Best casino bonuses that you can claim now
How we selected the best casino bonuses
At Platinplay, our casino experts look for casino bonuses online, study the tiny print, compare the promotions, and list the best ones here. Also, if anything looks slightly shifty, you won’t find it here, no matter how tempting their online casino bonuses may seem.
To give you a better idea, here’s how we select casino promotions for our guide –
✅We selected bonuses that have clear terms and conditions
✅We checked for reasonable wagering requirements and bonus validity
✅The bonuses are from licensed and reputable operators reviewed by our casino experts
✅We checked if the casino offers fair games from well-established providers
✅Our team ensured that the operator offered sufficient Responsible Gambling resources
| For a deep dive into any of the online casinos mentioned here, you can check out an in-depth review put together by our team▶️ |
What are casino bonuses?
In simple words, casino bonuses are incentives offered to players to motivate them to keep playing at a casino site.
You will find several types of casino offers available. Some, like the casino welcome offer, are intended to attract new players. Others aim to entice players to return, make another deposit, and continue playing at the site.
In this guide, we will be delving deeper into each type of casino bonus below, so you have a better understanding of the promotions and make an informed decision.
Types of Casino Bonuses
[INFOGRAPHIC: Divide the bonuses by how/when you can get them – Upon signing up, After signing up, After becoming a regular player]
As mentioned earlier, there are several types of casino bonuses – so there’s something for everyone. Now, if you’re a beginner, the promotions may be a bit confusing to understand – so we’ll walk you through each bonus type.
Welcome Bonus
Also known as a sign-up offer or casino registration bonus, this bonus is what players making a first-time deposit with an operator will receive as a reward.
Often, this bonus is a ‘welcome package’ that contains bonus money + free spins. For instance, Casumo offers a 100% Bonus of up to £25 and 20 Spins.
Free Spins
Much like the term suggests, a free spins bonus gives you free spins to use on one or more slots. Usually, you have to make an eligible deposit to claim these spins. For instance, at Slotlux, you can get 20 wager-free spins upon depositing £10.
Cashback
Just like you get cashback while shopping online, you get cashback on your bets, too. For example, a casino might offer a weekly 10% cashback every Thursday on your losses during a 7-day period. This cashback might be cash or bonus money.
Reload Bonus
Think of the reload bonus as another (but smaller) welcome bonus. Usually, this is a deposit bonus rewarded to players who make additional deposits after the initial welcome bonus.
Mostly, it matches a percentage of your deposit with bonus money (like a 10% reload bonus up to £100). But it can also include free spins or other perks.
Deposit Bonus
A deposit bonus is any bonus that needs you to make an eligible deposit to unlock it. The bonus can be matching bonus money or free spins. For instance, BritainPlay offers up to 100% up to £50 and the minimum eligible deposit is £10.
No Deposit Bonus
A ‘No Deposit Bonus’ is literally a free bonus that you can claim without making a deposit. Upon signing up and activating your account, you can claim this type of bonus.
As you can guess, a No Deposit Bonus is hard to find. Plus, it usually comes with a lot of conditions and may even require you to make a deposit before you withdraw.
No Wagering Bonus
As the term suggests, a ‘No Wagering’ bonus has no wagering requirements tied to it. A good example here would be PlayOJO’s welcome bonus. After making an eligible minimum deposit, you can get 80 Free Spins without any wagering requirements attached to it.
Loyalty Program
Also known as a VIP Bonus or VIP Program, a casino loyalty bonus does exactly what it says – rewarding players for their loyalty.
Very often, casinos have a ‘points’ system where a player accumulates points as they bet. These points can be redeemed for additional bonuses or other perks. Some programs also have ‘levels’ to them – the higher the level, the better the perks.
Now, the loyalty program varies from one casino to another, but here are some common perks offered –
- More bonuses than other players
- Lower wagering requirements
- Birthday bonuses and promotions on other special occasions
- Better customer service
- Personal gifts
| Personally, as someone who likes to spin slots once in a while, I like Free Spins bonuses. Similarly, you should claim a bonus that allows you to play your preferred games, so you can make the most out of it. |
How do casino bonuses work
From a player’s perspective, casino bonuses lower the entry barrier at a casino by offering “free money.” These promotions make online casinos a bit more accessible to you and cushion your losses a little.
To put it simply, the whole bonus process looks like this:
Sign up > claim a bonus > meet wagering requirements > get your rewards.
