Boost your gaming with the best online casino bonus

Online gaming in casinos has become hugely popular in Canada. One of the triggers behind the boom is the lucrative casino bonuses players are offered. An online casino bonus is usually offered to new customers alongside promotions and rewards, which allows players to get more value out of their money, so they can play longer without risking their money. There are as many bonuses as online casinos in Canada, and we are here to help you find the best bonuses and promotions. Alongside a list of selected casinos with great welcome bonuses, we have compiled easy-to-digest information about common types of bonuses and wagering requirements.

Find the best online casino bonus in Canada

With so many casino bonuses offers out there, it is hard for you to know which one you should start with. For this, we are here to help you out. We have picked the top online casinos that have great bonus offers available for new and existing players.

Common types of bonus offer in Canadian online casinos

Casino bonuses make online casinos more lucrative than the land-based counterparts where no bonuses or promotions are awarded. As we already mentioned, an online casino bonus can come in many shapes and sizes. Some are more appealing than others, and it depends on what you are looking for. The most common types of bonuses include:

Welcome Bonus
No Deposit Bonus
Deposit Bonus
Wager Free Bonus
Free Spins

Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus is the most common type of online casino bonus you will find. Welcome bonuses are used to attract new customers. After all, there are hundreds of online casinos, and all of them try to stand out with some type of welcome bonus. The most common type of welcome bonus is a matching bonus. Where your first deposit is matched by, for example, 100%. Matching bonuses commonly range between 50% to 400%. Often the welcome bonus is split up into different stages. This is usually the case for huge welcome bonus offers, where you then can utilize the bonus in several stages as you deposit more and more money.

Let’s say that a welcome bonus in casino X has a 100% bonus up to $200. This means that you will receive another $200 in bonus money if you deposit the full $200. It is a great way to boost your gaming and get more entertainment for your money without risking any of your money. It is worth noting that high matching percentages and large sums are not necessarily the best bonus. You can read more about the welcome bonus in our bonus review (Link Welcome bonus review).

No Deposit Bonus

Any player without a bottomless pocket, in other words, most of us, will be looking for no deposit bonuses (Link no deposit bonus page). A no deposit bonus is what it sounds like, a bonus that gives you the experience of playing with real money entirely for free. When offered a no deposit bonus, all you need to do is to register, verify your account, and then the bonus is credited to your account.

Sounds too good to be true, yeah? Well, no deposit bonuses do not come without a catch. After all, why would the online casinos give away free money? Typically, a no deposit bonus comes with a set of wagering requirements. The two most common no deposits bonuses are Free Spins that can be used in specific slots games. Free bonus money that you can use in any casino game.

Deposit Bonus

A deposit bonus (Link deposit bonus page) is what it sounds like. You receive a bonus on top of the deposit you make. This is the most common type of casino bonus and includes welcome bonuses and re-deposit bonuses, commonly referred to as reload bonuses.

A reload bonus is any subsequent deposit you make after your first deposit. Commonly, online casinos will have to reload bonuses available weekly. For example, come Tuesday, and the casino will offer all their customers a Tuesday reload bonus. Typically, a reload bonus is a matching bonus like we described in the welcome bonus section. The bonus can also be rewarded as free spins or a combination of both. The amounts and matching percentages for reload bonuses are typically much lower than welcome bonuses, in the ranges of 25% to 100% on lower dollar amounts.

Wager Free Bonus

If you are sick of wagering requirements, then you should look out for wager free bonuses (Ling wager free page). These are not offered very often, but it does happen that online casinos in Canada have wager free bonuses available. Free spins are almost always awarded in wager free bonuses. It means that anything you win while doing wager free spins has no strings attached to it. You can simply withdraw any winnings rights away—quite a nice change from the sometimes brutal wagering requirements that comes with other types of casino bonuses.

We love wager free bonuses, and you should too! Unfortunately, they are quite rare, and you best utilize them when you are offered one.

Free Spins

Last but not least, in our brief overview of different casino bonuses, we present you with free spins (Link free spins page). Alongside matching bonuses, this is the most common type of online casino bonus in Canada. Free spins are exactly what it reads, free spins in slots games. Often the free spins you are awarded can be used on a specific slot game. Less often, you will receive a set of free spins that can be used in any slot game.

