Casino bonuses are the best way to discover new sites and play real money games online. On this page, you find all the best online casino bonuses with easy-to-understand details about what makes them special.
Before we get to the list and we look at what are the different casino bonuses to claim, let's look at the most important elements to consider when choosing a casino offer.
- All casino sites apply different terms and conditions to the casino bonuses they offers. Depending on factors like the wagering requirements, the cap on winnings, and games included in the offer, some bonuses can be better than others — even when they offer the same amount of free money or free spins.
- The games included in the promotion impact the bonuses, massively. Depending on what you can use the casino bonus for, an offer can be best for slots players or for table games players. Given there are only a few live casino bonuses that let you play live dealer games, you need to read the fine print if that's what you want to do.
- Payout times and support matter, too. There's no point in using a casino bonus to play real money games if you can't cash out your winnings. The best offers are the casino bonuses that let you keep what you win.
On this new CasinoSmash guide you'll learn how to recognise the different bonus types on offer at online casinos, how to read the terms and conditions, and what are the top online casino promotions based on the games you like to play.
A Note about Responsible Gambling
Gambling games can be addictive and they are potentially destructive for those who play for the wrong reasons. If you think claiming online casino bonus codes is a good way to get away from the stress of your daily life, think again.
Playing for financial gains is also not a good idea. The house edge is never in your favour and despite the casino offers you find online or the strategy tips you apply to your games, the odds will never be in your favour.
Here at CasinoSmash we believe in fair and responsible gaming. Since we like put our money where our mouth is, we even co-founded RAiG, an association that brings together affiliate sites like ours and sets best practices to promote gambling in an appropriate and never misleading way.
That's why we are here to tell you that you should always gamble responsibly, even when you use a casino bonus to play for free.
Caring about the money you spend on the games and being financially responsible about it is the only way to go to keep gambling fun and enjoy all the casino offers on this page.
Bookmarking pages like GamCare and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is also an excellent +EV move for you. Keeping them handy will help you keep your gambling habits under control and get the help you deserve, whenever you need it.
Top Casino Bonuses: The Full List
Oops. No rooms were found..
What Are the Best Casino Bonuses?
A good casino bonus is an easy and inexpensive way to play games online and discover what casino websites have to offer.
We spent over a month on research, spoke with marketing managers at more gaming websites than those you see in the list, and tested all these offers to see how they really work.
In our analysis, we examined all legal US online casinos. These are the operators that are allowed to offer real money casino games in the US legal online gambling states:
- New Jersey Online Gambling Sites
- Pennsylvania Online Casinos
- Online Casinos in Michigan
- Tennessee Online Casinos
This allowed us to identify what we believe to be the best casino bonus you can claim right now: the BetMGM Casino new player bonus.
It offers the best combination of free money (there's a no deposit offer), deposit match, and game selection.
Best Casino Bonus for All Players: BetMGM Casino
Free $25 No Deposit Offer + up to $1,000 |
The new player offer at BetMGM Casino is the one that beats all the other casino bonuses we tested during our research. |
Open to players in NJ, PA, MI, WV |
Free $25 to play, no deposit required |
All games included in the promotion |
Playthrough requirement: 1x |
BetMGM Casino is legal in the US and open to all players located in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia.
The welcome bonus is easy to claim and has simple terms and conditions attached to it. If you want something more complicated and potentially more lucrative, we make some suggestions in the next sections of this casino bonus guide.
The first part of the bonus includes a free $25 offer that does not require a deposit and comes with a wagering requirement of only 1x. This is one of the lowest you can find in the casino industry today and it gives you great chances to keep what you win while playing with the $25 freeplay.
To make things even better, there's the fact that the BetMGM free $25 offers includes all the games on the platform. With no restrictions applied, it's easy to see why we think this is the best casino bonus in 2022.
Next comes the deposit match part, which is once again valid on all the games on offer at BetMGM Casino. The bonus is a 100 percent match offer capped at $1,000. This time, however, the wagering requirement is set to 15x.
