Online casino bonuses available at virtually every online casino you’ll find operating in one way or another. Bonuses are offered to players at online casinos as a means of attracting players to deposit and play at online casinos and to keep players engaged and continuing to play. There are several types of bonuses for which we cover the most common types. There are various caveats that players should be aware of when evaluating the pros and cons of various bonuses offered by online casinos. The online casino sites we’ve provided bonuses for are leading brands who operate transparently and in a trustworthy, accountable and reliable manner. As such the sites found listed on this page are those we recommend here at Online Casino Australian.
Online Casino Bonuses
Featured Casino Bonuses
Deposit Bonuses
Most bonuses at online casinos are deposit bonuses. This means that you will have to first make a deposit at the online casino and then will be given a corresponding bonus. Most deposit bonuses will be specified as a percentage of the deposit. There is a wide range of percentages prevalent from about 20% to over 100%. Apart from the bonus percent the following parameters are also usually specified: the minimum deposit to be made to qualify for the bonus, the maximum bonus that can be claimed, the wagering requirements, whether the bonus is cashable and the limit to the winnings that can be cashed.
Sometimes the deposit bonus is a flat amount given for a minimum deposit. Welcome deposit bonuses are given to new players and reload deposit bonuses are given to existing players. A cashable bonus can be cashed out once the wagering requirements are complete. A sticky bonus, however, is withdrawn by the online casino and only the winnings can be cashed.
No Deposit, Free Play/Spins Bonuses
A no deposit bonus is the bonus given to players without their having to make any deposits. Very often no deposit bonuses are given to new players to enable them to try out the online casino games. No deposit bonuses are also given as prizes in online promotions. No deposit bonuses will have wagering requirements and cash out conditions.
Free spins allow players to play specified online pokies without the bet amount being deducted from their account balance. The winnings from the free spins are treated as bonuses and subject to the usual bonus conditions. The online casino specifies the number of free spins given and fixes the total bet per spin. Free spins may be given to new players in addition to welcome bonuses. Some online casinos also give free spins when a new pokie is released.
Free time bonuses are similar to of free spins, except that the online casino fixes the total amount that can be wagered and the time limit in which it has to be wagered.
Casino Bonus FAQ
Are there any downsides to taking online casino bonuses?
There are no drawbacks to taking online casino bonuses but there can be some difficulties. At the outset you must realise that you may not be able to withdraw cash every time you claim a bonus.
The first type of difficulty arises from a misunderstanding the bonus terms and conditions. As a result you may feel that a certain payout is due to you but the online casino rules otherwise. A simple example is that you may expect to cash out the entire amount of your winnings, whereas the bonus terms limit this to say AU$100. So you need to understand the bonus terms completely and correctly before claiming the bonus.
The practical difficulty is in meeting the wagering requirements. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to cash out anything. Then you do not get anything from the bonus. But if you manage to meet the wagering requirements you will lay your hands on free cash.
What are wagering / playthrough requirements and how do these work?
A wagering or playthrough requirement is the amount that you have to wager before you can cash out the benefits from a bonus that you have claimed. In the case of a deposit bonus the wagering requirement is specified as a multiple of the deposit and the bonus. In the case of a no deposit bonus it is specified as a multiple of the bonus.
Assume a deposit of AU$100 gives you a 100% bonus with a wagering requirement of 20 times the deposit and bonus. The bonus and deposit together add up to AU$200. A wagering requirement of 20 times means you have to wager AU$4,000. This is in games like pokies that contribute 100% towards wagering requirement. If you wager on a game that contributes 50% then you will have to wager AU$8,000 in this case. You have to keep wagering you bonus and the amount that you win from such wagering till you have wagered the required amount or till you have lost your bonus.
How do I evaluate the rules surrounding a casino bonus offered?
First you must list out all the terms and conditions for the bonus, both from the offer and the link to the terms and conditions. Then you must evaluate each condition independently. The best way is to consider hypothetical numbers for each condition and see where you stand. An example will illustrate the process.
