How to Find the Best Casino Bonuses and Avoid the Rest

In this original CoinBets.com guide, we’ll show you how to spot the difference between good crypto casino bonuses and dodgy offers.

We’ll take a look at the different types of crypto casino offers available, including welcome bonuses, free spins, no-deposit bonuses, and loyalty programs. We’ll analyze some of the potential drawbacks, like wagering requirements and limits, and suggest red flags to watch for.

So, if you want to get the most from crypto casino bonuses, without falling into traps, keep reading.

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Why You Need to Understand Crypto Casino Bonuses

Like traditional gambling sites, most crypto casinos use bonuses and other promotional offers to attract new players and keep existing ones. But while some bonuses really do boost your bankroll, others can be traps – designed to drain your wallet.

Everyone loves free stuff – and this fact has long been used by businesses to attract customers. From supermarkets and pizza chains with BOGO offers to car dealerships offering “cash for clunkers”, promo offers everywhere. We’ve grown up with them, and we all like to think we know a good deal when we see one.

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Crypto Casino Bonuses Can be Tricky

However, when it comes to online casinos, especially crypto casinos, sorting the good from the bad can be tough. For starters, the moment we jump into the crypto world, we’ve entered a space of high price volatility and many variables. This can make assessing the true value of a bonus more difficult.

Secondly, offers tend to be complicated, often divided into multiple parts, each with its own set of terms and conditions. Again, this makes it difficult to get a clear picture.

And finally, casinos deliberately play on human emotions to get people to make rash decisions. And because crypto casinos tend to operate from areas with lax (or non-existent) advertising standards, they often push things to the extreme.

Given this, to get value from a crypto casino bonus, it’s critical to really understand how they work. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned online gambler, being able to accurately gauge offers and terms and conditions, will help you maximize your bankroll and avoid frustration (or even downright rage).

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The Good: Types of Bonus Offers

Let’s take a look at the main types of bonus offers you’ll find at popular crypto casinos today.

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Welcome Bonuses

Most crypto casinos offer welcome bonuses to persuade new players to sign up and make a deposit.

Usually, they consist of one or more deposit matches – where the casino will match your deposit/s by a given percentage up to a specified amount. Typically, deposit matches are 100%, but can be as high as 300%, with limits reaching into multiple BTC.

For example, a typical crypto casino welcome bonus might offer a 100% match on your first deposit, up to a maximum of 1 BTC. So, if you deposited 1 BTC, you’ll get an extra 1 BTC worth of bonus funds, giving you 2 BTC to play with.

This incentivizes players to deposit more to get a bigger bonus. In theory, they get a larger bankroll and more chances to play and win – without risking as much of their own money.

Real World Example: BitStarz

BitStarz is one of the world’s most established crypto casinos. At the time of writing, it offered new players up to 5 BTC of bonus funds spread across their first four deposits. 180 free spins were also thrown in to make the offer even more appealing.

Interestingly, BitStarz offered a fiat welcome bonus too, but it was worth a fraction of the crypto welcome bonus. Could this just be a way to make the crypto bonus look even bigger by comparison? Probably.

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No Deposit Bonuses

Did you know it’s possible to play and win real money for free?

Yep, by using a cryptocurrency casino no deposit bonus. Usually, all you need to do to qualify is open your first account with the casino. Unfortunately, as you’ve probably guessed, no deposit bonuses aren’t usually worth much – maybe a few mBTC or a handful of free spins.

Still, using a cryptocurrency casino no deposit bonus can be a great way to ‘test the waters’ before depositing real crypto. You can check out the casino’s user interface, browse the full game selection, and get a feel for the overall experience.

However, you should be aware that any winnings will probably be subject to wagering requirements and low cashout limits.

Real World Example: FortuneJack

Popular crypto casino FortuneJack has been known to offer new players 25 free spins just for signing up. The spins are of the lowest value and restricted to selected slots, but they do allow players to win real crypto. Withdrawable winnings are also limited, but it’s a good way to try the casino at zero financial risk.