Best Welcome Bonus Combo Package: DraftKings Casino
Free $25 No Deposit Offer + $25 and up to $2,000 |
DraftKings Casino offers an excellent combination of no deposit + deposit welcome bonus to all their new players in the United States. |
Open to players in NJ, PA, MI, WV |
Free $25 to play, no deposit required |
Up to $2,000 in bonus funds on deposit |
Minimum deposit: $5 |
Although not as exciting as our recommended pick, the DraftKings Casino bonus is another offer we believe is going to meet the needs of most US casino players.
Open to US players in the states of New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, this casino bonus is a bit less straightforward than the one at BetMGM - but it's almost equally lucrative.
First, there's the no deposit component. Use the links on this page to register a free gaming account, and DraftKings Casino will give you $25 in free gaming credits to start your adventure.
A deposit of $5 or more triggers the second and third components of the offer giving you plenty to use to play real money games on this website.
As soon as the deposit goes through, DraftKings Casino will match the sum dollar for dollar up to an additional free $25. It will also double the amount with a 100 percent bonus capped at $2,000.
The disadvantage, compared to the BetMGM offer comes with the wagering requirements, as this time there's a 10x playthrough requirement that applies to the sum of the bonus money + the amount of the deposit.
Best Casino Bonus for Slots Players: PartyCasino
25 Free Spins on Starburst + up to $1,000 |
PartyCasino is our go-to casino site for slots players. Why? Because no other US casinos beat their no wagering free spins offer! |
Open to players in NJ |
25 free spins to play Starburst |
Up to $1,000 in bonus funds on deposit |
No wagering requirements on the free spins bonus! |
The best bonus to play slot machine games online is the one at PartyCasino and is available to all US players in New Jersey (the PA version of PartyCasino should go live very soon).
This time everything happens after your first deposit, with the site giving you 25 free spins on Starburst and a 100 percent deposit match for up to $1,000 in free cash.
The casino bonus is valid to all the players who register a new account on the website. To claim this offer, you must be 21 or older and located within the New Jersey borders.
What makes this the best casino bonus for slots players is the fact that the 25 free spins come with no wagering requirements, meaning you get to keep all you win if you are lucky enough to do so.
There's a seven-day expiry time connected to the deposit free spins chunk of the deposit bonus offer - so you'll need to be relatively quick once you get it.
The match bonus lasts for 30 days since the money gets into your account and comes with a 15x wagering requirement. The difference between this bonus and the one at DraftKings is that the 15x playthrough requirement applies only to the bonus dollars and not to the money you deposit.
Other Recommended Sign Up Bonus Offers
The three online casino bonus offers above are not the only options to play casino games for free, especially if you don't mind the idea of making a deposit.
On most online casinos, your initial deposit is matched with a bonus - and while the minimum deposit may vary between $5 and $10 depending on the gaming sites, the offers that follow are some of the best deposit bonuses US players can claim this year.
FanDuel Casino Deposit Bonus
There are some flaws that pushed us to keep the Fanduel Casino offer out of the top three best casino bonuses, but this doesn't mean you should not consider playing at this great gaming site if you don't already do.
Players in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia get a special package that isn't available at any other online casino in the United States.
The bonus at FanDuel doesn't multiply the initial deposit with bonus funds - but brings something different to the table.
New players who register a gaming account on the FanDuel Casino website are enrolled in a special promotion that sees them play casino games risk-free for 24 hours.
To activate the promotion simply register, make a deposit, and play. If you don't win anything, FanDuel will cover your losses for up to $1,000. The bonus is paid as site credit within 72 hours.
Tropicana Casino Deposit Bonus
Tropicana Casino is one of the best gaming sites in New Jersey and, frankly, we would love to see it going live in a lot more US states.
Rather than offering one of the usual match deposit bonuses, this online casino goes the 'cashback route,' giving everyone the chance to recoup their losses.
