What are welcome bonuses?
Welcome bonuses are certain incentives and offers given by Australian casinos to entice new players not only to sign up but also to deposit money with them. They are typically the biggest and most lucrative casino bonuses you will see. Sometimes referred to as an online casino sign-up bonus, a welcome bonus is a great way to welcome new customers and help them start their gambling at an internet casino on the right foot.
Welcome bonuses are aimed at players who have never taken advantage of another bonus offer in the casino. More importantly, each welcome bonus comes with several specific restrictions, which are detailed in the bonus terms and conditions. It is therefore important that you take some time to carefully read the terms and conditions (T&Cs) associated with the offer.
As with most casino offers, there are countless welcome bonuses. This is sweet music to the ears of new players. However, you should do a little research to find out which bonuses are worth claiming.
On this page, we have a comprehensive list of lucrative welcome bonuses in Australian casinos, information about how to get a bonus, what types of welcome bonus online casino providers have in their portfolio, wagering requirements, minimum deposits, and payment methods. We’ve done a lot of the work for you so you can claim your next welcome bonus in no time!
Benefits of welcome bonuses for online casinos and players
First, let’s ask ourselves what casinos gain by providing starting bonuses. It might seem that this is only a loss for them. By allowing players to gain free spins and a deposit bonus, they must cover the costs of these extras. Ultimately, however, there is a lot of competition on the casino market, and for such a casino, especially one debuting on the market, this is good advertising.
Players often choose casinos that offer higher bonuses. And rightly so, because it’s a good opportunity to earn more to start with. There is nothing unethical about registering in multiple casinos and taking advantage of various bonuses, and we recommend it to everyone. It is an opportunity to practically test how the casino works and what functionalities and range of games it provides. This is what our experts who test new casinos do. Just remember not to register twice in the same casino, as this is prohibited in most regulations.
How do we rate Australian online casinos with welcome bonuses?
Australian casinos use these bonuses as an opportunity to introduce new players to their site, but they rarely give away free money without strings attached. Here are some of the criteria we check before recommending online casinos with the best welcome bonuses.
- Online casino licensing and safety
We only recommend casinos that operate legally, i.e. those that have a valid license to provide online gambling services. We also check the type of license and eliminate casinos that do not meet our strict security standards. This also applies to aspects such as a secure SSL server connection.
- Casino payment options
Efficient and quick payment of winnings proves the credibility of the casino. That’s why we check the list of payment methods, but also transfer times and related costs. The latter include, among others, fees for currency conversion and for making an online transfer.
- Selection of pokies and other games
A large selection of pokies and games with a live dealer will not only provide great fun. Thanks to this, you can also gain more opportunities to choose a game that will suit you in every respect: RTP level, degree of variability, and theme. The same applies to developers, i.e. game creators who make their productions available in the casino.
- Bonus amounts and limits
Bonuses should be high so that the player can gain the most at the online casino. Another important factor is the limitation in the implementation of the bonus, i.e. payment to the account. We review the regulations looking for legal catches and also check whether the turnover requirements are not too high.
- Customer service and support
Although we will not contact the service every day, it is worth it for them to solve problems efficiently and competently when necessary. We use various communication channels to contact the staff and check whether the contact is carried out by the best standards.
How to activate a welcome bonus in the Australian online casino?
As already mentioned, modern online casinos offer customer cash bonuses and free spins as well as additional incentives to get players off to a good start. Let's clarify how the welcome offer works and what you need to do if you want to deposit a generous online casino welcome bonus into your account.
Time Needed: 10 Minutes
Tools Needed: Laptop/Mobile
Software Needed: Email
Step 1
Select a reliable online casino AU
Choose an online casino, visit their website and find the registration form. Fill in all the required personal details, read and accept the terms and conditions and tick the option that says you want to benefit from all available promotions. Rest assured that the casino will keep your information secure at all times.
Step 2
Look for promo codes
Some online casinos use unique promotional codes that allow players to receive an exclusive welcome bonus, such as additional free spins.