Free spins are often combined as part of welcome offers or reload promotions. 100% bonus up to $100 + 50 Free Spins. Free spins are appealing because it allows you to play awesome slots games without risking any money. But how free are free spins really? As with most other casino bonuses, free spins come with strings attached to them. Usually, the money you end up winning has wagering requirements attached to them.

Wagering requirements

We mentioned wagering requirements a couple of times throughout this text, and now it is to write about this in greater detail. There is no such thing as free. Online casinos do not want to offer bonuses where a player simply deposit, receive the bonus and withdraw right away. This is the main reason for the wagering requirements. A fair casino should have fair wagering requirements that give players a chance to realize the bonus money and turn it into real money. However, plenty of unfair online casinos out there put brutal wagering requirements on their bonuses, making it impossible for players to clear the bonus and get money out of the casino.

Wagering requirements are commonly referred to as play-through requirements. When speaking about wagering requirements as a player, we often use terms like clear a bonus or play through a bonus. This is the process of converting the bonus money into real money that you can withdraw.

The wagering requirement is essentially how many times you need to wager the bonus amount. Wagering requirements vary greatly, from 2x to 50x and above. You will find different wagering requirements in every casino. Either the wagering requirements apply to the bonus amount or the deposit amount plus the bonus amount.

Let’s take the following example:

You utilize a 100% deposit bonus up to $250. You max the bonus and deposit $250 and get another $250 in bonus money. The wagering requirement is 5x.

If the wagering requirement only applies to the bonus amount, you need to wager $1250 ($250 x 5) to turn the bonus money into real money.

If the wagering requirement applies to both the deposit amount and the bonus amount, you need to wager $2500 ($250 + $250 x 5) to turn the bonus money into real money.

Extra wagering requirements

In addition to the regular wagering requirements that outlines how much you need to wager, there can be more requirements or restrictions. One common restriction is what games are allowed when playing through the bonus. Often it is the case that you can only play a couple of slots games when playing through a bonus. This means that if you were to wager in slots that do not count towards the wagering requirement, then those wagers won’t count in the wagering process.

Another crucial aspect is to check the time limits of bonuses. Often there is an expiration date attached to a bonus, meaning that you need to play through the bonus during a certain time before it gets cancelled. Often a month is given. Make sure to check these requirements, so you don’t run into any nasty surprises later on or end up forfeiting a bonus because you did not meet the requirements simply because you were unaware.

FAQ Online casino bonus in Canada

Why do Canadian casinos give away bonuses?

Online casinos award players with bonuses to encourage them to sign up to their site and to encourage existing or loyal players to stay with them. The money is not a “give away” either. Almost all casino bonuses come with wagering requirements.

What is casino bonus wagering requirements?

Wagering requirements are part of the terms and conditions that are attached to a bonus. Bonus money is not the same as real money. You need to go through a process to turn the bonus money into real money. It will include a play-through of a specific wager amount, timeframe and sometimes what games you must play.

Where can I find more information about the wagering requirements of my casino bonus?

If you forgot to check the wagering requirements or want to look them up before qualifying for a casino bonus, you should check the bonus’s terms and conditions in question. If you cannot find the information you need, simply reach out to customer support and ask them to explain the wagering requirements for you.

Can I cancel a casino bonus?

Some online casinos in Canada will allow you to cancel your bonus. It may be that you regret depositing or realize that you will not be able to play through the bonus. You could then cancel the bonus to withdraw the money you deposited.

Do game restrictions apply when using a casino bonus?

Sometimes there are game requirements as part of the wagering requirements. This is usually clearly stated as part of the bonus offer. It can be free spins or bonus money to use in specific games. In some cases, it can be restricted to games from a specific provider. Check the terms and requirements before qualifying for a casino bonus.

Does online casinos in Canada reward VIP and high rollers?

Yes, every online casino makes sure to take great care of players that play a lot. If you play a lot, deposit money often, what you do with the money you win, you could end up being rewarded a VIP status. As a casino VIP, you can expect to get individual bonuses, gifts and even exclusive trips.

Summary

Despite the sometimes tricky wagering requirements, a casino bonus is an excellent way to get some more value for your money and get more playing time and chances to win. If you are uncertain about what bonus to go with, we suggest that you let us guide you. You will be sure to find casino bonuses on our page that have mild wagering requirements that you can more easily benefit from than some of the more brutal and sometimes unfair casino bonuses that online casinos offer.