Claim Your Canadian Casino No-Deposit Bonus
There are already some awesome no-deposit bonuses available at Canadian online casinos. There will be even greater abundance as more and more operators launch their platforms. No-deposit bonuses benefit operators and online casino enthusiasts alike. As an operator, they attract scores of potential customers. For those potential customers, no-deposit bonuses give them a chance to try out games and win real money at various sites. Even better is the fact that they don’t have to risk any of their own money.
Canadian online casino no-deposit bonuses are easy to come by and they are even easier to claim. Typically, operators merely require claimants to sign up. You will usually be prompted to claim the no-deposit bonus when you’re filling out the registration form although some operators may just give it to you automatically. In either case, your no-deposit bonus will be waiting for you as soon as you activate your account.
Types of No-Deposit Bonuses
There are two common types of no-deposit bonuses. Again, the great thing about these offers is that you don’t have to deposit funds to get one. The first type of no-deposit bonus we will cover is bonus cash. You can use your no-deposit bonus cash to play a wide range of games including slots and most table games.
Withdrawing any winnings from no-deposit bonus cash can play out in a few different ways. Some operators will immediately make your winnings eligible for withdrawal. You can either cash out your windfall or use it to keep playing real-money games. Just be aware that other operators may require you to make a minimum deposit before releasing your bonus cash. It should go without saying that you need to read the T&Cs to learn how the bonus cash you claim can be withdrawn.
The second common type of no-deposit bonus is a free spins bonus. With these, the online casino will credit your account with free spins once you successfully register. You might be able to use your free spins on any slot game, or you may be limited to using them on specific games. Regardless, you have a chance to win real money without having to commit any of your own.
Most times, anything you win as a result of a no-deposit free spins offer is considered bonus cash. In those instances, you will be required to satisfy wagering requirements and other standard bonus terms and conditions before you can cash out those winnings. We will get to that topic shortly. However, you just might luck out and claim a no-deposit free spins offer that doesn’t have any such terms and conditions attached to it. In other words, the money you win from the free spins goes directly into your withdrawable account balance.
We should also add that some online casino sites offer no-deposit bonuses that consist of both free spins and bonus cash.
Other Types of Bonuses
Canadian online casinos offer first-deposit welcome bonuses to new customers. You open your new account, claim the bonus, and then activate it by funding your account for the first time. A lot of online casinos offer free spins, bonus cash, or both to first-time depositors.
The biggest difference between no-deposit bonuses and deposit bonuses is that deposit bonuses tend to be much more generous. Instead of getting, say, 20 free spins or $20 in bonus cash, a deposit bonus can often net you 100+ free spins and thousands of dollars in bonus cash.
Risk-Free Play
Risk-free play casino bonuses are becoming quite popular at online casinos all over the world. These offers are pretty straightforward and easy to claim. In a nutshell, you open a new account, claim your risk-free play bonus, and make your first real-money deposit. You can then start playing your favourite Canadian online casino games.
By claiming a risk-free play bonus, the operator will refund any losses you incur over a specified period of time such as the first 24 hours. Of course, if you happen to come away from that introductory period with a profit, then you collect your winnings and the bonus is complete. You can look at a Canadian online casino risk-free play offer as being akin to a temporary gambling insurance policy. The amount of the risk-free bet offer will vary from site to site.
Reload Bonuses
Whereas welcome bonuses are aimed specifically at new players who make their first deposit, reload bonuses are offered to existing players. Reload bonus packages normally feature free spins, bonus cash, or both just like their deposit bonus counterparts. They are also generally just as generous. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to find reload bonuses that have more lenient terms attached to them. Reload bonuses ensure that players can continue to receive a lot of added value long after they have closed out their welcome bonuses.
Understanding How Bonus Cash Works
When you claim bonus cash, you can’t simply take the money and run. Instead, the bonus funds are placed in a separate account. The money remains there until the claimant has satisfied the bonus terms and conditions. One of the most important conditions you need to familiarize yourself with is the wagering requirement which is sometimes referred to as the rollover. In simple terms, this is the number of times you need to wager through the bonus amount.
To illustrate, let’s say you receive $100 in bonus cash that is subject to a 20X wagering requirement. The bonus cash would be credited to your bonus account. To unlock it and make it eligible for withdrawal, you would theoretically need to stake $2,000 in wagers. We will explain why this is theoretical in a few moments. For now, we will assume you wagered the $2,000 on eligible slots. At this point, the Canadian online casino would transfer the $100 in bonus money to your regular account. As such, it would be free of any further restrictions and you could either withdraw the money or use it to play more games. It’s up to you.
