Online gambling is no longer a niche activity. Everyone who has an interest in casino games has either checked it out or is about to check it out. It doesn’t matter what category you belong to because the appeal of casino bonus no deposit free spins is the same across the board. Online casino bonuses are perhaps the biggest advantage over land-based gambling. You get to play with added funds to your bankroll, something that doesn’t happen in brick-and-mortar casinos, ever.
The UK has been a global hub for casino gambling since the very beginning. It’s also one of the pioneers when it comes to online gambling. As a result, you can find plenty of online casinos that are based in the UK. Or, at least, it accepts players from the country. This post is dedicated to UK casino players who’re looking for the best bonuses. We’re going to share some insights on how different bonuses work and how you can determine whether the bonus is good for you or not.
Understanding the Terms and Conditions Before the Bonus
The most rookie mistake is overlooking the terms and conditions of a casino bonus. It’s completely normal because we’re hard-wired to look at the numbers instead of texts. As soon as we see a number that blows our minds, we try to claim that.
But when it comes to promotions at an online casino, you can’t go based on the casino bonus value. Rather, you need to look beyond the terms and conditions. It’s the terms that are going to make or break the bonus for you.
- Wagering requirements
- Max bet restrictions
- Game eligibility
- Expiry date
- Maximum winning
- Wagering contribution
Wagering Requirements
The wagering requirements are perhaps the most common terms. Every single bonus you can think of is bound by wagering requirements. If you actually want to use the bonus, you must complete the wagering first. The term “wagering” refers to spending real money on casino games. And in the case of sports betting, it means placing bets. So, “wagering requirements” refers to how much you need to spend on casino games. Only when the requirements are met can you withdraw the bonus from an online casino.
For example, if you get a no deposit bonus worth £100, the terms and conditions section for that bonus should mention the wagering requirements. Let’s assume it’s a 40x bonus. It means you need to spend 40 times the bonus value on games before you can withdraw the £100 bonus. If we do a little maths, we get (£100×40) or £4,000 in real money.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do the calculations manually. Most casino brands have a wagering bar after you open a valid account. As you keep playing, the wagering bar will keep filling up. Once it’s full, you’re ready to withdraw.
A very important thing to keep in mind, in this case, is that you can’t request any withdrawal during the wagering period. If you do, you’ll lose the bonus.
Example:
- 40x wagering on £100 bonus = £4,000 wagering requirements.
- 40x wagering on £100 bonus + deposit (100% match) = £8,000 wagering requirements.
Max Bet
The fact that you have to wager money before you withdraw your bonus surely sounds doable, right? If you’re a high roller, £4,000 may not be a big deal for you. You make a couple of massive bets on your favourite games at the best payout online casino, and you’re good to go, right?
Well, hold your horses for a moment. The bonus paradigm is not as easy as you think. You can’t just bet however you like. Rather, your bets are limited to a maximum amount, known as “max bet”. In most cases, the maximum bet is limited to £5 only. So, to meet the £4,000 wagering requirement, you have to bet 800 times! As you may have guessed, it’s a very time-consuming process.
Now, the prospect of getting a £100 no deposit bonus doesn’t sound so appealing anymore, does it? In any case, you need to look for the max bet restriction, too, to find the best online casino bonus in the UK.
Unlike wagering requirements, you need to look for higher max bet restrictions. The bigger bet you place at dollar deposit casinos, the faster the wagering will complete. When you play free slot games, however, they don’t contribute at all.
Expiry Date/Deadline
The condition that binds the wagering requirement and max bet is the expiry date. Bonuses like free spins get a shorter expiry date simply because you can use them on a handful of games. And the expiry dates for other bonuses are generally longer.
The two main expiry date types are:
- Expiry date to use the bonus
- Expiry date to wager the bonus
From what we’ve seen, bonus spins are valid for up to 48 hours. Some casino brands even limit it to 24 hours. You must check the timeline right after you bet the bonus. Otherwise, the spins will expire without you even realising it.
The expiry for other bonuses is actually the expiry for wagering. You may get 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, or 90 days. At least, these are the most common ranges for wagering deadlines. Of course, every single online casino is different, and they’re free to choose their expiry as they see fit.
