Bonuses and online casinos go hand in hand, with both new players and returning customers often eligible for perks, freebies and incentives to keep them interested.

If you are a casino novice and want to get involved in this fast-growing industry, it pays to understand how bonuses work, because behind the marketing lingo and flashy graphics, there’s often a lot of complexity to unpick.

To set you up to make the most of online casino bonuses, here is a look at the major talking points and considerations for players of all experience levels.

Some bonuses can’t be withdrawn

While it may seem obvious that the bonuses which casino operators credit to your account cannot be cashed out, this is a surprisingly common misunderstanding which needs to be addressed.

This is not always the case, and a casino cashable bonus means that withdrawal is possible further down the line. However, even with bonuses that can be withdrawn, there will invariably be some terms and conditions to meet before this is allowed.

Each casino operator has its own rules regarding cashable and non-cashable bonuses, but the basic idea is that those which can be withdrawn will only be available once you have wagered a certain amount of money on the site.

The minimum wagering requirement can be set according to the size of the bonus, so the more ‘free’ credit you get, the more you will need to spend with the casino before withdrawal is possible.

As you can see, there are ups and downs to all sorts of bonus types, and the main thing to remember is that you have a responsibility as a player to check the small print when you sign up so that you go in with your eyes open.

Not all bonuses are cash-based

In many cases, the bonus you receive from an online casino will be equivalent to a cash deposit in your account, whether or not it is actually withdrawable, as discussed earlier. In others, the bonus may take a different form, and whether it appeals to you will depend on what type of entertainment you want out of a casino site.

For example, some operators will offer a bonus of a predetermined number of free spins which can be used in conjunction with a given game. This bonus may not have a set monetary value, but it does have an innate value in the context of the site, and could be very attractive if you are a big fan of slots.

Another iteration of casino bonuses is the free bet, which can be used on the sportsbook section of the casino. This will let you place a wager on a given game, match or event which is taking place, and is usually specific to a particular high profile face-off so that the operators can piggyback on the popularity of it.

Some players will prefer the flexibility of a deposit matching bonus which gives them the freedom to use the credit they have been given for whatever type of online gambling they prefer. Others will appreciate the targeted nature of the non-cash bonuses, so again it just comes down to personal taste.

Timing is everything

It is safe to assume that online casinos will always have bonuses for new players, but this does not mean that every deal lasts indefinitely.

There are two things to bear in mind here, first of which is that eye-catching bonus offers will usually only be around for short periods, so it is better to strike while the iron is hot, rather than holding out in expectation of a better deal coming along further down the line.

Secondly, any bonus you do claim might also be beholden to its own time limit, meaning you might have a few weeks or a month in which to make use of the freebies you have received. If you do not use up your bonus before the deadline, it could disappear from your account, never to be seen again.

Thus the savviest online gamblers not only secure bonuses whenever they come across them, but also aim to look into the terms and conditions and take full advantage of any perks prior to their expiration date.

So long as you are playing with a legitimate, licensed online casino site you can create an account, make a deposit and start playing with confidence. Any bonuses you do redeem are just that – a bonus. Think of them as a nice but non-essential perk and you should be able to enjoy your experience much more.