While there are exceptions, the money you win through a free spins bonus is usually considered bonus cash. Therefore, the money you win from your Canadian online casino free spins bonus would be subject to wagering conditions. For example, you claim 50 free spins and end up winning $100. We’ll also say that your winnings must be wagered 10 times. So, you need to place $1,000 in wagers to release the bonus funds. Once you’ve done that, the operator will release the bonus money to your regular account and you can walk off into the sunset with it.
With risk-free play bonuses, some online casinos will refund your losses to your regular account which means it’s yours to with as you wish. However, you may encounter risk-free play offers at Canadian online casinos in which the refunded money goes into your bonus account. This would obviously entail satisfying the offer’s rollover requirements.
Game Contributions
Earlier in this guide, we used the term “theoretically” when explaining how you’d need to stake $2,000 in wagers to satisfy a 20X rollover and release $100 in bonus cash. This brings us to the concept of game contributions or game weightings. In short, different games contribute different amounts to wagering requirements. Generally speaking, 100% of each wager you make on slots goes toward the wagering requirements. If you stake $1 on a slot game, then the full dollar counts. However, that isn’t the case with most table games.
If you were playing blackjack for instance, you will find that a much smaller portion of each wager contributes to the rollover requirements. Instead of 100% of each blackjack bet counting toward the wagering requirement, you might only have 10% of each wager count. The implications are obvious. You’d need to stake a lot more to satisfy the wagering conditions if you played blackjack. We should also mention that a lot of online casinos exclude certain games from contributing to the rollover. We cannot overstate the importance of understanding the terms and conditions of any offer you want to participate in.
What to Look for in a Canadian Casino Bonus
You need to understand that some Canadian online casino bonus offers are better than others. While most bonuses are worth claiming, some simply aren’t worth it. It makes sense that a lot of inexperienced players would judge a bonus based on its size, but there are a few other key considerations. We’ve already touched on one of those considerations which is the wagering requirements. You want to find a Canadian casino bonus offer with a low rollover requirement.
Imagine that you claim a 100% match bonus offer up to $1,000 that has a 40X rollover. We will say that you deposit $1,000 and claim the maximum $1,000 in bonus cash. Now, let’s do a bit of basic math. With a 40X wagering requirement, you’ll need to stake a whopping $40,000 in wagers on slots. We will also assume that the average Return to Player of the slots you play is, say, 95%. Using these numbers, you can expect an average return of roughly $38,000 from the $40,000 in wagers. In other words, it’s costing you $2,000 to release the $1,000 bonus. Now, it’s important to understand that we are talking about averages here. You might hit the mother of all jackpots, take a bigger loss, or break even. This is the nature of gambling.
Using another example, we’ll say that you want to claim a similar 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000. However, this offer requires a 10X rollover. This means you only need to stake $10,000 on slots. With an average RTP of 95%, you can expect to lose about $500 on the venture. Again, this is just an average. The bottom line is that this offer is easier to profit from. You might lose $500 to satisfy the wagering conditions, but earning the $1,000 in bonus cash leaves you with a $500 profit.
You also need to factor time limits into the equation. As you would expect, your chances of satisfying the wagering requirements increase with the more time you have. Imagine having to wager $40,000 in a week? You are much better off if you have a month or more to do it. And speaking of limits, you must also consider what games you can play to reach the rollover. Being able to play a wide range of games to achieve the wagering requirements makes it a lot more fun.
You must think about what type of player you are as well. You don’t have to claim the maximum bonus amount. Getting back to our 100% match deposit bonus up to $1,000, a small-stakes recreational player would likely be better off depositing $100 or so. While the bonus amount isn’t as great, the amount needed to meet the wagering requirements would be much more realistic. Don’t let a bonus offer put you in a position in which you’re overextending your budget.
Who Can Claim a Canadian Online Casino Bonus?
It looks like the Canadian model for online gambling is going to be nearly identical to the model used in the United States. There, the legality of online gambling is determined by the individual state. States with legal online casinos are tasked with licensing and regulations. This is exactly what Ontario has done. Operators who want to operate in the province must be licensed by Ontario iGaming.
