The Ultimate Guide to Free Spins Bonuses

First Things First: What Is a Free Spins Bonus?

As you know, spinning the reels of a slot machine costs something each and every time. While the cost is different in each slot, there is some cost. Well, with the exception of free spins bonuses, of course. As the name implies, this promotion allows you to spin the reels of specific slot games for free, for a certain number of times. For example, if the bonus says “10 free spins to use on Starburst”, this means you get to make 10 spins for free in Starburst – yes, it is really that simple.

This bonus has the following features:

• It can be used on a single slot machine or on multiple slots – depends on the terms & conditions of the promo.
• It may or may not require making a deposit. We will explain this in detail below, bıt for now, know that you can win more spins if a deposit is required.
• There is almost always a time limit to use it. For example, you must use it within 24 hours or it will be cancelled automatically. Check the terms & conditions to see when the offer expires.
• You can use the spins immediately and without waiting. But, withdrawing the winnings will require a thing called “wagering requirement”, which we will explain below.

Why Are Free Spins Bonuses Important?

These bonuses are important because:

• They give you the chance to win even a jackpot prize. As a general rule, there is no maximum limit on your free spin winnings: you can even win hundreds of thousands of pounds, without spending a single penny.
• They let you “test” the casino without making a financial commitment. This is especially true if it is offered as a no deposit bonus. You get to play real money slots without making a deposit and take a closer look at the UK casino. If you don’t like the experience, you can simply move away because you did not make any commitments.
• They give you spins for free. Everybody likes freebies, and everybody likes slots. This bonus combines both and offers the best of both worlds.

There Is More Than One Type of Free Spins Bonuses

If you think that there is only one type of free spins bonus, you are wrong: this promotion comes with various types, and each one offers a different experience. Most of the time, the difference is whether a deposit is required or not, but there are other reasons too. Below, we list all the types of this bonus you may encounter and explain each of them in detail.

Free Spins Deposit Bonus

As the name implies, making a deposit is mandatory in order to activate this bonus. The minimum deposit amount is different at each UK online casino. Sometimes you need to deposit 10 GBP and sometimes 20 GBP – check the terms & conditions to see the actual limits. The marketing line of this bonus looks like this: “Deposit £10, Win 10 Spins for Free!”.

Free Spins No Deposit Bonus

Again, as the name implies, a deposit is not needed to activate this bonus. You get it in exchange for becoming a member. You can use your spins immediately after completing the registration. The marketing line of this bonus looks like this: “Join and Claim 5 Free Spins Today!”. The number of spins you get will be fewer than in the deposit bonus.

Welcome Bonus Codes

These are actual codes that are used to activate a free spins deposit bonus. While making the deposit, you must enter a coupon code, which is a combination of random letters and numbers (i.e. “FSWB200” for getting 200 FS). The deposit page has a special section for these codes. And you can learn the actual codes from the current promotions page.

Deposit Bonus + Free Spins

This is a type of a welcome bonus, and it means that you will get a match rate for your first deposit and also win free spins. So, the spins are an extra, not the only offer. For example, if you deposit £10, the UK casino will match it by 100% and give you another £10. In addition, you will get 10 free spins to use.

Reload Bonus Codes

This is a constant bonus that gives you free spins every time you make a deposit. Unlike welcome bonuses, it can be used infinitely. The number of spins you get will be quite a few, but they will be constant: whenever you make a deposit, you will win them.

Match Bonus Codes

These are the codes to win the match bonus (deposit bonus + free spins) we explained above. They are the same thing as welcome bonus codes: a random combination of numbers and letters you must use during the deposit process.

Free Spins No Deposit Offers

So, how about some examples? We explained free spins no deposit bonuses above, but seeing them “in action” is a different thing. Below, you can see a list of all common free spins no deposit bonuses and their meanings.

We can keep going, but you get the idea: this type of a no deposit bonus requires only becoming a member and nothing else. In exchange, you get a certain number of free spins to use on pre-selected slot machines. The number of spins and the games will be different at each UK online casino. Sometimes you will get 30 FS to use on any slot game of a specific provider, and sometimes you will get 5 FS to use on a single slot machine. As can be guessed, the more spins you get, the better.

Can I Use a Free Spins With No Deposit Bonus on Mobile Devices?

The short answer is yes – in general, free spins can be used on mobile devices. This is because of a simple reason: the gambling operator gives you free spins to use on slot games, and all modern slots work on mobile devices. Therefore, this bonus can be used on mobile devices too.

