Best casino welcome bonuses UK

Welcome bonuses are often what makes one casino more appealing over another. It’s a bonus new players can claim that helps them get started at the casino with a boosted bankroll. However, we understand that as a new player, you might not know which bonus is the best, so we’re here to help you work that out.
By Lucy Wynne, Senior Casino Editor

Top 3 casinos

    • first CHOICE
    • first CHOICE
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    Great Britain Casino
    Great Britain Casino Review
    • Deposit £10
    • Get 1,000% up to £2,000
    VISIT SITE

    New players only, £10 min fund, £2,000 max bonus, 65x Bonus wagering requirements, max bonus conversion to real funds equal to lifetime deposits (up to £250), full T&Cs apply. Full Terms apply. 18+ | #AD | Begambleaware.org | Play Responsibly.

    • Over 3500 games
    • Multiple regular bonuses
    • 1000% welcome bonus
    • second CHOICE
    • second CHOICE
    • second CHOICE
    SpinzWin
    SpinzWin Review
    • Deposit £20
    • Get up to £1,000 + 100 FS
    VISIT SITE

    Get up to £1k + 100 FS 18+. New Players Only. Min. Deposit requirements apply. Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Begambleaware.org.

    • Over 2550 games
    • 24/7 live chat support
    • Rewards programme
    • third CHOICE
    • third CHOICE
    • third CHOICE
    SpinYoo
    SpinYoo Review
    • Deposit £20
    • Get Up to £250 + 100FS
    VISIT SITE

    18+. New players only. Min Dep £20. Max Bonus Bet £5. Offer: 100% of 1st deposit up to £250 on Slots + 100 Yoo Spins on Starburst, Book of Dead, Fire Joker, Gonzo’s Quest, and Big Bass Bonanza, respectively (first 20 credited immediately upon first deposit; rest credited at 07:00 GMT at 20/day). Spins expire after 23:59GMT on day they’re credited. Winnings from each 20 spins capped at £50 & credited as bonus. Bonus funds expire after 30 days, are separate to Cash funds, & subject to 35x wagering of bonus + deposit amounts. Only bonus funds contribute to wagering requirements. Full T&C apply

    • Fantastic loyalty programme
    • Simple menu navigation
    • Tremendous game catalogue with more than 2

The best online casino welcome bonuses

What are welcome bonuses?

Welcome bonuses are offers that online casinos make to new players as an incentive to sign up.

There are multiple types of casino welcome bonus options, from deposit match bonuses to free spins and no deposit promotions.

Typically, for you to claim a bonus, you have to fulfil the requirements, such as registering, verifying your account and making the eligible deposit. Some casinos will provide a promo code to claim a welcome bonus.

You can find the bonuses on the promotion page, with the welcome bonus clearly visible. However, UK casinos will require you to verify your details before you can claim the bonus.

Typically, this automatically happens when you register with the casino. If the verification process doesn’t work, you must send in official documentation to verify your identity and proof of address. Then, you’ll be able to claim the welcome bonus.

The best casino welcome bonuses sites, reviewed

Plaza Royal Casino
Plaza Royal Casino review UK
4.3/5
Plaza Royal Casino review UK

Another regal casino tops our list, with Plaza Royal Casino and its excellent offering for new players. If you’re new at this casino you will be enticed with a welcome offer of a deposit match up to £200 as well as 100 free spins on an array of slots.

The 100 free spins can be used on: Starburst, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead and Legacy of Dead. The welcome bonus is split into three deposits, and so are the free spins. Your first deposit match - of a minimum of £10 - will grant you 20 free spins on Starburst, however your second and third deposits (a minimum of £20 is needed) will give you 40 free spins.

Industry-standard wagering requirements of 35x are attached and you will have 21 days to use up your bonus cash and 24 hours to use up your free spins. With over 3,100 game titles available there are plenty of games to wager your bonus cash on, such as Mafiosa and Bigger Bass Splash.

Among the games library you will also discover an incredibly large live casino, filled with over 230 games as well as various jackpot titles that give you live updates on-site.

Read our full Plaza Royal Casino review UK

Queen Play
Queen Play casino review UK
4.5/5
Queen Play casino review UK

Play like a queen at the pink-themed royal casino of Queen Play. To help assist you further in your royal playing duties is a fantastic welcome offer of up to £200 as well as 100 free spins.

