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There has been a lot of media coverage of late about new licensing laws in Canada. After a long period of debate and review, the Canadian government have finally given the green light for private operators to start taking bets in Canada. Expect the rush of big name sportsbooks, casinos and poker rooms to open up from 2022 and beyond. This brave new dawn for Canadian gamblers means one thing – lots of free dollar comps for new customers as operators compete for a share of your wallet.
But what do you actually get for your buck when you take up one of these offers? For our Canadian readers, here is a short guide to getting the best value out of the welcome packages about to come your way.
Free Spins – Free Rarely Means Free?
The bedrock of all new customers offers is the free spins package. These can come as a no deposit free spins bonus or triggered by your first deposit. One thing is for sure, there will be conditions attached. Here are the key ones to look out for in those troublesome terms and conditions.Firstly, what do you need to do to claim?
If the minimum deposit is $20, don’t stick $10 down, or you’ll be spending a frustrating 10 minutes on the live chat to CS trying to figure out why you don’t have your bonus. Secondly, remember that spins are not valid on ALL games, but are usually restricted to simple low variance slots like Starburst or a Cluster Pays grid game. Always check to see that you can actually spin on a game you like before taking the offer. Thirdly, free spins are ALWAYS valued at 10c or 20c each. Check that out before you pay to be sure you know what you are getting. And finally, note that every operator whose sites we’ve ever played at will cap your winnings, normally at around $500, sometimes even less. This should be clearly stated in the terms of the deal.
The lesson here is, when picking up free spins, remember that they are a fun way to test the site you have just joined, but don’t expect a completely free lunch. There will always be tight restrictions on which games you can spin on and what you can do with any money you win. Having said that, recently, ‘keep what you win’ free spins deals have been popular in Europe and most likely will be in Canada. These come with no restrictions on what you can win, but the number of free spins you can claim may be much lower than with other deals. Look out for these when you are browsing the latest new casino lists.
Multi-Stage Bonuses – The Best Deals on The Market
As the new Canadian casino market hots up you can expect plenty of multi-stage bonus deals to come through. These allow you to enjoy two, three or sometimes even as many as four different bonuses as part of a welcome deal. In European casinos you can enjoy $2,500 or more from these offers.Multi-stage bonuses are worth taking up because they give you more than one bite of the cherry. Typically, the percentage match in each case will vary – you may get a 100% match deal on your first deposit, 25% on your second and 50% on your third. You should also look to see which slots your free spins apply to because often a multi-stage deal will give you the chance to spin for free on a variety of different games.
The Importance of Wagering Requirements
Casino veterans will know all about wagering requirements. Those new to the game will probably find them a little confusing at first but understanding them is key to making sure you get the most from player promotions at casinos.Wagering Requirements are expressed as a number which refers to how many times you must wager the bonus amount before it, and any winnings generated, can be withdrawn. Wagering Requirements are there to protect the operator against excessive losses from bonuses gifted to players. Typically, Wagering Requirements are set at around 30x but sometimes can be as high as 60x or more.
In this way, the more times you have to wager your bonus balance, the more likely you are to lose it before it is converted into real money. So, you can see why the operator uses this tactic to limit their losses from free money given away in player promos. The take-away here is, if you want to walk away with cash winnings from your bonus then look to find one with low wagering requirements. These represent the best value.
In Conclusion
We predict a pretty enticing range of bonuses to come our way when the Canadian casino market opens up in 2022 following the passing of bill C-218 this year. Using this short guide when choosing which bonus suits you will help you to get the most out of what’s on offer. Remember to pay attention to those terms and conditions and find an offer that gives you free plays on your favourite games, with a good chance of taking home some winnings once your bonus is spent.And above all, always play responsibly.
