One of the best things about playing at an online casino, as opposed to a bricks-and-mortar casino, is the fact that players can cash in on a variety of bonuses and promotions.
Of all the casino bonuses there is one in particular which remains the most popular and most rewarding – the casino welcome bonus.
If you're unsure of what a casino welcome bonus is, where to find one or how to use one, then you're in the right place! On this page, you can find out everything you need to know about casino welcome bonuses.
What Is a Welcome Bonus?
A casino welcome bonus is a reward offered to new players when they sign up to a casino. It serves as an incentive to join one casino over another and, thanks to the competitive nature of the online gambling industry, this means that welcome bonuses can be very lucrative.
Usually, a casino welcome bonus will be either awarded upon registration or after the player makes their first deposit at the site.
There are many different types of welcome bonuses around, yet generally, they will include either a sum of bonus cash or a certain amount of free spins. What's more, they're usually the biggest bonuses a casino will offer.
Casino Welcome Bonuses – Key Facts
- Welcome bonuses are given to new players at online casinos
- Welcome bonuses can be sizeable and very rewarding
- Welcome bonuses can only be claimed once, and only by a player who has never registered at the casino before
- Common types of welcome bonuses include free spins, cash match bonuses and no deposit bonuses
Why Claim a Welcome Bonus?
We all know that playing at a casino is an expensive hobby, especially if you need to shop around for a new site. This is why welcome bonuses are so useful, as they give you a little (or a lot) more cash to spend on your favourite games.
Simply put, players claim welcome bonuses so that they have more money to play with. Moreover, as welcome bonuses can be very rewarding, this allows you to play for longer.
Some welcome bonuses may even double or triple your bankroll!
Welcome bonuses may also show you that the online casino you've chosen values you as a player. In fact, welcome bonuses can serve as a sort of litmus-test – they'll help you work out whether or not a casino will be generous in the future and, ultimately, whether the site is worth joining.
Why Wouldn't You Claim a Welcome Bonus?
Some casino players may be hesitant to pick up a welcome bonus or they might simply opt out of the whole situation entirely. These players decide to do so due to the strict terms and conditions that welcome bonuses can be tied to.
Below, we've listed some of the terms and conditions that may affect whether or not a picking up a welcome bonus is worthwhile.
Wagering Requirements
A wagering requirement is a multiplier which is tied to a bonus, e.g 20x. It represents the number of times you need to play through the bonus before you are able to withdraw any winnings.
So, for example, if you pick up a welcome bonus worth £10 which is tied to wagering requirements of 20x, you'll need to spend £200 at the casino in order to make a withdrawal.
Expiration Dates
Most welcome bonuses will need to be used within a certain period of time. Within this time, players will also need to clear the wagering requirements if they want to have access to their winnings.
The period of time will vary from casino to casino but, in general, welcome bonuses will expire within 7-30 days. Naturally then, it makes little sense to pick up a welcome bonus if you know you won't have enough spare time to play at the casino within the time period.
At the end of the day, casinos are businesses and therefore they can't just be handing out free cash to anyone and everyone. So, to ensure that they do actually attract players who will spend money at their site in the future, they make sure their welcome bonuses are tied to specific terms and conditions.
I love placing bets and spinning slots so I love picking up bonuses too. GoWin never fails to point me in the right direction when I’m looking for a new casino with a new deal.
Types of Welcome Bonuses
Different casinos will offer different types of welcome bonuses. Below we've highlighted three of the most common types of welcome bonuses at online casinos.
Deposit Match Bonus
A deposit match bonus is the most widely offered type of welcome bonus. Also known as a cash match bonus, it will normally be advertised as a percentage, e.g ‘100% Welcome Bonus for New Players up to £200'.
In the example above, the bonus means that your deposit will be matched at 100%, up to a maximum of £200. So, for example, deposit £20 and you'll have £40 to play with.
Free Spins Bonus
Another common type of welcome bonus is a free spins bonus. This is pretty self-explanatory – the casino offers you a certain amount of free spins on a slot machine game.
At some casinos, you may be able to use welcome bonus free spins on any video slot, whilst at others, the free spins may only be redeemable on certain slot games.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus is considered by many to be the holy grail of casino welcome bonuses.
As its name suggests, this is a type of welcome bonus which isn't dependent on a deposit. Instead, the casino rewards you simply for signing up to their site.
As no deposit bonuses are given out without requiring you to make a deposit, they're usually much smaller in size than cash match bonuses. Therefore, a no deposit bonus could be £5 free or 10 free spins, for example.
How to Find Casino Welcome Bonuses
Finding a casino welcome bonus isn't a difficult task, as online casinos generally advertise them in huge letters on their homepage. However, finding a good casino welcome bonus is a little more challenging.
In order to find the best casino welcome bonuses, you can use GoWin. We're always on the hunt for new casino welcome bonuses and, when we find a good one, we'll tell you all about it. Basically, we do all the hard work so you don't have to!
With that in mind, why not check out some of GoWin's casino reviews or bonus code guides. Here you can find all the need-to-know information about a specific casino's welcome bonus, including:
- Exactly what welcome bonus the casino is offering
- How to claim that specific welcome bonus
- What wagering requirements and other terms and conditions are attached to the welcome bonus