Online Casino Bonuses Explained

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Deni

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Expertise: Casino Content Writing, Journalism & (PR), Gambling Regulations, Dutch & German Gambling Markets

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Published: April 24, 2018
Updated: August 13, 2025

Our goal at CasinoWow is to make an expert gambler out of you. To do this, you will need to be educated on the ins and outs of online casinos. There are thousands of them that offer a variety of entertainment.

The flooding of the market comes with many challenges, amongst which competition from rivals is the leader. This means that operators have had to dig deep to make their sites stand out and win over customers via promotional drawcards.

What are casino bonuses?

They are promotions made to attract or keep players at the casino. They are also the main way to draw patrons.

Some of them are specifically made to attract first-time players and others are designed to keep them coming back time and time again. Here's what you need to remember about them:

They are a form of promotion to attract players to a casino.
They are offers that will usually advance your bankroll and give you a chance to play games with minimal risk.
They come in various forms, but all offer the incentive of discounting the cost of online gaming.

What are casino bonuses — Discover all about the online casino bonuses.

This guide is an introduction to casino bonuses. We want to educate you on what casino bonuses are, how to use them and research their their terms and conditions.

What are the main casino bonuses?

There are three main categories of top casino bonuses: cashable (non-sticky) bonuses and sticky bonus type 1 and type 2. These will not be found named at a casino, but will help you know what the character of the bonus is (and how to best use it).

Cashable bonuses/Non-sticky bonuses

When a bonus is offered to you, there are times when you will be able to withdraw the bonus funds and all winnings made with it. These are cashable bonuses.

Most of the time, there will be wagering requirements (see below) that must be met first, but after that, the money will be all yours. However, generally, the requirements will be quite stringent for this type of bonus.

Sticky bonus: Type 1

They may be used on various games, but you will not be able to withdraw the bonus, ever. You can, however, draw on the winnings made with the bonus (once again after meeting the wagering requirements).

If you received a bonus of €200 and won €50 with it, technically, you will only be able to withdraw €50. After the payout, the bonus disappears from your profile.

Sticky bonus: Type 2

This is similar to the first type, but with a slight change in the conditions. Here, once you withdraw, the bonus will remain in your bankroll until its expiry date, which means that you can continue to benefit from it even after a withdrawal.

Specific bonus offers at online casinos

Casino bonuses can be further split into two categories: deposit bonuses and no-deposit bonuses.

Deposit bonus: This includes all forms of bonus that require a deposit of some type to qualify for an incentive.
No-deposit bonus: All bonuses that can be accessed without first making a deposit.

Deposit bonuses

Deposit bonuses differ a lot, but below, we will explain what the seven most popular types are:

Match bonus: Probably the most popular form. The casino will match the value of a certain percentage of your first deposit. They are also subject to strict wagering requirements. They could also contain a cap, e.g., 50% match on deposits, up to a limit of €200.

Say, you are offered a 100% match bonus. This means that if you deposit €100, the casino gives you another €100 and you have a total of €200 to gamble with. If you are offered a match bonus with a cap, e.g., the casino pays 50% of your deposit, as long as 50% is €200 or less.

Free spins bonus: Here, you have a number of free spins up for grabs. Although they don’t often need a deposit to play with them, there are the odd occasions when they are coupled with a match offer. Every now and then, the casino will offer them without specific requirements to use.
Cashback bonus: Cash can be given back to online casino players who make frequent deposits at a specific casino. They are common for loyalty and VIP programs. Sometimes, they are offered based on the number of losses you have incurred, as a gesture of good faith.
Free play bonus: These incentives are designed for you to get familiar with games before staking your hard-earned money.
Exclusive bonus: They are offered only to special groups of people (e.g., VIP players, players from a specific country or ones that have come on board via an affiliate page).
Package Bonus: These are generally incentive offers that include more than just one kind of bonus. For example, they offer a deposit match and some free spins as a combo.
VIP Bonus: This is a unique bonus offered strictly to high rollers and big spenders. These could include deposit matches, free spins, and many other rewards, such as free gifts and cashbacks. Generally, the wagering requirements are not as stringent here. However, the minimum deposit limits are very high.

No-deposit bonuses

These almost always have wagering (or playthrough) requirements, combined with a maximum withdrawal limit. The two most popular bonuses in this category are:

Free cash bonus: You are afforded free access to games without having to make a deposit. The payouts are capped and there are a number of conditions in place before you can reap the rewards. But, as it is free, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Free spins bonus: We have mentioned those in the previous section, but they are most commonly given without the need to make a specific deposit. However, the game will only start paying after you have completed the stringent wagering requirements.

Learn more about some of the bonuses mentioned above through the direct links:

Free Spins Bonus Learn more

Cashback Bonus Learn more

Free Play Bonus Learn more

Exclusive Bonus Learn more

Welcome Package Bonus Learn more

Wagering requirements of casino bonuses

You have read about those wagering requirements throughout the course of this guide. The term refers to a specific set of conditions whereby you must wager your bonuses a certain number of times before you can collect on the winnings.

For example: if a match bonus of €100 is subject to a wagering requirement of 25x, then you will need to wager that €100 through various machines 25 times before you can draw on wins. In other words, you have to wager at least €2,500 before you qualify for any withdrawals.

Why should I use casino bonuses?

Casino bonuses are basically free money or a “leg up” strategy for your gameplay. Although they may come up with terms and conditions, a bonus is a bonus and free money is just that, free!

Every extra edge you can gain at a casino is vital, as you must realise that you are already on the back foot the moment you start gambling. They are businesses that will most probably beat you, so the odd helping hand to your bankroll should never be shunned.

Having said the above, casino bonuses are never as black and white as they may seem at face value. There are pros and cons to each one:

Advantages

They help your bankroll and give you more playtime.
Bonuses can rack you up real wins. So, the scales are tipped slightly in your balance, and you basically have nothing to lose.
If you are part of a loyalty program, you will earn points on every free spin offered to you via a bonus.

Disadvantages

They are not always as clear-cut. Reading the fine print will help you realise all the conditions you have to meet first. That is, if you meet them at all before going bust.
There are very often withdrawal limits set against wins made with casino bonuses. These may be set low so that you can only draw a small percentage of your wins.
Certain bonuses limit their users to specific games only.

Conclusion

With such a wide variety, we are sure you'll find a bonus or two to take advantage of. However, there are a couple of things to make sure you never forget when playing and using bonuses.

The main thing is to accept bonuses that come only from reputable operators. If you're lost, you can refer to our list of top online casinos, where each has been tried and tested for fairness and efficiency and has passed with flying colours.

Then, you need to make sure you read the bonus terms and conditions and know what you're getting yourself into.