The long answer is a little complex: yes, but it depends on the game and your operating system. Let us explain: almost all slots developed before the 2000s use Flash technology. (Yes, that Flash technology, which you need to update constantly and almost every week.) Nowadays, slot machines are built with HTML5 technology, which allows them to run on browsers. (That’s also why they are compatible with different kinds of devices, desktop or mobile.) But back in the day, providers were developing them with Flash and this technology is compatible only with PCs & Android devices: iOS does not support it.

Simply put, if the free spins bonus offer is for a slot machine made with Flash, you may not use it on iOS devices (iPhone & iPad). It will work only on PCs and Android. But if the offer is for a modern slot game that is developed after the 2000s, there will be no problems: you will be able to use it on any device and platform. And, fortunately, the majority of these bonus offers are for modern slot games.

How Can I Get and Use Free Spins in the UK?

Claiming free spins no deposit (or regular free spins) bonuses are not hard. Even if you have not claimed a casino bonus before, you can complete the whole process in a maximum of 10 minutes. Maybe less, if you follow the steps listed below. We explain this topic with two examples: the first one is about a no deposit bonus, and the second one is about the usual deposit bonus. What you need to do depends on the bonus type, hence two examples:

Claiming and Using a Free Spins No Deposit Bonus

1. Obviously, the first thing you need to do is to find an online casino in the United Kingdom that offers this promotion. Don’t waste your time by searching the internet: we have already picked the best UK casino sites with this bonus.
2. Visit any of the online casinos mentioned in this post. You need to become a member, so look for a button/link that says “join”, “register”, “sign up”, etc. Usually, it is located at the top right corner of the main page. Click on that button/link.
3. A registration form will launch. Fill out the form and make sure to give correct information. If you decide to stay as a member, you will be asked to verify the information you gave during the registration process in the future. Otherwise, you won’t be able to make withdrawals.
4. Before completing the membership form, open the current promotions page and check whether a promo code is needed for the bonus. If needed, enter it to the membership form.  If not, you can complete the form and submit.
5. In any case, a verification link will be sent to your email. Click on that link to verify & activate your account.
6. Log in to the online casino with your credentials and check your profile page: you should see your bonus here. The process is automatic, and the promo will be applied to your account immediately after the login. If not, contact customer support and ask for manual activation.

Claiming and Using a Free Spins Deposit Bonus

1. Steps 1 – 5 are the same: Find an online casino UK with this bonus, become a member, verify & activate your account, and log in with your credentials.
2. You need to make a deposit to activate the bonus. The process is automatic but requires funding your casino account(it will be applied to your account automatically but only after the deposit is made).
3. Each bonus has a different minimum deposit limit. For example, you need to deposit at least £/€10 to activate it. Before making the deposit, open the current promotions page and read the terms & conditions to learn this minimum limit. While you are there, check whether a bonus code is needed.
4. You are now ready to make your first deposit, so do it: pick a payment method, make sure to deposit not less than a minimum required amount, use a bonus code if necessary.
5. The bonus will be activated automatically as soon as you see the deposit in your account. Based on which method you used, the waiting period can be anytime between 10 minutes and 2-3 hours. (For example, credit card deposit are nearly instant, but bank transfers will require a lot more time).
6. If your bonus does not activate automatically even after the deposit is completed, contact customer support.

As can be seen, no matter which bonus type you use, the whole process is mostly automatic. However, don’t forget that these are just general steps. While they can be used for the majority of free spins bonuses, you should read the T&Cs each and every time. Each promotion is unique and reading its terms will prevent you from having the issues with withdrawal of your winnings.

Checklist for Choosing the Best Casino Free Spins Bonus

As we mentioned at the beginning, there are plenty of free spins bonuses at UK online casinos, and all of them claim to be the best one out there. Thing is, being the best promotion requires a lot more than big figures and impressive marketing lines. We used a lot of criteria to pick the best free spins no deposit bonuses you see in this guide, and we recommend you do the same. Below, you can see our “checklist” for choosing the best free spins bonuses.

Wagering Requirements

Wagering is a must in almost every online casino bonus. If we simply explain this requirement:

• Free spins are available to use right after the registration/first deposit, there is no limitation. You can use them immediately.
• If you win a cash prize with those spins, it will be credited to your account right away.
• However, you won’t be able to withdraw this payout: it will be “locked.”
• In order to unlock it, you must wager a certain amount of money. This means making a deposit and using that deposit to play games – just making the deposit is not enough.
• How much money you need to wager depends on the bonus terms. Some will require wagering 20 times prize amount, some will ask for a 40x wagering.
• Here is a simple example: If the wagering rate is 20x and you have won 20 GBP with your spins, you must wager 400 GBP first (20 x 20).

