Written by Maurice TalbertWhat are Free Spins & their differences
One definition of Free spins is: online casino slots bonus game with an award of reel spins on the same wager or a free bonus without wagering. There are also many names for free spins like Extra spins, Bonus spins, reel spins and Casino spins. However, they have the same aims, either to:
- Entice a new player to sign up at an online casino (welcome bonus)
- Keep current players (Loyalty programmes or campaigns),
- Promote new casino slots
With that said there are two groups of Free spins those with no-deposit required or those with a deposit required.
Understanding no-deposit free spins
Coming from a player’s point of view, free spins, no deposit required, is a way of gambling at an online casino with no risk. This form of promotion is in place at casinos with the aim of attracting more users to their site. With this form of promotion, a player will need to provide personal basic details to register an account. subsequently, the account will then be pre-funded with credit by the online casino for free spins. The only problem is that with this kind of bonus the wagering requirements might be higher. Therefore, be sure to read the terms & conditions before selecting this bonus.
The top 3 no-deposit free spins bonuses currently available:
- Potential of gaining new customers for a casino
- A means of trying new slot games for the player
- No risk involved for the player
- Specific casino games only and maximum bet amounts are limited when using the no deposit casino bonus
- Maximum withdrawal limit
Free Spins that need a deposit – What you need to know
Free Spins that require a deposit is a fairly new concept in the world of online casinos. It works by offering the player spins or bonuses when they make a deposit (first and future deposits). The Spinit casino bonus and Pokerstars casino bonus, for example, award spins on top of a deposit bonus. The concept is not as popular with users as free spins with no deposits. But nonetheless, some people choose this promotion.
Most licensed and regulated online casinos now award free spin bonuses amongst a plethora of other offers. The Betsson casino bonus and PlayOJO casino bonus, on the other hand, include only spins. The bonuses vary from 10 free spins, 30 free spins, 100 free spins and even more. As with the majority of spins bonuses, the wagering requirements may be higher than a standard cash bonus. So make sure to read the terms & conditions before opting for the bonus.
See here the top 3 deposit free spins bonuses currently available
Some of the pros and cons of deposit free spins are as follows:
- Free spins for just making a deposit
- Play for free and still retain all your winnings
- Higher wagering requirements compared to cash bonuses
Slot Games with Free Spins No Deposit
Slot games with Free Spins No deposit are used to attract new players to the online casino and to reward loyal customers when they play at the casino. No deposit free spins present a great opportunity for users to play without risking any of their own money. They will just have to register an account by providing their basic information and their spins will be funded by the casino. All winnings will be theirs to keep. It is important to take note of the terms & conditions before starting to use their free spins no deposit. Casinos are also compelled by the UK gambling regulations to correctly identify bonus spins when offering it as part of their promotions.
Casinos also make use of free spins with no deposit when they have a new slot game that they want to promote, this gives players a taste of playing the slot without any risk. Free spins no deposit ensures that players can test out the slot without spending any of their own money. Loyal users also get the opportunity to participate in the promotion which also rewards their loyalty.
There are also many popular online slots which rewards the player with the opportunity to collect free no deposit spins when they collect certain symbols or tokens while playing the slot. Players can play the slot and can trigger the free spin rounds without having to participate in a specific promotional offer. This offers the opportunity to increase your winnings without risking your own money.
What is the difference between free spins and extra spins?
Although free spins and extra spins seem to be the same thing, they refer to a different type of spins on offer. Free spins are the term which is used generically to describe any spin on a slot reel which won’t cost the player anything.
Free spins can also be won in-game when playing online video slots when a player accumulates a specific number of special symbols, this will activate the Free Spins mode. The Free spins mode will further award a certain number of free spins and accordingly raise the multiplier.
Extra spins are generally given to players as part of a promotion but are not free of charge in the real sense. Extra spins are normally the type of free spins allocated as part of a welcome bonus or simply a deposit bonus and can only be obtained after you have made a deposit. This makes them technical free of charge but conditional on the making of the deposit.
Are extra spins available for current customers?
Most online casinos award free spins either to new, existing customers or both. Welcome bonus offers are there to entice new players to register with an online casino. And what better way than to include free spins. Free spins are also a tool for casinos to ensure that existing customers keep active and stay loyal. In short, it is a good method to make sure that existing customers are not lost to competitors. Most free spins promotions apply to both parties to make sure that the old and new players spend money. Thus, generating more cash for the casino.
Are spins allowed on all slots?
Free spins cannot generally be used on all slots. So, the answer is no. Each online slots game at an online casino would usually give you an offer allowing you to get free spins, but once they are obtained these spins cannot be used on any other slot except for the one where they were obtained. The best games for free spins arethe Book of Ra Slots, for which you can check our Book of Ra Tricks and the best ways to deposit with Book of Ra.
Free spins usually come with some set conditions such as wagering requirements. You need to make sure that you read the terms and conditions in order to know the rules. The good thing is that some online casinos usually give their users a chance to get free spins more than once. These spins may be obtained through ongoing promotions or through the game itself. The game would award you free spins depending on the number of triggering symbols that you get while playing it. Keep in mind that almost every game has a free slots version that lets you enjoy free spin rounds without depositing anything, though the downside is that you’re not allowed to withdraw any winnings.
