How We Rate No Deposit Bonuses Overall
We personally test each no deposit bonus before it makes its way to this page. During the test, we evaluate the bonus against the following criteria to ensure we only recommend high-quality offers:
- Is the casino safe and reputable? – First, we check out the casino’s background, user reviews, and licences. As no deposit bonuses are increasingly rare in the UK, new or rogue sites often have ‘unbelievable’ offers. The clue is in the phrase: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This is why we take a deep dive into the safety and reputation of the site. Rest assured, only the safest casinos make it to this page.
- How easy it is to claim – Casinos may make you jump through hoops to claim a no deposit offer. This is an immediate red flag for us. If the casino offers great bonuses, claiming it should be straightforward and quick. We consider the terms, the user interface, and depositing amounts for this point.
- The fairness of the T&Cs – No one likes reading the small print, so we do it for you. We look at which payment methods you can use, how long you have to claim the bonus, and which no deposit casino games contribute to the bonus and the wagering requirements.
- Is the wagering realistic and attainable? – Wagering requirements above 50x are often unattainable. We look for offers where the wagering is reasonable, giving you the best chance of being able to withdraw.
- The slots you can play – We wouldn’t be true slots fanatics if we didn’t inspect which games you can play with your no deposit bonus. We look for bonuses that can be used with high-quality games or new slots. A casino will get extra points, but we do understand that casinos mainly only offer a limited range of no deposit slots.
The Most Popular Types of No Deposit Bonuses
There are 3 popular types of no deposit bonuses, and they all come with the same benefit: allowing you to play slots without depositing any of your own funds. But they each have their own differences.
Free Spins | Free Play | Bonus Cash |
Selected slots only | Typically for slots and table games | Can include a variety of slots |
Sometimes only available on 1 slot | Try the latest and most popular slots | Usually not available on slots with huge payout potential such as Tombstone RIP |
A very common bonus offer | Progressives tend to be omitted | Quite rare |
These typically pop up as part of a welcome bonus. However, a no deposit casino can still offer these types of promotions to existing players. Here’s a rundown of the promotions in a little more detail:
Free Spins with No Funding Requirement
For players who may want to try out a new slot or a popular title, spins without the need to add any funds are ideal. The best free spins promotions tend to come in the form of a welcome bonus and often include spins for Starburst or Book of Dead.
In the T&Cs of the offer, there’s normally always a maximum win limit, so make sure you check the terms of any promotion before committing. There’s also an expiry timeframe on the spins of anywhere between 24 hours and 7 days., so make sure you use the bonus spins before they disappear.
Here’s a list of the most popular ones you’ll come across in the UK:
- 20 no deposit free spins
- 25 no deposit free spins
- 30 no deposit free spins
- 50 no deposit free spins
- 100 no deposit free spins
It’s also important to note here that no deposit bonus codes may be required. This won’t be necessary all the time, but any offer will mention a bonus code if one is needed to claim it. You will need to make sure you enter the required promo code when registering. The NetBet offer in our rankings list is a prime example. That also allows you to claim the additional bonus afterwards.
Bonus Cash
Don’t confuse bonus cash and a free no deposit bonus as it’s not technically the same. Although it’s typically classed as free bonus cash, there will be terms attached that require you to turn over the bonus a certain amount of times. You can never withdraw bonus cash straight away.
It’s still a great promotion as you don’t need to use any real money here. Whether it’s a £5 no deposit casino bonus, £20 or even £50, ensure you are familiar with the terms of the promotions.
It’s important to know how many times you need to play through the bonus amount because anything 40x and under isn’t bad at all. But when it hits 60x or 75x, that’s when it reaches unrealistic territory.
Here are the most popular ones you might come across:
- £5 no deposit bonus
- £10 no deposit bonus
- £20 no deposit bonus
Finding a no deposit casino with a free £5 or more is rare these days. They used to be around quite a lot a few years ago, but nearly all of the latest no deposit casino bonuses in the UK are related to free spins and not bonus cash.