Step 3
Make sure you verify your casino account
Verification is often a requirement to start playing and in some cases also to receive a welcome bonus, but this depends on the jurisdiction in which you register. To verify your account, you may be required to go to your account settings and attach a scanned copy or photo of an ID to confirm the information provided during registration.
Step 4
Make your first casino deposit
Remember that the deposit amount you make determines the bonus amount you receive, up to a certain limit.
Step 5
Read the terms and conditions
Read the terms and conditions of the welcome bonus offer to find out all the eligibility criteria, including legal availability and any restrictions such as qualifying games, wagering requirements and expiry dates.
Step 6
Meet the wagering requirements
Meet the wagering requirements for the online casino with a welcome bonus so that the money can be transferred to your account.
It is not difficult to get a casino bonus. All you need to do is read the terms and conditions of each promotion and consider the wagering requirements. This way you will know the pros and cons of each bonus available.
Types of welcome bonuses
There are a whole host of types of welcome bonuses in an online casino, depending on the target group, game types, deposit amounts, and types and of course the goals of the casino. Sometimes an Australian online casino wants to attract new customers with its promotional offers, while other times it tries to get existing players back in the game. And as you’ll see, there’s more than one way to achieve either of these goals.
- Welcome bonus without deposit
This one is simple and can be designed to appeal to pretty much any type of player out there. You will simply be offered a bonus without having to deposit any money first. And these bonuses can come in a variety of shapes and forms. For more information, see the free no deposit bonuses section.
- Free spins bonus
Free spins bonuses are credited to your casino account in the form of free spins on pokie games – not bonus money. Sometimes free spins are provided for selected games. And all winnings are usually subject to wagering requirements – like any other bonus.
- Welcome bonus with deposit
The most popular means of attracting new players from Australia to an online casino are welcome bonuses, which serve to attract new customers. The casino bonuses themselves can vary from deposit matches and free spins to combinations of the two and more.
Welcome bonus with deposit
An online casino deposit bonus is an additional cash reward that is credited to your account with your first deposit. Most often, deposit bonuses are accompanied by other rewards and other types of gifts.
Australian casinos with deposit welcome bonuses are often given depending on the amount of money you deposit into the site – you will rarely see a site that offers a certain amount of winnings as compensation. For example, you’ll probably find a 50% deposit online casino welcome bonus, meaning if you deposit A$100 on the site you’ll receive an additional A$50 as a reward. But sometimes you can also get a 200% or 300% casino bonus.
These bonuses are usually capped (most casinos set the maximum bonus amount at €200). You also have to wager a certain amount of money on the site before you can withdraw your bonus winnings.
No deposit welcome bonus
The no deposit welcome bonuses are not as common as the others, but you can still find them in some casinos. This is a pretty popular bonus among players because all you have to do is create an account and after that, you get real money to play with.
In some Australian casinos, you have to write to customer service. Either directly via a live chat or sending a simple email in a form that the casino provides you with in advance. In some cases, the bonus will be credited automatically after you enter the no deposit casino bonus promo code. But don’t get excited too early, before you can make a withdrawal you must meet the bonus conditions.
These bonuses are mainly intended for less trustworthy players who want to try the game for real money but don’t want to risk their own money. No deposit welcome bonuses are far smaller than welcome deposit bonuses. In general, the higher the bonus, the stricter the withdrawal conditions. But it’s still a very good offer. Take the chance to beat the casino bonus with your own money. You won’t get an offer like this in any land-based casino.
Welcome bonus terms and conditions
However, using virtually any type of bonus comes with certain limitations. These are turnover requirements, time limits, minimum deposit, etc. They were introduced to prevent the abuse of bonuses. Without these requirements, you could withdraw the bonus immediately by withdrawing the money together with the bonus obtained.
Minimum deposit in the casino
Every online casino requires players to make a minimum deposit if they want to receive a deposit bonus. Most of the time, online casinos require a minimum deposit of A$10 or A$20 (or the equivalent amount in any other currency) before customers can claim their bonuses. The amount of welcome bonus you receive from an offer is often tied to how large your deposit is.