A deposit of $10 is enough to trigger the Tropicana Casino welcome bonus and give you the chance to get your cash back if you don't win for up to $100 in a guaranteed cash refund.
What makes this offer stand out is the fact that the money comes as real cash back and not bonus funds. Once the money reaches your account, you can cash it out right away.
Harrah's Casino Deposit Bonus
Players in New Jersey looking for free money to play casino games should consider the Harrah's Casino website, as every new customer receives $10 free on the house with no deposit required.
While a tenner does not sound mind-blowing, the fact it comes with no game restrictions makes it an offer everyone should claim.
On top of that, a minimum deposit of $10 opens the door to an even bigger offer that includes an additional free $10 and a 100 percent bonus match for up to $300.
Stars Casino Deposit Bonus
StarsCasino is the US-facing gambling arm of PokerStars, the gaming giant best known for being home to the largest online poker site in the world and the craziest online poker action money can buy.
The bonus on tap at Stars Casino is available to players in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and include a free $50 offer triggered by your first deposit on the website. The full cash reward is not connected to the size of the first deposit, meaning the minimum amount is sufficient to get the bonus in full.
To see the bonus money appear into your account, simply make a deposit and place a wager of $1.You must opt into the bonus after being rewarded.
The Research
Why you should trust us
To get an idea of what makes a good casino bonus —including how to claim the offer, how to turn the bonus money into free spins, and how to withdraw your winnings — our editorial team interviewed players and key figures in the industry.
We also combed through a bunch of casino bonus guides, casino forums, complaint systems, and customer reviews to identify some of the basic requirements, as well as a few dealbreakers.
Giovanni Angioni, who researched and wrote the 2018 first edition of this guide, is the Head of Gaming at Oddschecker Global Media and he has also written guides to poker bonuses and the best gaming sites. In 2013, he was nominated 'Media Person of the Year' at the European Poker Awards.
Types of casino bonuses: what's the difference between a deposit and a no deposit bonus offer?
When it comes to the types of casino bonuses available, top casinos usually supply the best of both worlds - starting with a smaller no deposit bonus, and then moving you on to a meatier cash deposit bonus, more commonly referred to as a welcome bonus.
Depending on the casino, some welcome bonus packages can be worth thousands of dollars. To help you navigate through all the offers on our guide and all those you might yourself, this section helps you understand how casino bonuses work and how to find the best online casino bonus offers.
- Casino sign-up bonuses are the offers that online casinos give to new customers after they register an account for the first time. Since these are the bonuses that will convince you an online casino is worthy of your time and money, these offers tend to be the best online casino bonuses around.
- No deposit casino bonus offers give you free money or free spins on registration without you needing to make a deposit first. Despite the small amount of free cash and free spins provided, these are the most popular form of casino bonuses. Our pool of experts ranked no deposit casino promotions like the 'top casino bonuses' for beginners.
- Deposit match bonuses are the most common form of online casino bonuses. Nearly every online casino out there offers a sign up bonus of this kind to play casino games. To trigger a deposit match bonus you need to register a gaming account and make the first deposit. If this meets the min deposit requirement set by the offer's terms and conditions, you get the bonus money.
- Free spins and win real money are all slots players think and care about. These offers can include deposit free spins (triggered by your first deposit) or no deposit free spins (yours on registration) to play different slot games. Slots bonuses are tricky because online casinos tend to limit the number of slot games you can use the free spins on - 'forcing' you to stick to some titles. One of the most common types of slots bonuses is the 100 free spins Starburst no deposit offer.
- Reload bonuses are often considered to be amongst the best casino bonuses because they can provide huge value to players. We do not list any reload bonuses on this page because these are match deposit bonuses that happen on deposits subsequent to the first one. They work exactly like the regular welcome bonuses calculated on the first deposit.
- Casino cashback offers are offers that see players receiving a percentage of the money they lost on casino games back to their account. Most casinos pay cashback bonuses in bonus funds, while a small number of them pay these offers in real cash.
