I got my start in this industry because of the “no deposit” bonus, as both a player and an affiliate. I am still here four years later because of the “no deposit” bonus and I expect to be here in ten years thanks to the “no deposit” bonus.
I don’t think a lot of affiliates realize just how valuable the “no deposit” bonus really is. I started gambling online because I had heard about the “no deposit” bonuses that online casinos were offering. Had I not heard about these, I am not sure I would have ever started gambling online.
The “no deposit” bonus is a great starting point for new online gamblers. It brings people in and let’s them try things out without risking anything. It allows them to become comfortable and familiar with online casinos, poker rooms, bingo halls, and sportsbooks until they are ready to become real money players. I can’t imagine how scary the process would be if every new player had to make a deposit before they could ever get a feel for what they were getting into.
There are a few very large affiliates (and many smaller ones) that have sites dedicated to the “no deposit’ bonus because they understand the value of these types of bonuses. Like it or not, I believe these affiliates also have a big impact on all of the other affiliates out there. These affiliates bring the new players into the game, and once these players have some experience and are seeking more specific information/education, they move on to the affiliate websites that are more dedicated to specific information. We would all be worse off if we didn’t have “no deposit” bonuses.
I also firmly believe that all “bonus hunters” as many people call them ARE or WILL be at some point in time REAL money players. If you (as a player) are using a “no deposit” bonus, you are a gambler, and in my experience no gambler wants to be limited to the amount of money they can win. At some point in the so called “bonus hunting” phase, a gambler isn’t going to be happy with reaching a difficult playthrough requirement only to be able to cashout a minimum amount. Gamblers gamble because they want the opportunity to win a large sum of money. I believe for this reason that having a maximum cashout on a “no deposit” bonus is a good idea. It encourages and creates real money players in the long run.
This brings us into the terms and conditions of these bonuses. In Rival’s case, they have the BEST system in place out of any software I have tried to alert their players of their terms and conditions for each bonus. Their terms are listed right in the cashier on the same exact page where you would go to claim a bonus. It doesn’t really get much better than that. It definitely beats having your terms buried deep into a website.
There is little deception in having a maximum cashout in my opinion. In the case of a Rival bonus, the terms are right there in front of you as you claim the bonus. If any deception does exist for “no deposit” bonuses in general, you can bet that same deception applies to “deposit bonuses” as well.
I think as we all become more experienced (casinos, affiliates, and players alike) we will see fewer problems with players and bonus terms. I think affiliates are doing a better job of making their players aware of the terms and I think players are generally more educated and know that it’s a good idea to read the terms before accepting or using any bonus.
I hope the “no deposit” bonus is here to stay because we would all be worse off without it!