Are welcome bonuses legal in the UK?
Thanks to the UK Gambling Commission, you are able to find hundreds and hundreds of online casinos that offer perfectly safe and legal welcome bonuses.
What exactly is a Welcome bonus?
The latest trend when it comes to casino welcome offers is for casinos to offer something with no strings attached – which means no wagering!
Why take a welcome bonus?
Welcome bonuses sometimes work as a great way for you to familiarise yourself with an online casino and its slots while providing you with the possibility to collect some winnings.
*Did you know?
– Most online casinos have a standard wagering requirement of 35x. A good example is the welcome bonus offered at Skol Casino.
Types of Welcome bonuses:
Online casino welcome bonuses vary in both quantity and content.
We’re about to take a closer look at what types of bonuses you’re likely to come across when you register as a new player at an online casino.
New Player Welcome Bonuses
A new player welcome bonus is typically a bonus any new UK player at an online casino can claim upon signing up and making their first deposit.
At LeoVegas all new British players get to enjoy a match bonus of up to £100 plus 20 additional wager free spins.
Slots welcome bonus
A slots welcome bonus commonly focuses the offer around a particular slot, like the popular classic Starburst.
At Amazon Slots you can win up to 500 Bonus Spins on Starburst when you register as a new player and make a deposit of at least £10.
Reload welcome bonus
As a new UK player, a reload bonus is usually offered to you when you deposit more money to your player account.
A lot of online casinos offer their players the opportunity to receive reload bonuses, such as Energy casino which currently offers players a reload bonus of 50 % up to £25 and 50 wager free-spins every single week.
Some of these reload bonuses are offered on a monthly basis, or even weekly, and many of these bonuses are extremely generous.
Deposit Welcome Bonus and No Deposit Welcome Bonus
Deposit casino welcome bonuses on deposit typically offer more value to the players, since they usually consist of larger amounts of cash or spins.
The most common type of deposit casino welcome bonus is the deposit match bonus. This would consist of a percentage of your deposit that’s awarded by the online casino in bonus money, to use on almost any game.
Possibly the most sought-after type of bonus in the UK, a casino welcome bonus no-deposit offer involves a free bonus upon successful registration at an online casino. In other words, it’s a bonus you can claim without making any deposits.
This would normally involve a handful of free spins on a specific slot game, or a small cash bonus. However, you should be somewhat prepared for high wagering requirements.
Welcome bonus codes
Some online casinos require you to enter a bonus code in order to claim your bonus.
In some cases welcome bonus codes are provided through affiliate links or in the terms and conditions at the online casino site.
LV Bet is an online casino that usually requires players to type in a bonus code in order to claim the monthly 10 wager free Bonus Spins (LV Spins) the online casino offers its players.
*Did you know?
No deposit bonuses are so popular because they offer players a risk-free chance at trying new or existing slots.
How to cash out
It’s a good idea to make yourself familiar with the terms and conditions related to bonuses, but another important thing to be familiar with is how to “cash out” or how to withdraw your winnings.
If you are properly acquainted with the bonus terms and conditions, you won’t be hit by any sudden surprises, such as bonus wagering requirements.
Cashable vs. Non-Cashable Casino Offers
Cashable casino offers give you the opportunity to cash out on your winnings once you have successfully met the wagering requirements attached to your bonus.
A non-cashable casino offer differs from a cashable casino offer as it doesn’t allow players to withdraw their accumulated bonus money.
An example is if you’ve received a bonus amount of £50 and have a £100 balance. In this case, the online casino will remove £50 from your balance so you are only left with the £100 you started off with.
Maximum Win Limit
A maximum win limit is the amount you can win when you use a casino bonus at an online casino.
Different bonuses have different maximum win limits.
Cash Out Limits
Cash out limits are the maximum amount you can withdraw from the winnings you’ve won while playing with your bonus.
If you’ve won a £500 from your casino bonus but the cash out limit is £100, you’ll lose the remaining £400.
Bonus Percentages And Payouts
A bonus percentage is the amount your bonus will reward you with when you deposit.
For example if you have a 100 % bonus, you will receive the exact same amount you deposited in return.
This means that if you deposit £100, you will receive an additional £100 so you get to play with £200 in total.
*Did you know?
– Bonuses usually have a time limit attached to them, meaning you’ll have to use them within the specified time period, otherwise they will be forfeited.
Solutions for common issues
You may experience the occasional glitch or issue at any odd UK online casino every now and again, so it’s good to know what to do if that happens.
Here are some our tips on what you could do if you should run into any issues:
- I don’t want a welcome bonus anymore
Not wanting your bonus anymore can happen and in that case it’s nice to know that you could a) opt-out of using it or b) contact customer service.
Another alternative is to browse the terms and conditions for the answer before contacting customer service.
- I can’t see wagering progress of my welcome bonus
Your wagering progress should be available from within your player account, but if you are still unable to see it, a good idea would be to reach out to customer service as they should be able to help you fix the issue.
- My offer page is not showing a bonus
Some bonus offers only show up once you meet a certain criteria, so it could be that not all of the criteria for your bonus offer have been met yet (i.e completing registration and confirming your identity), otherwise it could be that you’re in a location where the bonus is not available.
- I would like to close my player account
Some online casinos give you the opportunity to close your account on your own from within your player account, but if that’s not the case at the online casino you’ve registered at, a good idea would be to contact customer service to have a representative help you close your account.
Conclusion – Tips when using a Welcome bonus
Whether you’re a complete newbie to online casinos or you would like to know the best ways in which you can utilise your welcome bonus, we recommend that you follow the tips below:
- Always read Terms and Conditions
- Check wagering requirements before you grab a bonus
- Make sure your payment methods are accepted
- Look out for location restrictions
- Check on the withdrawal times
- Check if your Welcome Bonus Free Spins is rewarded in one go or you have to play for a certain number of days to use the whole bonus
- Make sure you meet the criteria for your Welcome Bonus before you make a withdrawal request.
- If you’re playing with a deposit bonus, make sure you deposit money you aren’t afraid to lose.
- Make sure you don’t have any issues with the wagering requirements attached to your bonus.
- If in doubt about anything relating to your bonus, a good idea is to reach out to customer service.