Casino Bonuses

Online Bonuses from Top Casinos

The world of online casino bonus offers can be a minefield. If you are new to online casinos, you’ll likely miss key aspects of what makes a good, and more importantly, a bad offer.

At Gambling.com we’ve been able to form a crack team that spends their time reviewing, assessing and then rating every casino bonus that’s currently online. We’ve got over 50 years combined experience and we are proud to say that we are one of, if not the, best in the business when it comes to guides on casino bonuses.

Below we’ve included an overview of the best online casino who offer alluring bonuses.

How we Review Casino Bonuses in New Zealand

We’ve been able to create a process that allows us to work out which casino bonuses are worth having and which are worth avoiding. Our review process is not only extensive, but we like to think exhaustive as well.

Each online casino review starts with an overall look at the site itself. We want to make sure that the casino is safe and that, as a player, you’re able to get your money both in and out, with ease.

We then move onto the bones of the casino. What makes the casino tick? What features and games are available? And last but not least, are we happy to put our name to promoting that site?

Only once we are happy with all of these factors do we then move on to bonus review.

We break down each bonus into the following areas:

• Type of bonus
• Amount of bonus money on offer
• Wagering requirements
• Game accessibility
• Additional products
• Value for money

Let’s start at the top of the list with the type of bonus.

A casino bonus can come in several variations. The most common is what is known as a deposit match. This is where the casino will match your deposit up to a certain percentage.

For example, a common offer is a 100% deposit match based on a players first deposit. This will also include a limit for both the maximum and the minimum a player has to deposit to claim a bonus.

A common example bonus is worth up to NZ$100. With a 100% match, this means that a NZ$100 deposit would get an additional NZ$100 in bonus money, creating a player balance of NZ$200.

Generally, the higher the better here. We like casinos to offer as much money as possible, however, the deposit match is also a key area that we look at. A bonus that is worth NZ$500 may look good, but if it’s a 10% deposit match, it means that the player would need to deposit NZ$5,000 to trigger the full amount.

Other bonuses that are available include the likes of free spins and no deposit bonuses. These are usually lower value offers as they are easier to clear for the player.

The amount of bonus money on offer is the next step in the process for us. As we have suggested, the higher the better, providing that the deposit match is fair. A lot of bonuses are around the NZ$100 mark, but they do fluctuate.

Once the bonus has been identified, we then move onto the wagering requirements. This is a set of rules that are in place to prevent people from simply signing up, claiming the bonus cash and then leaving.

Wagering requirements are a bit of a minefield and this is where our expertise starts to shine. Our team can pick through the bones of bonus terms and conditions to find out exactly what you need to do to get your hands on the bonus money.

This is an area that can make or break a casino bonus. We’ve seen countless offers with thousands of “free” pounds on the table, only to have unrealistic wagering requirements making the whole offer pointless.

One thing that we will note here is that casinos are a lot more transparent about these terms than they ever used to be. You can find this info yourself, but we take the leg work out this for you and tell you what you need to know.

Just a few of the areas that we look at here include turnover requirements, deposit options, time to clear and game availability.

Game accessibility is the games that you can access and still clear your bonus. This is another important area that many players and even other reviews overlook.

What you will find is that some casino games are limited or even prohibited from clearing a bonus. Table games are often a good example of this, with many restricted in the amount that you wager contributing towards clearing the bonus.

Many players have taken casino bonuses with new accounts, set away playing their favourite game and then later realise that none of it contributed to clearing the bonus.

We make sure that you pick the right bonus for the games that you want to play. We also highlight the contribution that each game has for each bonus.

Following this, we are now looking at any additional products or offers that might be linked. This could be additional free spins, cash prizes, extended happy hours and even VIP treatment.

Basically, what makes this product even more lucrative than it already was?

The final part of our review process is working out if the bonus offers value for money or if there are better alternatives. As we have stated, the biggest bonuses are not always the best value for money.