You have a 100% deposit bonus with a qualifying deposit of AU$20 and a maximum bonus of AU$100. If you deposit AU$10, then you do not get any bonus because your deposit is less than the qualifying amount. If you deposit AU$50 you get a bonus of AU$50. If you deposit AU$200 you will not get the full 100% bonus because of the upper limit. You will get only AU$100. You similarly do the numbers for the amount to be wagered and the amount you can cash out.
In case of any doubt contact customer support and discuss the numbers you have worked out.
Is one type of online casino bonus better than another?
The simple process is to compare one of the bonus conditions assuming everything else being equal. Therefore a bonus with wagering requirements of 20x is better than a bonus with wagering requirements of 40x. A bonus with a qualifying deposit of at least AU$20 is better than a bonus with a qualifying deposit of at least AU$50. A no deposit bonus is better than a deposit bonus.
But other things are never equal. So you have to choose the conditions material to you and then compare bonuses. For example if aim to make a deposit of AU$50 any way, then a lower requirement of the qualifying deposit does not give you any benefit. Suppose a 100% deposit bonus comes with a bonus cap of AU$1,000. If you are unable to make a deposit of AU$1,000 you will never be able to utilise the bonus fully.
One casino bonus is better than another mostly in the context of your bankroll and other requirements.
What happens if I win when using bonus money while playing?
Suppose you have claimed a bonus of AU$100. When you wager AU$10 from it, your bonus balance will reduce to AU$90. Supposing you get a payout of AU$60 in that spin, your bonus balance will increase to AU$150. You wager another AU$10. The bonus balance becomes AU$140. You lose the amount and your bonus balance remains at AU$140. You wager AU$10 and receive a payout of AU$60. At the end of these transactions you have wagered AU$30 and your bonus balance is AU$190.
As you win or lose while playing with your bonus money, your bonus balance will change as described in the example. If you are unlucky and lose the entire amount then that is the end of your bonus. However, if you successfully wager an amount equal to the wagering requirement, then the amount due to you will be transferred to your cash balance and the rest will be taken away from your bonus balance, which will be rest to zero.
Casino Bonus Advice
You cannot be compelled to take any bonus. It is entirely your choice. Some online casinos will credit your account with a bonus only when you have made a specific claim. Some online casinos will credit your bonus automatically. In such cases you need to contact customer support and tell them that you do not want the bonus.
Evaluate the bonus offer carefully and then take a call on whether you want to claim the bonus or not. If the qualifying deposit is more than the deposit you would normally make, then you should not go for the bonus. If you find that the wagering requirements are excessive for the ultimate benefit that is offered, again you can leave that bonus.
If you have funds available then it makes more sense to wager with your money. If you bet AU$20 from your funds and win an AU$2,000 payout on a pokie spin, then you can withdraw the full amount instantly. But if the same result was obtained from bonus money two factors would prevent you from making a full withdrawal immediately: wagering requirements and cap on winnings.
But there will be times when you will be short in funds. Then you can use bonuses to extend your bankroll and hope you get lucky in being able to meet the wagering requirements. And sometimes even the best of us do give in to the temptation to try and get a little something from nothing, no matter how arduous the task. Then you must know how to best utilise the bonus.
Wager bonuses only on online pokies. Online pokies contribute 100% towards wagering requirements while other game categories contribute much less. If you wager your bonuses on other game categories you will unnecessarily increase your wagering requirement. Another advantage of online pokies is that they can give much higher payouts than other games. This gives you a better chance of meeting the wagering requirements. It is best choose pokies with low variance. These pokies will give you a smaller but regular wins. If you have built up sufficient funds in your bonus balance then you may try your luck for a while on a high variance pokie.
Sometimes bonus conditions impose a maximum bet limit during wagering requirements. In that event wagers above this limit will not count towards wagering requirements. The correct size of your wager is a tricky decision. With small wagers you will take a very long time to complete the wagering requirements. With very large wagers, if not prohibited, you run the risk of depleting your bonus balance altogether. As you acquire experience your gut feeling will be your best guide.