This offer is split across your first three deposits, and you will acquire your free spins in bouts of 20 daily, from the day of your first deposit and daily thereonwards. Free spins are given out across five different games: Starburst, Finn & the Swirly Spin, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead and Starburst - respectively.

To activate this offer you only need to deposit a minimum of £10 to activate the first bonus and the 100 free spins and then £20 thereafter. You will have 21 days to use up your deposit match and 24 hours to use your daily free spins and industry-average 35x wagering requirements are also attached to this bonus.

At this aristocratic casino you will come across an impressive 3,300+ games, ranging from slots, to live casino, to scratchcards and RNG table games. The live casino is kitted out with a boastful 220 live titles coming from the best providers in the UK market. If you want to feel like royalty for a day, or for a play, then check out Queen Play casino for its incredible welcome offer and solid selection of games.

Read our full Queen Play casino review UK

Mr.Play
Mr.Play casino review UK
4.3/5
Mr.Play casino review UK

What to play at Mr.Play? With over 2,200 titles available and 150+ live casino games at your disposal you are never short for choice. And to assist the wealth of games is an incredibly generous double welcome offer.

New players at Mr.Play are welcomed with an incredible offer of a deposit match up to £200 as well as 100 free spins on a mix of slot games, once they have deposited a minimum of £10. This welcome bonus is split into three different deposits, and the spins are split over five days from the first day of your initial deposit. You will get five lots of 20 spins on: Starburst, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead and Starburst; respectively.

To make the welcome offer even better, it only comes with 35x wagering requirements attached and you have up to 21 days to use your bonus.

With so much bonus cash available in the deposit match, that can go in handy with exploring the many games on-site at this moustache-themed casino. You have access to over 175 live dealer titles from live casino giants such as: Playtech, Evolution, OnAirEntertainment and Skywind.

Further, there are over 2,000 slots available to play as well as a mix of instant play, Slingo, RNG table games and crash games on offer.

Read our full Mr.Play casino review UK

Vegas Wins
Vegas Wins casino review UK
4.1/5
Vegas Wins casino review UK

Vegas Wins lures you into the City of Sin with its incredible double welcome bonus. The bonus offers both a deposit match - up to £500 - plus free spins - up to 100. To make the offer even better, it has fairly low wagering requirements attached - at 30x.

This casino offers new players a selection of popular slots to wager their free spins on such as Finn and the Swirly Spin, Starburst and Aloha! Cluster Pays; unlike most casinos which will give you one dedicated slot to play on.

This welcome offer is split into three, meaning you receive an offer on your first three deposits! The bonus is triggered each time by a minimum deposit of just £10. You also have 28 days to use the cash bonus, which is a solid amount of time, and seven days to use your free spins.

At this casino you will find a mix of slots, RNG table games, live casino titles as well as a variety of crash games and instant play titles like Maverick X, Fluffy Favourites Lucky Tap and 9 Pots of Gold Land & Win.

Additionally, this casino offers PayPal and Trustly alongside debit cards that can fulfil withdrawals and deposits. However, you can also deposit using MuchBetter and pay-by-mobile however you cannot withdraw when using these methods. Can you hit it lucky in Sin City?

Read our full Vegas Wins casino review UK

Monster Casino
Monster Casino review UK
4/5
Monster Casino review UK

There are no monsters to be feared at this Monster Casino! With up to £1,000 and 100 free spins up for grabs, maybe you are living in a different dimension? New players can claim this welcome offer once they have deposited a minimum of £20 and this welcome offer is split into five separate deposit offers so the bonuses keep reeling in.

The free spins expire after seven days, but you will have up to 30 days to use your deposit match bonuses after they have been issued. The slots you will have to use your free spins on are two incredibly popular slots: Play’n GO’s Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead and NetEnt’s Starburst.

As well as a scarily good offer, there are also plenty of incredible games waiting for you in this lair. With over 2,000 slots at your disposal, you are bound to land on one that takes your fancy. Here you will find some of the biggest game names in the industry such as: Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bad Wolf Live, Le Bandit and popular crash game, Aviator.

Read our full Monster Casino review UK

What online casino bonus types can I claim in the UK?

There are multiple types of sign-up offers, from a no deposit welcome offer to a free spins, deposit match, or cashback introductory offer.

No deposit

The most sought-after bonus is the free casino welcome bonus with no deposit required in the UK. This bonus is immediately available once players register at a casino, before they even deposit.

