No-Deposit Vs. Deposit Bonus - Which is Best?

The best mobile casinos know exactly how to attract players. Apart from offering large game libraries powered by who-is-who in the industry, these casinos welcome players with bonus packages. Chief among casino bonuses is the deposit and no-deposit bonuses. 

For a new casino player, choosing and differentiating these incentives can be an unexpected challenge. Which begs the question; what’s the difference between deposit and no-deposit bonuses? Also, which is more player-friendly? That’s what this post discusses and many more.

What is a No-Deposit Bonus?

A no-deposit bonus is a mobile casino reward, specifically free spins or bonus money. As the name suggests, this bonus is awarded to new players who don’t necessarily make a minimum deposit. In other words, just create a casino account and claim the no-deposit prize. 

For example, a casino can award players 10 free spins for merely creating an account successfully. On the other hand, another casino can give $5 to play with for completing the sign-up process. Some will even entice new players with both free spins and bonus money.

What is a Deposit Bonus?

A deposit bonus is a casino incentive availed after the new player makes a minimum deposit. Put simply, new gamers must give the mobile casino a specific amount to get the bonus. For this reason, most casinos offer this bonus instead of a no-deposit bonus.

Here’s a good example; new players at National Casino get a 100% matchup bonus up to $100 plus 100 free spins for making a $20 minimum deposit. This simply means $100 is the maximum bonus amount on offer. You still don’t get it? Well, a $200 deposit would yield $100 bonus with a $50 deposit giving $50 bonus cash.

Wagering Requirements and Other Conditions

Interestingly, both deposit or no-deposit bonuses have onerous terms and conditions. The casino will often include wagering requirements to ensure they recoup a certain amount before handing you the winnings. Just say that it’s no free cash, as the casino adverts claim.

That said, wagering requirements apply on both bonus money and free spins. Sticking with the National Casino bonus example above, the deposit reward comes with a 35x wagering requirement for free spins and bonus money. 

So, assuming you’re generous enough to deposit $100, the mobile casino will immediately credit $100 to your account. Note that this money is non-withdrawable. Then, the bonus terms stipulate that gamers must wager $3,500 ($100 x 35) before cashing out the bonus. The same applies to any money won using the 100 free spins.

That’s not all; the casino chooses the type of game to play using the free spins. This is strictly for promotional purposes. Again, the National Casino welcome bonus sheet claims that you can only spin the reels on Avalon the Lost Kingdom by BGaming.

Remember that all bonuses have an expiry date effective when they become active. So, if a bonus only lasts for ten days, meet the wagering requirements during this period, or any progress and bonus winnings will be voided. In addition, check if there is a betting limit.

Deposit or No-Deposit: Which Bonus is Best?

Although both bonuses have complex and intriguing outcomes, they are different in their own ways. For starters, a no-deposit bonus allows you to try out the casino games without risking anything in return. 

But mobile casinos are not stupid. This bonus is usually tiny to do anything meaningful with it. Even worse, most come in the form of free spins tied to a specific game. 

On the flip side, deposit bonuses are highly rewarding, although gamers must part with a minimum amount. In some cases, the matchup bonus can run to thousands of dollars. And yes, a few free spins might be bundled in as well. In the end, the choice is yours!