If you’ve no chance of claiming a NZ$1,000 bonus or a good chance of claiming a NZ$50 bonus, then for that player, the NZ$50 bonus would offer better value for money. It’s only once we’ve worked through the full criterion of the review can we determine this.

Get to Know our Expert Casino Review Team

We are very lucky to be able to bring you some of the best minds in the casino industry, period. Our team of experts meet weekly and sit down to work out a plan of action for new casino bonuses and also to revisit old casino bonuses.

Welcome to the Bonus Squad…

Our casino bonus of the month is that of the ever-impressive Party Casino. They are a brand that needs little introduction and with over 20 years in the industry, are commonly referred to as the “Godfather” of online casinos.

To back up their impressive stature and casino product, they have what we think is one of the best casino bonuses on the market right now. The product is a 100% deposit match worth up to NZ$500. This means that if you deposit NZ$250 you will get NZ$500 to play with straight away.

A couple of things that you need to note before claiming is that the offer is only available to players in New Zealand, are over 18 years of age and be a new player to Party Casino. We were impressed with both the low deposit amount of NZ$10 to trigger the offer and the max bonus amount of NZ$500. It’s struck a nice balance for those with lower and mid-high bankrolls.

Once the bonus is in your account you then need to wager through it 35 times before you’re able to withdraw. It’s worth noting that this is just the bonus amount, not the deposit as well, which is another big tick.

Party give players a generous 30 days to clear the bonus in full. Any bonus that has not been wagered through after this will be removed from your account.

In terms of game contribution, there is the following breakdown:

• Pokies/Games = 100%
• Video Poker/Roulette/Table and Live Casino = 20%
• Blackjack = 10%

Finally, there are limitations on payment methods that can claim this offer. The following methods are not always eligible, but sometimes are: PayPal, PaysafeCard, LuxonPay, Skrill1Tap, Neteller, InstantBank (Trustly), Apple Pay, PCard, MuchBetter and all credit cards. It's always worth reading the terms and conditions beforehand to make sure you can use your preferred payment method to claim your bonus.

To surmise, there is a lot to like here. You get a good bonus amount, a 100% match which is great, 35x wagering which is more than fair and a generous 30 days to clear it all. The only negative is the limited payment methods that can claim, but to be honest, this is pretty common so it’s tough to pull them up on this.

Casino Bonus Guide: What they are and How to Claim Them

We’ve outlined what our goals are for each bonus, but there are several things that you can look at to work out if a casino bonus offers value to you.

One thing that we want to stress from the start is that not all bonuses are equal and whilst one bonus might suit one player, it might not another. Before choosing a bonus, we encourage players to try and work out what might be feasible in terms of numbers that they could clear. A good starting point is knowing how much you might wager over a certain period.

If you are new, then this is going to be tough. Our advice to you would be to start small with just about every section that we talk about below. Get what bonus you can, see how they work and then move onto a new online casino bonus when you’re armed with more info.

To make things easier for you, we’ve created our step by step guide on claiming casino bonuses.

Step 1 – Choosing the Offer

To kick things off, you’re going to need to choose your offer or at least the type of offer that you want to take. Most of the promotions you see will be deposit matches, meaning you get a bonus based on the amount of money that you deposit.

It’s key to bear in mind that the money you get from the bonus is just that, bonus money. This is not cash that can be withdrawn. At least, at this point, it’s not.

It’s also possible to take casinos up other offers that include a no deposit bonus or even free cash. These are pretty rare in today’s market, but not extinct.

You should treat these offers as a “try before you buy” promotion. The casino is giving you cash to come and play their games, but what you often find is that getting that money out is very tricky. Write this off as free money to try a new place, rather than a get-rich-quick scheme.

Step 2 – Check Wagering Requirement

You’ve found an offer that you like the look of and now it’s time to see how feasible it is. The wagering requirement is the amount that the casino expects you to play to change your cash from bonus money to real money.

This will be represented as a multiplication of the amount that you deposit or the bonus you get. The higher the number is here, the harder it will be to clear. As a general rule, any wagering around 35x or lower is deemed to be pretty good. Any higher than this and you can avoid.

