Learn about the top bonuses in the UK!
| Online Casino | Bonus offer | Wagering requirement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Monster Casino | £1,000 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins | 50x |
| 2. | Win Windsor | £1,000 Welcome Bonus | 65x |
| 3. | Spin & Win | £500 Welcome Bonus | 40x |
| 4. | Spinland | £300 Welcome Bonus + 50 bonus spins | 35x |
| 5. | Barz | £300 Welcome Bonus + 50 bonus spins | 40x |
| 6. | Genting Casino | £300 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins | 30x |
| 7. | Playzee | £300 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins | 35x |
| 8. | The Grand Ivy | £300 Welcome Bonus + 25 bonus spins | 35x |
| 9. | SpinYoo | £250 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins | 35x |
| 10. | PokerStars Casino | £200 Welcome Bonus + 100 free spins | 0x |
1. Monster Casino – Up to £1,000 Welcome Bonus + 100 Bonus Spins
The Monster Casino welcome offer is on top of our list for good reason – it can bring you up to £1,000 in bonus funds, together with 100 bonus spins! This welcome package is divided across your first 5 deposits as follows:
- 1st deposit – 50 spins on Book of Dead
- 2nd deposit – 25% bonus up to £200
- 3rd deposit – 25% bonus up to £200
- 4th deposit – 25% bonus up to £600
- 5th deposit – 50 spins on Starburst
The deposit offer expires within 30 days of registering your account, while the free spins will expire after 7 days. Both bonus funds and spins also come with a 50x wagering requirement.
2. Win Windsor – Up to £1,000 Welcome Bonus
Win Winsor has a 1,000% first deposit bonus that can reach up to £1,000! All you need to do is make a first deposit of at least £10 before spinning the bonus wheel to see which prize you’ll get.
The bonus funds have a 65x wagering requirement while the max bonus conversion to real funds equals lifetime deposits up to £250.
3. Spin & Win – Up to £500 Welcome Bonus
Get a 100% first deposit bonus worth up to £500 when joining Spin & Win! The first deposit needs to be of at least £10, while the bonus funds will be valid for 7 days after being credited. The funds have a 40x wagering requirement and can be used on the games found in the casino’s Top Slots section.
4. Spinland – Up to £300 Welcome Bonus + 50 bonus spins
Spinland’s welcome offer consists of a 100% first deposit bonus that can reach up to £300, as well as 50 bonus spins. Your first deposit needs to be at least £20 in order to take advantage of this offer, and the bonus funds have a 35x wagering requirement.
Meanwhile, the 50 bonus spins can be played on the classic Starburst, and any winnings are capped at £100.
5. Barz – Up to £300 Welcome Bonus + 50 bonus spins
Want a 100% first deposit bonus of up to £300 and 50 bonus spins on Starburst? Then join Barz and make a first deposit of at least £20! The bonus funds are subject to a 40x wagering requirement and need to be used within 30 days of being credited, while any winnings from the bonus spins will be credited as bonus funds and have a cap of £20.
6. Genting Casino – Up to £300 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins
The Genting Casino welcome offer brings both bonus funds and spins! This 100% first deposit bonus is valid on first deposits of a minimum of £10 and can reach up to £300.
Keep in mind the bonus funds have a wagering requirement of 30x. As for the bonus spins, these can be played on the Starburst slot, and your winnings will also have a 30x wagering requirement.
7. Playzee – Up to £300 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins
Playzee offers new players that make a first deposit of £20 or more a 100% bonus that can reach up to £300, together with 100 “Zee Spins” on Starburst. The bonus funds have a 35x wagering requirement, while the winnings from every 10 spins are capped at £50 and credited as bonus funds with the same wagering requirements.
In addition, you will also get 500 Zee Points for use with the casino’s various promotional schemes!
8. The Grand Ivy – Up to £300 Welcome Bonus + 25 bonus spins
Join The Grand Ivy and make a first deposit of £20 or more for a 100% bonus that can be worth up to £300, as well as 25 bonus spins on the classic Starburst. The bonus funds have a 35x wagering requirement. As for the spins, any winnings are capped at £100 and are also subject to the 35x wagering requirement.
9. SpinYoo – Up to £250 Welcome Bonus + 100 bonus spins
A 100% first deposit bonus of up to £250 and 100 bonus spins can be yours if you join the SpinYoo casino and make a first deposit of at least £20. Keep in mind the bonus funds are subject to a 35x wagering requirement, while the 100 bonus spins will be given in batches of 20 every day, starting from when you make your first deposit.
These spins also have a 35x wagering requirement and each batch can be played on Starburst, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Fire Joker, Gonzo’s Quest and Big Bass Bonanza respectively.
