Due to the harsh competition nowadays, online casinos need to come up with ways to regularly attract players. Free spins that come along with slot games have been the most used weapon in this battle for several good reasons.
Namely, slots are undoubtedly the most popular online casino games. You have probably noticed that they outnumber other games in every online casino out there. The reason for this lies in the simplicity of the game, as well as constant theme-related innovations.
For this reason, casinos usually offer free spins to attract more players to their website. Sometimes, they will offer free slots as a way of promoting a new title on their website. Yet, there are some important things to highlight before you start spinning those reels.
LoadingSo what are Free Spins?
Any offer you can find online that includes any type of free spins is simply a tool online casinos use for their promotion. The aim here is to encourage players to sign up and keep playing in the future as well.
Free spins are a bonus meant to complement video slot games. In case you are not familiar with video slots, it is a game in which you bet a specific sum on the outcome of the spinning reels. The reels consist of different symbols depending on the theme of the slot, and each symbol has a different value.
The game is pretty simple, and the only thing you are required to do is to hit the Spin button. You place a wager for each spin and, depending on the combination of symbols, you can either win or lose. Therefore, your job is only to decide on the amount you would like to wager, spin the reels, and let the slot do the rest.
Now, you probably wonder where are those free spins you came here for. Well, the casinos often inform you about this bonus option right from the start. You will often come across free spins in the form of a test run for new games, or as a part of the welcome bonus package.
Every casino has different regulations regarding the number of free spins. It usually starts at ten and goes up to 200 free spins that are distributed daily.
However, several terms and conditions come along with this offer, and you can read more on that after we present to you what types of free spins you can come across.
What types of Free Spin offers can I get?
Casinos package free spins in a variety of ways:
1) Free Spins no deposit required
No deposit free spins bonuses are some of the most popular online casino bonuses in the online gambling community. These bonuses are the free spins that the casino actually gives you for free. Yes, you’ve read that well — you don’t need to spend a cent to spin that reel!
After you open an account with an online casino, you will get a number of free spins to use on particular slots without making any deposits at all. The registration is free, but you will need to accept the terms and conditions of the no deposit free spins to be able to utilize them.
The value of these free spins is usually not mind-blowing, but the promotion itself is, beyond doubt, the best way to try out the slots together with their payouts. Even though there is always a clearly defined list of slots to which no deposit free spins can be applied, it will frequently include the latest or the most popular titles from prominent software providers.
Contrary to the belief that free spins no deposit bonuses are strictly reserved for novice players, some online casino operators will also provide these bonuses for regular players. If you subscribe to their newsletter, you will get notifications regarding bonuses, including no deposit free spins.
Remember that no deposit free spins winnings are capped at a specific amount, meaning that you cannot win more than that by using this bonus.
2) Free Spins after depositing
Apart from the no deposit free spins, some online casinos will offer you bonus spins that will require at least a small amount of cash from your side. This is a more common offer of free spins that you can take advantage of only after depositing some money into your online casino account. After all, the casinos must first obtain a sufficient fund so that they could treat you with more no deposit bonuses later on.
Deposit free spins are usually offered as a part of the welcome package that includes some minimal deposit. The casino will then match the amount you deposited with a number of free spins. In other words — the higher the initial deposit amount, the more free spins you obtain.
Free spins come with fixed terms and conditions. In most cases, they are time-limited, so you need to use them up within a certain time frame. Similarly to the no deposit free spins, these free spins also have other boxes that need to be ticked for the bonus to be available.
Casinos always have detailed instructions regarding terms and conditions that apply to bonuses. Therefore, before you make any moves, make sure to read them carefully.
3) Ongoing promotions
Online casinos will often run free spins as a promotional tool to retain players, offering free spins on specific games for a time limited duration. Similarly free spins are offered to publicize the launch of a new game and to entice Canadians to try the game out. Currently Casinoroom.com for example is offering 50 free spins on the new 720 payline game Pyramid: Quest for Immortality to existing players.
How to Claim Free Spins Offer
After you’ve selected a casino that offers either no deposit or deposit free spins, check the steps you need to follow to be able to claim the bonus. In most cases, the procedure will take only a few minutes and include the following steps:
- Land on the site and familiarize yourself with the free spins offer
- Create an account providing all the necessary details
- Review the terms and conditions regarding the promotion you would like to claim
- If the casino offers no deposit bonus, you are good to go! If not, read the remaining two steps
- If the promotion requires making a deposit, check the minimum amount you need to invest and follow the steps for doing so
- Click Spin and enjoy!
