A welcome bonus offer in the casino is given to the new members who deposit for the first time. Some casinos don’t even require a deposit as they are ready to provide you with a hefty bonus balance for a simple act of registering on their platform. Basically, it’s an operator's way of allowing you to take a casino for a test drive. You can explore it’s gaming lobby and make sure it has everything you want in an online gambling hub.

There are a few common types of welcome bonus, each with its own distinct terminology.

Deposit Bonuses

Deposit bonuses promise the customer a cash reward after their first significant deposit. There are a few things you should know, though, about the way that “free money” works.

You have to deposit a specified amount - You can’t just deposit a dollar to get your deposit bonus. The terms and conditions of the bonus will specify exactly how much you need to deposit in order to get it; the amount will usually be at least as much as the bonus itself.

Very often a deposit bonus is referred to as a ‘match bonus’ as the casino will match the amount deposited. The most common offer is a 100% deposit match. However, most casinos put a limit on a possible bonus amount received. So, in a case a 100% deposit match is limited to €50, you will receive that much even if you invest €100 or more.

You can’t just withdraw the money - The money is put into your bonus account on the site as opposed to your normal account. You can only use the bonus account money on the site as wagers that can win you actual normal account cash. So really, the free money from the deposit bonus is more like a gift card for the online casino.

Free Spin Bonuses

These bonuses give a new player on the site some free spins (for slots) or some free chips (for table games). The freebies allow the customers to test the games offered in the casino’s gaming lobby and see if the online casino is a good fit for them.