Top Casino Welcome Bonuses

Whilst there are several factors to consider when choosing which online casino to join, there’s no denying that the casino welcome bonus plays a huge part in the decision making process. With such fierce competition within the online casino industry, the welcome bonus, which is sometimes referred to as a sign-up bonus or first deposit bonus, has become an integral feature designed to catch the eye of potential new customers. Want to get the best bang for your buck? Our guide to casino welcome bonuses is sure to get you off to a flying start at your next online casino.

Types of Welcome Bonus

Casinos can offer a lot to attract new customers to their site meaning that the types of welcome bonuses can be pretty varied. Let’s have a look at what you can expect to find.

Matched Deposits

If you’ve had a look around at what’s on offer, you’ll have noticed that the majority of new customer bonuses on offer come in the form of matched deposits. A matched deposit does exactly what it says on the tin – you place your first deposit and the casino matches it in bonus funds. While many casinos offer a 100% matched deposit, it’s not uncommon to find matched deposit offers as low as 50% or as high as 200%.

Here’s a common example of a matched deposit bonus:

• 100% up to $100. Deposit $100 and get an extra $100 to play with

This offer is broken down into two parts. The first is the percentage matched. In this example, you’re essentially getting your deposit doubled. The second is the maximum amount of free cash the casino is willing to give you. Of course you can deposit more if you wish, but the bonus funds you’ll receive won’t go beyond the stated limit.

Free spins

There are several promotional sign up bonuses that offer free spins to existing players, however, as a new customer, you’ll usually find free spins bundled with your deposit bonus.

Here’s a common example of a matched deposit offer with free spins:

• 100% up to $500 + 100 free spins

Getting your hands on free spins is never a bad idea. A few online casinos offer a standalone free spins welcome bonus, where you receive a certain number of free spins dependent on the value of your initial deposit. In most instances, you’ll find that your free spins come packaged with your cash deposit bonus. This allows you to use your cash bonus on games away from the slots category, should you wish to! Of course, just like your bonus winnings, any winnings made using free spins will be subject to wagering requirements. Remember to keep an eye out for the terms and conditions to find out how many times you’ll have to play through your bonus winnings before they can be made available for withdrawal.

No Deposit

A no deposit is as straightforward as it sounds. All you need to do is create an account and the bonus is yours! The idea behind it is to give new players a taster of what the casino has to offer without the need to place a deposit, in the hope that they’ll sign up and become paying customers. While many no deposit bonuses come in the form of free spins or other game tokens, there are a few operators that dish out no deposit cash bonuses. This gives you a license to roam the casino and take your pick from the vast selection of titles in the games collection. Of course, there are wagering requirements and winning caps to prevent any huge losses being made by the casino operator. All things considered, we think it’s an offer well worth snapping up, especially if you’re on a tight budget. It’s the perfect way to try before you buy!

No Wagering

There are a number of huge bonuses that may appear attractive at first, but come coupled with huge wagering requirements. This can make it quite difficult for you to get your hands on any bonus winnings, especially if you aren’t a frequent player. Over the last few years a new, player-friendly form of welcome bonus has surfaced and it’s fair to say that it’s already a firm favourite. It should come as no surprise – any winnings earned using a no wagering bonus are immediately available for withdrawal.

There are a few no wagering cash bonuses out there, but the most common offer is no wagering free spins. An example of this is where you can get 1 no wager free spin for every $1 deposited (up to 50 free spins). So if you deposit $50, you’ll have that money to play with as you see fit, but you’ll also receive 50 free spins courtesy of the casino.

No Deposit, No Wagering

At some sites in Canada you’ll even get the best of both worlds. No deposit no wager bonuses give you a boost to your bankroll for absolutely free and allow you to withdraw your winnings as cash whenever you want! There will be other terms and conditions attached to these bonuses, so keep your eye out for those.

How can I claim a casino welcome bonus?

Follow these simple steps to claim your first casino sign up bonus:

1. Compare online casinos.
   Welcome bonuses come in several shapes and sizes, so you need to find the right one for you. Our carefully curated list of Canada’s top online casinos features the best welcome bonuses available online today. Simply compare and pick out one you fancy.
2. Wagering.
   Remember not to be swayed by the big numbers. A bonus offer may seem generous on the surface, but we recommend taking a closer look. Take your time to read the terms and conditions and keep an eye out for the wagering requirements. This will give you a much better idea of the true value of a bonus offer.
3. Sign up.
   Once you’ve picked out a favourite, follow our link which redirects you to the casino’s registration page. From here, you’ll be able to sign up and become eligible for your exclusive welcome bonus. Creating an account takes just a few minutes, all you need to do is provide a few personal details.
4. Deposit & claim.
   Unless you’ve grabbed a no deposit welcome bonus, you’ll have to deposit to claim your bonus. Simply head over to the cashier page of your chosen casino to make a payment. The top online casinos offer support for a range of payment methods, from bank transfers to Skrill.
5. Play.
   Your welcome bonus is usually credited almost instantly following your deposit, so you’ll be able to get stuck in right away. Head to the games page to browse the casino’s collection and choose a title that appeals to you. You’ll find hundreds of slots games at the top sites, as well as a number of classic casino table games such as blackjack and roulette. All that’s left for you to do is play!