However, it’s the wagering requirements and rewards that can get a little complicated. In this section, we will explain what sticky and non-sticky bonuses are, how wagering requirements work, and how they can affect your winnings.
Sticky vs. Non-Sticky Bonus
To start with, the bonus you will claim will either be “sticky” or “non-sticky” so it’s important to understand the difference –
| Sticky Bonus | Non-sticky Bonus |
| “Sticks” to your real money deposit | Gets added separately and doesn’t “stick” |
| Gets used along with your deposit | Not used until you exhaust your real money funds |
| Not withdrawable | Can be withdrawn depending on bonus T&Cs |
| Wagering requirements are applied to the entire amount | Wagering requirements are applied to the bonus money |
Please note that the above conditions may vary depending on the bonus you claim.
Now, let’s see how claiming a Sticky and Non-Sticky bonus will affect your winnings –
Sticky bonus
You deposit £100 and receive a £100, so your account balance is now £200 (your deposit + the bonus).
- Let’s say you win £400 with the £200 funds and meet all the wagering requirements. You will be able to withdraw £300 as the £100 bonus money will be deducted.
- If you lose everything, you will lose your initial £100 deposit and the £100 bonus as it’s not withdrawable.
Non-Sticky bonus
You deposit £100 and get a 100% non-sticky bonus of £100, so your account will show these separately £100 (deposit) and £100 (bonus).
- If you win using the deposit funds and don’t meet wagering requirements
Let’s say you win £200 using only your £100 deposit. You’d be able to cash out the £200 winnings from your deposit balance. And you’d still have the £100 bonus in your account to play with.
- If you win using the bonus funds and meet wagering requirements
If you use the £100 bonus, fulfill wagering requirements, and win £200, you can cash out £300 (winnings + initial £100 deposit). The bonus money that you have used will be forfeited.
- If you lose the bonus, but win using the deposit funds
Imagine you lose your £100 bonus and win £200 with the £100 deposit. In this case, you can cash out your deposit + winnings.
| To sum up – Claim a sticky bonus if you want a bigger bankroll at the start and don’t mind losing the bonus amount. Claim a non-sticky bonus if you like to have more control over your deposit funds and cash them out if things go south. |
Wagering requirements
Put simply, wagering requirements show the number of times that a player needs to wager through the deposit and bonus money before being allowed to cash out any bonus winnings. You will find this quoted in the terms and conditions.
There are two things that you need to be aware of –
- Lower wagering requirements are always better
Let me explain this with an example. If you claim a £100 bonus that has a 30x wagering requirement. To withdraw your winnings, you need to wager the bonus amount 30 times: 30 x £100 = £3,000.
However, if you claim a £100 bonus with a 60x wagering requirement, you will need to wager 60 x £100 = £6,000. In this case, you will have to play a lot more to fulfill the playthrough conditions and cash out your winnings.
- Check if the wagering requirement is on bonus money and/or deposit
Imagine you claim a 100% match bonus on a £100 deposit. And the wagering requirement is 35x.
If this wagering is applicable on both deposit and bonus money, then you’ll need to wager £7,000 before you cash out any winnings. However, if the wagering requirement is only on the bonus money, you can cash out with £3,500.
What to look for in a casino bonus
Now that you have a better understanding of how bonuses work, let’s see how you can choose bonuses that are suitable for you.
By now, you know that even though the promotion may seem attractive, you might not actually end up with all that money. That being said, casino bonuses do give your bankroll a boost and mitigate risks, but you need to be smart about it.
Here’s how you can determine whether a casino bonus is worth your attention or not –
| Casino Credibility | First of all, you need to look for a casino licensed by UKGC. It’s even better if the casino has fairness audits from eCOGRA or iTechLabs. |
| Bonus Amount | Size does matter! 50 free spins are better than 20, and a 100% matchup is better than 50%. |
| Minimum deposit | To qualify for a casino promotion, you have to deposit a minimum eligible amount – check if it’s a reasonable amount. |
| Wagering requirements | Look for a bonus that has reasonable wagering requirements. Generally, we look for a bonus that doesn’t exceed the 50x. |
| Min. & Max. bet | Usually, bonuses come with a cap on the maximum and minimum amount you can bet. If you bet beyond this range, it won’t be counted towards wagering requirements. |
| Maximum win | There’s a maximum limit on how much you can win from a bonus. |
| Bonus Validity | Promotions run only for a limited duration – it can be hours, days, weeks, or months. See if you have enough time to use the bonus. |
| Eligible games | Most bonuses can be used on specific games only. For example, you might be able to use Free Spins on a provider’s slots. |
| Game contributions | Games contribute differently towards wagering requirements. For example, slots may contribute 100% but roulette may contribute 20% or so. |
In addition to this, some bonuses forbid players from using certain “strategies” that would help them meet wagering requirements quickly or any kind of low-risk strategies. So make sure that your bets contribute towards the wagering requirements.
