Every advantage has its disadvantage, the same applies to a casino bonus. On the one hand, it provides an extra playing budget, so you have the opportunity to place higher bets and win more money. On the other hand, a casino bonus also creates an extra barrier for paying out your winnings. Such a bonus in the form of a deposit bonus or welcome bonus has been devised by the online casino industry to better distinguish itself from the competition. The casino bonus is mainly used as a marketing tool, but does it also provide sufficient benefits for you as a player? Or do you only experience disadvantages of a casino bonus, in this article we will go into more detail about the advantages and disadvantages of a casino bonus. This way you can make a thorough choice where you are going to play and whether you choose to receive this welcome bonus or deposit bonus.
Advantages and disadvantages of a casino bonus
Pros of a casino bonus
- More play budget: A big advantage of a casino bonus is that you as a player have a larger playing budget. So you have more betting options, maybe you can just try out that new game that you wouldn’t have had enough budget for otherwise. Or maybe you can just increase your bet a bit to eventually realize a bigger payout. More gaming budget also means more options. Ultimately, you can also increase your account balance faster if you can place a higher bet. Of course, more gaming budget does not immediately give you more luck or higher chances.
- Chance of a bigger profit: As we mentioned above, more playing budget does not offer a higher chance of winning. However, there is a greater chance that you will be able to grab a bigger profit. If you can bet more, the reward is logically higher. A deposit bonus or welcome bonus gives you more options and the chance of a bigger profit.
- Try out slots without obligation with free spins: Free spins are interesting promotions for you as a player, because you can play free game rounds without having to place a bet. Free spins are given out by online casinos as a reward for loyal players. In addition, free spins are also widely used to promote a new slot machine. For example, you can receive 10, 20 or more free spins. You can only pay out money that you win if you meet the bonus conditions. These bonus terms and conditions are different for each promotion. Below you can read more about what these free spins bonus conditions can mean for you as a player.
Cons of a casino bonus
- Bonus must be cleared before withdrawal is possible: Before a casino bonus can be paid out, you as a player must meet the bonus conditions of the online casino. These bonus conditions are designed to make it impossible to cash out a bonus directly. This is of course logical, otherwise you could immediately make a profit by paying out the bonus immediately. These bonus conditions, also called wagering requirements, describe which you as a player must meet before you can pay out your account balance. Imagine that you have participated in a promotion with a deposit bonus of 100% up to €100. You place a deposit of €50, you will then have an account balance of €100. Then it may be that this deposit bonus is subject to wagering conditions that you must first wager this deposit bonus 35x. This means that you must first have wagered €1,750 before you can request a withdrawal. Learn more about how you can take advantage of a bonus in this article about casino bonus hunting.
- Clearing a bonus must be done within a certain period: In addition to the specific wagering conditions that you have to play the casino bonus an x number of times, you may also have to deal with a certain term in days. In the case of a fixed term, you must meet the wagering requirements within that term.
- Not every casino game is valid for participation conditions: At most online casinos, certain casino games are excluded from participation. This means that they do not count or only count for a limited percentage in the defined wagering requirements. This has to do with the fact that with some casino games such as roulette, you can constantly bet on red-or-black according to strategies such as the Martingale roulette strategy. This makes it much easier to comply with these bonus conditions, which means that roulette usually only counts slightly or not at all against the bonus conditions. Online slots usually fully count towards the predetermined wagering requirements.
- Free spins cannot be used on every video slot: When free spins are handed out by an online casino, this is usually for a specific slot machine or video slot. So you usually do not have the choice to spend these free spins yourself on your favorite game. The reason for this is that free spins are often used to promote a certain slot machine or video slot. But also because the title fits well with a certain event or season. Online casinos always try to respond well to current events with free spins promotions.
- Not everyone has enough gaming budget to meet the bonus conditions: Meeting bonus conditions can sometimes be difficult if you don’t have a sufficient gaming budget. If your account balance does not allow it, you sometimes have to be very lucky to keep winning consistently, so that you can keep your account balance on the right arrow. A casino bonus is therefore not suitable for everyone. It is therefore wise to think carefully in advance what you want to spend on an online casino. The situation is not ideal if you have to make an additional deposit to meet the bonus conditions. If you set a budget for yourself in advance, and stick to it, there is nothing to worry about. Afterwards, you will not regret that you spent too much. If you have estimated in advance that you cannot meet the wagering requirements with your budget, it is wise not to choose a casino bonus. At most online casinos you can choose whether or not to receive a casino bonus during the purchase of playing credit. If you know what you want to spend, and can realistically meet the bonus conditions, you won’t be faced with unpleasant surprises afterwards.
