One of the most popular bonus types in Canada is the welcome bonus, and the reward you get for joining a new online casino site. It is kind of like walking into a room and immediately getting to feel like the star of the show, and who wouldn’t want that when first starting to play? A welcome bonus is a great way to boost your casino bankroll from the start, and we’ve got the scope on where to find the best welcome bonuses in Canada, and how to use them wisely. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about welcome bonuses.
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JackpotCity Casino
Read ReviewFour-tier welcome bonus up to C$1,600
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100% up to C$750
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100% up to CA$1,000
4
100% up to C$1,200
5
4-tier bonus up to C$3,000
200 Free Spins
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4-tier bonus up to C$2,000
200 Free Spins
7
100% up to $750
200 Free Spins
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Up to C$200
100 Free Spins
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Deposit Match up to C$500
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100% up to CA$722.70
What is a Welcome Bonus?
Before we can dive too deeply into the world of welcome bonuses available to Canadians, we first have to establish what a welcome bonus is and what you can expect out of it. Many of us can’t help but be drawn to any type of promise of free cash or other rewards, but before you do anything, you should know how these types of casino perks work and how they can affect your gambling experience.
A welcome bonus is a reward you receive when you first start gambling at a classic casino site or casino without verification, and it is meant to both make you feel welcome, but also to convince you to choose that specific site over its competition. The casino market is blooming and virtual gambling houses need to stand out to attract players, and a welcome bonus package is the ideal way to make someone stick around and play.
These types of lures are far from unique to the casino industry and can be found in almost any industry where you are offered a reward or prize for doing something specific. In this case, it is joining a casino site to play.
Online casinos depend on their players, and while offering welcome bonuses can seem like a sneaky way to convince you to pick their site over others, it is actually a mutually beneficial agreement where you give them your time and trust, and they offer you something in return.
Not all welcome bonuses are the same, and while many are similar with cash matching rewards and free spins, there are still plenty of things you should know to help you make the right decision. Is it always a good idea to accept a welcome bonus? That’s what we are here to find out. Welcome bonus offers can be fantastic when used in the right way, but they should also be treated with caution and used responsibly.
It can be very motivating to play when you are looking at a substantial gambling budget and a casino bankroll that contains more than just a few dollars, and a welcome bonus offers an overall fun and thrilling way to get you going.
However, you need to keep in mind that most of these bonuses come with wagering requirements that may or may not be tricky to fulfil, and that is only one of the things we are going to cover in this bonus and casino review. Gambling smart and responsibly is all about making educated decisions based on what is best for you, and we want to help you do that.
Types of Bonuses
Not all welcome bonuses are the same, and some can be better than others. This is something you need to know when you set out to look for attractive bonus offers, so that you know what’s out there and what you have to choose from. Sure, you can jump at the first opportunity you find to get a welcome bonus, but you can also take your time to try and find the top bonus offers in Canada before you start playing.
We bet you’re wondering if there are any chances of obtaining a wagering requirement free welcome bonus. While there might be a few out there, it is best not to count on it. Reputable casino sites usually require some type of guarantee that you’ll stick around long enough to at least gamble with the money they gave you, and they’re usually reluctant to give away free money with no strings attached.
If you manage to come across a welcome bonus without any wagering requirements at all, these are usually quite small in comparison to those that do have wagering requirements. However, you may find bonuses with wagering-free free spins as an addition to a match bonus with wagering requirements.
No Wagering Welcome Bonus
The risk that you might not manage to fulfil the wagering requirements that came with your welcome bonus can be a bit overwhelming, but the truth is that the worst thing that can happen is that you lose your bonus and any potential winnings generated by your free cash.
There is always a time limit within which you need to fulfil the requirements in order to liberate your money, and if you fail, you risk losing what you’ve won and what the casino originally gave you. It won’t affect the money you deposited into your account or any winnings that have sprung from the betting of your own money, and it will only affect your casino welcome bonus.
What Happens if Wagering is Not Met?
Online gambling is fully legal in Canada, which makes it easy to find good bonus offers and deals when you first join a site. This is true for both regular casinos and no account casino sites. Some countries limit bonus offers to one per casino company, where one company might own several casinos, but this isn’t the case in Canada. As long as a casino offers a welcome bonus, you’ll be eligible provided you meet requirements such as a minimum deposit amount.
The best way to find good bonus deals is to keep an eye on top sites and compare the available bonus offers, which can be found under ‘Promotions’ or similar almost everywhere. Welcome bonus offers can change, so just because you weren’t convinced when you briefly scanned a casino site a year ago, they might have something else in store for you now.
The one thing to keep in mind is to make sure the casino is licensed. Unlicensed casinos aren’t regulated by a third-party licensing agency, and this means there aren’t any guarantees when it comes to the casino following through on its promises. Such a casino could promise the most incredible bonus opportunity, only to never give you the money they’ve promised.