Free Play
This promotion isn’t around much these days, but a casino may give you a specific number of credits to use on selected slots. You may then have the chance to land some winning spins and turn that into real money that you can withdraw. However, mostly, it’ll be just free credits with no chance of winning anything.
William Hill is a good example with its Bonus Drop promotion. You could land some free credits on a selected slot and keep any winnings you may achieve. This type of offer is good as it allows you to try slots you may not have otherwise.
Free play is available via demos onsite, but there’s a lack of UK casinos offering this these days. But we have free demos for all of the slots we have reviews for, so feel free to check those out on our online slots page.
How to Pick the Best Deposit Bonuses for You
In the sections below, you can learn more about what to consider when looking for no deposit bonuses yourself beyond this page.
How Easy Is It to Claim the Bonus?
It’s important for casinos to make it as easy as possible for you to claim an offer. They know you’ll probably want to use the bonus as soon as you’ve registered successfully. No card registration is needed either, which is great. Here’s a list of good and bad indicators when checking to see if a no deposit casino bonus is good and simple to claim:
- Automatically credited to your account
- Fair and attainable wagering
- Transparent T&Cs
- Reasonable expiry date
- Helpful customer support
- Manual activation
- Unrealistic wagering
- Unclear terms
- Short expiry date
- Limited customer support
There are no deposit bonus codes attached to some offers. All you need to do is enter it when you sign up. The code will be clearly stated in the T&Cs.
How Fair Are the Bonus Terms?
There are a few things to consider in the T&Cs. Are the bonus restrictions and wagering requirements fair? How long do you have to use the no deposit bonus? These are questions you need to know, and the answers will be in the T&Cs.
Firstly, some offers may be wager-free. This means you would not need to wager any winnings from your bonus. You’d be able to withdraw any potential winnings straight away. If wagering is attached, you must know which slots contribute 100%. For example, some jackpot slots may only contribute 50%, making it twice as hard to reach the wagering requirements.
These wagering requirements need to be realistic, too. For example, 30x or 35x are considered very reasonable figures. But 60x, 75x or 100x is much harder to achieve. However, no deposit bonuses do tend to have higher wagering compared to deposit offers, as you’re essentially getting something for nothing. Some operators don’t want to give it away so easily.
Another important aspect of the terms is the expiry date. If the bonus spins are set to expire after 24 hours, for example, make sure you use them before they’re removed from your account. I’d say that 3 days or 7 days is much better as an expiry date.
What Games Can You Play Using the Bonus?
With any of these offers, you must be aware of the wagering contributions. For example, NetEnt slots may count 100% towards the wagering of a particular bonus, with games from other providers only counting 50%. This means achieving your target will be twice as hard unless you stick to NetEnt titles. Always keep an eye out for that.
Why Do Casinos Offer No Deposit Bonuses?
The best no deposit casino will have promotions that appeal to beginners and veterans alike. Offering a bonus like this will have numerous benefits for the casino, including:
- New UK operators can stand out by offering this type of promotion.
- Players are more likely to sign up if there’s no need to add payment details initially.
- Casinos can offer their most popular slots.
- Top software providers can be promoted.
- The withdrawal of winnings will require players to add a payment option, which could see them continue at the casino.
- You can allow the casino to use your email address for marketing purposes for example.
- If a casino has a refer-a-friend scheme, you could invite more people to sign up.
How to Claim No Deposit Bonuses
To simplify everything for you, here’s a helpful step-by-step guide on how to claim an online casino no deposit bonus:
1 | Choose your bonus from our list above and ensure you’re happy with the terms of the offer. |
2 | Hit the ‘Visit Casino’ button to claim the bonus you want. |
3 | If a bonus code is required, ensure you enter it when registering. |
4 | Verify your ID when signing up if required. |
5 | Begin using your bonus and adhere to the terms of the offer. |
6 | Withdraw any potential winnings once you’ve successfully met any wagering requirements. |
To withdraw funds back to your account from a no deposit bonus, you must add a payment option and make an initial deposit.