- High roller casino bonuses are the offers for the biggest spenders. These often require six-figure deposits and are built around the needs and requirements of the players. The best way to secure one of these exclusive bonuses is to request them to a gambling site prior to making a deposit.
Players who don't have millions to spare and who do not qualify for high roller casino bonuses, need to do a bit of research to find the most convenient offer. The difference between deposit bonuses, free spins, and no deposit bonuses to play casino games is sometimes confusing.
An offer that gives you bonus spins might come with an attractive bonus amount — and yet it might not be for you as it wouldn't let you play video poker, live casino games and more for free.
If you have specific preferences, you need to find online gambling sites that offer something that fits your needs and preferences. Live casino players, for example, might need a cash reward coming from a welcome bonus that gives away no less than $500 in bonus funds.
An effective free spins bonus should keep you busy on slot machine games for a good while. Keep an eye out for new casino bonuses, and make a note to visit this page frequently (ideally, once a month).
How we picked and tested the online casino offers
The most important aspect of a top casino bonus is whether you like the games you can play with it and you are comfortable with the bonus wagering requirements. We searched casino bonuses and bonus codes that would appeal to the largest variety of players, focusing on different casino games, the preferences of video poker players, live casino players, and slots aficionados.
We based our decision partly on the advice of online gambling specialist and Head of Gaming at Oddschecker Global Media Giovanni Angioni, who told us that a lot of people want a casino bonus to have a "Las Vegas-like" experience rather than playing "a few free spins on a random slot machine."
"If that's your preference," Angioni explained, "we recommend choosing exclusive casino bonuses that do not apply restrictions to the games you can play and with low wagering requirements."
We focused on new customer offers at legal online casinos, even if these tend to be a bit less flashy compared to the match deposit offers promoted on off-shore gambling sites. We did so because we believe in fair gambling and we want our players to be always protected and safe.
For most of our picks, we considered online casino bonuses that do not require a bonus code and that offer more than $1,000 and 100 free spins. For our upgrade pick, we expanded our search to include exclusive bonuses that can net players sums in excess of $5,000. Unless you're going for a specialized online casino bonus, there's little reason to spend more than this on casino games.
The experts we spoke with agreed that the bonus spins and welcome bonuses picked to prepare this curated shortlist are ideal because they are easy to claim and they cater to a wide variety of players, and we also think they are a great option for anyone looking for a little extra to play casino games.
Although all welcome bonus promotions are subject to terms and conditions that make cash or bonus spins winnings sometimes hard to cash out.
To find the best casino bonuses to test, we scoured online gambling sites and guides for the most popular and best-rated promotions for new players. This search included big names like 888Casino, PartyCasino, FanDuel and more as well as specialized gambling forums and user-centred platforms like Reddit and Quora.
We tested over 50 contenders for our initial review and tried 15 additional online casinos as possible upgrade picks for the most recent round of testing. Although we don't think you need to spend more than $10 to trigger a good welcome bonus, there are a few pricier options available, especially if you are in the market for high roller bonuses or you want something bigger than your regular mobile casino bonus.
In our initial tests, we checked the precise process required to claim the welcome bonuses and verified whether a casino bonus code was needed or not. This allows us to check for any deviation from the advertised offers. We then claimed each bonus ourselves. At this point, we checked for discrepancies and verified whether the online casino we used gave us the max bonus funds and max bonus spins we were promised.
We then played games to assess factors such as game choice and ease of use of both the bonus funds and free spins. We also looked closely at how the casinos handled our bonus winnings to check for procedural issues, sudden changes in the casino bonus terms, and delays of any kind.
New Customer Offers v Bonuses for Existing Players
All the offers on this page are designed to welcome new customers to online casino sites and can be claimed only once. If you already have an account on a website, you should look into their 'existing customer offers' to discover what the casino has planned to keep you interested in their games.
