Casino Bonuses Canada

The Workings of Online Casino Bonuses

Most are offered as soon as the player makes his or her first deposit. Some sites even provide newly registered players with a small present just for signing up, without even making a deposit, called ‘’no deposit bonuses’’.

On the other hand of the spectrum, we have gambling sites that reward players after they have reached a pre-specified number of bets or total wager amount on the site. In most cases, you will receive a so-called deposit or match bonus as soon as you make a deposit. This is a percentual credit line on top of the amount you initially deposited.

Example: When an online casino offers a welcome offer that reads ''100% match bonus up to CA$500'', it means that the site will ''match'' your initial deposit. It goes up to a maximum of CA$500. In this case, if you would deposit CA$100, your account balance will start off with CA$200. CA$100 of your own money and CA$100 bonus funds, gotten from the casino.

Note that in some scenarios, the full match bonus won't be deposited immediately on your player account, but in batches or gradually as the days pass, counting from the day that you've made your first deposit.

Additionally, some online casinos give so-called free spins on top of a match or deposit bonus or free spins only. Free spins refer to spins on a slot machine that the house pays for. Let's say a casino's welcome offer reads: ''100% deposit bonus up to CA$500 + 50 free spins''. In this case, you won't be only receiving funds on top of your own deposit, but also 50 free spins on a slot machine.

However, in most cases, you won't be able to freely choose which online slot to use the free spins on. The casino often selects the most popular game and gives free spins away for that game only.

In other scenarios, the free spins can be used only on the slots of a certain casino software provider or gaming studio. These kinds of bonuses and promotions are often collaborations between online casinos and third-party software providers and gaming studios to promote their game catalog.

The casino also decides the value of the free spins. Often, you will receive free spins valued at CA$0,10, CA$0,20, CA$0,25, or CA$0,50. In some rarer situations, you may receive higher-valued ones of let's say CA$1 and upwards, but this is mostly only the case when accepting so-called high roller bonuses. These types of bonuses, as the name suggests, require substantial deposits to be made into your account before receiving them.

We'll delve deeper into the inner workings of free spins later in this guide, but you get the point, probably.

Now that you know that casino welcome bonuses mostly consist of deposit or match bonuses and free spins, we should explain to you that every bonus comes with terms and conditions. This is often dubbed the ''bonus terms''.

These terms often include things like wagering requirements, a maximum betting or wagering limit whilst the offer is active. A certain game selection it can be used on, an expiry date, in which it will disappear from your account, and more.

Casino Bonus Terms and Conditions

Every promotion comes with terms and conditions. The reason for this is actually quite simple. If there were no so-called terms, people would just make a deposit, claim the bonus, and instantly withdraw their own and free funds from the casino site to their bank account, e-wallet, or cryptocurrency wallet.

So-called bonus hunters would rinse and repeat this process, make a whole lot of money, and bankrupt a few online casinos on the way. Obviously, this is not how it works nowadays as casinos implemented these terms. This to protect themselves from the scenario just described.

As there are a whole lot of online casinos, some better than others, there are also some bad apples which actually use these terms to create a situation where you, as a player, will rarely be able to withdraw any winnings from your bonus.

This is also not really great, of course, and for this reason, we recommend always reading through the terms carefully before accepting it. In some cases, it may even be better not to accept a promotion, but we will get into that later.

Now, what do these bonus terms actually entail? Let’s take a look at the most commonly used terms and conditions baked into promotions and explain the inner workings of them one by one.

Wagering Requirements

The most important aspect of virtually every casino bonus is its wagering requirements. These so-called wagering requirements require you to wager the received extra funds. And in some cases even your own deposited funds a certain number of times before you can withdraw any winnings made.

The industry standard for wagering requirements is 35x. Meaning that you often would need to wager your received bonus fund 35 times before you can withdraw any winnings derived from them.

