Canadian players to compile accurate casino reviews to help players navigate through the hundreds of gaming sites online.