These offers, usually a bonus amount or free credit or spins, are open to new players signing up with a casino. Once you’ve registered and played a few games, you’re far more likely to want to return to the site as a returning user, so casinos commonly offer welcome bonuses to entice new players into signing up.

What are the benefits of a welcome casino bonus?

When signing up with a new casino, it makes sense to test the waters first. This is where welcome bonuses come into play since they allow you to get a feel for what the casino offers without spending a fortune.?

You’ll often find offers like deposit matches, free spins, or a combination of the two as an online casino welcome bonus. Many sites go further by offering a no deposit sign-up bonus. Canadian players can try their hands at slots and table games without needing to fund their accounts first.

Remember that there are normally wagering requirements you’ll need to meet to benefit from any winnings associated with the welcome bonus. Therefore, we recommend reading the T&Cs before claiming your welcome casino bonus.?This will tell you how much value you’ll get from the offer.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of advantages to online casino sign-up bonuses, including:

• Testing new games – you can try out new casinos without spending as much cash.
• The ease of claiming - welcome bonuses are usually credited automatically to your new casino account. No need to write down any promo codes!
• Managing your spend as you start out - if you’re not sure about a site you’ve tried, you won’t have spent so much if you’ve played with initial bonus funds.
• Learning how casino promotions work - you’ll get familiar with how regular bonuses at casinos operate.?
• Funding your game - online casino welcome bonuses help you build your bankroll without significant financial investment.?

Deposit bonuses

Arguably the most common online casino welcome bonus, deposit matches involve your online casino matching a percentage of your deposit with bonus funds. This amount is typically 100%, but it can be as low as 10% or as high as 300%. For example, with a 100% deposit match up to $100, your chosen welcome bonus casino will reward you with another $100 if you deposit the full amount, effectively doubling your playing bankroll!

Free spins bonus

A casino may offer you free spins to use on specific slot games as a part of your sign-up. These games are typically new releases or popular classics. Free spins are perfect for slot players, although any winnings you earn from your free spins may be subject to further wagering requirements.?

Reload bonuses

Reload bonuses are almost identical to deposit match welcome bonuses. However, this promotion is available to returning customers only. The online casino will match a percentage of your qualifying deposit with bonus funds.?

No deposit bonuses

You do not need to make a deposit to grab lavish rewards from a casino’s no deposit welcome bonus. You’ll only have to register an account and opt in. Sign-up no deposit bonuses are most budding players’ favourites, as you can often claim a small amount of bonus funds or free spins with no significant financial investment.?

Cashback bonuses

With a cashback casino welcome bonus, a gambling site will pay you back the funds you’ve lost playing eligible casino games and online slots with bonus cash. You can use your bonus funds to carry on playing your favourite games and withdraw your profits after completing the wagering requirements.

Cashable welcome bonus

With these bonuses, you can cash out real dollar winnings once you meet all the promotion’s requirements. Cashable welcome bonuses have often already met all wagering requirements and can be withdrawn. Yet, remember to check any limitations and restrictions before cashing out, as they may take a while to complete.?

Non-cashable welcome bonus

Non-cashable welcome bonuses are often referred to as “sticky” promotions, as they are only used to increase your playing bankroll. You cannot withdraw winnings from your non-cashable welcome bonus. However, these offers tend to offer higher amounts compared to cashable ones.

Welcome bonuses work in various ways, but the underlying intention of attracting you as a returning casino player is always the same. As a new player, you might be offered free spins, bonus cash, or other rewards exclusive to the site you’re using. These rewards can usually be claimed by making a first deposit, signing up, or opting in.

A typical deposit bonus will match your deposits by a percentage up to a certain value. For example, a casino offering a 100% match up to $1,000 might split this over three deposits. This could be 100% up to $200 for your first deposit, then $150 for your second and third deposits. Matched at each step, that’s $400, $300 and $300, giving you a balance of up to $1,000. By comparison, if you deposited a minimum $10 for all three, you’d have a $60 bankroll.

Usually, casinos offer these sorts of promotions with wagering requirements attached. These reference the amount of cash you must bet before converting bonus funds into real money. You can then withdraw those funds as real cash prizes.

With most casinos, welcome bonuses are optional. As there’ll be a series of terms and conditions with the promotion, you can read through them first and determine if you want to participate.?

This will depend on the match percentage and value limits the casino has in place.

Our casino bonus calculator will show you the amounts you can get from our top recommendations. Enter in the amount you’d like to deposit, and we’ll show you the overall bonus amount you’d have to play with at these brands.

1. 1

   Choose your bonus

   Browse through our recommended online casinos and pick your favourite welcome bonus. Click the links on this page to head directly to the site.
2. 2

   Sign up with the casino

   Register with your chosen casino by creating a username and password. You will also need to provide personal information like your name, date of birth, email, phone number, and address.
3. 3

   Enter any promo codes

   If your welcome bonus needs a promo code, you may need to enter this during registration. If not, you can ignore this step.
4. 4

   Make a deposit

   Next, navigate to the 'cashier' section to fund your account. You’ll need to meet the minimum deposit amount to qualify for the casino welcome bonus, so read the T&Cs first. Select your preferred banking option, input the amount you wish to deposit, then finalize the transaction.?
5. 5

   Claim the bonus

   Depending on your preferred welcome bonus online casino, the site may have automatically credited your bonus funds to your account. If not, head to the -'promotions' tab and hit 'welcome bonus'.

We always recommend you read the terms and conditions of any promotion before enjoying the benefits. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect when playing through your bonus funds.?

Wagering requirements

These describe the number of times you must wager your bonus funds before withdrawing any associated winnings resulting from a bonus. For example, let’s say a $100 welcome bonus has a 20x wagering requirement. If you deposit the full amount, you’ll need to wager $2,000 before cashing out ($100 x 20 =$2,000).?

Expiry dates

Commonly, bonuses will only be valid within a certain period. You will only have a specific number of days to complete the wagering requirements and withdraw.?

Location

Often, welcome bonus online casinos will only allow particular states/countries access to the platform and its offers, usually due to gambling restrictions in certain areas.?

First time players

Occasionally, casinos might enforce rules that prevent you from redeeming bonuses if you’ve been a casino member previously or signed up with a sister company.?

Minimum deposit

Before you redeem a welcome bonus, you’ll usually be required to make a minimum first deposit. At some welcome bonus online casinos, this is $20 or $10. Sometimes, bettors on a budget can grab lucrative $5 deposit welcome bonuses or you can get free spins for a $1 deposit.

Payment method restrictions

Some online gambling sites restrict specific payment methods from qualifying for a welcome bonus. Occasionally, deposits via e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller will not count, so you’ll need to fund your account with another banking option.

• National Council on Problem Gambling - Provides information, online chat, and a helpline: 1-800-522-4700
• Responsible Gambling Council – has links to various organisations and lists helplines across Canada.
• You can also visit our responsible gambling section to learn more.