Reasons why online casinos offer bonus spins
The simplest way to answer this question would be competition. Licensed and regulated online casinos are currently facing stiff competition with each other. The number of online casinos keeps growing almost on a daily basis, with the number currently being at more than 30,000 casinos available. As we all know, competition is good for customers as it drives the casinos into offering better and bigger bonuses to keep users and entice new players from the opposition. It is because of this that free spins came to light as they are very enticing for new customers enabling them to try the online casino whilst keeping existing customers loyal to the casino as well. Betway free spins offer together with Ladbrokes free spins and the BetVictor free spins are one of the most lucrative in the business and many players have already taken advantage of them. It is, however, also important to note that many video slots, such as several Merkur slots, offer free spins as a bonus feature that can be triggered in-game without taking advantage of a particular online casino offer.
Free Spins On Mobile, Android Or iPhone
Mobile devices can be used anywhere and whenever you feel like using it, the only requirement is good connectivity. This led to a situation where people also started using their mobile devices to visit online casinos and to play slots and other favourite online casino games. The online casinos also joined the competition and developed optimised mobile sites to simplify the online casino playing experience. Many casinos also offer no deposit free spins to mobile users when they sign up for an online casino account.
Many online casinos moved to new technology which enabled mobile users to access any mobile casino site whether it offers a mobile app or not. One such technology that online sites use to ensure that their sites can run on any mobile device is HTML5. This technology ensures that the online site is compatible with devices using Android, Apple, and other operating systems.
Free spins can be accessed on any mobile site using any operating system and there are also terms and conditions which must be understood and adhered to before you start using the free spins. This will help players to use the free spins to their best advantage and provide them with the best opportunity to make some money. Almost all online casinos have made provision for mobile users to play online casino slot games on their smartphones and tablets using either mobile versions of their sites or mobile apps. They also ensured that mobile users have a variety of the most popular online slot games available and that their bonus offers to match that of their desktop sites including free spins.
Free Spins No Deposit Bonus Codes
With the growing popularity of online casinos, there is a great tussle between casinos to attract new players. Online casino sites offer a variety of welcome bonus and other promos to new and existing players which include free spins no deposit offers without the need to make a deposit. In many instances, casinos make use of no deposit bonus codes to activate the bonus free spins. No deposit bonus codes are short combinations with which the no deposit bonus can be unlocked at online casinos. The bonus code will be linked to a certain number of pre-determined free spins. Not all casinos require players to use bonus codes to get their bonus no deposit free spins. If you encounter an online casino that requires no deposit bonus codes to be entered, before your free spins can be allocated, it is a simple process of entering the bonus code into the allocated space. Bonus codes are available for use by any player and its aim is to attract new players and reward existing ones with no deposit free spins. Bonus codes can also be used to identify the source from where the code originated to determine the success of certain marketing initiatives.
Drop a progressive jackpot with extra spins
This is a bit hard to call as it depends solely on casino policy. Some casinos allow their players to use the free bonuses to win progressive jackpots; in fact, some will encourage it. On the other hand, some casino sites are very clear and state that the bonuses cannot be used to win progressive jackpots. To conclude, it mostly depends on where you are playing.
How to keep yourself up to date with casino offers
The best advice that can be given to any player that is looking to get the best free spins promotion is for them to sign up to newsletters from their favourite online casinos. Once you sign up with a casino make sure to sign up for a newsletter if they prompt you. BetVictor casino, for example, use newsletters to inform players of the current and even upcoming offers and hence they will be up to date on any free spin offers that might be happening.
Always check the Terms & Conditions of the Free Spins Promotion
Generally, all promotions and bonuses come with certain conditions and terms that must be adhered to, in order to get the maximum benefit from it. Failure to adhere to the terms and conditions can invalidate the welcome bonus offer or any other type of promo. It is therefore of great importance that before you use the free spins you ensure that you know exactly what the terms and conditions stipulate and what is required from you. Doing this will ensure that you can make the most of the offer and maximise your winnings. Players must ensure that they fully understand what the terms and conditions stipulate about the following:
Firstly, the slots on which the free spins can be used, the majority of free spins must be used on specific casino games that the online casino offers and wants to promote.
Secondly, the wagering or rollover requirement before the winnings can be withdrawn. This must be clearly indicated and refers more to a bonus spins offer. In terms of UK Gambling Commission compliance laws free spins, no deposit no longer require any wagering requirements.
Thirdly, the maximum value of winnings from your free spins that can be withdrawn, many casinos restrict the amount by placing a cap on the amount of the winnings.
Fourthly, the time limit within which you must use your free spins before the offer expires. Ensure that you use them in time, and adhere to any requirements before the time limit expires. Usually, the time period of validity of the spins is 7 days and if users fail to take advantage of them in this 7 days period, the online casino removes them. Failure to adhere to it will not only cancel your free spins but also your winnings from the free spins.
The last condition to take into consideration is the deposit method. Some online casinos exclude certain payment methods from their bonus promotions.
