No Deposit Bonuses' Plentiful Days Are Over

These days, more and more online casino players predict the imminent disappearance of no deposit bonuses. iGaming is a relatively young industry that emerged in the mid-1990s, therefore a great many active gamblers sure remember how it all started and how awesome bonuses in general were at that time.

Indeed, it is natural to become nostalgic for promotions offered by gaming websites just a bit more than two decades ago. Back then, deposit-match deals were very easy to beat and no deposit goodies came in abundance. Many thought it could last forever, but things change, sometimes too quickly.

No Deposit Bonuses Have Almost Vanished. But Why?

In the early days of online casinos, players enjoyed more freedom than we can only dream of now. However, it is in human nature to interpret loose regulations to one's advantage and seek to find and exploit every single loophole in the rules. At that time, gambling platforms did not have multi-page terms and conditions with tons of fine print to read and process, leaving plenty of room for bonus abuse.

Punters massively used low wagering requirements to beat deposit-match offers regardless of the game they played, but it was nothing compared to bonuses they received without the need to make even a minimum deposit. Such freebies were claimed one after another, often many times in a row without funding an account with real money. Not to mention fake accounts that were registered with the same website to claim multiple welcome treats or other rewards.

Plus, do not forget that back then, a playthrough was low and easy to reach also on ND perks, which made them an ideal target for all styles of bonus hunters. Conceived by casinos as a powerful promotional tool able to help expand their player base and increase revenue, no deposit bonuses suddenly became the exact opposite of what they were created to be.

Instead of celebrating bigger revenue and a constant flow of new loyal customers, gambling brands ended up with an army of advantage players who did not care about the long-term mutually beneficial relations that the former tried to build with all their clients. As a result, it did not take long for casinos to realize the risks of their cordiality and kindness and learn how to protect their business from going bust.

Of course, they did not stop offering bonuses, they just significantly tightened the rules on promotions and meticulously described the terms “bonus abuse” and “irregular play” in their policies. In short, that is why nowadays, we have few truly lucrative offers to claim and endless rows of fine print to read.

But the hardest hit were no deposit bonuses - many gambling websites simply moved away from providing these sought-after incentives. Today, only 10% of all Vegas-style platforms present on a global iGaming scene can let their patrons take advantage of ND goodies. Statistically, one in ten, but when you add country restrictions and other hitches, the number of online casinos available to a specific player is rather limited.

No Deposit Bonuses As We Know Them Today

Despite the tightened rules and everything mentioned above, no deposit bonuses retain their huge popularity among online casino players. Whatever new perks are offered to modern gamblers, the vast majority of them still consider freebies that do not require a deposit their best bet.

Indeed, ND bonuses have obvious advantages and no drawbacks – it is hard to imagine what could possibly go wrong when you play with casino money. Certain gaming platforms will still allow you to gamble and, most importantly, win without spending a dime of your own funds.

Naturally, you cannot make history and become a millionaire but pocketing $100, $200, and even bigger amounts is quite real. The biggest part of the offers available today are no deposit spins while casino chips (bonus money) are less common. The most important thing in the modern world, however, is to be able to recognize a deal that is really worth the effort.

Sounds like a challenge?

No worries, read on to discover what is the fastest and simplest way to determine the best deals for you.

Identifying a Ripper of a No Deposit Bonus

No deposit bonuses are widely used to attract new patrons because, from a player's perspective, there is no better way to test a recently launched website than using a kind of free trial in the form of slot spins or casino chips. Needless to say, this type of promotion is a firm favorite of newbies who are still in search of their game.

Seasoned pros, however, also do not mind playing a couple of spins or poker hands without digging into their pockets. While experienced punters know exactly what to look at when choosing a promotion, those who are relatively new to the thrilling world of online entertainment may have a hard time reading the terms. That’s why we decided to dedicate some space on this page to bonus rules, offering a comprehensive explanation and discussing key points.

No Deposit Bonuses Unpacked

Bonuses that players can claim without making a deposit come either in the form of bonus money (often also called casino chips) or slot spins that always have a predefined value.

The size of a casino chip, as well as the number of extra spins, can vary greatly from one gambling website to another. But do not rush to claim the biggest reward without reading carefully its terms and conditions – the first impression is often very deceiving.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the matter and consider not only each element of the no deposit bonus separately but also their interaction. Armed with this knowledge, you will have no problem figuring out your perfect fit.

