An online casino bonus is a reward that you can get for creating an account, making a deposit, inviting a friend, or clearing and reaching various conditions and milestones. Casino bonuses can come in many forms but often are available as bonus cash (site credits) or free spins.
If you want to know more about different types of bonuses, how they work, and some of the common rules for using them, you’ve landed on the right page. We will also list a few safe and trusted Canadian online casinos with good bonuses that could soon be available in parts of Canada.
Do I need a casino bonus code?
In some cases, a casino will require you to use a bonus code to unlock the promotion. You’ll need to use this code when signing up, making a deposit, or activating the bonus on your account page. In other cases, all you may need to do is create an account or make a first deposit at the online casino.
How do online casino bonuses work?
Casino bonuses allow you to extend your bankroll after completing a particular requirement. For instance, a no deposit bonus will be available once you create an account, after which you’ll receive some bonus cash or free spins.
Deposit matching bonuses are one of the most common options. These offers will match your first deposit, usually at a rate of 100%. So, for example, if you deposit a certain amount, the casino will throw in the same amount in the form of bonus credits.
Later on, we’ll explain other types of casino bonuses and promotions you can run into, including reload bonuses, free spins, referral bonuses, and VIP programs.
An important thing to know is that almost all bonuses have wagering requirements. This means that you can’t just withdraw the bonus cash right away — you need to bet with it at the online casino. Each bonus may also have a time limit, specific games you can use it on, a minimum deposit requirement, and a maximum that you can win.
Which casinos have the best bonuses?
It can be difficult to determine which operator offers the best online casino bonus, as it depends on your goals as a player. If you want to test the casino out with lower risk, you’ll want to focus on no deposit bonuses. If you’re a fan of video slots, you may appreciate free spins. And if you’re a high-roller, you might want to find the highest possible deposit match.
Here is a summary of some of the top online casinos in Ontario and their current bonus deals.
Disclaimer: These casinos are not yet legal in Canadian provinces other than Ontario. The details in these summaries are just speculations based on the casinos’ offers in other areas.
DraftKings Casino
DraftKings started as a daily fantasy site but has introduced a sportsbook and an online casino over the last several years. As a first-time depositor at DraftKings Casino, you’ll be eligible for a 100% deposit matching bonus. The minimum deposit is just $5, and the wagering requirement is 10x on both the deposit and the bonus amount. However, only certain video slots fully contribute to meeting the requirement.
DraftKings also has a set of other online casino promotions, including a join bonus, a refer-a-friend bonus, Dynasty Rewards, and tournament leaderboards.
BetMGM Casino
BetMGM is another reputable online casino. In areas where it is more established, BetMGM Casino can offer up to hundreds of high-quality video slots, dozens of table games, and live dealer games. The casino’s welcome offers consist of two bonuses — a no deposit bonus and a 100% first deposit match.
You can use the no deposit bonus within three days of claiming it. You’ll then have seven days to meet the 1x playthrough requirement on the no deposit bonus. You’ll need to make a real money deposit before you can withdraw the winnings from a no deposit bonus.
On the other hand, the matching deposit bonus comes with a 15x wagering requirement that you must meet within 14 days. You can use the bonus on all games except baccarat, roulette, and poker.
bet365 Casino
Players who choose bet365 Online Casino can access all the standard online casino games, including jackpot slots, live dealer games, roulette, blackjack and baccarat. As a new player on the website, you’ll be eligible to claim a welcome bonus in bet credits.
The minimum deposit for unlocking this offer is just $10, and you’ll need to meet a 1x playthrough requirement within 30 days.
Caesars Palace Casino
The Caesars Palace Casino has a variety of Megaways slots along with plenty of regular slots, progressives, Slingo variants, table games, high-roller titles, video poker, and live dealer games.
The welcome bonus at Caesars Palace online casino in Canada is a 100% first deposit match for slots and video poker and table games. After claiming the bonus, you’ll have seven days to meet the wagering requirements, which vary depending on the game.
