Across the US, the popularity of online casinos has skyrocketed, as more platforms rush to offer real-money gaming experiences in legal gambling states.
As competition heats up, some platforms are going all out in the race to attract new customers. One of the main ways that casinos are raising the stakes in this regard is through free welcome bonuses to new members.
With these, customers are offered free games, free casino credit, and free slot spins in exchange for creating an account with a specific platform. While this all might sound pretty generous, it is important to know exactly what you are getting. With that in mind, here are the key terms you need to understand when hunting for free casino welcome bonuses.
No deposit bonus
For seasoned casino gamers, the so-called “no deposit bonus” is often considered to be the holy grail of welcome offers. This is because they are, by definition, bonuses that do not require you to make a deposit with your own cash in order to access them.
However, it is important to read the small print so that you know exactly what you are signing up for. As this expert guide to free spins for US gamblers explains, a no deposit bonus will often have less value than a deposit-based bonus and will usually have stricter eligibility requirements attached.
Withdrawal fee
A casino bonus might seem like free cash but doesn’t mean you won’t have to pay. Many casinos will allow you to make deposits of your own cash for free, but charge a fee on withdrawals. This is often the case with withdrawals of bonus winnings, for which the casino might charge a 2% fee on all transactions. In order to stay on top of your expenditures at the casino, make sure to read up on how much you can expect to pay to get your winnings into your bank account.
Wagering requirement
The wagering requirement of a bonus describes how much of your own cash you will have to wager in order to withdraw any winnings accrued from your welcome bonus. For example, a casino might offer a $200 welcome bonus, subject to a 25x wagering requirement. In this case, you would need to wager the equivalent of 25 times the value of the bonus before you could withdraw any winnings from that bonus. This one often catches casino players short, so always check the wagering requirement before you sign up.
Withdrawal method eligibility
These days, Americans use a wide range of online and mobile payment apps, such as Apple Pay, Venmo, or PayPal. Your choice of payment method could affect the bonuses you are entitled to. In some casinos, welcome bonuses are only available to users of specific payment platforms. In order to get the most value for money from any casino welcome offer, you might even want to consider downloading an eligible payment method before you create an account.
When it comes to casino freebies, knowledge is power. When you know these essential casino bonus terms, you can shop around for a welcome offer that suits you and your bankroll.