Example: A casino offers a 100% welcome bonus up to CA$100 on top of a player’s first deposits. You decide to deposit $CA50. You will start with CA$100 on your account - CA$50 of your own money and CA$50 bonus funds. You will now have to wager the CA$50 a total of 35 times in order to withdraw any winnings. This means that you will have to wager CA$1,750 in total before being able to successfully submit a withdrawal request.

Some online casinos will have 20x, 25x, or even 1x wagering requirements. These bonuses are obviously a lot better than ones with 35x wagering requirements as you will need to wager or bet less in order to be able to withdraw your winnings.

The opposite can be said about online gambling sites that require you to wager your received bonus funds 40x, 50x, or even 70x. The bottom line when it comes to wagering requirements is that 35x is the industry standard. Everything higher than that is not in favor of the player, whilst everything lower than that is in favor of the player.

Wagering Contribution Percentages

Now that you know about wagering requirements, the next thing we are going to discuss are the so-called wagering contribution percentages of bonuses. You see, not all game categories count the same for playing through.

Often, all bets or wagers placed on slots count in full, being 100%, towards the playthrough of a bonus. This means that when you spin a slot for CA$1 a spin, you wager CA$1 per spin towards playing through the wagering requirements of the casino’s bonus.

However, table games, such as Blackjack, Baccarat, or Roulette, often only count for 10% to 25%. This means that if you would bet CA$1 per hand of Blackjack, only CA$0,25 counts for playing through the wagering requirements.

You probably already understand that it will take a whole lot longer to play through a casino bonus by playing table games, and this is intentional. The reason for this is quite easy to understand.

Slots have quite a big house edge. Table games like Blackjack and Roulette on the other hand, have a very small house edge. The casino compensates for this smaller house edge by downturning the wagering contribution percentages of these games.

Game Selection

Now that we’ve covered the wagering requirements and wagering contribution percentages of casino bonuses, it is time to highlight the next important aspect: the game selection on which casino bonuses can be used.

For instance, in most cases, you will be able to use bonus funds obtained from an online casino only on a certain selection of slots. It is very uncommon to be able to use promo funds on table games, ‘’crash games’’, or live dealer games.

Additionally, slots with a high RTP (Return to Player) ratio, are often excluded from gameplay whilst having an active bonus as well. Think of slots like 1429: Uncharted Seas, Bloodsuckers 2, or 9 Masks of Fire.

In case you don’t know what a high RTP is, the Return to Player is the percentage of the total wagers or bets a player can expect in return in the form of winnings from any slot or other casino game.

If a certain slot has an RTP of 96%, it means that you can expect roughly 96% of your wagers back in the form of winnings over the long run. However, keep in mind that the last four words of the previous sentence are very important here: ‘’over the long run.’’

The return to player ratios of slots and other casino games are calculated over millions of game rounds. This means that you can experience very different results in a short or medium session and that the RTP ratio rather is a rough estimate of what you can expect than a guarantee.

The slots we briefly mentioned above are slots with RTP ratios of higher than 98%, and, therefore, have very little house edge. This is the reason why they are, just like table games, excluded from playing whilst still having an active bonus at most online casinos.

Maximum Betting Limits

Now that you know that you cannot play every casino game while having an active bonus, we are going to cover maximum betting limits. You would expect that you could just wager or bet whatever you want whenever accepting any offer.

However, this is not the case. Most often, you will only be able to bet around a maximum of CA$5 per spin, hand, or game round. The reason for this is also quite understandable, when you think about it.

Online casinos don’t want you to bet like 25% or more of your entire balance (including bonus funds) in one go. First of all, they don’t want this because you then have the chance to actually win very big amounts with their free money.

The second reason is because they earn more the longer you play, plus they have the chance you get ‘’hooked’’ onto certain games.

Withdrawal Terms

Apart from maximum betting limits, casino bonuses also have certain withdrawal terms. Some bonuses become available in full after the wagering requirements have been met. While others become withdrawable gradually, often with a progress bar that you can monitor.

