As a new player, it is easy to be blinded by the appeal of a seemingly high-value bonus. Join us as we investigate how to choose a promotion that will offer you the best value and most entertainment.
One of the most popular questions in the online gambling community is "how do I find the best casino bonus?". On the surface, this seems like a simple question and would appear to have a simple answer. Despite what you might think, this is one of those times when bigger is not always better.
This article will walk you through the most important criteria for selecting the right bonus for your needs. We aim to help you play the games you love, give you the most playtime regardless of your budget and ensure that you optimise how much you can withdraw versus how much you need to deposit.
Always Choose a Licensed Online Casino
The online casino space is incredibly attractive to new players. With the amount of competition in the market, brands offer amazing big-ticket promotions in the hopes of pulling large numbers of new customers.
In this case, the trick to successfully choosing the best online casino is not to become blinded by the size of the promotion. To ensure that you can trust the casino to honour your withdrawals, always provide accurate game results and deliver on their promise of fair play, we recommend only playing with regulated online casinos.
The leading licensed casinos are often regulated by multiple recognised gambling jurisdictions such as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), and the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen).
As part of their licensing agreement, the casino will have to prove they can meet all financial responsibilities such as withdrawals, submit their company documentation for review, and verify their game results by a third-party auditing firm.
Best of all, should you have a query that the casino does not address to your satisfaction, there are these government committees you can reach out to for additional insights and support.
The Software Provider Safety Net
Another option to keep in mind when looking to join a new online casino and claim their bonuses is what software providers they have agreements with. Industry leaders like Microgaming, NetEnt, and Evolution Gaming hold their licensing agreements with the regulators we just discussed.
To protect their licenses, these casino game providers will only allow regulated casinos with good reputations to offer their games to players. Once again, this adds another layer of security as you can trust the game results and payout percentages to be accurate.
This trust is vital as you begin to play through your bonus to meet its wagering requirements. It also ensures you have the best statistical chance of winning a jackpot.
Why Casino Game Selection Matters
When new players choose a casino bonus, they often neglect to read the promotion terms to see which games are eligible. This selection is an essential consideration for two reasons: entertainment and efficiency.
While gambling online does have a financial aspect, it is first and foremost a form of entertainment. Nothing is more soul-destroying than being forced to play a game you do not enjoy. For example, if you love table games like blackjack and roulette, having to play slots for hours just to claim a bonus will rob you of any joy gaming typically brings you.
Some games also do not count towards the casino bonus terms. Playing the wrong type of game could mean you spend an entire session at the casino without getting any closer to being able to withdraw your profits. It is an inefficient way to play because this puts you at risk of losing it all on an unlucky streak or running out the clock on the promotion.
The Real Impact of Wagering Requirements
In most cases, wagering requirements, also called playthrough requirements, will be stated as ranging from 20 times up to 40 times. Believe it or not, the multiplier is not the most crucial part of the wagering requirement. What matters most is which values are being multiplied.
The best online casinos will always only require you to wager a multiple of what they give you, which would be the bonus amount. There are, however, some gambling sites that sneak in the words "deposit plus bonus". Those who are underhanded will go a step further, only using the letters "D+B".
Let's look at what this means using the simple example of a €100 deposit on a 100% match bonus offer with a wagering requirement of 30x.
Bonus Only:
Deposit + Bonus:
Remember that you cannot request a withdrawal until you satisfy the playthrough requirements. In the second scenario, you are penalised for spending money at the casino. Loyalty should be rewarded, not penalised.
Losing Money on Withdrawal Limitations
Withdrawal limits are a relatively new addition to the world of online casinos. They first came into play when casinos handed out large numbers of No Deposit Bonuses, and players began winning large sums of money without having to first make a deposit.
Their first attempt to limit their losses involved instituting a minimum deposit. Doing so meant that free bonuses could be claimed and used, but players would need to deposit anything from €10 up to €50 before being able to withdraw. While this limited many small winners, it did not dissuade players who were winning big jackpots. They made the nominal deposit, withdrew their profits, and never returned to the casino.
These continued losses led to the implementation of withdrawal limits. Remember to review this term each time you claim any promotion, as it will determine how much you can cash out.
A practical example would be a €10 free no deposit bonus with a maximum withdrawal limit of €100. While this sounds good, most rewards encourage you to play video slots where you can win thousands of Euros from one lucky spin. Should this happen, you can still only withdraw €100. Players have won mega jackpots playing with free money and lost any right to claim their windfall.
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