What are casino bonuses?
Online casinos have now well and truly replaced land-based gambling alternatives, with footfall in physical casinos falling year on year as a result of the rise in casino technology. This is because the lucrative nature of playing online, with gamblers able to access a whole world of casino games and promotions on their smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops.
But, where online casinos are promoted as a mecca of fun, they can be rather dangerous, especially if players put too much reliance on casino bonuses.
In essence, casino bonuses are freebies provided by the house to the customer, giving them a free bonus to indulge in blackjack, slots, Roulette, scratch cards and the likes with. But, as the saying goes, nothing in life is free, there is always a catch. And, that is certainly the case with casino bonuses.
Usually rewarded to customers when they make their first deposit, these free tokens to play casino games with usually have to be matched. This means if you want £10 in free casino bonuses then you will have to fork out £10 yourself. So, all of a sudden, the free aspect has gone out of the window.
This matched aspect is also easy to get carried away with, thinking ‘if I am going to spend £10 I may as well spend £20 and get double the amount of freebies’. But, with most online casinos matching figures over the £100 mark, many see themselves depending huge amounts just to make the most of the deal.
Where the majority of casino sites will be promoting matched free bonuses, there are a few that will be pushing no deposit casino bonuses; deals that look too good to be true. That’s because they are.
Not requiring any of your money to trigger the bonus, these deals are still by no means ‘risk-free’. Most not allow you to withdraw winnings until you have made a deposit using your own money. Others will have maximum amount you may withdraw using the bonus, putting pillars in place that results in your putting your hand in your pocket.
This is a term you may not come across on your chosen casino site, but it is certainly one you should be aware of. Sticky Bonuses are bonuses that you are given to play with but you cannot withdraw the bonus amount. You may have to turn the bonus over a few times before you will be able to withdraw it, thus increasing the risk of losing the bonus and your own money you have deposited.
As mentioned above, new casino sites are popping up nearly every day in the UK, with online gambling being an increasingly competitive market. This has resulted in a generation of disloyal customers, changing and swapping casino providers based on the deals and odds they are offering at that time.
For this reason, casino sites are now offering loyalty schemes, rewarding their members with various prizes based on how much they have wagered with them over a period of time, Basically, the more you spend and the more regularly you spend, the more benefits coming your way. Prizes can range from holiday vouchers and new cars to city tours and shopping trips. However, the most common, frequent prize issued is free bonuses.
Again, there is a dangerous aspect to loyalty schemes of this nature because whether you win or lose, you will be rewarded. This kind of diminishes the need to win, making players take more risks, spend more and form an unhealthy view of the worth of money.
Loyalty schemes are also designed to turn your average, occasional player into a ‘high-roller’ player. This is someone that spend lots on casino games all of the time; something you should refrain from becoming for various reasons.
With online bookmakers, there are generally lots of restrictions and rules as to how and when a free bet can be used. This is not the case with casino bonuses, with casino brands giving customers free reign of this site. While choice is never a bad thing, in this instance it is, seeing punters explore casino markets that they would generally steer clear of. Just think, if you had never played blackjack, you may be more inclined to get involved in a game if you are equipped with a free bet. What this does is encourages casino players to try new things, coming back time and time again to try and master their art and turn a profit.
This can be a huge risk, seeing the odd game of Roulette played for fun turn into a habit.
In recent years, we have seen casino sites bolting on free spins to welcome offers and various other types of casino promotions. This gives the player a bonus as well as the chance to spin a roulette wheel free of charge. The value of the free spins will vary from casino to casino. However, most casinos will only give away spins to the value of around £5.
Though this may feel like a no-strings attached deal, it introduces players to Roulette who have not have been interested before. And, although it’s great to try new things, Roulette is a fast-paced game that can become very addictive very easily.
So, if you are looking for a casino bonus to make use of, ensuring your read ALL the terms and conditions.