When you complete this requirement, your prize will be unlocked automatically, and you will be able to withdraw it. As can be guessed, you must look for bonuses with low wagering rates – the lower, the better. If the rate is too high, it may take too long to complete it. So, check the wagering rate before anything else.

Cashout Limit

If there is no wagering requirement, look for the cashout limit. While it is very rare, some free spin bonus offers may be presented as “no wagering needed”. The thing is, there is no such thing as “completely free” – there is always a catch. In this situation, the catch is the maximum cashout limit. If there is no wagering, there will be a limit for the maximum withdrawal. For example, if the casino site says “20 GBP maximum cashout,” this means:

• You can use your free spins and win any prize (even hundreds of thousands of pounds),
• However, you will be allowed to withdraw only £20 EUR, even if you have won much more than that.
• After withdrawing £20, the rest of your winnings will be forfeited automatically.

Be a smart gambler and look for limits. There is always a limitation about withdrawals, the maximum prize that can be won, or the cost of each spin. Check these limitations and make sure that they are fair & reasonable.

Game Limitations

Speaking of limitations, don’t forget to check whether the usage of your spins is restricted to a single game. In general, these spins can be used on only one slot machine, selected by the UK casino itself. If it is a game like Starburst, this is not a big problem. But some games are really bad – they have quite low RTP rates. Ideally, you should prefer free spins bonuses that can be used on multiple slot machines (i.e. all slots of Betsoft). If this is not possible and the offer is limited to a single game, make sure that it is a good slot with a high RTP rate.

Account Limitations

Until you complete the wagering requirement, there can be several restrictions on your account. Make sure that they are fair. In this context:

• As long as possible, pick bonuses that don’t restrict your withdrawals until the wagering is complete. If you cannot withdraw money before completing the wagering, this may be a problem.
• There will be a maximum limit on your bets until you complete the wagering. This is normal and expected. However, if this maximum limit is less than 5 GBP, this is not fair – completing the wagering will take too much time. Make sure that the maximum limit is at least 5 GBP and higher.

Other Bonuses

Free spins are not the only bonus you can use at UK online casinos. If you liked what you see, you would want to keep playing on the website. In that case, make sure that the other bonuses are useful and fair too. For example, there should be a daily reload bonus and a weekly cashback bonus. And if you can win daily free spins even after becoming a member, that’s always a big plus. In short, don’t just check the free spins bonuses – check all promotions.

FAQ About Free Spins Bonuses

What is the meaning of “no wagering free spins”?

This means you don’t need to complete a wagering requirement to be able to cash out winnings. You can withdraw them immediately. We explained the meaning of wagering above and mentioned that bonuses without a requirement are quite rare, but they still exist. The point is, if no wagering requirement is available, there is another type of limitation, usually a max cashout limit.  Make sure to read the T&Cs to see what kind of restrictions apply to the bonus: wagering/playthrough is not the only limitation out there.

If the spins are free, can you still win real money with them?

Of course. This means you don’t need to pay for the spins. But if they result in a winning, it is yours to keep (only after completing a playthrough requirement, of course). And, as can be guessed, you should not be playing the games in demo mode: if you are just trying them, nothing will be “real”, including your balance and winnings. So, the conditions are simple: you must use your bonus in real-money slots. If you do, your payouts will also be in real money.

Do I need to register for an account in order to get a free spins bonus?

Yes. Unlike us, UK casino sites will require registration before letting you play games and making deposits & withdrawals. This is because of licensing conditions: the United Kingdom Gambling Commission has placed many obligations on casino sites, and keeping customers’ credentials is among them. Regardless of what type, you must first complete the registration process to activate a bonus. And, as we mentioned above, we do not recommend completing this process with false information: you will be asked to verify your credentials in the future.

Which slot machines are the best to use these spins?

To be honest, you will be limited to slot games chosen by the UK casino operator, so this choice will not be up to you for most of the time. However, if you can choose from a list of slot machines, we recommend checking their paytables and picking the ones with the maximum symbol payouts. Let us explain: each slot game has symbols, and each symbol set has a different payout value. For example, landing 5 symbols next to each other can pay £5 in one game and £5 in another. Since we are looking for the maximum return, picking the games with the maximum symbol payouts is the best course of action.

Is this bonus just for new members or for all members?

This depends on the casino. Most casino sites offer this bonus as a “lure,” to reel new customers in. And once you join, that’s the end of it: there will be no more freebies. But some UK casino sites offer it to all the members, as a daily/weekly bonus. For example, you keep winning spins for free every time you make a deposit. (This is called a reload bonus). As can be guessed, you should prefer UK online casinos that offer this bonus to all members, new and regular. And you should always check the wagering terms, because the requirements for new and current members will always be different.