Only ever used licensed gambling sites.
Breakdown of Welcome Bonuses
We are going to start by looking at the two main types of welcome bonuses at Canadian casinos, and how the two are different when it comes to requirements and general benefits. The two main types are known as deposit bonuses and no deposit bonuses, and they are essentially opposites with similar perks but different ways to obtain them. Let’s have a closer look to give you a better idea.
Pros
Cons
Some players may benefit more from accepting a welcome bonus, but when it comes down to it, it’s a fun way to boost your casino account and make sure you have a little more to play with to get you started. The pros and cons will also depend on the individual bonus offer, as some may be better and more beneficial than others.
Is a Welcome Bonus Worth It?
Perhaps you’re sitting there now, unsure of whether to accept a welcome bonus or gamble without it, and it’s understandable. Is accepting your welcome bonus a mistake you’ll end up regretting when it’s time to fulfil the wagering requirements? In general, the answer tends to be no. You don’t have much to lose by accepting bonus offers, and especially not if you have the time it takes to meet the wagering requirements. You might not necessarily succeed, but it could be worth a try, couldn’t it?
If you are looking for quick wins where you can cash out as soon as possible, then a welcome bonus might not be right for you since it’s going to take some time to fulfil the wagering requirements, and you could end up losing more than you win.
Another reason you might choose to pass on a welcome bonus is if there is another bonus offer that has caught your eye, as most casinos won’t allow you to have two different bonus offers activated at the same time. Whether to accept a casino welcome bonus is a very personal choice that only you can make for yourself.
Welcome Bonus - Bonus Codes
Welcome bonus codes are a lot less common now than they were a few years ago, and now it has become almost rare to find a gambling site that still uses codes. If so, the bonus code tends to be available somewhere on the signup page so that you can easily type it in, and you’ll use it to manually activate the welcome bonus offer.
Bonus codes can be permanent or temporary, in a case where the welcome bonus is a temporary offer and not a part of the casino’s regular reward packages, and you can always make sure to follow your favourite gambling sites on social media so that you don’t end up missing a special offer.
For welcome bonuses, however, it is a lot more frequently seen for these to be activated automatically when you make your first deposit or comply with basic bonus requirements, and you may be able to deactivate it manually if you prefer not to receive a bonus.
Are you a fan of making casino payments with e-wallets? Then this will interest you. When you set out to read the fine print in the terms and conditions of a welcome bonus offer, there is almost always a clause stating that Skrill and Neteller users are not eligible for the bonus. What this means is that you can claim the bonus with any other payment method, but not if you opt to pay with Neteller or Skrill.
The best way around this if you really want the bonus is to choose a different payment method the first time you make a deposit. It is a hassle, but it will at least make you eligible for that special casino bonus offer for new players.
This could apply also for other payment methods, but you’ll find all the information you need in the terms and conditions that come with the bonus offer, or those of the casino itself.
Conclusion
A welcome bonus is that fun surprise you get when you join a new online casino, and many players choose new sites based on the available bonus offers. If this sounds like you, then you’ve hopefully gotten a few useful tips from this article. Our goal is to help you make smart choices when picking your welcome bonus package, and also to increase your understanding of how these bonuses work, what is expected of you and what you can expect in return.
Knowledge is power when it comes to making the most of a casino welcome bonus offer, and it is something you can never get enough of. Enjoy your bonuses, read up on wagering requirements and other conditions, gamble responsibly and have fun. Welcome bonuses are a great way to get started when used correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Welcome Bonuses in Canada
Yes, many (if not most) online casinos in Canada come with a welcome bonus for new players. This is how casinos attract players and convince them to choose their site over those of their competitors. However, some online casinos might choose to use other methods of marketing rather than a welcome bonus offer.
You can legally gamble and accept bonuses as a Canadian player, and there are no restrictions for the types of welcome bonuses or rewards you can claim.
No, every casino makes their own rules when it comes to bonuses, and while many welcome bonuses are similar at online casinos in Canada, there can be significant differences such as wagering requirements, expiration times and more.
Almost all welcome bonuses come with wagering requirements, and this is not specific to Canada. Wagering requirements help casinos keep players from claiming a bonus and leaving without investing anything.
Yes, no account casinos also offer welcome bonus packages, just like any other online gambling site in Canada.
Usually, no. Welcome bonuses are made for news players, and once you have claimed and used a welcome bonus, you are no longer considered a new player. The best way to get more than one welcome bonus is to join multiple casino sites.
Most casinos do not give out welcome bonuses to those paying with Skrill or Neteller, and your best bet is to use a different payment method when planning to claim a bonus.
Whether to accept a welcome bonus is entirely up to you. It has its advantages as well as disadvantages; while it can give you a lot more money to play with, you also need to take wagering requirements and other terms into consideration before accepting.