Online pokies are stunning, exciting, and brilliantly themed and many operators offer players the chance to try them for free with periodic and ongoing promotions.
However, we can be quite skeptical when online casinos say ‘free spins’, ‘free cash’, or something similar, but if you are playing at a reliable Internet casino which has third party accreditation, such as the many we recommend and play at, then you won’t be scammed.
While these bonuses do have conditions attached, these are made available so the only real way you will get scammed is if you play at a rogue online casino.
Much of whether you should claim an online bonus comes down to what game you are playing, for instance if you are playing a progressive like Mega Moolah you may be better off not clearing a bonus because you will not eligible for the mega jackpot – and that is why many of us play this game.
Table games also don’t clear the bonus as quickly, or not at all, which leads many players not to claim a bonus at all. But if you are a pokie player we believe if you find the right bonus you can benefit greatly.
What are online pokies bonuses?
Since online casinos can operate with less overhead costs than their land-based counterparts they can offer special bonuses to their players. We cover the most predominant pokies bonuses below.
Match deposit bonuses
Match deposit bonuses work by seeing players deposit a certain amount and the online casino matching it by a certain percentage. For example, at Slots Million you can deposit up to $100 and have it matched by 100%.
There are also tiered match deposit bonuses that require you to deposit a number of times to complete the promotion. For example, G’day online casino includes the following tiered match deposit bonus when you become a new player;
- First deposit: Unlimited amount matched up to 100%
- Second deposit: Up to $2000 matched by 25%
- Third deposit: Up to $1000 matched by 50%
The bonus money you receive here can be used on the pokies. In fact it is generally recommended you do use the bonus cash on the slots as match deposit bonuses generally have wagering requirements attached.
Wagering requirements are the number of times you need to put the bonus money through a casino game before it can be released as cash and at the majority of online casinos the slots contribute 100% to the requirement. So if you need to put a bonus of $100 through 35 times, for example, you need to wager $3500 (any winnings can be put through and counted) before it is released as cash. Since every $1 spent on the slots counts as a 100% contribution you will be able to release it faster.
No-deposit bonuses
All online casinos want you to play at their Internet gaming establishment and some will offer a no-deposit bonus to get you there. These include a small amount of cash, say $10 or so, free spins, or other bonus, that doesn’t require you to make a deposit, all you have to do is sign up.
You can use the cash on pokies, and obviously the free spins too, with any winnings only subjected to wagering requirements if the online casino has specified in the terms and conditions. Some will require a turnover, but many don’t.
It is imperative you really read the fine print if you want to actually be able to withdraw the no deposit bonus these days, often there will be a caveat attached that a player must have made a deposit to withdraw money. It’s not aimed at really giving you $10, it’s aimed at getting you to sign up at the casino.
Loyalty points/rewards
Just as land-based casinos reward regular and loyal players, so to do online casinos. Players are instantly signed up to the rewards program at an online casino as soon as they register and start earning points instantly with every bet they place.
Once again, online pokies are the best casino game to earn loyalty points. For example, Fortune Lounge Group is a rewards program that Royal Vegas and 7 Sultans are a part of, and one credit on a slot equals one rewards point, while table and other games require from five to 100 credits just to earn a single point.
Free spins
Many online casinos will offer free spins on specified slots every now and then, which you should take advantage of provided you read the terms and conditions.
Some will have wagering requirements attached on winnings, while others don’t with the latter a risk free option. If you don’t want any turnover requirements be sure you read the conditions of all free spins bonuses.
Another thing to watch out for is a ‘winnings’ cap which may say you only can win $200 from the spins.
Online pokies scams
Now that we have detailed all the available bonuses to use on the slots, it is important to note that these only operate in the above manner if you are playing at reliable online casinos.
While some casinos on the other hand feature bonuses that are there to scam you. While at a glance the casino is offering $1000 free. In reality you are no chance of ever actually profiting from the bonus because of the horrendous restrictions placed on the bonus by ht casino.
Unregulated Internet casinos
For those who don’t know, unregulated online casinos are not governed by third party organisations, which grant their mark of approval to online casinos after they pass an intense investigation of their operations.
These aren’t necessarily rogue they just don’t have the accreditation in place to protect players. You can figure out if an online casino is unregulated by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage to see if there is a logo from a top third party organisation such as the following advanced licensing jurisdictions;
- Malta
- Isle of Man
- Gibraltar
- Curacao
- Alderney
- Kahnawake
An example of a pokies bonus scam at an unregulated casino is one which doesn’t include any terms and conditions but imposes them when you opt in for the bonus. Eventually these casinos will become blacklisted as rogue online casinos.
Rogue web casinos
Rogue online casinos have operated in a poor manner and have seen players reporting incidents causing the Internet casino to be blacklisted. You can figure out if an online casino is blacklisted by doing a simple Google search with the name of the casino and the term ‘rogue’.
An example of a pokies bonus scam at a rogue online casino is one which looks too good to be true. When players opt in to these types of bonuses and win, the rogue casino is likely not to release winnings and pay players. For example, Crazy Lucky Casino has been reported to offer a promotion and then when players have won they have changed the promotion and locked the cashier.
The best way to avoid these types of scams is to play at a reliable online casino.
Trustworthy online casinos that offer pokies bonuses
Each of the following online casinos feature an array of pokies bonuses for players to take advantage of, each with detailed terms and conditions that you should read. These will not change mid promotion due to these online casinos being licensed by one or more of the aforementioned jurisdictions that can step in is a dispute occurs.
They have proven that they operate responsibly by passing the intense investigation from these third party organisations, which can also be verified by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage and viewing their accreditation.
- G’day
- Slots Million
- Royal Vegas
- Thrills
- Jackpot City
- 32 Red
- Leo Vegas
- Roxy palace
- Guts
- 7 Sultans
- Casino-Mate