10. PokerStars Casino – Up to £200 Welcome Bonus + 100 free spins
Start an account at PokerStars Casino and use the code “FIRST200” for a 100% deposit match bonus of up to £200, as well as 100 free spins. Your first deposit needs to be of at least £20, and the wagering requirement requires you to earn 5 redemption points per £1 of bonus.
Meanwhile the free spins can be used on Blazing Bandito, Diamond Stars Classic, Football Frenzy, Fruit Stack Deluxe, Royal Rush, Stars Invaders Classic, Tomb of Ra Classic and Wild Corral Slots.
| Did You Know? |
|---|
| The idea of the online casino bonus started in the late 90s, when the number of casino sites available on the internet started growing at a rapid pace. These casinos needed something to distinguish themselves from the competition while attracting new customers – and bonuses were the answer! |
What is a Casino Bonus?
Casino bonuses come in all different shapes and sizes.
Despite their terms and conditions, they are all designed with one purpose in mind – to give you risk-free bonus money that you can use on online casino games.
Who dislikes the offer of free money, right?
Online casinos typically use bonuses as their most tangible marketing tactic to attract new customers and reward loyal, existing customers too.
But are online casino bonuses all they are cracked up to be?
Or do they simply encourage you to part with your own hard-earned money?
Below, we’ll explain how to separate the wheat from the chaff and identify the top casino bonus offers.
Signing up at most UK casino sites will earn you a bonus to boost your gameplay with.
Are casino bonuses worth it?
The truth is that some casino bonuses aren’t all they are cracked up to be.
There are some unreputable online casinos, and blacklisted casino sites, in other words, that will dangle the carrot of bonus money in your direction.
They’ll try and baffle you with confusing and complex terms and conditions. And if the small print has extremely unrealistic wagering requirements that make it virtually impossible to turn that bonus money into real cash, you may just wonder, “What’s the point?” That’s where we come in.
At CasinoHawks, we keep our beady eye firmly on the UK online casino industry to pinpoint the best online casino bonuses.
Our job is to make casino welcome bonuses clear and easy to understand, while listing the biggest and most realistic bonuses too, of course.
We only select safe bonuses from licensed casinos in the UK
Here at CasinoHawks we only deal with casinos with a valid gambling licence, which in our case here in the UK has to be issued by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). A gambling licence protects players by ensuring personal details and transactions are kept confidential, and also acts as evidence that the casino sites abide by the rules and regulations set by the local authorities.
| Did You Know? |
|---|
| Nine times out of ten, online slots can contribute 100% towards the wagering requirements of a casino welcome bonus. Some table games are often excluded from contributing towards clearing your wagering requirements. |
Want to compare casino bonuses?
Then it’s time to use our Casino Comparison Tool! This free feature allows you to compare casinos based on various criteria – and these include their bonuses, such as Welcome Bonus, Free Spins, and Ongoing Promotions. You can even compare the Wagering Requirements of different casinos’ offers!
What you should look for when choosing a bonus
There are a number of things you should look out for in a casino bonus, that determine whether it’s worth claiming or not.
Looking out for the below factors in the bonus terms and conditions will save you from disappointment later on, and will also help you make the best of each bonus.
Always read the Terms and Conditions!
Double and triple-check the T’s and C’s.
It’s the number-one rule of thumb before claiming any casino welcome bonus.
Know your limits and restrictions – to be forewarned is to be forearmed!
What are wagering requirements?
Wagering requirements are attached even to some of the best free casino bonuses.
They are displayed as a multiplier, denoting how many times you must play through your bonus funds before they can be withdrawn as real money to your bank account.
For example, a £50 casino bonus with a 30x multiplier must be wagered 30 times (i.e. you must wager a total of £1,500) before any winnings can be withdrawn as cash.
But there is some fantastic news for us as well! Some of the latest casino bonuses involve wager-free bonuses, which are awarded with the intention to beat the competition.
If you’re looking for more wager-free or low wagering offers, we also recommend having a look at our guide to Online Casinos with Low Wagering Requirements here.
What are game restrictions?
The reality of a free casino bonus is that some operators choose to limit the number of games available to play with bonus funds.
Some sites choose to make table games like Blackjack and Baccarat ineligible.
That’s because they carry the smallest house edge and make it easier for players to clear their wagering requirements.
The best first deposit bonus casino offers will be usable on a broad spectrum of slots and table games.
Minimum/maximum stake
If you are happy to choose a deposit match bonus, it’s important to know the minimum real-money deposit to be eligible for the matched bonus.
Most online casinos pushing this kind of promotion will also put a ceiling on the maximum matched deposit.
For example, the minimum matched deposit may be £10, and the maximum matched deposit might be £250.
What is the bonus validity?
Make sure you know how long your casino bonus is valid.
As a rule of thumb, most UK online casinos will keep bonuses active for at least seven days after sign-up.
