Online casinos today typically offer a range of generous bonuses designed to entice new players to register with them and play their games in the real money mode.
However, we’ve also found that existing players who have already taken advantage of the initial sign-up bonus can also look forward to plenty of other frequent, ongoing bonuses and promotional offers.
The question being asked here is, do you need to deposit funds to claim an online casino bonus? Let’s dive straight in to find out.
Do I have to make a deposit to claim online casino bonuses, and what are the main types of bonuses?
From our experience, you don’t always have to deposit to unlock online casino bonuses. It all depends on the type of bonus.
For example, some bonuses require a minimum deposit of $10 or $20 to be unlocked, and others can be unlocked without having to deposit, the latter of which are more commonly referred to as no deposit bonuses. For obvious reasons, these are the most sought-after online casino bonuses.
When you have to deposit to claim a bonus, they are known as matching deposit bonuses.
A no deposit bonus might be a free cash bonus dropped into your account, or it might arrive in the form of a free casino chip to play selected live dealer games, free spins to try selected online slots, a free scratch card, or free casino chips to play one or more selected table & card games.
Some have also received plenty of no-deposit bonuses as part of the loyalty rewards programs on some of their favourite sites and in the form of cashback on daily, weekly or monthly net losses or as part of a fun daily login bonus.
How to find the best bonuses in 2025
Before claiming the first online casino bonus you come across, check the expert reviews for that site first on popular online casino review site, askgamblers.com, especially if you live in Canada, because their dedicated team of writers and expert researchers have a list of today’s safest Canadian casino sites with the best bonuses for new and existing players.
However, the site isn’t just for Canadian players looking for something to do as a form of nightlife entertainment. They have online casino reviews for over 2,000 globally renowned brands that also specifically cater to players in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Australia & Oceania. In other words, they’ve got you covered, no matter where you are from.
All of their featured sites have been fully reviewed using the same proven vetting process. They are controlled by reputable operators, and they are fully licensed by one or more internationally accredited gaming commissions/licensing authorities.
If you are looking for somewhere new to play and new bonuses to claim, start with their highest-rated sites first and then work your way back through the list of reviews. Each review site will have a different means of measuring that score, so ensure that you understand, for instance, Ask Gamblers’ ranking system versus another site’s.
What to look for in a good online casino bonus
The most important thing ro consider before claiming any online casino bonuses is how low or high the wagering requirements are. If they are super high, say 60x, 70x, or higher, then you might not bother claiming them.
Instead, look for bonuses with a maximum 45x-50x wagering requirement attached but prefer ones with a 40x or lower wagering requirement attached. Other things to consider when looking for a good online casino bonus are the following:
- If you must deposit to unlock the bonus, find out how much the minimum deposit amount is (usually $10 or $20). If it’s higher than this, make sure you can afford to deposit that amount
- Check that your preferred online payment method is included in the promotion
- Find out how long you have to complete your wagering requirements
- Find out if the winnings for that bonus are capped at a specific amount
- Find out which games will contribute more per $1.00 wagered to complete your wagering requirements as quickly as possible. Stick to playing games that contribute 100% per $1.00 wagered
Everything you need to know about the bonuses you claim to ensure you get the most out of them can always be found in the terms and conditions, so make sure you read them when claiming any bonuses.
Final thoughts
The easiest way to ensure you never spend more money than you can afford when going in search of the latest online casino bonuses is to start by setting a sensible spending budget. You can also use deposit limits, which can be manually set in the safer gambling tools section when logged into your account on most sites.
