With more competition appearing on the scene each month, online casinos' marketing departments must get imaginative while trying to attract new signups. One of their best tools is the no-deposit casino bonus, which offers players free money if they register for a casino account. No deposit bonuses are good for players because it lets them test a casino's games and software package without obligation.
Our guide to no-deposit bonus casinos describes how these promotions work, what games players can enjoy with free-play cash, and where you can find the best US no-deposit bonuses at the moment. If playing real money no-deposit casino games sounds good to you, keep reading.
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What Are No Deposit Bonus Casinos?
A no-deposit bonus casino is simply this: a site that offers free-play cash to players for signing up. It's a promotional tool designed to attract new players. Many US online casinos don't have any deposit bonuses, so don't expect to receive free money with every signup. Later, we'll point the way to the best no-deposit bonuses for American players. For now, let's discuss how deposit bonuses work.
- Register a New Account: First, you'll register for a player account. Complete the form with basic information like name, address, username, and email address.
- Verification Email: The site sends a verification email to your email address and you'll follow the link back to the site.
- Receive the Offer: Log in to your new account, receive your bonus cash and start a gaming session.
- Wagering Requirement: Like other bonus offers, free-play bonuses have a wagering requirement and other terms of use. Play with the free cash until the playthrough requirement is satisfied, then withdraw whatever cash remains.
How No Deposit Bonuses Work
- No Initial Deposit: Players don't have to make a deposit. They don't risk their cash at all. Play with the free money until the rollover requirement is completed.
- You'll Need a Player Account: Players don't have to incur obligations, except by signing up using a real email address. You'll receive promotional emails but can opt-out of emails later.
- You Can Win Real Cash: Not everyone will have winnings, but lucky players will win real money that they can cash out. Some sites have max cashouts. For instance, a max cashout of $200 means you could only win $200 with your bonus.
Different Types of No Deposit Bonuses
Online casinos offer different types of bonuses that don't require a deposit. It's a good idea to review these bonus types, so you can spot the no-deposit bonus when you encounter it. Some bonus types are more complicated than others, while some players won't view certain bonus types as this type of bonus at all.
- Bonus Money: The most common no-deposit bonus is where you receive free money. You'll start with cash in your account when you visit the cashier page. Play until the requirement is met. The best casinos keep track of your wagering requirements as you go.
- Free Spins: Many sites offer free spins instead of free cash. Free spins are great because it lets you test out featured online slots. Use your free spins, then see how much cash you have in your account once finished. These bonuses usually focus on slot games only.
- Cashback: Also called rebates or casino insurance, this lets you make a bet and provides bonus cash if you lose the bet. This cashback also has a wagering requirement but it's a way to make bonus wagers -- or at least wagers with much less risk than normal.
- Free Play: Players can test games and software without creating an account. The downside is that you can't win real cash while you play. Try free-play casino games simply by clicking on a game icon, then choosing "Practice Mode" instead of "Real Money" when prompted.
How to Claim a No Deposit Bonus
- Choose a Casino: Choose one of our recommended casinos in the table below. Please do some research first by reading our honest online casino reviews. Pick the bonus you want to start the bonus process.
- Register: Sign up at a casino to receive free cash. Register using your name, address, email address, username, and zip code. Signing up takes a handful of minutes at most.
- Claim the Bonus: The newest casinos place the bonus cash in your account automatically. Some of the older ones might require a bonus code or other action on your part. Navigate to the cashier or account page to claim your bonus.
Comparing Deposit Bonuses to No-Deposit Bonuses
Any casino bonus is welcomed by most players, but no-deposit casino bonuses are a special boon for several reasons. Here's a look at the differences (and similarities) between these two types of bonus types.
| DEPOSIT BONUS | NO DEPOSIT BONUS |
| Requires a cash deposit. | Requires a signup process only. |
| Bonus cash up to $10,000. | Bonus is usually $100 or less. |
| Has a wagering requirement. | Also has a wagering requirement. |
| Usually has no max cashout. | Might have a max cashout stipulation. |
Comparing No-Deposit Bonuses to Free Spins
Since free spins are the second-most common free bonus type, here's a quick comparison between these two promotions. Many players are happy to receive either one, but you might prefer one over the others. Here are the reasons why.
- Table Game Offers: Some no-deposit bonuses include table games, video poker, or even live dealer games in them. Free spin bonuses are slot-specific.
- Max Cashouts: No-deposit bonuses often have a max cashout stipulation.
- Max Bets Allowed: Free spin bonuses often have a max bet amount of $5 to $10. Limiting the bet means the results are a bit more predictable (for the casino).
