In order to qualify as a USA no deposit casino, a gaming establishment must meet a couple of qualifications. First, they need to be available online. Second, they must offer players money without first requiring them to make a deposit.

The no deposit concept has long been a useful tool for casinos seeking to attract new customers. By handing out free cash, the site can ensure that players begin with a positive experience. Even if the gamer blows through their complimentary funds in short order, the hope it that they’ll be hooked enough to reach into their own wallets for enough funds to continue.

This article is meant to familiarize beginning players with the various forms of no deposit bonuses. We’ll also look at the fine print that sometimes accompanies such offers, as well as the devious practice of bonus hunting. By the time you finish reading, you should know enough about the subject to feel comfortable opening an account with the online casino of your choice.

Types of No Deposit Bonuses

Whether you’re an American gambler or someone who lives in another country, the concept behind the no deposit bonus remains the same. The casino is willing to give you a small sum of money—usually less than $25—in the hopes that you’ll become a regular customer. These funds are received as soon as you sign up, and the sum if deposited straight into your account.

If their ploy fails, the casino can afford to absorb the loss. But if it works, which it usually does, they’ll recoup the initial bonus and then go on to take some of your personal finances.

There are two main types of no deposit bonuses being offering by online casinos. Before you open an account with a gaming site, always know which one is available.

Non-Cashable Bonuses – While these funds count as legitimate currency within the casino, the player is unable to convert it into real-world money. If, for example, you received a $20 bonus and then used it to win an additional $100, only the $100 would be eligible for withdrawal.

Within this category, there are two types of non-cashable bonus: “phantom” and “sticky.” The phantom variety disappears as soon as a withdrawal is made, while the sticky version stays in your account until you lose it through gaming.

Cashable Bonuses – While the non-cashable version is more common, some casinos do offer no-deposit bonuses that can be withdrawn. This can’t happen immediately, though, as the player must still meet the wagering requirements as determined by the casino.

Wagering Requirements

Regardless of whether the bonus money can be cashed out or not, the casino usually requires the player to wager a certain amount of money before a withdrawal can be made. This is often referred to as the “playthrough.”

For example, let’s look at a player who received a $20 no deposit bonus with a required playthrough of 25x. This means that the player would need to wager $500 (20×25) before the bonus, or any winnings derived from playing with the bonus, would be eligible for withdrawal.

It pays to look around for the best deals. I recently came across a site that offered $10 upon completion of registration, but the required wager was only 1x. There were a few games that didn’t count towards satisfying the playthrough, but those with a low house edge are commonly excluded.

Bonus Hunting

While most players head to USA no deposit casinos for the games, there are some who focus more on the free cash. These individuals are known as “bonus hunters” or “bonus whores,” and their objective is to make a quick buck while wagering as little of their own money as possible.

Once they find a casino with a no deposit bonus, they search through the wagering requirements to see if a game with a low enough house edge is allowed for playthrough. If it is, then the bonus hunter plays just enough to satisfy the site’s requirement before cashing out.

Because of these individuals, no deposit casino bonuses are becoming increasingly rare. And when they do exist, the amount of free money is often kept low enough to discourage such players.