A key point to note here is if the casino wants you to wager your deposit, your bonus or both. It’s a common oversight that a lot of players make, looking simply for the figure instead of the terms that come with it.

Let’s run a quick example.

The offer is a 100% match up to NZ$100. You deposit NZ$100 and claim the full bonus, giving you NZ$200 total. Assuming the wagering requirement for the offer is 30x your bonus, this would mean you need to wager NZ$3,000 to clear it. Now, if the requirement was 30x your bonus and your deposit, all of a sudden this then means you need to wager NZ$6,000 to clear the bonus.

It’s an easy thing to miss but makes a massive difference in choosing a casino bonus.

Step 3 – Check Time Restrictions

You now need to be looking at how long you get to clear the bonus. This is the amount of time that you have to hit the wagering requirement (above) before the bonus will expire.

We want this to be as long as possible, for obvious reasons, but anywhere around the 30-day mark is about the standard. Some hover around 14 days and this is manageable but lower than that and you want to be looking elsewhere.

You need to be careful with time restrictions. Some casinos will remove the bonus after your time is up, but some will remove the bonus and any winnings from the bonus money as well.

This ties in with both the offer and wagering section as certain timeframes will suit certain players. It helps to have a rough idea of how much you plan to play over a given period to allow you to make the best possible decision for a timeframe.

Step 4 – Free Spins Information

Additional offers are pretty common with bonuses, and free spins are about as common as they come. This is where the casino gives you a set amount of free spins to use on what is usually a predetermined online pokie game within the casino.

These are a lucrative addition to the bonus package. We like them as more often than not, they come with no wagering requirements. This means that whatever you win, you keep as cash.

You do need to be careful with some offers as they may move winnings into your bonus balance. This will mean that you have to wager these winnings along with any bonus amount you’ve initially triggered from the signup bonus.

Obviously, the more the better here, but make sure you check the terms to see how they work before signing up.

Step 5 – Deposit Requirements

It’s very common for certain payment methods to not be eligible to claim these types of offers. They usually come in the form of e-wallets and pre-paid cards, such as Neteller, Skrill, PayPal etc.

There is a valid reason behind this and it’s because these payment methods can be used anonymously anonymous. This makes it very hard for the casino to track who has claimed and who has not. This then makes it highly exploitable.

Make sure that you check to see if the payment method you want to use is eligible to claim the bonus. Summary

If you follow this process, then you’re going to be a great position to work out what the bonus entails and if you’re able to clear it or not. This may seem like a lot of work, but it’s 100% worth it and will save you both time and money in the long run.

Before we move on, we just wanted to quickly talk about why casinos offer bonuses and how they come up with them.

The reason as to why they offer them is nothing more than to lure people to use their casino over the next one.

Let’s be honest for a minute, a lot of online casinos are very similar these days. In fact, some are identical, so it’s hard for a brand to stand out.

The bonus is one of those areas that they have full control over. It allows the casino to tailor an offer that they think will attract players, but also make it so that the player needs to put a little work in to get it.

As we’ve already stated, there is not one offer that is necessarily better than the other, but there are most definitely really bad offers. We will help you avoid the bad bonuses and give you all the info you need to decide which is best for you.

The Different Types of Casino Bonuses

Prepare to have you mind blown by the staggering range of casino bonuses that are on offer right now. Strap in!