Free spins

Another standard welcome bonus is free spins. You can receive these as free spins no deposit bonuses, or after depositing a minimum amount.

Deposit match

This bonus is the most common type for new players at UK casinos. It gives a 100% bonus on your deposit. This offer means if you deposit £10, you will receive £10 in bonus cash and can play with £20 altogether.

No wagering bonus

Another popular option, though it’s not commonly available, is a no-wagering offer. Typically, no wagering offers are free spins, with the free spins winnings having no wagering requirements.

Cashback

Some casinos provide a certain percentage of cashback on your net losses’ - most often 10%. It’s often the losses you sustained in your first 24 hours of wagering at the casino.

Live casino bonuses

Live casino bonuses will often be the same as other welcome offers but offer free chips instead of spins. You use chips to play live dealer titles, and they’ll have a set value.

What to watch out for when using welcome bonuses

Before claiming any welcome promotions, you must carefully read the terms and conditions.

Otherwise, the bonus amount and any winnings won could be void if you don’t follow the T&Cs correctly. The terms will cover requirements and conditions like the minimum deposit, wagering requirement, payment eligibility, maximum win, the validity period and wagering limits (such as max £5 per spin).

The minimum deposit to activate a welcome bonus is often between £5 and £30, with the average being £10. You should also look for payment restrictions, as operators frequently make Neteller and Skrill deposits invalid for claiming welcome bonuses.

You’ll also find a wagering requirement; this refers to how many times you have to wager the bonus amount to withdraw winnings. Most casinos will have 30x to 45x wagering requirements, but some will have lower or higher amounts.

The rollover (another name for the wagering requirement) can also be for both the bonus and deposit amounts. Always check how long the offer is active, as it can be anything between a few days, to a week, two weeks or a month.

If you don’t complete all the requirements within this period, you lose the bonus and its winnings. You should also check the wagering contributions. Some games will take 100% of the bet amount towards your wagering requirements, while others will take 20%, 10%, or 5%.

Further, most bonuses will have a maximum win attached such as £250; however, this can be as low as £20 at times so it’s always worth checking.

Lastly, watch out for wagering limits. This refers to the maximum bet you can make while the bonus is active. It’s typically £5, but it can differ depending on the operator.

How to get the most out of your casino welcome bonus

If you’re new to casino welcome bonuses, then we have a few tips you can use to get the most out of them:

Read the terms and conditions
Never claim a bonus if you don’t know what the terms are; otherwise, you could be at risk of losing the offer and any winnings you may have made using it.
Don’t be impulsive
Always consider whether you can satisfy all the bonus conditions. For example, if the bonus says you have three days to use it, but you can’t play in the next few days, then don’t claim it yet.
Don’t claim multiple bonuses
It’s easy to miss, but most casinos state you can’t claim two bonuses at once. So, if a bonus is already active, claiming another bonus will void the active one.
Don’t withdraw too soon
Carefully check that you’ve completed the wagering requirements, as withdrawing before then will void your bonus and winnings.
Carefully manage your bankroll
When using a bonus, you may have to spend your real money before using bonus funds. Always ensure you don’t spend money you can’t afford to lose.

Pros and cons of welcome bonuses

While each welcome offer has specific pros and cons you should consider, there are also overall benefits and drawbacks. Knowing the different features of the casino will help you make an informed choice about whether to claim the bonus.
Learn more about what’s good and bad about sign up offers like the no deposit welcome bonus UK casinos sometimes provide.

Pros Cons
It boosts your bankroll for a time It can have high wagering requirements like 50x to 65x
No deposit offers are risk-free Some games aren’t eligible to play with bonus funds
You can try out new games with free spins You might need to deposit higher than the casino’s minimum limit to claim the bonus
Claiming a welcome bonus can enhance your loyalty rewards
No wagering offers let you keep what you win

Step-by-step guide for signing up to an online casino and using a welcome bonus

If you’ve assessed the bonus and decided to claim it but aren’t sure how to do so, check out the guide below:

  • Step 1

    Open the casino’s website and click on the ‘Sign Up’, ‘Register’ or ‘Join’ button.

  • Step 2

    Add a registered email and create a password for your casino account.

  • Step 3

    Fill in the necessary personal details, such as your name, address, date of birth and mobile number.

