What is a no deposit bonus?
Bob Mitchell
Last Updated:
15 Dec 2024
Bonus cash or free spins credited to your account just for registering, with no deposit required. The wagering requirements attached are almost always stricter than on standard deposit bonuses.
How no deposit bonuses work
A no deposit bonus is credited to your account when you register, without putting any of your own money in. Casinos offer them to attract new players and give them a low-stakes way to try the platform. The two most common forms are a small amount of bonus cash, usually between $5 and $20, or a set of free spins on a specific slot.
Because the casino is giving something for nothing, the conditions attached are tighter. Wagering requirements on no deposit bonuses typically run from 40x to 60x, compared to 25x to 35x on a standard deposit match. A $10 no deposit bonus at 50x means you need to bet $500 before anything becomes withdrawable.
Withdrawal caps
Most no deposit bonuses come with a hard cap on how much you can actually withdraw regardless of how much you win. Common caps sit between $30 and $100. If you turn a $10 bonus into $500 through good fortune and clear the wagering requirement, you will receive a maximum of whatever the cap states. The rest is forfeited.
When they are worth claiming
A no deposit bonus at a casino you were going to try anyway is worth taking. You risk nothing and get some play for free. At a casino you have no interest in otherwise, they are rarely worth registering for. The bonus is primarily a marketing tool; the cash value to the player is usually modest.