Familiarize Yourself with No Deposit Bonuses

Avid casino-goers and online gambling enthusiasts have, at some point, encountered one of the most frequently used incentives to lure in new players: no deposit bonuses (NDBs). These exist for the purpose of motivating players to start wagering because, once they get a taste of the action, most will choose to join the flock of casino punters for good. As these bonuses do offer free value – because players don’t have to deposit any cash in order to play – winning money without actually taking any risk is a hard to resist temptation. However, in some instances, casinos may not cash out the winnings unless players do make a deposit, so getting to know each casino’s terms and conditions is a must.

Also, in some cases, taking advantage of an NDB may prevent you from utilizing a, usually much more lucrative, deposit bonus – because once you use the freebie, you are no longer regarded as a new player. Again, this varies from casino to casino, so it is important to understand what you’re dealing with beforehand. The best way to go about them is using them only if there is the option of claiming a deposit-based offer afterwards.

Never forget that, in the gaming business, no casino is overjoyed to just give away money for free. Never lose sight of the fact that it’s casinos who are making the money. Therefore, offers not requiring a deposit often have very little real value attached to them.

While there are many terms & conditions applicable worldwide and each site has a variation of those to meet their specific standards, these can be narrowed down to a couple of shared points. First off, there is a rule that applies to maximum withdrawals: the majority of online casinos have an upper limit for the amount of cash that can be won and then withdrawn after playing the NDB. Usually, this amount tops out at about $50. These types of bonuses will almost never get you winnings equal to the cash out, and deposit bonuses will fare much better in that respect.

Secondly, if you use your NDB, you will not be given any other welcome bonus; at least that’s what the scenario is for most casinos, but you might be luckier playing somewhere where this rule does not apply. Thirdly, even though NDBs have “no deposit” in their name, the truth does not always match the moniker. In certain online casinos, a deposit must be made in order to withdraw winnings earned in from the bonus. This seemingly paradoxical rule actually makes sense: just think of the hypothetical situation in which players register, get their NDB, do not deposit any money, get some winnings and simply never return. That wouldn’t do casinos any good, would it?

As you will have surely noticed, NDBs come in many forms, but most of them are associated solely with slot games. Those that may be used on slot or keno games often have lower wagering requirements than those which can be used toward, let’s say, table games.

What is also worth noting is that some sites will offer the freebie in other forms, a sort of disguised version. These can either be free spin bonuses, which allow players to have a certain number of free spins used on one or a few designated slot games. Free spins, just like standard NDBs, will only allow a maximum amount of winnings to be withdrawn after completion of the bonus and, more often than not, it is required to make a deposit to withdraw those winnings.

An increasing number of online casinos have slot tournaments that are free for everyone and any cash prize won in these tournaments is cashed out as a NDB. A deposit is needed for withdrawing winnings, and playthrough requirements are tough, so make sure you understand them before enrolling in one of these.

To conclude, the bonuses requiring no deposit are a neat thing and a fine motivation for new players, but let’s not get carried away by their value, as the truth often lurks beneath the surface. If you are a low-budget player or just want a quick taste of a casino before heading out, these are a real treat. But always bear in mind, that playthrough requirements, and terms & conditions are always set in favor of the casino (understandably so) in such a way that members must keep playing until they’ve lost all their bonus funds or until they meet the withdrawal requirements.

What are your experiences with these types of promos? Do you vote yay or nay when it comes to using them? Let us know in the comments.

Source:

"Guide to No-Deposit Bonuses", James Brandon, wizardofodds.com August 29th, 2017.