| We cannot emphasize this enough – read the tiny print before you make any decision. Make sure you understand the Terms & Conditions before you claim any casino bonuses. |
How to claim a casino bonus
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There is no fixed way to claim a bonus – it varies from one casino to another. However, there are a few common ways to do so –
- Auto-apply: Some casino promotions get activated automatically when the activation criteria are fulfilled. For instance, if you make an eligible deposit, free spins or bonus money will get credited to your casino account automatically.
- Opt-in: To activate this kind of bonus, you will have to ‘opt-in’ for it. For example, you might have to head over to the promotions page and claim the bonus by clicking on it.
- Bonus code: Sometimes, you need a promo code to activate a bonus. You can find this code in the T&Cs, which, then, you will have to enter and redeem the promotion.
If you’re not sure how to activate a casino bonus, you can get in touch with the casino’s customer support.
Pros and cons of casino bonus
Here’s a quick argument for and against casino bonuses –
| Why you should go for it | Why you might have second thoughts |
| Extra bonus funds to boost your bankroll | Some bonuses may have high wagering requirements |
| Bonus money reduces risk | Playthrough restrictions may apply to your favourite games |
| Practice games and improve your skills without risking all of your bankroll | Risk of overspending |
| Opportunity to experiment with new games | |
| Opportunity to try new casino sites |
Ultimately, it comes down to your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you can find a bonus with favourable terms and conditions.
Expert tips to use casino bonuses
As mentioned, the team at PlatinPlay consists of casino enthusiasts who love to try their hands on new games, check out new casinos, and browse bonuses all the time. Based on their expertise, here are some tips on how to use a casino bonus smartly –
- Don’t bite more than you can chew. Claim a bonus that you believe you can clear easily and without going over your budget.
- Avoid claiming complicated bonuses. If you think the terms are too complex and roundabout, move on to another bonus or another online casino.
- If you want to fulfill the wagering requirements faster, play the games that contribute 100% towards the bonus. Playing games that contribute 10% or so will take you longer to complete the playthrough requirements
- To make your bonus funds last longer, play low or medium-volatility slots. High volatility slots can empty your bankroll faster.
- If you’re a regular player at a casino, take advantage of the loyalty program. You can avail extra bonuses, cashback, and other perks that would cushion your losses.
FAQs
Casino Bonuses FAQs
Want to know what many players are asking about casino bonuses? Check out our FAQ section on Casino Bonuses here!
A casino bonus is a promotional offer provided by online casinos to attract and reward players. It usually involves awarding extra bonus funds, free spins, or other incentives that can be used to play games on the site.
This depends on the terms and conditions that are attached to it, such as wagering requirements, minimum deposit and expiry terms. This guide includes a list of casino bonus sites that have been thoroughly vetted by our experts, so you can rest assured that they are all fair and worth it.
The best casino bonus varies for each player, as it depends on the specific gaming preferences and goals, as well as whether you’re a new or existing player. Factors to consider include the bonus amount, wagering requirements, game restrictions, and any additional perks or rewards offered by the UK casino bonus site.
The process is very simple, and includes creating an account, making a qualifying deposit, entering a bonus code (if applicable), or opting in through a promotional page. This guide offers detailed step-by-step instructions to claim your casino bonus.
Wagering requirements are conditions imposed by casinos on bonuses, requiring players to wager a specific amount of money before they can withdraw any winnings associated with the bonus. These requirements are usually expressed as a multiplier (eg. 30x), indicating the number of times the bonus amount must be wagered.
There are many UK casino online bonuses to choose from but not all of them offer the same generous terms or high level of casino. On this guide we’ve shortlisted the best of the best, as our experts have compiled a list of top casino bonuses that are accessible to UK players, including match deposits, free spins and more.
Before cashing out your bonus winnings you’ll need to meet the wagering requirements. Once these are fulfilled, you can request a withdrawal by navigating to the Cashier section and clicking on ‘Withdrawal’. It’s important to review the casino’s terms and conditions regarding bonus withdrawals to ensure a smooth process.