• Sign Up/Welcome Bonus: This is the main bonus that players who are new to the casino get. This will be a one-time offer and is usually some sort of deposit match.
• 100% Match Bonus: A 100% match is where the casino essentially doubles your money. They will match your exact deposit amount 100%. For example, a NZ$50 deposit will get a NZ$50 bonus, giving you NZ$100 in total
• 200% Bonus: This bonus will get you 200% on your deposit. If you were to deposit NZ$100, the casino would give you NZ$200 in bonus money, for a total of a NZ$300 playable balance.
• 500% Bonus: A 500% bonus is about as big as you will find for a deposit match offer. This will get you 5x the amount of your deposit in bonus money. Not only are these offers rare, they often come with high wagering, so aren’t actually all that lucrative.
• Free Spins: A free spins bonus is where the casino will give you several free spins to use on an online casino game that has been specified by that casino. The winnings can either be applied to your account as cash or they will be applied as a bonus with wagering requirements attached accordingly.
• No Deposit Bonuses: This promotion does not require any deposit and the casino will give you bonus money to use. You will need to wager through your bonus to withdraw it, although some casinos state that you cannot withdraw the bonus nor any winnings attached to it.
• Cashback Bonus: The cashback bonus is essentially a refund or an offer where the casino will pay back any losses that you incur from playing their games. It’s essentially a bit of a free trial for the player, but they get to keep any winnings and refunds are paid in cash.
• Bonus Code Offers: These offers require a code that you need to enter to activate them. The majority of them are generic codes accessible to all, but some are codes that might be individual to each player. You enter the code to trigger the offer.
• Live Casino Bonus: These bonuses target games within the live casino sector. It means that when it comes to clear the bonus they will be heavily weighted towards games within the live casino.
• Mobile Casino Bonus: Mobile Casino bonuses are offers that you can either claim on your mobile or clear on your mobile. They do differ so it’s important to note which games and which platforms are eligible to claim and clear.
• Low Wagering Bonus: A low wagering bonus will be marketed around the wagering requirements for that offer. We would class any bonus under 30x your bonus amount to be a low wagering bonus. They aren’t always marketed as such, but they would fall into this category should they meet this criterion.
• No Wagering Bonus: A no wagering bonus is one that is applied to your account and has no wagering requirements. These are rare but are usually linked to free spins given that the money won can be used as cash instead of a bonus balance.
• VIP Bonus: A VIP offer is one that is exclusive to certain players. It’s almost always based on the amount you deposit or the amount that you play on a weekly/monthly basis. They are larger bonuses than you would usually find for a standard player.
• Loyalty Bonus: Loyalty bonuses reward players for an extended period with that casino. These can come in a manner of different setups, usually triggering after the player has played a certain number of hours or weeks/months/years with the casino.
• Referral Bonus: A referral bonus is one that comes on the back of a promotion from a friend or family member. A member of the casino will have a unique link and when they get people to sign up through their link the casino rewards them with a referral bonus as a thank you.
• High-Roller Bonus: The high roller bonuses are reserved for those playing high stakes or incredibly high volume. As a reward for doing so, the casino can provide bonuses that are usually tailored around the games that they play and are often much bigger than a standard welcome offer. The trade-off is that the clearing rates are much higher and can only be cleared playing high stakes.
• Deposit/Reload Bonuses: A casino deposit bonus or a reload bonus is one that is triggered after the initial welcome package has been taken. It could be based around a players second, third, fourth or even fifth deposit with the casino, working in much the same way a standard deposit bonus would.
• NetEnt Bonus: NetEnt is an online gambling games provider that allows casinos to set up offers based around their games. It means that when it comes to clearing the bonus, only games made and developed by NetEnt will count towards the wagering requirements.
• Playtech Bonus: As above, only with PlayTech games.
• Microgaming Bonus: As above, only Microgaming games
• Play’n GO Bonus: As above, only with Play’n Go games
• Pokie Bonuses: This offer will be based around online pokies. These bonuses are usually only clearable via a pokie game, with other games in the casino not counting toward any wagering requirements. Some offers will narrow this down further and only run the promo around a single pokie.
• Blackjack Bonuses: The blackjack bonus is one that can only be cleared playing blackjack games. The casino may even limit the games that you can use the bonus money with to just blackjack. Given that many standard welcome bonuses omit blackjack from clearing the bonus, these are popular offers.
• Roulette Bonuses: Similar to above in that, only play on the roulette wheel will allow you to clear this specific bonus. You will need to check to see what games are eligible for the offer as sometimes not all roulette formats can clear each bonus.
• Bingo Bonuses: The bingo bonus is based around the bingo games within the casino. This can vary if the casino has a dedicated bingo room or if there are bingo games already included within the main casino.
• Poker Bonuses: Poker bonuses can only be claimed and cleared from poker games within the casino. This might include video poker, Caribbean Stud Poker and 5 Card Draw, as an example. It’s worth noting that these offers are not linked with a separate online poker room the brand may have and only poker games within the casino.

