Casino bonuses are one of the most important aspects when it comes to online casinos in Canada. A lot of people get drawn in by huge numbers and lucrative casino bonuses while not really understanding what they are signing up for. This guide will make sure that doesn't happen to you.
Keep reading to learn all about casino bonuses in Canada. This guide will cover welcome bonuses, the types of welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, and the many other ways online casinos reward you for playing at their sites.
Welcome bonuses
If you've ever done any research into online casinos in Canada, you'll have seen something about welcome bonuses. These are bonuses online casinos use to get you to sign up for their site. Welcome bonuses come in many different forms. See below for a full breakdown of the most common types of welcome bonuses in Canada.
Match bonuses
Match bonuses are the most common types of casino welcome bonuses in Canada. These bonuses reward you for making a big first deposit. The way they work is that casinos will match some percentage of your first deposit up to a certain amount.
Let's say an online casino has a matching bonus for their welcome bonus that will match 100% of your first deposit up to $1,000. This means if you deposit less than $1,000, you will get an equal amount back in bonus credits.
Free spins
Free spins are essentially free bets for slot games. They are typically a small part of a larger welcome bonus.
An online casino might offer a matching bonus plus 50 free spins once you make your first deposit.
One thing to keep in mind when you claim a welcome bonus offering free spins is that free spins are usually tied to one specific slot. This can be a bummer if you are looking to use your free spins to try out some new online slots.
Cashback offers
Cashback offers are welcome bonuses that give you a certain percentage of your losses back as bonus credits during some specified period after you create your account.
A common cashback bonus is 20% of your losses back during the first 48 hours after you create your online casino account.
Cashback welcome bonuses reward you for playing right after you sign up for an online casino. If you don't plan on playing right away, these casino bonuses might not be for you. On the flip side, if you're ready to dive in and start playing right away, cashback bonuses might be the way to go.
No deposit bonuses
Canada online casino no deposit bonuses are exactly what they sound like. They are casino welcome bonuses you can claim without making a deposit. Generally speaking, these are smaller than other online casino bonuses, but they can represent great value if you are looking to start small with new online casinos in Canada that you might not be ready to commit to.
Note: Besides generally being smaller than other welcome bonuses, no deposit bonuses also usually have more strings attached to them, such as bigger wagering requirements and shorter periods before your bonus funds expire.
Existing customer promotions
Almost all casino sites in Canada will offer welcome bonuses. What really makes some online casinos stand out is their existing customer promotions. These are bonuses, promotions, offers, and other special rewards only available to existing players. Many are similar to welcome bonuses, but some are a little different.
Here's an overview of the existing customer promotions you'll see at online casinos in Canada:
- Reload bonuses - Reload bonuses work similar to matching welcome bonuses. These weekly or monthly bonuses will give you some percentage of your deposit as bonus credits.
- Free spins - As we explained above, free spins are free wagers on online slots. Existing customers can usually claim free spins by playing slots games or as a bonus for making a deposit.
- Cashback bonuses - Casino sites will give you a percentage of your losses back as bonus credits, provided you meet certain deposit and wagering requirements.
VIP Programs
Existing customer promos can also exist as loyalty bonuses and VIP programs. These programs reward you as you play and give you access to exclusive perks as you move up the rank. Most online casino VIP programs are open to anyone, but some are VIP only.
The most common loyalty bonuses in Canada are:
- Free spins
- Exclusive bonus offers
- Higher cashback bonuses
- Faster withdrawals
- Higher withdrawal limits
- Access to a personal account manager
Casino Bonus Terms and Conditions
All online casino bonuses have terms and conditions attached to them. Some are more in the open and others are in the fine print. Whatever the case, you should always read them closely. Some terms and conditions are very restrictive and can devalue the bonus offer.
Casino bonus terms and conditions usually fall into these categories:
- Wagering requirements - Wagering requirements, also called playthrough requirements, are the most important casino bonus limitation. These requirements stipulate how much money you have to wager before you can withdraw your bonus funds. For example, if you claim a $100 bonus with a 20x wagering requirement, you must wager $2,000.
- Wagering contribution - Wagering contributions are a subset of wagering requirements. Wagering contributions refer to the amount of your wager that satisfies the wagering requirement. For example, table games could have a 10% wagering contribution, meaning $0.10 of every $1 you wager counts to your wagering requirement.
- Minimum deposit - Many welcome bonuses have minimum deposit requirements. If your first deposit is below the minimum deposit amount, you will not be able to claim your casino welcome bonus.
- Payment method restriction - Some welcome bonuses limit the payment method you can use to claim it. This normally applies to e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, so be sure to read up on the welcome bonus before you make your first deposit.
- Maximum bet - Online casinos typically limit the size of bets you can make with bonus credits.
- Maximum win - Some online casinos limit the amount of money you can win with bonus funds. This is almost always the case with no deposit bonuses.
- Limits on game types - Many bonus offers will be exclusive to certain types of online casino games or even specific games. This is very common with free spins which can usually only be used at certain online slots.
- Time limits - Besides wagering requirements, time limits on your bonus funds are the most common restrictions on bonus funds. These requirements make it so you have to claim or use your bonus funds before a specified expiration date.
Why we don't list some casino bonuses
Gambling regulations in Canada are notoriously complicated because there are no federal regulations on the books. However, there are many provincial laws. Some of these laws limit online casino advertising. These laws mean we can't advertise certain online casino bonuses.
This mostly affects Ontario online casinos since Ontario has the strictest gambling laws in Canada.