As a player, it’s your job to find the balance. You might be landing a massive wage in the UK, but if you only have 7 days to complete 40x wagering, that’s a lot of money! In that case, you either won’t be able to complete the wagering, or you have to stick to it day and night. None of the options seems very user-friendly to us.
Game Wagering Contribution
The maximum bet or the wagering requirements is not the end of restrictions when you deal with a bonus at an online casino. What games you can play during this period is also regulated by the operator. This is known as the game wagering contribution in the table.
In most cases, the casino website will include a table with game types and how much they contribute to wagering. In our experience, online slots almost always contribute 100%. It means if you bet £5 on a game, the entire amount will be reduced from your overall wagering requirement.
Speaking of slots, slotozilla.com/uk/ has a fascinating collection that you can check out right now. This is the best platform in the UK to play these games in demo modes. You can also learn about RTP, volatility, symbol payouts, and everything else that matters for your gambling experience.
The best way to approach this is to check the game library of the online casino you’re planning to claim the bonus. After you’re certain that the games will contribute 100% of the bet, play some of the available games at slotozilla.com/uk/. This will give you a good idea about which games you should play and how long it might take.
Here’s a demo table for wagering contributions on games.
| Game | Wagering Contribution |
|---|---|
| Slots | 100% |
| Table games (except roulette) | 20% |
| Roulette | 10% |
| Video poker | 5% |
| Live games | 0% |
Promo Codes
Although this is not something you’ll face daily, promo codes are a real thing in online casinos. These are unique codes that you need to enter on the casino website to unlock a bonus. If the casino requires it and you fail to comply, you won’t get the bonus. Thankfully, if there is a promo code that you need to use, you can find the information in the T&C section. It can either be the main T&C page or the smaller section under the bonus.
In most cases, the promo code field appears when you register your account. If you’re not aware of any promo codes at a brand, but you still see the field, it’s best to pause the registration process and check the website again. If you still can’t find any codes, the code may be for a unique bonus that only selected players get.
How do you know you’re a selected player, you ask? Well, if you are, the operator will send emails or SMSs to you once the promotion is launched. This usually happens when you spend a substantial amount of time with a brand.
Some examples of casino promo codes may look like below:
- WELCOME100
- 50FREESPINS
- CASHBACK20
- SPORTS100BET
Maximum Winning Potential
A very common form of bonus at online casinos is the deposit match. Whatever amount you deposit in your account, the operator matches to a certain percentage. If it says only “match”, it automatically refers to a 100% bonus. Needless to say, the bonus amount is capped at a value known as the casino’s maximum winning potential.
A 100% match bonus up to £200 is certainly better than a 500% match up to £100, right? This is another area where you need to use your judgement to find the best bonuses in the iGaming industry.
Best Online Casino Bonuses in the UK
Now that you know about all the terms and conditions that might come your way in the UK, it only makes sense to list the best possible bonuses, right?
- No deposit bonus. These bonuses are by far the most popular form of a bonus, and it’s not only in the UK. The fact that you don’t have to commit real money automatically makes this bonus very appealing. The wagering requirements for these bonuses are usually higher than normal.
- Welcome bonus. A welcome bonus is the very first casino reward a player secures with a brand. In most cases, it’s a deposit match bonus. The main requirement for these bonuses is that you first have to deposit a minimum amount to become eligible.
- Bonus spins. In most cases, the “bonus” part is replaced with “free”. This version of the casino bonus is extremely popular among players. You can only use them for mobile slots. The wagering requirement applies to the winnings you generate instead of the value of the spins.
- Cashback. Perhaps the only type of casino bonus that doesn’t have wagering requirements. It’s simply because cashbacks are credited based on losses on your account. If you had to spend even more money to unlock this casino bonus after sustaining a loss big enough to get this bonus, you wouldn’t be interested, would you?
Wapping Up
Online casino bonuses are one of the best ways to boost your bankroll when you start playing. But if you don’t know how to claim and release a bonus for withdrawal, you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and money. Hence, our efforts to create this guide. We strongly recommend that you go over this guide a few times and compare the casino bonus terms based on this. You’ll know exactly which bonus is worth your time and which is not.