Casino Bonuses Explained

BetMGM Aug 31, 2025, 8:33 AM
min read
Casino chips and dice on a laptop keyboard.

One of the best things about playing online casino games is the bonuses that an online casino offers. Whether you play online slots or other types of online casino games, to fully experience these bonuses, you need to understand what they are and how each one works. 

What is a Casino Bonus?

A casino bonus is a promotional offer that players can redeem to receive casino credits or other game-specific bonuses, such as free spins. These bonuses are a way for you to get more value for your money when you’re gambling at an online casino. 

However, you should remember that all bonuses have play-through or wagering requirements before you can cash out any winnings. Ensure you read up on these so that you don’t get confused or misunderstand any of the terms and conditions that may prevent you from getting all of the benefits of a promotional offer. 

Knowing the difference between sticky and non-sticky casino bonuses is also vital to getting the most out of any online casino bonus.

How Do Bonuses At Casinos Work?

If you’ve ever played online casino games, you’ll know that these bonuses come in all shapes and sizes. They are promotional tools that online casinos use to attract new players and keep regular players coming back. 

However, you need to be aware of all the requirements attached to these bonuses. They can be extremely rewarding, but you must find the ones that suit your style of play, as well as your time and budget, to ensure you don’t end up missing out. This is why knowing what makes a casino bonus good is so important; it’ll help you choose a bonus that’s right for you. 

You also need to make sure you know how BetMGM Casino bonuses work to get the most out of these offers when you play at BetMGM Casino. You can also leverage a number of casino bonus tips to ensure you get the most out of any promotional offer.

Understanding Playthrough and Wager Requirements

Playthrough and wagering requirements are the specific rules that you need to follow to redeem any rewards that you may win when using these bonuses. These rules can be quite detailed, which could lead to potential confusion. This is why you need to properly review all of the conditions, and once you understand the fine print, you’ll reap the maximum benefits of these promotional offers. 

For example, a BetMGM Casino welcome bonus offer for new accounts can include a $25 casino bonus and a 100% deposit match (up to $1,000). In order to be eligible for the offer, you must be 21 years of age and not have any prior accounts with BetMGM Casino. However, to redeem any prizes you win with this bonus offer, you must make sure you complete any other qualifying criteria.

You can use an online casino bonus calculator to understand the wagering requirements. For example, if you are given a $20 casino bonus with a 10x wagering requirement, you would need to spend $200 on eligible games before you can withdraw any winnings. 

How To Qualify for a Casino Bonus

Remember, bonuses are awarded by meeting certain criteria, which the online casino explains in its terms and conditions for each promotional offer. However, it’s also important to remember that not all games qualify for every bonus, so keep this in mind when reviewing the terms and conditions to make sure the games you’re interested in count towards a promotional offer before you start playing them. 

Types of Casino Bonuses

Now that the basics of casino bonuses have been explained, let’s take a look at all the types of bonuses available. 

Welcome Bonus

When new members sign up at an online casino, they can receive a welcome bonus if they meet the conditions to receive one. This typically involves never having opened an account at the online casino before and depositing a minimum amount of money into their casino account after registering. 

Sometimes, online casinos will offer a match bonus as part of the welcome bonus. This means the casino will match your deposit, up to a certain amount, depending on the offer. This could mean that you’re entitled to casino credit worth more than twice the value of your deposit, depending on the promotion. 

This type of bonus is used to encourage new players to play, so it’s often the most appealing of all the promotions. Remember, though, that the more valuable the bonus, the stricter its terms and conditions usually are. 

No-Deposit Bonus

The no-deposit bonus is often known as the most difficult type of bonus to cash out. This bonus comes in the form of free spins or a small amount of credit that you obtain without having to commit financially to the site. Yes, the bonus is free, but meeting the cash-out criteria can be difficult for this type of promotional offer. You’ll usually be required to spend multiple times the total bonus amount on other bets to withdraw any winnings from the site that you received while using the no-deposit bonus.

Free Spins

These are among the most common types of casino bonuses. Casino sites offer these bonuses to encourage both new and existing online casino members to try specific slot games. Again, depending on the number of wins or total amount you win from these free spins, you’ll need to spend a certain amount of your own money before being able to withdraw.

Loyalty Bonus

Loyalty bonuses are part of an online casino’s loyalty programs. The best VIP loyalty programs will have special rewards for their long-term players who log in and make regular deposits. These often take the form of online casino bonuses, but some also offer other benefits that can be redeemed offline, like entertainment offers or hotel discounts. 

While loyalty programs sound like a long-term commitment, not all loyalty bonuses are tied to excessive time and deposit conditions. Sometimes you can start earning loyalty bonuses after playing for a short while, depending on how often you play, how much you spend, and the other conditions set by the online casino. 

Refer a Friend

Refer a friend bonuses are rewards for players who get other people to sign up to play. For example, the BetMGM Refer a Friend casino bonus is awarded when you successfully invite a friend to sign up. These rewards can include online casino credits, free spins, or deposit bonuses. 

Once your friend signs up and meets all the requirements, both of you will receive a bonus. For some of these types of promotions, the more people you recommend, the better the rewards are. 

Get the Best Casino Bonuses at BetMGM

Now that you’re familiar with the different bonuses available at casinos, you can check out why you should choose BetMGM Casino to get the best experience and to take advantage of the best casino bonuses and promotions on offer. 

An incredible range of virtual casino games is waiting for you to play when you sign up at this prestigious online casino. Register and get marvelous bonuses to play the best casino table games, online blackjack live dealer games, jackpot slots, and more.