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Free Spins

If you like slot games, free spin bonuses are worth looking out for. They are very simple – meet the qualifying criteria (normally a minimum deposit), and you’ll get a specified amount of free spins.

Free Spins are the most common type of crypto casino bonus. You’ll find them included with welcome packages, as standalone offers, tournament prizes, and in many other forms.

However, as with all crypto casino bonuses, free spins come with restrictions. Typically, they are only valid on one or two games, are of low value, withdrawable winnings are capped, wagering requirements apply, and there will be time limits.

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Rakeback and Cashback

Paid monthly, weekly, or even daily, rakeback and cashback are similar types of bonus.

Rakeback is a percentage of the house edge from every bet, so even if you are winning, you’ll still earn it just for playing. Cashback is a percentage of your net losses, so you’ll only earn that if you’re having a bad session.

Real World Example: Whale.io

Completing the challenges in the Whale.io Battlepass program can earn players up to 22% cashback. It’s paid as real cash with no wagering requirements.

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Loyalty Programs & VIP Clubs

While welcome bonuses are designed to attract new players, loyalty and VIP programs are designed to keep existing ones.

Most loyalty schemes are tiered systems, with players earning points based on their wagering activity. Once enough points are accumulated you’ll level up, and your perks will improve.

Common benefits and rewards include:

• Free spins
• Deposit/reload bonuses
• Cashback and rakeback
• Level up bonuses
• Birthday bonuses
• Personal account manager
• Priority withdrawals
• Higher limits
• Personalized gifts
• Real world experiences

Often, earned points can also be exchanged for cash or used to buy gifts in an on-site shop.

At most crypto gambling platforms, the loyalty and VIP programs are the same thing. However, some offer distinctly separate VIP clubs with higher qualification requirements.

Real World Example: Stake

Stake, the world’s biggest crypto casino, offers a loyalty/VIP program allowing players to earn daily, weekly, and monthly bonuses based on their VIP status.

As players wager more, they climb the VIP ladder (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum I, Platinum II, and Platinum III), unlocking bigger rewards and better perks. To reach Bronze, you need to wager $10K, but to reach the highest Platinum III level, you’ll need to have wagered $1M.

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The Potentially Bad: The Small Print

Even the best crypto casino offers will come with terms and conditions. But its the details buried in the small print that can be the different between a solid bonus and a cynical trap.

Here are the main things to pay attention to:

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Wagering Requirements

If there’s one thing you need to understand about any online gambling offers, whether it’s at a traditional or crypto casino, it’s wagering requirements (also known as ‘playthrough’). Understanding them can be the difference between getting a huge boost to your bankroll or getting a huge headache.

Righty, so, wagering requirements are simple in principle. They specify how many times a player must bet their bonus amount, before they can withdraw any winnings.

For example, if you get a 0.5 BTC bonus and it has a 30x wagering requirement, you’ll need to wager a total of 15 BTC before you can cash out. Or, if you get a 1 ETH bonus subject to a 35x wagering requirement, you’ll need to wager a total of 35 ETH before you can cash out.

Also, you should pay attention to how the wagering requirements are stated. At the best crypto casinos, the wagering is based on the bonus amount only. But shady casinos often calculate it based on the bonus amount + deposit. For a 100% deposit bonus, this effectively doubles the wagering required.

Completing Wagering Can Get Complicated

You might think completing wagering is straightforward – but there are some things you need to be aware of. And remember, break the rules, and you could find yourself forfeiting your bonus.

First, there are always time limits for meeting wagering requirements. Typically they are 7-10 days, but can be as low as 3. Make sure you know what they are before taking the bonus.

Then there’s a thing call game weighting. This means different types of games will contribute differently to completing the bonus wagering. Usually, most slots will contribute 100%, but table games like blackjack or roulette often only contribute 10%, and live dealers games rarely contribute anything. So, if you’ve got to wager 0.5 BTC, and you bet 0.5 BTC on slots, you’ll be done, but you’d need to wager 5 BTC on table games to meet the same requirement.

