In an attempt to differentiate themselves from the pack, many online casinos are now offering Free Spins Bonuses either in conjunction with their standard welcome of a match deposit bonus or as an alternative to this. But what is a free spins bonus and how does it work? We take a look at this bonus offer here.

A free spins bonus is a bonus wherein the casino offers players a specified number of free spins on a designated slot machine and any wins are yours to keep. These types of bonuses generally require some kind of a deposit but can occasionally be found on a no deposit basis.

Whether or not you are required to make a deposit, the profits made during the free spins period should be yours to keep once the wagering requirements have been met. While wagering requirements differ from one casino to the next, the general figure is around 30x the required deposit. On no deposit free spins bonuses, the wagering requirement is often substantially higher so always make sure you read the fine print of all offers!

Free Spins bonuses also encompass Free Play Bonuses or Free Play Bets offers. These offers are quite deceptive as online casinos generally advertise huge bonus amounts which you may think are yours to keep, but unfortunately they aren’t. This is because Free Play Bonuses are subject to a time limit, generally an hour, wherein you are given a certain number of credits and required to play as much as you can during the designated time period.

It is important to note that the time period is continuous and if you log out the timer will keep counting down. Once the time is up, any winnings (this is any credits in addition to the original balance) remaining in your bonus account are yours to keep, they cannot however be cashed out. Generally they are converted to casino credits in your real player and you need to meet the predetermined wagering requirements before you can withdraw any winnings.

These types of bonuses are a great way to get to know an online casino and you can sometimes find them with a no deposit requirement. So while you may not always walk away with money, they are a good option if you would just like to try out an online casino before signing up for a real money player account.