Wagering Requirements

Put simply, a wagering requirement is the number of times you’ll need to wager your bonus winnings before it can be made available for withdrawal. Casinos usually include wagering requirements in the terms and conditions of a bonus offer and state that players must meet them within a certain period of time.

Here’s an example of a matched deposit bonus with wagering requirements:

• 100% up to $200. Wagering requirements are 25x the bonus amount

In this instance, if you deposit $90, you’ll receive $90 in bonus funds from the casino. This bonus comes with a wagering requirement that will require you to play through any bonus winnings 25 times before they’re available for withdrawal. This means that you’ll have to wager $2,250 before any bonus winnings can be withdrawn. While this isn’t completely out of reach, many players might find it difficult to reach this figure, especially over a short space of time.

Terms and Conditions

Another important feature of a welcome bonus is what, if any, limits are imposed by the casino. This information is usually found in the terms and conditions, but it’s important to take a look to ensure you don’t end up missing out on claiming any bonus winnings.

Time Limits

The most common limits are time constraints. You’ll want to know how much time you have to claim your welcome bonus (i.e. the time between creating an account and making your first deposit) and how long your casino welcome bonus is valid for. We’d also recommend finding out how long you have to clear any wagering requirements, to assess whether or not this would restrict your ability to cash out your bonus winnings.

Game Restrictions

Certain bonuses may look pretty good value on the outside, but it may be the case that you can only use it on specific games. Free spins will most likely only apply to slot games, but other bonuses like matched deposits may only be played on certain table games and cannot be used in the live casino, for example. It’s worth making a note of where you can and can’t use your bonus before you claim, in case you had your eyes on making the most of a particular game.

Winning Caps

If you manage to find a bonus with no wagering requirements, you may think you’ve hit the jackpot. However, there are usually caps on winnings earned using these types of bonuses. A casino could hand out 50 no deposit free spins, for example, but cap your bonus winnings at $50. Casino operators are in it to make money, after all.

Claiming Your Welcome Bonus on the Go

One of the best things about modern online casinos is that playing on the go is easier than ever before. Virtually every casino has the same offers across their mobile apps as they do on their desktop site. Some sites even offer mobile-exclusive welcome bonuses.

All of our featured Canada online casinos have a mobile optimized site, but the very best sites will give their players the option of a native app. With quick loading times and push notifications, mobile casino apps are one the best ways to play with a welcome bonus around.

Payment Options

There are a lot of ways to pay at an online casino these days, with each option suiting a specific set of requirements. What payment method you choose can have an effect on your ability to claim your welcome bonus, however.

Interac

Specifically designed for Canadians, Interac is a popular choice for making deposits to your chosen online casino. You do need cash in the bank for the deposit to go through, and not all casinos accept withdrawals via this method, so a bank wire is necessary to get your winnings.

Credit Cards

Perhaps not as popular as they once were, credit cards are still accepted by all the major online casinos in Canada. They offer instant deposits, but withdrawals can take 3 – 7 days to reach you. Furthermore, some card issuers add on their own fees if your card is being used for gambling purposes.

Debit Cards

Probably the most familiar payment method to casino players, debit cards are accepted pretty much universally. Each transaction is kept safe by your individual bank’s security software and you can expect each withdrawal to be processed within 5 working days.

E-wallets

E-wallets are becoming an increasingly popular payment method and it’s easy to see why. Services like Skrill and Neteller are completely free to sign up to, don’t require you to share your financial information with the casino and often process transactions within 24 hours. But the use of certain e-wallets may exclude you from particular welcome bonuses. The exclusions will be laid out in the offer terms and conditions so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on those before you sign up.

New Casino Welcome Offers

It may seem like a good idea to stick to the more established names when signing up to a welcome bonus, but new casinos can offer some of the best promotions out there. As a way to stand out from the crowd, new casinos offer some of the best value welcome bonuses to attract fresh customers. Some even offer no wagering bonuses that allow players to withdraw their money as soon they win it.

Claim your bonus and play!

Now that we’ve taken you through everything you need to know about welcome bonuses, it’s time to sign up and claim your very own. We’re sure our carefully curated list of casinos will provide you with an option that caters to you. Simply check out our list, compare and sign up to become eligible for your casino welcome bonus today!