No Deposit Bonus – Free Money or Not?

Hi guys, I wanted to share a bit about one of the more interesting bonuses (at least for me) in the gambling world. It’s not the best out there offer-wise, but it has its perks…sort of. I am talking about the no deposit bonus. Some casinos have it, some don’t, but have ever wondered what exactly this bonus stands for?

To put it simply, a no deposit bonus is a sort of “free money” that online casino gives you, once you register an account at their place. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to reach out for your credit card, nor do you have to make any deposit for that matter. Your only “investment” is time. According to almost all casinos, this is considered free money with no deposit required. Sounds cool, right?

Well, don’t get carried away just yet, man. These online casinos are smart cats. No deposit bonuses are almost always made of casino bonus funds and not actual money. These funds often come in the form of free spins and rarely bonus money. Some casinos offer like 20 free spins (which is some standard, I guess), but some casinos are more generous and offer players even 50 free spins.The main catch is that you must spend this bonus inside the online casino itself, and you can’t withdraw it as soon as you get it. Casinos are not that dumb, and you’ll have to “work” hard for your meal, sort of speak. There are various ways they “sabotage” you from making a big win.

Attached to this bonus are the good old T&C’s that force players to fulfil usually high wagering requirements. Also, there is a cap on how much money you can win with no deposit bonus. This number rarely exceeds €100, depending on the casino. This way they prevent you from ripping them off. Sometimes, you must get a promo code or referral and only then you can sign up for a no deposit bonus.

As you can see, no deposit bonus is more of a marketing stunt online casinos employ to attract new players, than a good way to make some serious money. Yes, you get some action here but don’t expect anything big from it. I mean, it is a nice way for players to get to know the casino, try different games and feel how real gambling looks like, but that’s all. On the other hand, casinos are counting on the players that don’t read the small print and only see the “free money” sign, because those players tend to stay at the casino and after a while, start playing with real money.

Sorry to disappoint you, boys and girls, but no deposit bonuses are not real money. I like to look at them as merely a chance to get a sneak peek preview of an online casino, risk-free.