A 200% casino bonus with a deposit of A$20 would mean that the amount of your deposit is doubled, provided your deposit is worth at least A$20. In this case, if you deposit A$20 you will receive an additional A$40 in free bonus money! If you have found a 400% casino bonus, you have hit a jackpot.
In addition to the minimum deposits, there are also bonus deposit limits. The casino will tell you the minimum amount of money you should have deposited to claim the rewards and the maximum amount of money you can deposit and claim the welcome bonus.
Maximum bonus amount
The terms and conditions of AU online casino bonuses always contain a maximum bet rule. This indicates the maximum amount you can wager when playing with an active bonus. For example, a maximum bet of A$100 means you cannot bet A$110 or more.
Betting more than the amount stated in the terms and conditions is a big no-no. This would be against the casino’s rules and will result in your bonus and all winnings being forfeited. Some casinos are lenient when a genuine mistake occurs. However, others are much stricter and refer you to the maximum bet rule in their terms and conditions when removing your bonus.
Wagering requirements
Bonuses are intended to be played in online casinos. Therefore, you must implement them. The wagering requirements indicate the extent to which you must wager the bonus before you can claim the benefits.
Wagering requirements are best explained with an example. Let’s say a non-cashable welcome bonus is 50% of the deposit with a wagering requirement of 30 times the bonus and deposit. If you deposit A$50, the bonus is €25. The wagering requirement is 30x(50+25) or A$2,250. In the case of a no deposit bonus, the wagering requirement is just a multiple of the bonus.
If the wagering requirement is A$2,250, you will need to wager this amount before you can claim the benefits of the bonus. In the example above you will receive a bonus of A$25 which will be credited to your bonus account. If you bet and win, the bonus balance will increase. If you bet and lose, the bonus balance will be reduced. You must be able to place A$2,250 in bets without the bonus balance going to zero. If you lose all of your funds before you can wager that amount, you will not be able to withdraw anything.
Let’s assume you still have A$100 left in your bonus balance after meeting the wagering requirements. Since the welcome bonus was not withdrawable, it will be removed from the bonus balance, leaving you with A$75 left. This amount will then be transferred to your free balance, subject to the maximum withdrawal limit specified in the offer.
There is another important point regarding the wagering requirements. Different game categories contribute to the wagering requirements to varying degrees. Online pokies contribute 100%. If the minimum bet is A$2,250 and you successfully bet A$2,250 on online pokies, you are through. However, if a table game only contributes 50%, you will need to wager A$4,500 on that table game to meet the A$2,250 wagering requirement.
Expiry date
The bonus time frame or bonus timeline is the predetermined amount of time that an online casino gives players to fulfill the wagering requirements or simply fulfill any conditions that the offer may have. The period during which the bonus is granted depends on the terms and conditions of the respective online casino as well as the rules of the respective promotion.
In most cases, welcome bonus packages tend to give you a bonus time frame of at least two weeks.
In any case, checking the bonus time frame of a particular offer will play a crucial role in determining whether you can meet the conditions on time or whether you might be better off staying away from the offer. Your time, your rules – that’s how it works!
Popular online casino games with welcome bonus
Before choosing an online casino platform, it is important to know what gaming options are available to you. In most cases, pokies and video pokies are the preferred games. There are also a variety of other options such as blackjack, roulette, poker, baccarat, live dealer games and various virtual table games.
Online pokies
An amazing selection of pokies will allow you to play thousands of games with a welcome bonus. Use your starting bonus and free spins to gain more. Just remember to complete the wagering requirements necessary to claim the rewards you earn from bonuses.
Classic table games
These include roulette, poker, baccarat, and blackjack, as well as many other games played in regular, land-based casinos. They are played virtually and the table is generated using effective graphics. They not only provide great fun, but also often high RTP factors and the possibility of good winnings.