If you want to play real money games at an Ontario online casino, you must be at least 19. Furthermore, you must actually be in Ontario to play. You might be an Ontario resident, but you won’t be able to play games at an Ontario online casino if you are visiting British Columbia or Quebec for example. Geolocation software will detect your location and prevent you from playing if it senses that you are outside of the boundaries.
On the flip side, if you live in another province and happen to be visiting Ontario, you could open an account, claim an Ontario online casino bonus, and enjoy all the site has to offer. Of course, that’s assuming you are at least 19. This is how the online casino industry in Canada is shaping up. Expect things to be similar in other Canadian regions.
How to Claim an Canadian Online Casino Bonus
Before we get to the process of claiming a Canadian online casino bonus, we should let you know that we have all the latest and greatest offers. In addition to that, you can read our in-depth and unbiased expert reviews to help you find the best Canadian casinos online. The sites we recommend to Canadians are all licensed and regulated which means you can trust them to provide you with a fun and fair online casino experience.
Online casinos in Canada usually allow you to claim bonuses by either using a bonus code or by simply opting in to them. If the casino requires a bonus, you can find it right here or by visiting your favourite Canadian online casino. You should be able to find the bonus code right in the promo’s details.
Once you have found the perfect online casino bonus for you, the next step is to set up an account at the site. One way to do this is by first downloading the casino’s mobile app. You could also use the casino’s desktop or mobile site. Whether you launch the casino app or visit the mobile or desktop site, the next step is to select the “Register”, “Join” or similar icon at the top of the screen. This will take you to the registration form which will ask you to provide a few bits of personal information.
At this point, you may also be prompted to claim your bonus by entering a bonus code into the provided field or by opting-in. Because most online casinos in Canada also operate sportsbooks, you may be presented with a couple of different bonus offers. Be sure to select the best one for you. You can then complete the registration form and activate your account. If you encounter any problems along the way, don’t hesitate to contact the site’s customer service team for help.
If you have claimed a no-deposit bonus, you should find the bonus is waiting for you right after you open your account. If you have claimed a deposit welcome bonus, then you will have to make a qualifying deposit. Be aware that almost all deposit offers require you to deposit a minimum amount to qualify. Some even require specific payment methods. Be sure to read the bonus T&Cs.
You can fund your account by either hitting the “Deposit” icon at the top of the screen or by going to the banking section of your account profile. Once you hit the “Deposit” icon, you will be asked to choose a payment method. You will have several to choose from including credit cards, debit cards, eWallets, and pre-paid options. It’s then a matter of entering the deposit amount and submitting the transaction. If you didn’t claim your casino bonus when you signed up, you should be prompted to claim it when you are filling out the deposit form. Again, contact support if you run into any problems.
Now that your deposit is complete, the funds will be immediately credited to your account along with the bonus. You can start playing your favourite real money games and working toward cashing out your bonus cash.
FAQ: No-Deposit Bonus
Yes. All Canadian online casinos you see listed here are licensed and regulated. Bear in mind that they can only offer their services to those who are of legal age.
Yes. A no-deposit bonus gives you a chance to win real money. A lot of people have turned no-deposit bonuses into cash in their pockets.
No. You have the option of accepting or declining any Canadian casino bonus. If you accidentally claim one and you don’t want it, make sure to contact the site’s support staff before you start placing real-money wagers.
Wagering requirements refer to the number of times you must wager a bonus before it becomes eligible for withdrawal.
In most cases, operators limit you to one bonus at a time. For example, you can claim no-deposit bonus and, when you’re done with that, claim a first deposit welcome bonus. With that said, you need to check the T&Cs to find out if one offer may be used in conjunction with another.
It’s also worth noting that you can claim multiple casino no-deposit bonuses by signing up at multiple sites.
Canadian Online Casino Bonuses: Summary
Canadian residents already have several top-tier licensed online casinos to choose from and they can expect to have even more options in the near future. That means more great bonuses and promotions. Let’s not forget about those tasty no-deposit bonuses!
This guide has shown you the kinds of bonuses you can cash in on and how easy they are to claim. We have also advised you of the importance of reading a bonus’s terms and conditions. This way, you understand what your obligations are. You can also use the information in the T&Cs to figure out if a certain deal is the right one for you.
We urge you to visit us regularly to find out about the latest exclusive offers. We can also be an invaluable resource in your quest for the best online casinos in Canada. We can save you a lot of time and effort in your search.