  • Step 4

    Complete any other required boxes, such as accepting the terms and choosing your country and currency.

  • Step 5

    Pass the verification checks or provide documentation to verify your identity.

  • Step 6

    Read the bonus terms and navigate to your account’s cashier.

  • Step 7

    Select the welcome bonus in the cashier and make the required deposit to claim the bonus.

Popular payment and withdrawal methods

Visa/Mastercard Debit cards

The most common payment methods, though you sometimes need to use bank transfers to withdraw; which can take longer than other payment methods.

PayPal/MuchBetter/Skrill/Neteller E-wallets

Popular options with fast deposits and withdrawals, but sometimes this option is invalid for bonuses.

Paysafecard/AstroPay Pre-paid card

A good deposit option, though it has higher minimum deposit limits than other methods and doesn't usually allow withdrawals.

Apple Pay/Google Pay Payment service

Mobile-only methods that are often ideal for claiming bonuses, though they can have some restrictions when withdrawing.

Rapid Transfer/Instant Bank Transfer Online banking

Fast online bank transfers that allow almost instant withdrawals. It’s also the default withdrawal method on most UK sites.

How do we rate online casino sites?

When rating an online casino, we look at various aspects. You can also better understand what makes a casino reliable by examining the following casino features:

  • Licencing and safety

    We look for casinos with a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence, and safety features like SSL encryption to make sure players’ data and funds are secure.

  • Gaming selection

    There should be a wide selection of games, from slots and table games to instant win and live dealer titles.

  • Bonuses selection

    The operator should offer not only an excellent welcome bonus but also several other promotions for existing players.

  • Promotion terms

    We evaluate the bonus terms to ensure the requirements are reasonable and that you can fulfil them.

  • Other Features

    Check what payment methods are available, whether there’s 24/7 customer support, a loyalty scheme and any other features to enhance your experience.

Legal situation with gambling in the UK

The UKGC has specific regulations regarding gambling in the UK, especially regarding welcome bonuses. You have to be 18 to register at casinos, as the legal age to gamble in the UK is 18, and the casino must hold a UKGC licence. Operators have to let you have the choice to walk away from bonuses at any time.

Online casinos have to be clear about restrictions and what money you’re using to play; whether it’s your real money or the casino’s cash funds. Further, they can’t change the terms of the offer after you’ve already claimed it, and they must be careful in the language they use to advertise bonuses; so there’s no false advertisement and customers know what they’re signing up for.

Responsible gambling

The most important thing to keep in mind while using a casino welcome bonus is responsible gambling. You must play to have fun, not to make money. There’s no guarantee you’ll win, so only spend funds that it won’t hurt you to lose.

Responsible gambling tools are one way you can keep in control such as: setting limits on your account for deposits, wagers, losses and session times. You can also keep track of how long you’re playing with reality checks or take breaks using self-exclusion or time-out periods. Furthermore, there are lots of responsible gambling charities at your disposal that can help if the tools aren’t working as well as you anticipate.

These charities are: GamCare, BeGambleAware, Gambling Helpline, Gordon Moody Association, Gamblers Anonymous, Bet Blocker and the National Gambling Clinic.

To learn more, visit our responsible gambling at casinos page which also offers resources and advice on where to seek help if needed.

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FAQs

  • It’s an offer the casino makes to new players, which will boost their bankroll and/or give them free spins to entice them to play there. The actions can include signing up, making a specific deposit, or using a promotion code and then playing your deposit to qualify for the bonus.

  • Most casinos require you to make the eligible deposit and opt-in for a welcome bonus in the cashier section. Others will need a promotion code, or you’ll receive it automatically after completing the required action, such as making your first deposit. Always check the offer’s T&Cs before signing up and making your initial deposit.

  • There are many different types, such as a no deposit offer, free spins, deposit match, cashback and wager-free options. You’ll have to check which option the casino offers, with some casinos even offering multiple options for different sections: casino, live casino, etc.

  • Wagering requirements state how many times you must bet the bonus funds or winnings before they become withdrawable. If you have a £10 bonus and 30x wagering requirements, then you have to wager £300 before you can withdraw any winnings.

  • Sometimes, however, there are usually restrictions on which games you can play. Free spins will typically be eligible on one selected slot. Other bonuses might qualify on more games, but you won’t be allowed to play some game types, like high RTP titles or jackpot slots or even live casino.