No-deposit bonus
A no-deposit bonus is a small amount of bonus money or free spins that a casino gives you for signing up, without you paying anything in first.
Also called no deposit bonus, free bonus, free chip
A no-deposit bonus lets you try a casino without risking your own money. It is usually small and comes with the strictest terms on the site: a high wagering requirement, a short time limit, a list of allowed games and a maximum cashout. Many casinos also ask for a deposit or a KYC check before they pay out anything won from it.
Example. You get a free 10 with 50x wagering and a maximum cashout of 50. You must stake 50 × 10 = 500 before you can withdraw. On slots with a 4% house edge, 500 in bets costs 20 on average, which is twice the bonus. So most of the time the balance runs out before the wagering is done. If you do finish with 180, you are paid 50.
What people get wrong. "Free" does not mean you can withdraw it. It does not mean no cost either: you hand over your details, and the casino gains a customer to send offers to. Treat a no-deposit bonus as a free look at the site, not as free money.
Claiming the same offer on several accounts counts as bonus abuse and gets winnings cancelled.
Related terms
- Wagering requirement
A wagering requirement is the total amount you must bet, usually a multiple of the bonus, before bonus money and its winnings can be withdrawn.
- Maximum cashout
A maximum cashout is a cap on how much you can withdraw from winnings made with a bonus, however much you actually win.
- Sticky bonus
A sticky bonus is a bonus you can bet with but never withdraw, so it is either removed when you cash out or kept for more play, depending on the terms.
- Bonus abuse
Bonus abuse is a casino's term for claiming or playing bonuses in ways its rules forbid, such as opening more than one account.