Cashback bonus offers and free spins are the most common type of bonuses for existing players. If you don't see any existing customer offers you like at a casino, reach out to their customer support and make your voice heard.
Most online casinos will go to great lengths to accommodate the requests of their players and they will be open to creating custom-made exclusive bonuses just for you.
A few notes on the Terms and Conditions
All casino bonuses will include terms and conditions of some kind. That's why it is important to do your research and check the T&Cs thoroughly before committing to an online casino sign up bonus.
No matter how extensive the terms and conditions of a bonus offer might be, there are always a few core elements that you should be looking out for. These include the expiration date of the bonus offer, any wagering requirements and winning caps.
The time period given on a bonus offer or wagering requirements can vary greatly, so it's important to check these thoroughly to avoid forfeiting winnings.
You may also find that the casino will restrict you to certain games only during the use of the bonus offer, so it's important to note this information as well.
Wagering requirements: how to convert bonuses into real money
Most welcome bonuses include wagering requirements that players must consider when redeeming a promotion. The wagering requirements (often referred to as play-through requirements) refer to the number of times players needs to wager the bonus amount before they can cash out their bonus winnings.
This requirement is usually presented as a multiplier, which most online casinos set anywhere in between 20x and 50x. What this number means is that you will need to bet your bonus amount 20 or 50 times over before you can withdraw any winnings.
Cap on winnings: here's how much can you actually win
Nearly all deposit bonuses come with a limit to how much money you can win with them. This is usually referred to as 'the cap on winnings.' Although there are a few exceptions that do not apply any limits to their promotions, most casinos will keep this amount high enough to keep you engaged but reasonably low to prevent you from nailing the biggest progressive jackpots for free.
Game selection
Bonus funds and bonus spins are usually connected to a limited selection of games. These are always specified in the terms and conditions of an offer. For your convenience, we also report these details on the casino reviews we publish here on CasinoSmash so you don't need to sweat too much to understand what is allowed and what isn't.
Frequently asked questions about free casino bonus offers
What are online casino bonuses?
Online casino bonuses are offers created to give rewards to new and existing players. These can include free money, free spins, cashback offers and more. More often than not they will be provided with a bonus code, so for example it could be a BetMGM promo code and you will have to type that in when you deposit to earn the bonus.
Can casino bonuses be used on mobile casino apps?
Yes, they can. You'll find a number the best online casino apps will have sign up bonus offers for new players. Depending on the provider, the offers will remain consistent across mobile and desktop platforms, while others may offer promotions that are exclusive to the mobile app.
Are bonuses just meant for new players?
No, they are not. While it is true that welcome bonuses are targeted at new players, you'll find plenty of top online casino bonuses for existing players as well. Once you've signed up with a reputable casino, you can enjoy their welcome bonus and, once you're done with that, you can enjoy a number of ongoing casino promotions, bonuses, VIP rewards and more.
What are the best casino bonuses?
The best casino bonuses will depend largely on your current needs or goals. For example, if you are a new player, the best online casino sign up bonus offers will be what you are looking for, while seasoned pros may be more tempted with free spins or multipliers that can boost their bankroll.
Can you turn your casino bonus into real money?
This depends on the casino bonuses that you go for. If the bonus is a cashable bonus, then you can turn your bonus into real money once you've completed all of your wagering requirements.
What online casino games can you use casino bonuses on?
It depends on the casino bonus. While some can be redeemed on any game that you like, others may only be applicable to select slots or a specific game range. Check the T&Cs of any offer before redeeming.
What is the expiration date on casino bonuses?
The expiration date on casino bonuses refers to the end of the period at which a promotion can be redeemed. Players are unable to benefit from a bonus past this date, and may forfeit any winnings they've accrued over this period unless the full wagering requirements are met.
Related Pages:
- Latest Casino Bonuses
- Casino Promo Codes
- $100 No Deposit Bonus Codes
- $250 No Deposit Bonus Codes
- $200 No Deposit Bonus 200 Free Spins
- Cashable No Deposit Bonuses