How to Claim an Online Casino Bonus

We're going to pitch the process of claiming a casino offer. Please bear in mind here that each casino is different, and each bonus is different.

However, there are several core similarities that we can work with here which should allow you some guidance.

Step 1 – Account Registration

You will need to open an account with the casino. This is a pretty straightforward process, however, it’s worth noting that as part of this process you are now required to verify your account as well.

Verification will mean that you have to prove both ID and address. This can be done by scanning or photographing documents such as passports, driving licenses and utility bills, to name just a few.

Step 2 – Locate the Bonus and Check the Terms

Once you are signed up it’s now time to see which bonus you want to claim.

Most casinos will only have one, but some have multiple and it’s highly likely if there is more than one, that you can only claim one. New online casinos are worth watching out for too as they can offer very strong bonuses to get new customers.

You should have done your research into the bonus before claiming, but it’s worth going over T’s and C’s again just to make sure. Finally, check if there is any bonus code needed as you can’t always enter these at a later date.

Step 3 – Trigger the Bonus

It’s now time to trigger your bonus funds and if you’re claiming a deposit bonus, this will be based on your first deposit more often than not. Once you’ve made the minimum deposit the bonus should now be in your bonus account, which is usually separate from your main balance.

If you don’t see the bonus at this stage, do not play any games. It’s worth checking to make sure that you’ve ticked all the boxes to be eligible for the offer and if so, get onto customer support for more help. If you do play before the bonus has been triggered, then you may not be able to claim at a later date.

Step 4 – Clearing the Bonus

The hard work starts now. You need to meet the terms for the bonus and start clearing it as fast as you can. You should already have a plan of action about your process to best clear said bonus, so it’s now time to start implementing that.

Step 5 – Bonus Progress

Most casinos will allow you to track the progress of your bonus funds from your account. They aren’t always real-time, so make sure you take this into account.

The tracker will allow you to see how much of your bonus needs clearing and how long you have. You should be able to work out the amount you need to play from these two variables and the bonus wagering requirement for the bonus.

Why you Should Read the Bonus Offer Terms and Conditions

The majority of bonuses are pretty straightforward once you know what you are looking for. However, there are a couple of points that we wanted to highlight which we see lots of players miss.

The first one is that of the eligibility of different games. It’s very rare to get a bonus where all games can be played and then contribute towards clearing that bonus.

Most bonuses that we see will have a limited number of games attached. You can play any game for example at an online pokies site, but the bets that you make won’t always contribute to clearing the bonus.

Another point to note is the contribution from each of these games. Rarely are all games equal and some of them vary massively. For most general deposit bonuses, pokies will usually contribute 100% towards clearing the bonus. It’s not uncommon to see table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps contribute much lower than this, somewhere around the 5% to 20% mark.

Just to break that down a little a 100% contribution means that for every NZ$1 wagered, NZ$1 will contribute to clearing the bonus. A 20% contribution will mean that for every NZ$1 wagered, 20c will contribute to clearing the bonus.

Finally, you need to be aware of the max bet to clear a bonus. Most offers put limits on the max single bet that will contribute to clearing the bonus.

For example, a casino bonus offer might have a cap of NZ$5 per bet to clear. Any bets made over this mark will not count towards clearing.

Another little caveat from this is that some bonuses will take the max bet if you go over and some will not count the bet at all. So, if the cap is NZ$5 and you place a bet of NZ$10, then some casinos will take the NZ$5 from the NZ$10 bet as part of the wagering and some will discount the entire NZ$10 bet.

References

1. Gambling Helpline New Zealand
2. Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zeleand
3. Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs
4. E Cogra Approved Testing Agency
5. Gambling.com Responsible Gambling Website
6. Choice Not Chance

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