Are There Any No Deposit Bonuses for Existing Players?
Although monetary no deposit bonuses are almost always offered to new players only, many trusted UK casinos offer no deposit free spins to existing customers. They may do this as part of a promotion, as a slots tournament reward, or as a way of promoting new slots.
Here’s some reasons why a casino may offer existing customers no deposit free spins:
- To keep you entertained and satisfied – The UK casino market is highly competitive, so operators must fight for your attention and loyalty. Offering you a handful of no deposit free spins won’t cost them much, but it’s a good way of reminding you they care.
- To increase betting activity – As most no deposit free spins come with wagering requirements, they may offer you this type of bonus to increase your activity on site. Put simply, If you pick up the bonus, you need to do a lot of wagering to withdraw your winnings. This is often offered to customers who haven’t used their accounts for a while.
- To promote new slots – If a new slot launches, a casino may offer you some no deposit free spins to try it out. This type of bonus is usually offered in partnership with the software provider, and it acts a bit like consumer research – they want to know if you’ll continue to bet, to judge if the game will be popular.
Pros & Cons of New No Deposit Bonuses
The latest no deposit bonuses in the UK will come with pros and cons that need to be considered. However, the advantages definitely outweigh any disadvantages of this promotion:
- No deposit is required
- Sometimes available to existing customers too
- Usually automatically credited to your account
- Varied offers with extra spins and bonus funds
- Can try out new slots
- Can typically be claimed with other bonuses
- UK no deposit casino bonuses are becoming rarer
- Often come with higher wagering requirements
- Can be restricted to selected slots
- Can be restricted to certain payment methods
Choose an Alternative to a UK No Deposit Bonus
With so many bonuses available, you could consider an alternative. Promotions change regularly, so keep an eye on them as they change, because you don’t know when another no deposit bonus will pop up for you to take advantage of.
Check out our list of the best casino bonus sites if you want the leading welcome offers around. If it’s solely extra spins you’re after, our rankings table above will have some that might take your fancy. We’ve also got a dedicated No Wager Free Spins page that will tell you all you need to know about claiming those and what the best ones are.
Summary
No deposit bonuses are hard to come by in the UK nowadays. Not many casinos offer them, and if they do, they don’t usually hang around for too long. We’ve got the best ones listed above for you, and we will keep this page up to date by adding new offers to the list when they become available.
Although some might come with unrealistic wagering terms, it’s still potentially a good chance to use that bonus to try some slots you may not have played otherwise. Not only that but these particular bonuses also give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with a new casino without using any of your own funds.
FAQs
Many UK casinos offer no deposit bonuses and no deposit free spins. However, offers are always changing. To find a list of the casinos which are currently offering a no deposit bonus, simply check out the list on this page. We only recommend safe and trusted no deposit casinos too, so you can rest assured you’re in good hands.
In order to $1, click on the relevant link on our page and then register for an account. You may need to enter a casino bonus code or you may not – either way, your no deposit casino bonus will be credited to your account automatically.
A bonus code is something you need to enter in order to claim a no deposit bonus. It will be clear in the T&Cs of the offer, but some promotions will require them and some won’t.
Usually, a welcome bonus will require you to deposit some money initially in order to claim it. A no deposit bonus is completely the opposite. You don’t need to use any real funds to get the offer. However, no deposit bonuses can sometimes be the sole welcome offer, although this is very rare in the UK.
Yes. You do not need to deposit any funds to get the offer so, in that sense, it is free.
It’s possible to win real money using a UK no deposit bonus code, but it’s a little more complicated than it seems. You must meet wagering requirements, and other conditions, before any winnings can be withdrawn. If wagering requirements are set at 35x and you win £5 with a no deposit bonus, you must wager £175 more before you can withdraw real money.
This type of offer doesn’t require you to use any real money and is typically aimed at new players. You’d simply need to register and potentially enter a bonus code when signing up in order to enjoy these promotions. No card details are needed. It’s a good way to try out some new games and some new casinos to see if you enjoy them.