FanDuel Casino
Like DraftKings, FanDuel was a DFS website before transforming to an online casino and a sportsbook. What sets FanDuel online casino apart from most casino sites is the structure of its welcome bonus.
If you end your first day of betting with a net loss, the bonus funds will arrive in your account within 72 hours, and you’ll have seven days to bet with them.
BetRivers Casino
BetRivers is an online casino and sportsbook offering a wide selection of games from reputable software providers such as Konami, NetEnt, IGT, NextGen, etc. It features a good selection of marquee slots, including progressives, and a variety of table and live dealer games.
The intro promo at BetRivers online casino is a 100% first deposit match. While that amount may be smaller than the maximum bonuses at some other casino sites, the upside is that it only comes with a 1x wagering requirement. The minimum deposit is $10.
PlayOJO
While this is a newer name among legal online casinos in North America, PlayOJO Casino still offers an interesting welcome bonus. With a $10 minimum deposit, all new players at PlayOJO will get free spins on a selected video slot. Each free spin is worth $0.10, and there are no wagering requirements or withdrawal limits.
Read the bonus terms & conditions
A bonus’s terms and conditions are always worth reading before claiming any offer, as they will tell you what to expect from the bonus and whether it’s worth using. Here are some of the key terms and conditions that you should pay attention to:
- Game eligibility — Some games might not be compatible with a given bonus, while others tend not to have a full wagering contribution.
- Wagering requirement — Most casinos will require you to wager your bonus (sometimes also including your original deposit amount) several times over before you can cash out. For instance, if your bonus has a wagering requirement of 10x, you’d need to wager 10 times your deposit before being able to withdrawal any bonus funds.
- Expiration date —The casino will usually put an expiration date on the offer, ranging from a couple of days to a couple of months, depending on the type and size of the offer.
- Minimum deposit — This is the amount you’ll have to deposit to be eligible for claiming the welcome bonus. Note that some payment methods might not be compatible with the bonus.
- Maximum that you can cash out — Casinos may restrict how much money you can win from a given bonus. For instance, no deposit free spins might come with a cash-out limit.
How do Canada online casino bonuses work?
Here are some of the best casino bonuses you can run into at online gambling sites:
- No deposit bonus — Claim bonus credits or free spins as soon as you register. Because no deposit bonuses don’t require any monetary investment, they are usually smaller than deposit bonuses.
- Free spins — Free spins are exclusive to slots. You’ll get a set of free plays for one or several selected slots and will need to wager the winnings before cashing out.
- Reload bonuses — Unlike first deposit bonuses specific to new players, reload bonuses are for regulars and often are available more than once, such as every week or month.
- Refer-a-friend — Referral bonuses allow you to get bonus credits or free spins by inviting another person to the casino site. If that person joins via your referral link and makes a real money deposit, you will receive a bonus.
- VIP/loyalty rewards — Loyalty programs are a way for casinos to provide incentives to existing players. The more you deposit and wager, the more loyalty points you’ll amass. You also may be able to increase your tier for better bonuses, rewards, and benefits.
Comparing wagering requirements
Wagering requirements are the single most important condition for using a casino bonus. Every bonus you claim is likely to have a wagering requirement, which can be anywhere between 1x and 60x, depending on the casino and the offer itself.
For example, the Golden Nugget online casino has a 10x wagering requirement on its first deposit bonus. If you make your deposit, you will get the same amount as bonus funds. The wagering requirement means that you would need to wager at least 10 times your deposit before being able to cash out because the wagering requirements apply to both the deposit and the bonus amount.
On the other hand, BetRivers has a much smaller-seeming bonus. However, this comes with just a 1x wagering requirement. This means that if you were to make your deposit you would get the same amount as a bonus to play with, you would need to wager the same amount to clear the bonus. So, even though the Golden Nugget bonus seems more valuable at first, its wagering requirement is tougher to meet, making it difficult for you to end up with any withdrawable cash.
In other cases, you’ll find no wagering requirements whatsoever. This is the case with PlayOJO, which offers free spins. After you play through all spins, the amount you win is yours to do with as you wish, no strings attached.