Game Availability

Players are often so obsessed with wagering requirements that they forget to check out the list of allowed games. Imagine their surprise when it turns out the bonus is intended for a single online slot.

Despite what you may think, the aforementioned situation is not extreme. Quite the contrary, bonus spins usually can be used on selected titles and it is not rare when the selection boils down to only one game.

Generally, there is no promotion valid for all titles featured in the lobby. Even offers advertised as “for all games” have their exceptions. That’s why it is of utmost importance to carefully read both the terms attached to the bonus and the website’s general bonus policy.

For instance, online slots enhanced with progressive jackpots can never be played with bonus funds, which, of course, is self-explanatory. The same situation is with virtual one-armed bandits that boast a really high RTP. Branded slots are often excluded from the rewarding scenario as well, however, it all depends on the specific website, software provider, and other factors.

Usually, the casino would provide a complete list of games prohibited for bonus play, you just need to glance at the T&Cs. For the convenience of users, many gambling platforms have protection against playing restricted games. If someone tries to launch a title from the prohibited list, the system will automatically deny access.

The big takeaway from all this is that if you are considering claiming a certain no deposit bonus, the first thing you should do is to make sure you will be able to play the game you want. Otherwise, you will just waste time on something you do not like and that is definitely far from being amusing.

Wagering Requirements

Oh, those wagering requirements - arguably the hottest topic in the world of online casinos. Seriously, how could they not be important if the possibility of cashing out your winnings depends on them?

Also called playthrough or rollover, wagering requirements are the way casinos secure themselves against a potential loss caused by their “generosity”. One does not have to be a math genius to understand a simple rule: the lower the WR, the higher the chances to complete them and pocket cash.

One glance at the bonuses listed below is enough to figure out that playthrough requirements for no deposit bonuses can be anything from zero to 100, but both values are, of course, extreme. Typically, you can expect a range between 25x and 40x, all that is below 25x is a great deal while a WR value of more than 50x is considered hard to reach.

Unsurprisingly, the rarest and most sought-after of all ND bonuses are offers that come with no strings attached. But guess what – here, at LCB, we have those precious gems too! When browsing our lengthy list of no deposit perks, use the Sort function to choose “With Min WR” and display wager-free bonuses first.

One more thing to keep in mind is that apart from the playthrough requirements themselves, you should also look for a game contribution, which can vary from 100% to 10% or even 0%. To sum up, your ideal no deposit bonus needs to have the lowest rollover possible while the game you are going to play should have the highest wagering contribution.

Maximum Bet Rule

Another important bonus term is the maximum bet rule. There is no online casino that does not set limits for the size of individual stakes, the only question is how high or low the cap would be.

At the majority of gambling websites, $5 is the limit when you play with bonus money, however, it is not rare to see max bets of $3 and even $1. On the bright side, there are platforms where punters can wager $10 per spin or hand. Also, even though you won’t see that often, some casinos set different maximum bets for different games, so, we cannot repeat this enough, reading the terms and conditions is a must.

Similar to the case with restricted games, some operators have protection against overbetting where the system cancels the wager, which is too high, automatically. More often, however, it is left to a player to ensure their bets do not exceed the established limits.

Maximum Cashout

Finally, we get to the question of all questions of the entire concept of bonuses – withdrawal of winnings. Newbies are often skeptical about whether it is even possible to get cash without spending a dime of their own money. Indeed, why would casinos give away presents to the left and the right?

Well, like every other business, online gaming operators do not mind investing some money to attract new customers. However, they know exactly what they can afford and what not, hence they gladly let patrons pocket their winnings but up to a certain amount – a fair deal for both parties.

Again, the maximum cashout limit can vary greatly from one place to another, typically starting at $50 and going up to $200, sometimes even higher. Of course, you will also come across offers with lower caps such as $20 and then, it all depends on the wagering requirements. If they are high, then this is one of those low-value bonuses that are not worth the effort. But if rollover is on the lower side, then it is a bonus to consider.

While plentiful days of no deposit bonuses are definitely over, players still have ample opportunities to benefit from these great rewards. The difference between then and now, however, is that today’s punter needs to be well-versed in the matter to know which offer to claim and which one to skip.