- Rollover Requirements: Free spin bonuses also require playthrough requirements once the cash is won, so they take longer to play through.
- Slots-Only Offers: Free spin bonuses often feature new or popular online slots. It's a way to try the latest releases that an online casino has.
- Higher Max Cashouts: While free spin bonuses also might have max cashout stipulations, they are volatile bonuses, so they might offer a bigger max cashout amount.
When No-Deposit Bonuses Include Free Spins
Some no-deposit bonuses include free spins instead of bonus money. Instead of being offered $50 of free cash, you might receive 50 free spins on a featured online slot game.
If so, then you play the free spins, and the winnings after 50 slot spins are your bonus cash. Once you clear the wagering requirement on those winnings, you'll be able to make a withdrawal.
How Wagering Requirements and Contribution Rates Work
Bonus promotions at online casinos always come with wagering requirements. To learn about a bonus's requirements, you'll need to read through the wagering requirements page, the bonuses page, or the FAQs. Here are common terms that you'll encounter when dealing with no deposit bonuses -- or any type of casino bonus.
- Wagering Requirement: Also called a playthrough requirement, this is how many times you must wager a bonus before you can request a withdrawal. For instance, a 20x wagering requirement on a $100 bonus is $2000 -- you must wager $2000 before withdrawing. Keep in mind that the house edge is small (1% to 5% on most games), so you'll retain the cash if you get lucky. Many casinos keep a rolling total or "rollover" count of your requirements.
- Max Cashout: This describes the maximum amount you can win with a bonus. If you receive a $100 bonus, the max cashout might be $200. This means the online casino won't pay a progressive jackpot amount from the free cash they give you. It's a way to protect the casino site.
- Game Contribution: Casinos might restrict the games that you can play while using a bonus. It's common to restrict play to online slots, scratch cards, and Keno. Others have a percentage contribution to a wagering requirement. For instance, slots might contribute 100% to the requirement, thus at $1 to $1 rate. Craps, roulette, and other table games might contribute at a 20% rate. This means you'll need to wager 5x the amount you would on slots in order to fulfill the requirement.
- Max Bet Stipulation: Some also have a max bet of $5 or $10 while you satisfy the wagering requirement. This keeps you from wagering $100 at a time on the promotion. The point is to have players try a casino's games and the software -- essentially test-driving the car -- so the casino wants you to play for a while.
- Time Limit: Many bonus offers also have a 7 to 30-day time limit on the offer. If you don't satisfy the requirement in that time, you lose the bonus cash.
- One Player Account: To receive a bonus, you can only have one account at the casino per household. Sites maintain cookies that let them know if your ISP already has an account with them.
Latest on No Deposit Bonus Codes
Many of the best casino bonuses require the use of a promo code. Here's a quick rundown of how to use no-deposit bonus codes to get free-play cash and gamble without obligation.
- In many cases, the casino offers a "free chip" for players who contact their cashier department with the appropriate no-deposit bonus codes.
- This is often done through the cashier page, but some sites require you to email the cashier itself.
- None of our recommended US online casinos require players to use a no-deposit bonus code at the moment but use this how-to guide if you encounter one in the future.
Low and Minimum Deposit Casinos
No-deposit bonus casinos aren't as common as they once were. The gaming market has matured and many of the top sites have a stable customer base, so they don't offer such one-sided bonus offers anymore. If you can't find a trustworthy real money no-deposit casino in your region, the best you can do is find minimum deposit casinos, also known as low deposit casinos.
- Bonuses & Promotions Reviews: If this interests you, pay attention to the part of a casino review that discusses whether a casino is a minimum deposit site. In this context, the minimum deposit is the smallest amount you must deposit in order to receive bonus cash.
- Low-Deposit Casino Deposits: When you make a first deposit at low-deposit casinos, choose that amount as your deposit amount, use the bonus code (if required), and start playing with your minimum deposit's bonus cash immediately.
- Banking Page: If you have questions, go to the banking page at an online casino. You'll find minimum deposit amounts for each payment method usually are posted there.
Regular vs Exclusive No Deposit Bonuses
Exclusive no-deposit bonuses are the rarest type of no-deposit bonus there is. These offers don't appear for the average online casino customer. In fact, they won't appear on a site's promotions page. Instead, casino sites offer these to VIP customers, often via emails or phone calls.
Exclusive bonus offers to provide better value than standard bonus offers. They involve much larger amounts of cash and have better wagering requirements. If you think you might qualify for an exclusive no-deposit bonus, sign in to your favorite casino site, choose your preferred bonus offer, and start gambling today.