And, don’t forget bet limits. Most casinos apply a relatively low maximum bet while meeting wagering requirements – often around $2 per spin. This means you can’t bet big to complete them quickly, and you sure can’t buy any bonuses.

As you can see, while a 100% bonus of 0.5 BTC may seem like a brilliant offer at first glance, in reality, many players won’t meet the wagering requirements within the time limit.

Real World Example: 1xBit

At 1xBit, a large crypto casino, players get 10 days to complete 40x wagering on their welcome bonus. While this casino does provide the wagering requirements up-front (though they are in small print), at many casinos, the information is inaccessible until you’ve signed up.

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More Time Limits

In addition to the wagering requirement limits, other time limits also apply to bonus offers.

For example, welcome bonuses often need to be claimed either immediately on registration or within a few days of opening an account. Also, free spins usually need to be used within a few days otherwise they are canceled. And of course, even the best crypto casino offers are only available for a limited time.

Unfortunately, time limits are frequently used to pressure players into making rushed decisions.

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Game Restrictions

Another things to watch for is game restrictions. While a bonus will often be advertised to give the impression its giving you ‘free money’ or spins to use as you please, they’re usually only valid for a limited selection of games.

As previously mentioned, in the case of free spins, they will normally be limited to just one, or maybe a handful, of specific slots. But even regular bonus funds may not be usable on certain games – typically table games, poker, and live casino games. And, somewhere in the terms, you’ll probably find a list of specifically excluded slots too (normally the ones with high RTP rates).

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The Ugly: Deceptive Practices

The terms and conditions we’ve just discussed are one thing. As long as you’re aware of them and act accordingly, you can still enjoy real value. However, some crypto casinos deliberately employ deceptive practices to trick players.

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Overly Complex Terms and Conditions

Needlessly complicated terms and conditions are an age-old trick when it comes to special offers, both offline and online. They take advantage of the fact that people don’t want to spend ages trying to make sense of convoluted small print.

In the case of crypto casinos, a bright and attractive banner or pop up will make an offer sound simple. But somewhere there will be pages of small print full of rules and clauses. And even the most important terms like wagering requirements, withdrawal limits, and game restrictions will often be deliberately buried.

Some crypto casinos will even try to hide the full terms and conditions. Heck, we’ve seen a couple of platforms use light grey text on a white background to literally camouflage them!

Real World Example: BetChain

BetChain is known for convoluted terms and conditions, particularly regarding its bonus offers. No terms at all are provided on the main promo pages, instead, there’s just a clickable ‘Get bonus’ tab which takes you directly to the account sign-up page.

Unsurprisingly, players have reported confusion over wagering requirements and unclear withdrawal restrictions.

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Low Withdrawal and Win Limits

Another common source of frustration among players is low withdrawal limits and/or win limits. These mean that, even if you’ve met any wagering requirements, you can still only withdraw a specified percentage/amount of your bonus winnings as real cash/crypto.

The remainder is typically locked away subject to yet more conditions, or simply cancelled. In reality, low withdrawal limits and win can make bonuses far less valuable than they initially appear. Limits will usually be particularly low for a cryptocurrency casino no deposit bonus.

Real World Example: CryptoSlots

CryptoSlots offers non-cashable bonuses that may mislead players into thinking they have more money available for withdrawal than they actually do. For example, at the time of writing, the first deposit bonus was 111% up to $500, but the maximum withdrawal was limited to $5,000. While the bonus funds can be used for wagering, they cannot be withdrawn, reducing the overall value of the offer.

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Non-Cashable Bonuses

Often referred to as ‘sticky’ bonuses, this is one of the most deceptive practices in the online fiat and crypto casino spaces. These are non-cashable bonuses that can’t be withdrawn, even after wagering requirements have been met. Instead, they are deducted from your total balance when you request a withdrawal.