As mentioned before, casino promotions come with specific requirements attached. These requirements need to be met before you can start playing with your free spins. The terms and conditions you should always pay attention to are wagering requirements, bonus codes, and slot rules.
Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements are the crucial factor when it comes to free spins. They represent the number of times you need to wager the amount of your deposit or winnings from the free spins before you can withdraw the money.
Wagering requirements differ from one casino to another and can start as low as 10x, but also go up to 50x. There’s no doubt you will find some online casinos with no wagering requirements at all, but these will consequently have low limits on the possible winnings. In that case, don’t hope for some enormous winnings.
For example, if the wagering requirements for deposit free spins are 20x, and the maximum win cap is set at $100, it further implies that you need to wager $4000 before you can get your hands on any winnings you’ve earned via those spins.
Bonus Codes
Plenty of online casinos often create unique bonus codes that players have to use in order to access free spins bonus. Again, the casino will always explain the right procedure for using a bonus code so that you are well aware of where to type it in. When free spins no deposit bonuses or the deposit free spins bonus require a particular code, it means that, without it, you won’t be able to utilize the promotion. The casinos generally highlight the bonus code directly on their website, but you can sometimes find them in casino reviews or affiliate sites.
Game Selection Eligibility
While you are checking out the wagering requirements and bonus codes for a particular online casino, take some time to find information regarding the games to which the bonus is applied. Bear in mind that only selected games count when it comes to specific free spins bonuses. You can find the list of slots included in the promotion on the casino’s Bonus Terms and Conditions page, so don’t forget to read even the small font to stay on the safe side.
So Why Would a Casino Offer Free Spins?
Online casinos, like any other business, need to use marketing and promotions to keep players coming. Of course, this is all done so that they could generate more profit. Therefore, free spins are a part of a promotion tactic, similar to those ‘buy two, get one for free’ you can find in land-based stores.
All online casinos know that, if the bonus is good enough, players will keep playing there, believing that there will be more of such benefits. In other words, a casino will offer you free spins, but later on profit from you playing other games. Indeed, some players create an account simply to use the free stuff, and never come back after that. However, the majority will stay and start spending their own money after there are no more free spins. All in all, the casino will definitely profit if their promotion is juicy enough.
Top Free Spins Tips
1) Understand how Free Spins work
Free spins like welcome bonuses need to be ‘played through’ or wagered. In the case of free spins it’s any winnings that you make from the spins that need to be wagered, and this applies to both the free spins no deposit and free spins after depositing varieties.
The amount that the winnings need to be wagered will differ from casino to casino but it generally matches the welcome bonus i.e. from x35 to x50. So, if you were to win $50 playing via a free spins bonus with wagering of x 35, the $50 would be ‘locked’ in your account until you wagered $1750 in total (35 x 50).
2) Keep an eye on your account and email in-box
Casinos will often run free spins promos for existing players this could be for a ‘birthday gift, to launch a new game or for regular promotional activity. To keep track of this activity it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your email inbox and casino account
3) Shop Around
Although not as widespread as casino welcome bonuses, there’s always a selection of free spin bonuses for new players. It pays to take a look at the specifics of the offer, whether it requires a deposit or not, what the slot game is and what the wagering requirements of the free spins offer is before going ahead and choosing to play there.
4) Free Spins and Bonus Spins
Confusingly online casino sites will also offer bonus spins within slot games. These are features which are activated within slot games, for instance by triggering a specific combination of symbols. These bonus spins give slots players the opportunity to increase their winnings within the game by having free spins without having to wager extra sums, but are different to the free spins promotion referred to in this article
FAQ
Can I win real money with casino free spins?
Of course. After you meet all the requirements attached to the bonus, the money you have left is yours to keep.
Are free spins available for any deposit method?
They should be, but there’s no harm in clarifying your doubts. You can try to find the answer on the Bonus Terms and Conditions page or contact the casino’s customer service.
Do I have to create an account before utilizing free spins?
Yes, in the majority of cases, you won’t be able to utilize your free spins unless you create an account.
Can I use free spins on my mobile phone?
You most definitely can. The majority of online casinos are mobile-friendly and allow you to enjoy full online gaming experience on the go.
Author: Tom Wilson
Chief editor and creator, Tom drives the direction of CanadianCasinos.ca with the goal to provide the best and most honest resource for online gambling enthusiasts in Canada