Traditional casinos have been around for hundreds of years and compared to them, online ones can be considered relatively new. However, since the opening of the first online casino in 1996, they have rapidly grown in popularity over the years, especially as technology continued to advance.
Now, they are perhaps one of the most successful forms of entertainment on the internet with millions of people using various casino platforms daily. There are several reasons why they are so popular today, the first being not having to leave the comfort of your home and the second? Probably all the perks that they provide.
And while having high-quality software, high security, game variety, and a good reputation are important for online success, there might be a greater benefit to playing via the internet.
Where land-based casinos give incentives such as free drinks and some kind of loyalty program, online ones might have a better offer – cash bonuses that are more often than not pretty large as well.
This is also used by online businesses to stand out against their competition and attract more players since it is true that the market has been oversaturated, especially in the last few years.
So, if you are interested to know more or are just curious about what they are, here are a few things to have in mind.
How Do They Work?
Instead of offering complementary items to players with a proven track record, services on the internet operate differently. Technically, anyone is eligible to receive and claim these up-front rewards as long as they are above the legal age limit, have a registered account, and do not live in a country that is restricted.
However, just because it is given to you it does not mean you can claim it instantly. Before you can cash out, you will need to clear it, meaning you will have to earn it by completing specific requirements.
These are listed in the Terms & Conditions clauses for each game that offers these rewards and they are often referred to as rollovers or wager requirements. This is why it is important to pay attention, read through, and understand the T&Cs no matter how tedious they seem.
Failing to meet these requirements will result in your bonus being canceled while failing to adhere to the Terms and Conditions could lead to all of your bonus winnings being removed and in the worst-case scenario, your membership being revoked permanently. Certain types have no rollovers, but their amounts are also quite small, meant to simply draw your interest.
These incentives can also be placed in two main categories – cashable and non-cashable. As their names suggest, the former can be withdrawn after the requirements are cleared, the latter cannot.
And you might be wondering what the purpose of non-cashable incentives is? Although they might seem useless, they increase your bankroll, meaning you can play higher stakes that might result in bigger winnings too.
All of this should have a major influence on where you choose to play so make sure to take time, do your research, and read through everything before deciding. If you are still unsure, many websites offer you some of the best casino rewards available with some, such as Casino Hipster’s bonuses, featuring their reviews too.
Other Things to Consider
Before deciding where to register there are a few other things you should check to avoid any possible problems. Besides the wagering requirements and the size of the rewards, you should also always check a website’s reputation, service quality, software and bandwidth quality, and security.
Although online gambling is generally very safe, there are always a couple of bad places just like everywhere else.
Casinos now also only allow bonuses for certain games, so you should see which one’s offer rewards and which do not. Do not forget to take a look at how much time you have for clearing wager requirements as to not miss your deadline and lose your reward.
The Types
There are several different types of incentives but the most common ones include:
1. Welcome
They are meant to attract users and are received upon registration. These are usually bigger and are meant to encourage you to sign up. However, you should not be quick to rush and register just because a site is offering more than its competition. As mentioned above, always do your research on a casino’s reliability before making your choice.
2. Deposit
These are given to encourage people to stay on the site and continue playing and depending on the website, they can come in three different forms.
Percentage Deposit entails the site offering a specified percentage of your first deposit. For example, if you made a $100 deposit and the bonus is 50 percent, you will receive an additional $50.
Matching Deposit means that the website will match your first payment 100%, however, they usually have a maximum limit. So, even if your deposit is $400 but their bonus maximum is $300, you will only receive that amount.
No-Deposit allows you to try out games while playing with bonus money provided by the website. Typically, if you win using that money, you will be able to keep your winnings, although the casino will take back the bonus. This means if you received $200 upon registration, played games, and earned $100, you will have $100 on your account without having to pay for anything.
3. Loyalty
Just like most loyalty programs, the more and longer you play, the more points you will earn. The bonus amounts generally increase as you level up and you will be able to exchange rewards based on your accumulated points.
Depending on their size and revenue, many sites offer rewards that you can use to boost your bankroll but many others offer physical rewards ranging anywhere from apparel and gadgets to cars and much more.
4. Recurring
Some sites offer the same rewards repeatedly, usually on a monthly and sometimes even weekly level.
Conclusion
Today, online casinos and bonuses are synonymous and you probably won’t be able to find one such service that does not offer at least some kind of incentive.
At the end of the day, these bonuses are the best marketing tool that the businesses can use while for players, they are great for boosting their funds and giving them a chance to cash out more.
Hopefully, now you know a bit more about them so you can use this knowledge the next time you decide to enjoy playing in a casino on the internet.
