Starting a journey at an online casino can be overwhelming, as deciding whether to make a deposit is a difficult task. This is why many platforms are offering more and more ways for you to try out an initial experience of their services.
Some casinos offer risk-free trials to ensure you have a clear idea of what to expect in future sessions. This is when the free spins on sign up come to the rescue, allowing you to check out the platform, its games, and whether a future deposit is worth it.
While free spins have various advantages like no deposit requirements and real money potential, you must also remember that casinos work with a house edge that they strive to protect, even when looking for player acquisition.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of free spins bonuses, so you can have a clear picture of whether they’re worth your time.
Advantages
Getting a free spins bonus is easy, because you only need an account and a promo code to unlock it. With this ease of redeeming come other great advantages that we are going to talk about in the following sections:
No deposit requirements
The most obvious advantage of free spins without deposit is that they don’t require you to put your money at risk. You will simply need to create an account and then use a promo code to unlock your set of spins.
For anti-fraud purposes and to avoid bonus seekers who create multiple accounts, some online casinos have also implemented verification requirements before you can redeem a registration bonus. This means that you will need to provide documents such as an ID or a driver’s licence.
A free trial for testing a platform
Free spin promotions are a great way to test out a casino you want to play at before actually investing. Trying out the platform’s services is a must before making an actual deposit, as you should decide whether it’s the right fit for you.
A free spins promotion will give you access to trying out the following aspects:
- Overall user experience, including whether the games work well on your device and if the navigation is smooth.
- Checking out the verification process and withdrawal in case you get lucky.
- Understanding if the game collection is what you’re looking for.
Discovering a variety of new games
A promotion with free spins also allows you to try out popular games and providers. Remember that casinos will choose the best slots for these types of bonuses so that you have a great introduction to their services.
Mechanics and features
Because you don’t need to deposit, it’s easier to test out different slot mechanics and see if you do like certain features. Developers are constantly improving how slots work, meaning that you’ll have a variety of options, and maybe you don’t want to risk your money trying them.
The most sought-after features are the gamble one. This one provides you with a chance at winning double, triple or even more from your initial bet amount. Some popular slots with gamble features include Book of Ra, Book of Dead, Halloween Fortune, and Ramses Book.
Even if you don’t have to deposit for a free spins offer, you should still keep in mind responsible gambling. When it comes to gambling features, they can provide you with double your winnings, but you can still lose the bet you’ve placed.
Of course, the amount wasn’t your real money, but it still would be a shame for you to lose a bet amount, so practice caution. And remember that all bet outcomes are based on an RNG (random number generator), which means that all your winnings are random and based on luck.
Volatility
A free spins bonus is also a great way to check out the volatility of a slot. Remember that volatility can vary from low to medium and even high, and this is why it means:
- high volatility → you get large payouts but more rarely
- medium volatility → a combination of rare and high payouts and low frequency wins
- low volatility → smaller and more frequent winnings
Testing out a slot’s volatility with a free spins bonus is advantageous because you can see what kind of gameplay you prefer. If you like a little more adrenaline, then high volatility slots are for you; if you want a chiller session, choose low volatility slots.
Editor’s note: A recent study on house edge and volatility emphasises that “it takes millions of plays for a gambling game to tend towards its average return. A gambling game will not return a minimum value of prizes in any given period of gambling.” So, the game’s volatility doesn’t affect your winnings, and even if the game hasn’t paid out in a while, that doesn’t mean it will immediately.
Real money potential
You might think that no deposit free spins have restrictions regarding withdrawing, but in reality, they can provide real money potential if you get a lucky session.
Don’t forget that some online casinos ask for a minimum deposit for you to be able to withdraw your winnings. This is a necessary precaution for platforms to prevent fraud or mass registrations by requiring KYC documents.
Disadvantages
Any casino bonus has downsides. While some are based on player preference, others are designed to protect the house edge, such as wagering requirements. Here are the main disadvantages of free spins that you should look out for.
A limited set of spins
Even if you get to play the most popular slot machines, you still have a strict set of rounds that you cannot increase. You simply get a set of spins on a popular slot machine with a set bet that the online casino decides upon.
Because this bonus is meant to be a quick taste of the casino or an incentive, the spins are usually on the lower end, like 10 to 50. Of course, some exceptions give you more spins, but in that case, you should be careful about other conditions that might be restrictive.
No ability to switch the bet size
Apart from the limited set of spins that you get, you’ll also have a specific bet amount that you cannot switch between. Usually, casinos will set the bet amount at the minimum of the game.
For example, if the spins are on the game Big Bass Bonanza, your set will have a set bet of $0.10 per spin. Sometimes, casinos curate offers that give you double or x3 your bet, and you need to pay attention to the conditions.
You’ll be able to switch between bet amounts only after you’ve finished the rounds and you need to wager your winnings. Remember that this only happens for bonuses that require wagering, while winnings from a no-wagering bonus will go directly into your real money balance.
When you are wagering your winnings, you must be careful about the bet size. That’s because most casinos have a maximum bet requirement that you shouldn’t exceed. The maximum bet allowed can look like this: 20% of your winnings, but not exceeding $10. So, if you’ve won $100, your maximum bet will be $10, even if 20% of $100 is $20.
Terms and conditions
With a no deposit requirement, you should expect that the casino usually protects its house edge by implementing strict terms for such options. For example, you might encounter free spins promotions that have higher wagering requirements, such as 35x+.
Remember that the lower the wagering, the easier it is for you to fulfill the conditions. If you play a free spins bonus and win $100, and the wagering requirement is 50x, you need to play a total of $5000 to clear it. This standard is unrealistic and favours the casino’s edge, because it will be very hard to meet and withdraw your winnings.
Expiry dates
All bonuses, especially the ones without deposit, come with certain expiry dates that you should keep in mind. For a registration bonus with free spins, you will get an average of 24-48 hours, but it can go up to 7 days.
This time frame means you need to play and wager your winnings, or the bonus will expire from your account. So make sure you enjoy it fully, but also be aware that the bonus won’t be on your account forever.
Conclusions
Because there is no need for you to deposit, free spins allow you to take a more responsible approach in your gambling sessions. That’s because you get a quick familiarization with a casino and its game mechanics without spending any money.
It’s highly recommended that you have a specific budget when gambling, and free spins allow you to not go over it, but still enjoy an additional session. But, you should always be cautious because winning from free spins might trigger a desire to keep on gambling and deposit money.
Chasing losses is a clear sign of gambling harm that you must be aware of. What you can do is take regular breaks and make sure you are doing other activities for entertainment as well!