Free spins bonuses may have a shorter validity – as little as 24 hours.
You’ll also have a time limit for clearing the wagering requirements of your bonus too.
Deposit method restrictions
Some online casinos will restrict the offer of casino bonuses based on your deposit method of choice.
Certain e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller are often excluded from matched deposit bonuses.
However, their exclusion is often specified in small print, making it hard for users to know the rules.
We’ll always present the restrictions of any casino bonus to you clearly on our site.
Market restrictions
Some welcome bonus casino offers will be limited to users from certain countries.
At CasinoHawks, we only list casino bonuses that are fully accessible to players across the UK.
How do turnover requirements work?
Casino game categories tend to have different ‘weightings’ towards bonus wagering requirements.
Most online slots will carry a 100% weighting towards turnover requirements, with every penny you stake counting towards your bonus clearance.
However, some casinos will limit the weighting of table games and live casino games to just 10%, with just 10p of every £1 staked contributing towards clearing your bonus.
This means that it will take much longer to wager your bonus on table games than it would on slot games.
| Did You Know? |
|---|
| Slots are most commonly known to contribute more towards a bonus wagering requirement than other casino games. |
What types of bonuses are out there and which one is the best for you?
- Welcome bonus (sign-up bonus)
- No deposit bonus
- Free spins bonus
- Reload / Deposit bonus
- No wagering bonus
- Low wagering bonus
- Cashback bonuses
- Live casino bonus
- Mobile casino bonuses
- VIP bonuses
The welcome bonus (sign-up bonus)
The most common form of casino promotion, welcome bonuses are offers made available exclusively upon sign-up. These typically consist of a matched deposit bonus offer.
The value of the bonus typically ranges between 50% and 100% of your first deposit, but some of the best casino deposit bonus offers may go up to a whopping 500% of your first real-money deposit!
The most popular across casinos is the 100% matched deposit sign-up bonus. In addition, it is also common to get free spins alongside your welcome bonus.
No deposit bonus
If you would rather receive a casino bonus that only requires you to sign to claim it, casino no-deposit bonuses will work best for you.
This free no deposit casino bonus carries absolutely no risk; you don’t need to deposit a single penny, and your account will usually be credited with bonus funds upon sign-up.
On occasion, you may be asked to enter a bonus code in the sign-up form. This is supplied to you by your chosen casino.
Free spins bonus
A popular form of casino bonus is free spins bonuses.
These can come attached to a matched casino bonus or be a bonus in their own right.
Either way, free spins bonuses give you a chance to play selected slot titles without having to wager any of your own cash.
Do note that the UKGC has changed the recommended terminology for referring to free spins bonuses. Today, a bonus can only be called a free spins bonus if it does not attach wagering requirements to any winnings from these spins.
Spins carrying a wagering requirement are instead called ‘bonus spins’, or simply ‘spins’.
Reload / deposit bonus
Although at the top of this page, we only list the best welcome bonus casino offers, we need to point out that rewards don’t have to stop with the casino sign-up bonus!
Reload casino bonuses are usually reserved for existing loyal customers, as well as lapsed customers that haven’t played at an online casino for some time.
A reload bonus is like a matched deposit bonus. Where you can get anything from 25% to 100% of your next real-money deposit in bonus funds. It can also consist of free spins. Such offers can generally be claimed after a minimum deposit has been placed by the player in order to satisfy part of the terms and conditions.
No wagering bonus
Although ‘no wagering’ bonuses are less common than other types of bonuses, they are certainly some of the best casino bonuses you can find.
Any no-wagering bonus funds credited to your account will not have wagering requirements attached.
This means that any winnings you earn from this bonus – however big or small – can be withdrawn immediately as cash!
Low wagering bonus
As the name suggests, a low wagering bonus has a wagering requirement that is low compared to the average requirement. This can apply to both bonus funds and bonus spins.
In our case, we consider the average wagering requirement of a bonus to be 40x or over, meaning anything less than that is low.
Cashback bonuses
Instead of offering bonus funds upfront, cashback bonuses commit to refunding you a percentage of your losses over a specific period.
This is usually your first seven days as a new customer at an online casino.
On average, cashback percentages range from 5% to 25%.
Let’s say you lost £100 in your first week. You would be credited between £5 and £25 in bonus funds.
Live casino bonus
Live casino games are becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the rise of live-streaming. With this come casino bonuses that are aimed specifically at the live casino audience.
Such bonuses are admittedly rare, but do keep in mind that you can use your deposit match bonuses to check out a Live Blackjack table or give a Live Roulette wheel a spin.
Mobile casino bonuses
Many leading online casinos now entice players to enjoy casino gaming within browsers or native apps on smartphones.
Specific mobile casino bonuses to encourage mobile play are relatively common.
