What You Need to Know about No Deposit Bonuses

Gambling can be tricky, with results varying from stunning success to losing every spin. However, one way to enjoy potential winnings without depositing a single cent is by taking advantage of a no deposit bonus. Essentially, and precise details vary from one casino to the next, players get free credits or spins to play online games/slots. Sound too good to be true? Well, no, but there are some things worth knowing. Read on to learn more.

What are No Deposit Bonuses?

Basically, a no deposit bonus is a free giveaway to new players. How it works is usually that a player with a code (perhaps found on the casino's own promotions page or through a review site) takes advantage of creating a new account, entering the code (or taking whatever steps are necessary to activate the promotion) and the account, even with zero cash deposited, will be credited with a certain number of free spins or free plays of a certain game (or set of games). In addition to free credit or free spins, another type of no deposit bonus is a small amount of free cash to play with.

Can the Bonus be Withdrawn?

Yes and no. You can't sign up, activate the account, and then withdraw the cash value of the bonus. But if you win on the participating games you will then be able to withdraw your winnings. It's worth reading the fine print because there can often be a certain set of requirements (for example, you'll probably have to spin a certain number of slots rather than just the once). Any winnings, of course, could also be used to continue playing the games. The downside is that the requirements can be relatively hefty, exceeding several times over the value of the free bonus (so a $50 bonus might require that $1,000 worth of spins take place). There can also be limits on the amount you can withdraw. For the general free cash bonus, you will almost always still have to wager a certain amount of money, so the same kind of restriction applies here.

Are No Deposit Bonuses for New Players Only?

By and large. The idea is to entice potential new gamblers by giving away the opportunity to dip your toe into the water and play some games without risking any actual money. Occasional or habitual gamblers have already dipped said toe, so the casino doesn't stand to persuade a potential gambler into becoming an actual one by offering this sort of giveaway to existing players. That said, it's always worth keeping your eyes open for promotions such as match deposit offers, loyalty bonuses and so on. Cashback bonuses for current gamblers can happen, but these amount to a percentage of your losses over the long term, mitigating an unlucky gambler's losses.

What Sort of No Deposit Bonus Should I Pick?

It depends a lot on what your intentions are. If you want to get some free spins, hopefully win, then cash out and never play again, you're likely best off focusing not on the bonus value but the lowest playthrough requirements. If you're planning on playing a lot (perhaps you already play slots/games with another casino and have seen an offer from a new site) then you might prefer to opt for the highest value bonus so you have more time to test out the casinos.