Are No-Deposit Bonuses Worthwhile?

Almost every online casino offers some kind of bonus for becoming a player. The most common type of bonus is a deposit bonus. This is where you’re given bonus credits of bankroll to play with, based on funds you deposit.

A no-deposit bonus is one you receive without having deposited funds. Are they worthwhile? Yes, because you usually have nothing to lose. But not always. Here I’ll discuss important points you should know.

The Purpose of No-Deposit Bonuses

They’re designed to get you test out a new casino, and hopefully becoming a depositing player. From your perspective, you’re getting something for free. From the casino’s perspective, they’re making an investment to promote their games. It’s just an advertising expense for them. So don’t think it’s fishy or that you’re getting something for free.

Free Doesn’t Mean Safe

Many casinos require you to submit verified ID, such as a drivers license. This is especially in cases where you’re given perhaps $50 for free, to play with. After all the casino doesn’t want to give the same person multiple bonuses.

However, a rogue or unlicensed casino could be created just to harvest private identification. And it could be used to steal your identity. Even if a hacker knew your name, address and date of birth, it might be enough to obtain access to your other accounts. So sending a hacker a copy of your ID is giving them a foot in the door.

Every online casino eventually needs verified ID for withdrawals. The governments require them to do this. So can you safely send your ID for a no-deposit bonus? Yes, but follow these guidelines:

Tips To Avoid No-Deposit Scams

• Research the casino. Be very wary of new casinos without any history. Various neutral websites exist to name and shame rogue casinos. A rogue casino is an unlicensed casino that doesn’t follow any government regulations. Websites like BettingGuide list available bonuses. It’s a good place to start.

• Determine who handles your private information. Casinos often use third-party services that verify your identity. Conduct an Internet search to see if other people are complaining about privacy issues related to the company or casino.

• Ensure the web address is correct. It’s easy to impersonate a trusted brand by using a similar-looking domain name. For example, “some-casino.com” could be a masquerading version “somecasino.com”.

• Check the terms and conditions. Of course there are always strings attached, so you should carefully read the terms and conditions. Often you wont need to verify your account with photo ID. You may only need to verify your email address, in which case the casino benefits from capturing your email address. Then they can further promote their games to you.

If you only need a verified email address, you’ve got nothing to lose provided you use an email address you created specifically for this purpose. Most casinos wont spam you, or sell your contact details to others. But joining less-credible casinos is bound to end you up on a spam-list somewhere. So never use your primary email address.

Types of No-Deposit Bonuses

Free Spins

The most common type a the “free spins bonus”. As the name suggests, you get free spins without needing to wager real money.

Free Bankroll

It isn’t real money – it’s credit in your account. It’s a form of digital money, but very different to cryptocurrencies. You can’t immediately withdraw the credit for cash. And you can’t just get lucky on a single spin and win a fortune. A typical condition of free bonus credits is you must wager a certain amount before withdrawing winnings. But even then there’s loopholes for players to cheat the casino, so your can expect further conditions.

Free Play

Free play isn’t exactly a bonus. It’s more a way for you to test the casino’s games without risk. Usually all you’ll need is a verified email address to create your account.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to profit from no-deposit casinos, the good news is it’s possible. You can indeed achieve a long-term advantage over casinos as a whole with only bonuses. I’m not talking about a particular casino, because their offers change over time. I mean when you see a loophole, you can temporarily exploit it as I’ve done myself many times before.

However, you aren’t going to make a significant profit from it. And by this, I mean maybe $30 here and there. So don’t think of bonuses as a way of making money. See them more for what they are – merely extra incentive to try a new casino.