No Deposit Bonuses Explained

Online casinos, vying for players in a competitive market, offer promotions to entice you into making your first deposit. No-deposit bonuses are one such offer. With these, the casino gives you free money—called bonus credit or bonus funds—or free spins to try their games, before asking for any deposit of your own.

But don’t get carried away. Claiming a no-deposit casino bonus comes with baggage, including wagering requirements and cash-out limits that make it hard to turn that initial bonus into real withdrawable cash without spending your own money.

How No Deposit Bonuses Work

No deposit bonuses come in the form of bonus credit, free spins, or both. The bonus is added to your account automatically after sign-up or when you enter a bonus code at registration or in the cashier.

But before you withdraw your bonus winnings, you must wager the bonus funds to meet the website’s requirements. Only then can you withdraw real money.

The bonus money cannot be wagered freely. Casinos require you to roll over the bonus amount, often a multiple of what you were awarded. So, if you accept $25 in bonus funds with a 40x wagering requirement, you must bet $1,000 in total before the bonus turnover is complete.

No-deposit casino bonuses are often small. They are usually a modest free chip or a batch of free spins with a cashout cap. So if free spins win $180 and the cap is $100, the most you can withdraw is $100. Free play at a small stake never guarantees a large payout.

The Catches in the Terms

Game restrictions are the next catch.

Some no deposit casino bonuses can only be used on a limited number of games, usually the slots. Table games such as blackjack, which have a lower house edge, are often excluded or count less toward wagering.

Sometimes, casinos give no deposit bonuses called “free spins” or “free bets”. These are usually limited to one or a few games and come with limits that restrict when and how you can use your winnings.

Most offers are limited to one per person, household or IP address, and casinos check this during identity verification before a withdrawal.

Worked Example

Consider a casino that gives you a $25 free chip with a 40x wagering requirement.

If you play slots with a 100% wagering contribution, the wagering requirement is 40 x $25 = $1,000. This means you must place $1,000 of bets under the bonus to withdraw any winnings. If you win, you cannot withdraw the bonus. Only the profit above the bonus amount is withdrawable.

Another example: free spins win $180, and the terms set a $100 cashout cap. Winnings from the spins usually land in a bonus balance with their own wagering, and even after that is cleared, the most you can withdraw is $100.

Who Can Use These Offers

State-licensed online casinos operate in only a handful of US states and require players to be 21 or older; offshore sites that accept US players are not licensed in the US. Most no deposit bonuses end with a zero balance, so treat one as a free way to try a site rather than a way to make money.

What to Check Before Claiming

While the no deposit bonus might draw you in, the terms are the most crucial part. Sometimes, if you make a cash-out request before completing all your wagering, the bonus and any winnings will be removed from your account, and you won’t get a chance to withdraw any money at all.

The maximum cash-out amount, the list of what qualifies for wagering, and bonus expiration dates are vital to read and understand. If you aren't using your bonus, make sure to opt out before it expires.