Sticky bonuses can be a strange concept to wrap your head around, so let’s look at an illustrative example. Say you received a 1 BTC bonus, completed the wagering requirements, and won 3 BTC in total. But, when you go to withdraw, the original 1 BTC bonus will be deducted from your balance, leaving you with just 2 BTC that is withdrawable. In effect, the bonus ‘sticks’ to the casino and can’t be shifted.

Again, just like bonuses subject to low withdrawal limits, non-cashable bonuses are less valuable than they may initially appear – with most players understandably assuming they’ll be able to withdraw the full amount in their account.

Real World Example: Betwhale

Betwhale, the crypto casino and sportsbook, includes a clause in its bonus terms and conditions stating: “All Deposit Bonuses available at Betwhale are for wagering purposes only, and so the body of a bonus cannot be cashed out. The initial bonus amount will be deducted upon the payout request.”

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Unrealistic Wagering Requirements

As we’ve already discussed, even the best crypto casino offers are usually subject to wagering requirements, so it’s pretty much a fact of life in the space. But, while most casinos set wagering at between 30x and 40x, some have been known to set wagering requirements much, much higher – even over 100x – making them impossible to complete unless you’re already very wealthy.

Something else to look out for is that while most casinos base wagering on the value of the bonus, some base it on the value of the deposit + the bonus. This can dramatically alter the nature of the bonus. For example, if you had a 100% bonus of 0.5 BTC subject to 30x wagering, you’d need to wager 15 BTC, but if it was the deposit + bonus, you’d need to wager 30 BTC. Always check the full wagering requirements, including the wagering formula, before deciding to use any bonus.

Real World Example: Betplay.io

Crypto casino and sportsbook Betplay.io has very high wagering requirements of 80x. Furthermore, the wording of the terms makes it unclear whether the wagering is based on only your deposit, or your deposit plus your deposit bonus.

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Evaluating Crypto Casino Bonuses

As we’ve seen, while many crypto casino bonuses offer players genuine value, it’s critical to thoroughly evaluate what’s on offer before jumping in. Here are some practical things you can do to avoid getting caught out.

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Research Tips

Research, research, and then research a bit more. If you were going to make a big ticket purchase, like a new TV, laptop, or sofa, you’d probably do a fair bit of online sleuthing first – it’s normal these days. So, do the same before you commit a large sum of crypto to a casino bonus offer.

1. Check several different casino review sites (go beyond the first page of Google for better balance)
   
2. Read comments on player forums and discussion sites (Reddit and Discord are great)
   
3. Carefully read the casino’s General Terms & Conditions, and standard Bonus Terms & Conditions (links are usually in the footer)
   
4. Read all the info provided specifically about the bonus offer you’re considering (the specific T&Cs linked from the promo banner and page)

If the crypto casino in question is new, check out the reputation of sister sites run by the same operator – most companies run several brands. You should find the operator information in the website footer.

Red Flags

Here are some common red flags that may indicate a casino bonus offer isn’t as great as it first looks:

• The bonus seems too good to be true or unusually large
• The promotional banner or page doesn’t have a link to specific terms and conditions
• Terms and conditions are vague, confusing, or incomplete
• Wagering requirements are higher than the average
• Wagering is based on the deposit + bonus amount
• You have a short time to complete wagering
• There are many game restrictions
• There are low withdrawal limits
• Bonuses are non-cashable or ‘sticky’
• The site has no licensing information and/or operator details

Consult Community Feedback

One of the best ways to get a truthful picture of any online casino and its bonuses is to get feedback from the player community. There are numerous player forums on casino review sites (including CoinBets – the best one, of course), and social media like X (Twitter) and Reddit can also be a good resource. Look for feedback from players who have successfully withdrawn winnings from a bonus offer.

However, you should also keep in mind that many of those posting on forums and social media may have ulterior motives. Some will be casino affiliates trying to promote a particular casino site for their own financial gain, others will be casino operators trying to smear their competitors, and others will just be sore losers trying to get revenge on a casino.