What our experts want to stipulate is that certain gambling sites have bonus terms in place that say something like ‘’whenever you submit a withdrawal request while having an active bonus, the rest of it will void.’’

This is unwanted, of course, and for this reason, you should always carefully read the terms and conditions. In general, we tend not to recommend signing up and claiming bonuses at casino sites that have these kinds of clauses in their terms.

The simple reason behind this is that you can always accidentally click the withdrawal tab at an online casino and this might already trigger this clause.

Expiry Dates

Most online casino bonuses, and free spins in particular, have so-called expiry dates. This means that it won’t last forever and that you should claim them or play through their wagering requirements quickly.

In most cases, deposit, match, and reload bonuses last 7, 14, 21, or 30 days before they expire. Free spins often expire much quicker, often within 24 hours or 3 to 7 days maximum. We recommend always checking the expiry dates of bonuses. This is because you want to always make sure that you have enough time to play through them and meet all the requirements to cash them out.

Maximum Bonuses

Online casino bonuses often have maximum heights. This means that when a casino advertises a 100% welcome bonus up to CA$500, for instance, that you will receive CA$1,000 in bonus money if you would deposit any amount higher than CA$500. The amount of funds you receive is simply capped, just because it's the maximum of the offer.

Example: A casino offers a match offer of 100% up to CA$500. You deposit CA$200. Your balance will start with CA$400, CA$200 of your own money and CA$200 bonus funds. Now, if you would make a first deposit of CA$750 instead, your starting balance will be CA$1,250 because CA$500 is the maximum in promotional funds you can receive.

Maximum Winnings

Apart from maximum bonus amounts, you’ll often face maximum winnings or ‘’win caps’’ as well. In most scenarios, there will be a clause in a site’s terms that states something along the lines of ‘’maximum winnings from bonus capped at CA$x’’.

This obviously means that there is a win cap on the bonus and that you cannot win more real money that is withdrawable than the amount stated in the terms and conditions of the casino in question.

Minimum Deposit

For casino bonuses that require a deposit, a minimum deposit is often required. This means that you will have to make a deposit that is at least the size of the minimum deposit. If you deposit less, you often won’t be eligible for receiving the bonus.

Excluded Deposit Methods

Some online casinos exclude certain deposit methods from being eligible to receive bonus funds. In most cases, these are e-wallets, such as Neteller and Skrill, or, in different scenarios, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

This means that when you make your first deposit with any of these methods, you won’t receive any bonus funds. The reason behind this is quite simple to explain, yet again. Crypto casinos, for instance, allow for instant deposits and withdrawals made in cryptocurrencies, tokens, and digital assets.

It is very difficult to program anything like wagering requirements and contributions into cryptocurrency transactions. Unless someone would take the time to come up with specialized casino tokens that have exactly this built-in via a smart contract of some sort.

For this reason, these crypto-friendly casinos often offer a wide range of deposit options, but exclude cryptocurrencies from any deposit bonuses. However, these casinos often have lucrative VIP or loyalty programs to make up for this lack of deposit bonuses instead.

Types of Welcome Bonuses at Canada Online Casinos

Now that we’ve covered the terms of casino welcome bonuses, it is time to take a look at the different promotions you can expect to be offered as a new player at Canada online casinos.

Bonuses and Promotions for Existing Players

Existing players can often count on different bonuses and promotions compared to new players. These include no wagering, free spins, reload, loyalty, and cashback bonuses.

How to Claim a Casino Bonus

Now that you know all about the different types of available bonuses, it is time to learn how to claim them. This process is virtually the same with every gambling site but may differ slightly.

In most scenarios, you claim a casino bonus by more or less following the steps outlined below.

Sign up at an online casino

The first step to activate your bonus would be to sign up at an online casino. In most cases, you will have to provide some personal details, such as your name, address, and date of birth. In more specific scenarios, you will also need to verify your identity. You do this by providing the casino with a photo of your driver’s license, passport, or national ID card. If you already have an account at an online casino, you won’t need to register again and you can just log into your account.