These promotions are reserved exclusively for use on the mobile version of online casinos and cannot be redeemed via their conventional desktop sites.
VIP bonuses
A VIP bonus is exactly what it sounds like – a bonus that is given to a customer so loyal they can be considered a VIP!
Typically a VIP or loyalty program has players collect points that can be redeemed for different rewards. These can include bonus cash, free spins or a cashback on losses.
| Did You Know? |
|---|
| You might wonder why eWallets such as Skrill and Neteller are excluded from many bonuses. The main reason for this is fraud and money laundering prevention. It is difficult for casino sites to validate customer identification if they are using an eWallet, so these payment options tend to be removed from promotions. |
How to activate a casino bonus
1. Registration
It all starts with completing the sign-up form.
Look out for the ‘Bonus Code’ field in the registration form.
In some cases, you’ll need to cut and paste the bonus code yourself, so make sure the field isn’t blank when you complete your registration.
2. Deposit
Most online casinos will have an intuitive ‘Cashier’ section, making it easy to register payment methods and make deposits or withdrawals.
Make sure the deposit method you choose is eligible for your casino bonus. The best deposit bonus offers typically accept a good range of payment methods.
3. First game
Make sure your online casino uses your bonus funds or free spins to play with first.
This is the case with most operators, but it’s worth checking.
It’s also important to play a game that is eligible for the bonus, otherwise, the casino will use your deposited cash funds.
4. Withdrawal
You can withdraw any subsequent winnings from your casino bonus, providing you have cleared the wagering requirements attached to your bonus funds.
The best bonus casino will allow you to withdraw your bonus winnings using your preferred payment method and will process your withdrawal fast!
| Did You Know? |
|---|
| The main reason online casinos exclude e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller from a casino online bonus is largely due to fraud and money laundering prevention. It’s harder for casinos to secure valid identification of users via e-wallets, so they simply remove them from bonus promotions. |
Solutions to common issues when using a casino bonus
- My bonus was not activated
Get in touch with your online casino’s customer support ASAP.
If you can prove that the bonus was not activated in error, it may be possible for the casino to reallocate it for you.
- My bonus is missing
The chances are you either forgot to enter the required casino bonus code on sign-up, you have deposited an amount that is lower than that required to activate the bonus, or you made a real-money deposit using an ineligible payment method.
Be sure to check the terms and conditions of every casino welcome bonus you want.
- I am unable to find my bonus wagering requirements
It’s a legal requirement of the UKGC that the wagering requirements of all UK online casino bonuses are displayed in the terms and conditions.
If you still can’t find them in the T&Cs, get in touch with the site’s customer support ASAP.
- I want to remove a bonus (I changed my mind)
You will only be able to remove a casino bonus if you haven’t yet wagered your bonus funds or free spins.
To remove existing casino bonuses, contact your online casino’s customer support department immediately.
| Did you know? |
|---|
| In 2018, the Gambling Commission imposed strict regulations related to all bonus terms and conditions, which should be visible to players before they sign up and “within a single click from any other advertising on any medium for that Promotion.” |
Closing tips for taking advantage of casino bonuses
1. Keep an eye on our casino bonus guide
Be sure to visit this page regularly.
We continually update the casino bonus offer table at the top of the screen with the latest bonuses.
We aim to help you take advantage of the most lucrative sign-up promotions from brands new and old.
2. Make sure to opt-in for any available casino welcome bonus
Always check the terms and conditions of any casino bonus that takes your fancy.
You may have to physically enter a bonus code into your registration form to activate a matched or casino no-deposit bonus.
Note: You can only claim a welcome bonus once per account (and you’re legally forbidden to open more than one account per person), but you can create a different account with a different casino and claim another bonus!
3. Watch out for new casino bonuses
We have our fingers firmly on the pulse of the latest online casino operators in the market.
Our bonus table at the top of the screen will only display reputable and licensed casino newcomers.
Since they need to compete against established big-brand casinos, a new casino with a no-deposit bonus may be more rewarding and attractive than the usual deposit bonus casino!
4. Free spins bonuses are a nice way to sample new slot games
Don’t shy away from free spins casino bonuses.
Although they might not give you cold hard bonus cash to play with, there is always the chance to land a big jackpot from your free spins.
And you might just find a new slot game that you’ll fall in love with!
5. Only bet with what you can afford to lose
It’s important to play responsibly at any of the online casinos we recommend.
Keep your playing habits in check and only make real-money deposits for matched deposit bonuses you can afford to lose.
Online casino gaming should be enjoyable.
The moment it stops being fun, quit while you’re ahead.
6. Make sure you are clear on bonus wagering requirements
To clear your casino bonus funds as quickly as possible, read the terms and conditions carefully.
Some games will clear your bonus faster than others, with most sites favour slots over table games with a lower house edge.