The 10 Commandments of Casino Bonuses
By Ramona Depares
The best online casinos invariably offer a host of bonuses and promotions. With so many to choose from, and so many pesky terms and conditions attached, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed.
For this reason, some players shy away from seeking out new bonuses, simply because they’re worried they may bite off more than they can chew. Or that the deal that looks like it’s too good to be true, in fact, is too good to be true.
But this is not a good reason to miss out on the multitude of excellent deals offered by our top-rated online casinos. Join us as we uncover the tips and tricks to bear in mind when claiming a casino offer and which terms to watch out for so that you can enjoy a super gambling experience with your bonus money.
Commandment 1 – Read the terms and conditions of the bonus
We can’t stress this hard enough. No matter which top online casinos you’re playing at, it’s crucial to read the terms and conditions of the bonus. They’re there for a reason so that when you’re enjoying your favourite games you don’t come across any unexpected surprises.
This doesn’t mean that you need to memorize every single sentence, but it’s always good to make sure you understand the main elements of the terms. You will usually find these very clearly listed right underneath the bonus itself, or maybe as a link with the words ‘terms and conditions apply’. Make it part of your responsible gambling routine to give the terms a quick look; at Minimum Deposit Casinos we always try to simplify life for you by pointing out the important ones. We’ll go into more detail about these right below.
Commandment 2 – Check that you have the minimum deposit required
Few things are worse than having the excitement of finding some cool, new online casinos that offer a generous bonus upon sign-up – only to discover too late that you didn’t qualify for the bonus. Unless you’re lucky enough to find a no-deposit bonus, the vast majority of sign-up offers will require that you make a minimum deposit before you can claim the bonus.
The amount that you’ll need to deposit varies according to the casino. Low-rollers will find an excellent range of $1 deposit casino sites recommended here, like 7Bit and Katsubet. If you’re up to spending more, sites like Royal Vegas and Captain Spins have some excellent $5 casino bonuses, while others go up to $10 deposit casino and even more.
Whichever one you choose, you’re guaranteed a lucrative reward, as long as you make sure that you’re meeting the minimum deposit requirement.
Commandment 3- Check the duration of the bonus
Different online casinos have different expiry terms for their bonuses and there are two terms that you need to look out for here. The first is how much time you have between the time you set up your account and the time you make your first deposit. Typically, low-deposit casinos can give you anything between 24 hours to seven days to make your deposit, before the offer expires. Spin Casino, for example, gives you a generous seven days, as does Instaspin.
Once you’ve activated your bonus, you’ll also need to check out how long you have to use it. Again, timeframes vary wildly, from 24 hours up to 30 days. And if the bonus includes both a match deposit and free spins, some online casinos will have different expiry terms for each. Instaspin, for instance, gives you a full 30 days to use your bonus cash. However, each batch of free spins must be used within 24 hours.
Commandment 4 – Check out the game the bonus applies to
Neither free spins nor bonus cash can be used on whichever games you please. In the case of free spins, even the best online casinos will typically limit you to one specific slot or a small selection. Betvictor, for example, is particularly generous and will allow you to use your spins on three different slots – Big Bass Splash, Big Bass Amazon Xtreme and Rise of Giza PowerNudge, all Pragmatic Play heavyweights. Some sites like Wildz prefer to assign a pokie at their discretion, so it all depends on the luck of the draw.
As for match deposit bonuses, these can typically be used on the vast majority of slots. However, check the terms for the list of games that are not eligible. Some NetEnt titles and other progressive jackpots are usually excluded. If you attempt to use your bonus money on a game that’s not eligible you risk forfeiting your bonus, so it’s definitely not worth the risk.
Commandment 5 – Understand the wagering requirement of the bonus
Some players will tell you that this is the most important condition of all. Put simply, the wagering requirement (WR) is the number of times you’ll need to play through your bonus before you can cash out the winnings. This usually is between 30x at the most generous low-deposit casinos, but it can go up to 50x or more.
How does it work? Let’s say you deposit $10 and receive $10 in bonus cash at a WR of 30x. This means you need to wager $300 to meet playthrough and cash out. The sneaky part? Keep an eye on whether the WRs apply both to bonus money and deposit. In the above example, if the WR applies to both you’ll need to wager $600 for a playthrough, so the detail is very important.
Commandment 6 – Consider the payment and withdrawal options
So you’ve checked all those pesky terms and you’re all raring to claim your bonus at one of the best online casinos. Not so fast – banking options are not officially part of bonus T&Cs, but they’re just as important. Before committing, make sure that the site offers a deposit and withdrawal method that suits you. You will usually find a list under the Payment Options menu or in the general terms.
Look for a variety of payment options that include e-wallets, traditional banking and prepaid cards. Ideally, your chosen deposit method should also be available for withdrawal, so as to simplify the cash-out process. Finally, don’t forget to check the payment timeframes. Some methods like e-wallets can give you instant cashouts, but credit cards and bank transfers always take longer.
Commandment 7 – Check the reputation of the online casino
Before committing to new online casinos, you should make sure that this is a reputable brand that will keep your funds and your data secure. You will gain valuable information by checking the best casino reviews on Minimum Deposit Casinos, as we have a team of experts focused exclusively on testing gambling sites so as to deliver a comprehensive and honest verdict.
It’s also useful to get into the habit of checking the social media sites of online casinos, together with player forums on Reddit and the like. Finally, scroll to the bottom of the page and make sure that your chosen gambling site is licensed by a reputable regulator, such as Curacao eGaming or the Malta Gaming Authority.
Does it sound like too much work? Worry not. All the low-deposit casinos you find recommended here have already passed our strict standards as we’ve carried out extensive research into their reputation. So you can go ahead and play with full peace of mind.
Commandment 8 –Test out a demo game first
Not quite sure whether the game experience justifies the deposit? We’ve got a solution for you – test out a demo game to be able to gauge whether this is the right gambling site for you. Although you won’t be able to cash out winnings on demo games, the experience is still valuable because you get a taste of what the site can offer, and you also get some practice on the games. Pro tip: do this both on your desktop and from your mobile device, so you can get a feel for the whole experience.
Commandment 9 –Make sure you have your documents ready
The top-rated online casinos nowadays have a checklist of documents that they ask for. This isn’t because they’re snooping, but because the law requires that they carry out a Know Your Customer (KYC) process so as to eliminate the possibility of identity fraud or money laundering.
When signing up for new online casinos, you’ll need to show proof of identity, such as a passport, as well as proof of address, like a utility bill or government correspondence. For particularly large deposits or withdrawals you might also be asked for proof of earnings, to show that your income is obtained legitimately.
If you fail to verify your identity you won’t be able to cash out your winnings, so make sure you’re good and ready with documents when these are asked for.
Commandment 10 –Signing up is easy
Finally, once you’ve ticked all the above boxes, you’re ready to sign up for your chosen online casino and claim that bonus. This is the easiest part of all, as it only takes a few minutes. The best online casinos have simplified the process and made it very user-friendly so that you’ll be in the casino lobby playing your favourite real money games in no time. Here’s what you need to do:
- Follow the link from our review and click the green ‘Join Now’ or ‘Get Bonus’ buttons.
- Fill in the requested details, including name, surname, date of birth, address and telephone number.
- Pick a password and store it safely.
- Choose your preferred deposit method from the pop-up window.
- Make sure to make a minimum deposit that qualifies you for the bonus.
- Confirm any payment verification details requested – these will depend on the method you choose.
- Navigate to the games section and start enjoying your bonus cash and spins.
Latest Casino News
