There are many online casinos out there, and it can be hard to pick just one to play at. Some may look at what’s available to play, considering the types of pokies and the variety of table games. Others might look at the financial side of things, whether they can use their preferred payment option to deposit, or what the wagering requirements are. These are both important factors, but the unsung hero of the online casino experience are the bonuses, the most coveted of which is the no deposit bonus.
Best No Deposit Bonus Casinos for Australian Players
AU $5000 Bonus
+ 75 Free Spins
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Rating: 5/5
AU $10000 Bonus
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Rating: 4.9/5
AU $300 Bonus
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Rating: 4.8/5
AU $6000 Bonus
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Rating: 4.7/5
AU $4000 Bonus
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Rating: 4.6/5
Bonuses are a great way to extend the amount that you’re able to play, give you a chance to try some games that you may not have otherwise thought of, or give you some extra money to win. While the no deposit bonus is a heavily sought-after bonus, its name is a bit misleading, because there are all sorts of bonuses that can be claimed without the need for a deposit.
Bonuses can be a lot of fun, but remember that they always come with wagering requirements that are different depending on the casino you choose. When you claim a bonus, you may not be permitted to claim additional bonuses, or there may be other conditions. Every casino we cover here at Pokies is subject to an expert review, but all players should carefully read the terms and conditions to know exactly what they’re agreeing to when they claim a bonus.
Types of No Deposit Bonuses
The no deposit bonus is highly sought after because you’re not going to find a better deal. What makes this bonus so special is right there in the name: you don’t need to deposit any money into an online casino to claim it. In its most popular form it is, in effect, free money for you to play at a casino with.
Free Money
Giving money away seems like a bad business model, but it is a fairly low-stakes way to get players invested in a particular casino, so that when the free money runs out they’ll be eager to use their own funds to continue playing. It’s also important to note that when a casino offers a no deposit bonus, it is not analogous to real money – you can’t sign up to a casino, claim a no deposit bonus, and then immediately withdraw the cash. There might also be some sort of rule or restriction around what the maximum cashout might be, or what games you can play, if you’re using funds from a no deposit bonus.
Free Spins
Another popular no deposit bonus is getting free spins to use on pokies or slots. Casinos might limit what can be played to a particular game or a certain range of games, as they might have agreements with certain developers or may think of particular games as loss leaders. A well known and established game like Mega Moolah, for example, has various types of bonuses across multiple casinos, including no deposit bonuses.
While not strictly a no deposit bonus, a casino might offer a significant number of spins on a particular pokie for amounts as low as $1. As with getting free credit to use on games, the idea is that you’ll enjoy the game enough to want to keep playing with real money.
The nice thing about having free spins as a no deposit bonus specifically is that they often don’t come with any wagering requirements, meaning that, if you had wanted to, you could withdraw your winnings from the casino once you had used them all. However, for this reason, the number of free spins available as a no deposit bonus are typically on the low side; it’s rather unlikely, though not impossible, that you could amass any sort of significant winnings with only 25 spins.
It’s almost important to mention that some casinos may restrict the timeframe in which free spins can be used. As mentioned above, no deposit bonuses are meant to incentive punters to join a casino’s ecosystem. Those casinos want to see their bonuses used as quickly as possible, to attract players, encourage them to start playing with real money, and so that they don’t have to honor unclaimed bonuses or deal with the repercussions of having them.
Cashback Bonus
A more recent addition to the bonus pantheon is the cashback bonus, which are more aimed at established punters who are familiar with gaming at an online casino. We should note that cashback bonuses aren’t necessarily contingent on not depositing real money; instead, it is the one type of bonus that is reactive instead of proactive.
A cashback bonus allows punters to earn back a percentage of their losses. If someone claims a 5% cashback bonus and proceeds to lose $100 playing either one game or multiple games, they will have $5 deposited back into their account. Cashback bonuses only apply to real money gaming, so while they can be no deposit bonuses, a punter would already have to be part of a casino’s ecosystem to take advantage.
Given the random nature of pokies, cashback bonuses function similarly to other no deposit bonuses in that they help to extend your bankroll just a little bit more, but they are particularly unique among casino bonuses.
Claiming a No Deposit Bonus
As with other types of casino bonuses, no deposit bonuses are very easy to claim, though the challenge comes in finding a casino that offers one. As they typically involve the casino giving cash or spins to players, something no casino in the world can afford to do extensively or for long periods, they may be limited-time incentives or tied to certain casino partners like game developers.
Since no deposit bonuses are almost exclusively meant to incentivize new players, all you need to do to take advantage is sign up for a casino and claim the bonus from their promotions tab. Before you do sign up, you may wish to look into a casino’s background and verify that it is reputable. All casinos that appear here on Pokies.com have been professionally vetted, but there are hundreds of casinos out there from all over the world, and they’re not all audited or part of a regulatory entity.
When you claim a no deposit bonus, it should automatically appear in your account. However, at some casinos you may need to input a coupon or bonus code in order to claim it, as this is how their promotional system might be set up. While this is an extra step in the process, the end result is the same: a no deposit bonus for you to enjoy.
FAQ
How can I claim a no deposit bonus at a mobile casino?
Mobile gaming has become increasingly popular, with the majority of online casinos also offering mobile versions. Just as with their desktop counterparts, all you need to do to claim a no deposit bonus is simply sign up. After doing so, you can claim the bonus automatically, or you’ll be given a bonus code to claim it.
Some casinos may also offer separate no deposit bonuses for downloading their associated apps, further incentivizing both new players and punters who haven’t yet given mobile gaming a try.
What is the wagering requirement on a no deposit bonus?
Bonuses are a fun way to extend how much you can play, but not every casino game is created equal when it comes to wagering requirements. For every bonus, a wager of a certain amount is required before you can withdraw any winnings that you’ve earned with it, and that’s typically the case with no deposit bonuses as well. Wagering requirements can vary wildly from casino to casino, but keep in mind that no matter how much you need to wager, casinos almost always assign a 100% contribution to pokies.
Do no deposit bonuses offer real money?
This is a complicated question, and the answer is sort of yes and no. No deposit bonuses give you a certain amount of money to use, but that money is intended for you to play games at that casino. It’s real money in the sense that you can play for real money with it, and any resultant winnings are real money, but the initial amount can’t immediately be withdrawn, and there will sometimes be a cap on how much money you can actually earn with a no deposit bonus.