Live casino games
Play live if you want to face a real dealer. Thanks to streaming, you can watch the game on screen, place bets, and sometimes even communicate with the dealer via live chat. This way you can play not only roulette and blackjack but also many new and original casino games, such as Monopoly Live. This is something for people who like to have contact with their opponent!
To meet the wagering requirements, you must play casino games for real money and bet the total amount required. When you reach the required threshold, the casino will convert your bonus funds into money that you can withdraw.
However, it is important to note that the terms and conditions of the casino bonus determine which games contribute to the wagering requirements and to what extent.
Online casinos decide how much different games contribute to wagering amounts based on their return-to-players (RTP). Also known as payout percentage, RTP refers to the amount of money a game returns to players over millions of spins. For example, an online casino with an RTP of 96% theoretically pays A$96 for every A$100 bet.
Since table games like blackjack and craps have a higher RTP than pokies, the amount they contribute to the wagering varies. The payout rate of the games looks something like this:
- Pokies: 100%
- Blackjack: 25%
- Craps: 10%
What does that mean? Let’s say you have A$1,000 to bet and you bet A$100 on each of the three games above.
- Pokies: A A$100 spin adds A$100 to the bet. Therefore, the total amount you need to bet decreases to A$900.
- Blackjack: A bet of A$100 contributes A$25 to the bet. Therefore, the total amount you need to bet decreases to A$875.
- Craps: A bet of A$100 counts as A$10 towards the bet. Therefore, the total amount you need to bet decreases to A$990.
Welcome bonuses pros and cons
Here we want to take the time to explain the individual advantages and disadvantages of welcome bonuses in more detail.
Advantages
- Greater winning potential: With free spins and a deposit bonus you will get more to start with.
- Easy to meet bonus withdrawal conditions: Although there are wagering requirements, they are not difficult to meet at the casinos we selected.
- Bonuses available regardless of device: Whether you play on your phone, computer or tablet, bonuses will be available to you. Play on your terms and get a bonus.
- Sign of casino quality: If the casino has a good sign-up bonus with clear and reasonable wagering requirements, this acts as a sign of approval and you can be sure that the casino is popular and reliable.
- More money – more games: The availability of the welcome bonus allows you to try even more games without having to wager your own money to find the games you like the most and stick with them if you want.
- Less risk of losing money: If you are a novice player, certain bonus offers can give you a bit of a head start and time to learn the basics. Offers such as free spins or cash backs create an online casino bonus for new customers by reducing the risk of losing money.
Disadvantages
- Wagering requirements must be met: Even if you successfully claim the starting bonus, you still need to meet wagering requirements to claim your winnings. This is the multiplier specified for free spins and the starting bonus, usually ranging from thirty to forty.
- Deposit bonus depending on the deposit size: If you would like to use the maximum bonus amount, it is necessary to make a larger starting deposit. Its amount depends on the first deposit, and sometimes on subsequent payments.
- Not all payment methods are available: Some starting bonus casinos do not provide all payment methods for bonus withdrawal. They do this to minimize the possibility of bonus abuse.
Final thoughts on welcome bonuses at Australian online casinos
Like almost everything in life, playing with bonus money has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to understand that online casinos do not give away money, but rather give you a chance to try out the casino at your leisure with the bonus money and try out various games for free or at least at a discount.
Please note: If you want to claim bonus money, always check the wagering requirements. Unpleasant situations can arise when you deposit at the casino, first, use free spins, and then realize that you cannot withdraw the amounts won with your own money. You may not have wagered the winnings from the free spins enough times. In most casinos, withdrawal functions are blocked while there is an active bonus in your casino account.
Nevertheless, it can make sense to play with bonus money, as the increased deposit amount and the free spins can significantly increase the chances of winning. Ultimately, however, winning at the casino depends largely on luck, as chance plays a big role.
If you are unsure about the wagering requirements for your welcome bonus, do not hesitate to contact your casino’s customer service. The staff can give you accurate information.