Log into your account

Whether you already had an account or not, it is now time to log into your account. Only once logged in, you can claim or activate any offer.

Go to the promotion page

The next step to activate your it will be to navigate to the site’s bonuses and promotions page. Here, you click or tap on the bonus you want to redeem to be provided with clear details about the it. In some cases, a certain code is required.

Copy and paste the bonus code (optional)

If a bonus code is required, you have to carefully copy the code from the promotional page. Paste it into the designated field at the cashier page of the casino when making your first or next deposit. Always double-check whether you haven’t made any mistakes as even one character difference can void the offer.

Make a deposit

Once you have copied the bonus code or navigated to the cashier page of the casino through the promotional page, it is time to make a deposit. Select a desired deposit method and specify the amount of money you want to deposit. Always make sure that you at least deposit the minimum deposit amount specified in the bonus or promotion.

Your bonus is credited

Your bonus will now be credited to your account. In most cases, you can use it immediately. However, in some cases, it takes a while before the bonus becomes active.

Contact support (optional)

For some bonuses, you have to contact the gambling site’s customer support. This is in order for them to manually add the bonus or free spins to your account. Additionally, if you made a deposit with a code at an online casino and haven’t received your funds or spins for whatever reason, we highly recommend contacting the site’s customer support. In most cases, they can manually add the bonus to your account. Even if you forgot to enter the bonus code correctly or accidentally didn’t accept the offer.

Types of Bonus Accreditation

Immediate Bonus Accreditation

When we speak of immediate bonus accreditation, it is added to the player’s deposits and basically combines these with bonus funds, creating a ‘’total balance’’. Now, the player has to adhere to the terms and conditions. Such as the wagering requirements for his or her own money and the bonus funds to become redeemable.

One could say that the player’s own funds are ‘’frozen’’ until the wagering requirements and other terms are met. However, some online casinos nowadays allow players to always withdraw their own deposited funds. Note that in most of these scenarios, the received bonus funds will void after a withdrawal request has been submitted.

Progressive Bonus Accreditation

When we talk about progressive bonus accreditation, the funds aren’t added immediately to the player’s account. Instead, they are in ‘’pending’’ status until all the wagering requirements for a certain part of the bonus are reached.

Once these requirements are met, the casino adds a part of the bonus funds to the player’s account balance. Which can often be instantly withdrawn, just like own deposited funds.

How Do You Choose the Right Casino Bonus for You?

Now that you know practically everything there is to know about bonuses, it is time to figure out how to choose the right casino bonus for you. First of all, you have to assess what kind of casino player you are.

Do you like playing slots, or do you prefer classic table games like Blackjack, Baccarat, or Roulette instead? What about live dealer games or sports betting? Once you’ve figured out what kind of player you are, you can start comparing casino bonuses that suit your play style.

For instance, if you’re into slots, you would probably favor a big free spins over a free bet sportsbook or cashback bonus. Once you have determined exactly what kind of offer fits you and compared the available options, it is time to read through the bonus terms and conditions of the different options you could claim.

Regarding these bonus terms, you should check wagering requirements and wagering contribution percentages. But also expiry dates, available game selection, maximum bets, winnings, bonus amounts, the minimum deposit requirements, the excluded deposit methods, and the withdrawal requirements.

Furthermore, you should also consider how long you intend to play at a certain casino. If you only want to tip your toes in the water with a short casino gaming session at a particular site, you should go for a no deposit bonus or free spins.

If you plan to stick around for a while at the same online casino, it is highly advisable to go for a decent welcome bonus in combination with a rewarding VIP or loyalty program and possibly a cashback promo.

Casino Bonuses Canada FAQ

As our experts receive a lot of questions daily about casino bonuses in Canada and we want our casino guides to be as inclusive as possible. We decided to answer the most frequently asked questions about casino bonuses in Canada in the section below.