The Complete Guide to Casino Bonuses for South African Players
Apart from the games that you can enjoy playing on at all of our featured SA online casino, one of the most exciting things that you can also look forward to is the vast amount of generous bonuses that are available. Online casino bonuses are aimed at both new players and existing members and there are many different types of casino bonuses currently up for grabs. The main types of bonuses are discussed here and they tend to include matching deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, free spins bonuses and high roller bonuses.
Most of the casino bonuses that you can take advantage of come with relatively low wagering requirements. This is basically the amount that you need to wager before you can withdraw any winnings that you have made from your bonus.
Types of bonuses found at online casinos
| Bonus Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Deposit Bonus | A matching deposit bonus is awarded just for making a deposit at your chosen online casino and the most common deposit bonus is the 100% match bonus which enables you to double up on your deposit. You can also find 25%, 50%, 150% and even 200% matching deposit bonuses. |
| No Deposit Bonus | You don’t need to make a deposit to claim a No Deposit Bonus and this particular type of online casino bonus is often aimed at new players. This bonus can also be rewarded to the most loyal, frequent real cash players and it’s regarded as the best online casino bonus. |
| Free Spins Bonus | This is a bonus that allows you to play on a selected online slot machine in the real money mode with X amount of free spins that you haven’t had to play for. This can be part of the welcome bonus or it can be awarded to members who play often at the casino. |
| High Roller Bonus | This online casino bonus is often given to the biggest spending players who deposit and wager huge amounts of cash at the casino. A high roller bonus is often a matching deposit bonus or it can be a no deposit bonus when depositing X amount of cash that most other players simply cannot afford. |
Deposit Bonus
How Deposit Bonuses Work
A deposit bonus is a really straight forward online casino bonus, but to claim it you need to be prepared to make a deposit. Only the minimum amount is generally required to receive a matching deposit bonus and it will be credited to your account as soon as your deposit has been successfully processed. The one thing that you do need to be aware of is that certain deposit methods (such as NETELLER and Skrill) are occasionally NOT included in the bonus offer. In other words to claim your deposit bonus use another popular South African online casino payment options such as a direct bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
If you are being offered a 100% matching deposit bonus worth up to R2,500 on your first ever deposit, it means that the casino will match your deposit up to the value of R2,500. Therefore if you go ahead and deposit the full amount (R2,500) on your first ever deposit you will end up with a total of R5,000 to play with. This includes your initial R2,500 deposit + R2,500 in free bonus cash from the casino operator. If you deposit just R500 you will end up with R1,000 to play with, and so on.
You also need to be aware that almost every online casino deposit bonus today comes with an annoying little thing known as the wagering requirement (aka playthrough requirement). This is something that you cannot avoid at any online casino today and at most South African online casinos today the amount that you need to wager (the wagering requirement) can be anywhere from as low as 20x times the bonus amount up to usually no more than 50x times the bonus amount, plus the deposit amount also must be wagered before you can start the withdrawal process.
Let’s take quick look at an example of how the wagering requirements work using the same example as above (the 100% match bonus worth up to R2,500). If this particular casino bonus comes with a 25X wagering requirement and you deposit just R500, you would need to wager a total of R13,000 before you could withdraw. This includes the 25 wagering requirement X R500 (R12,500) + your initial deposit of R500 (total R13,000). You generally have either one week or perhaps one month to compete your wagering requirements otherwise you will lose any bonus winnings that you made from your deposit bonus.
You can see how much cash you have left to wager either by contacting the toll-free player support when logged in to your casino account or you can often find out this information yourself by going to the My Account / My Bonuses section. As soon as you have completed your wagering requirements the restrictions will be lifted and you can withdraw your winnings. Don’t forget that you can forfeit your bonus at any time which is what some players do, or you can just decline the offer in the first place. The best way to complete your wagering requirements in as little time as possible would be to stick to play on the slots and other instant win games.
Deposit Bonus Highlights
- Deposit bonuses (aka matching deposit bonuses) are a great way to add extra funds to your online casino account with zero added risk
- Many of our featured South African online casinos have relatively low bonus wagering requirements attached to their deposit bonuses
- Deposit bonuses are not always aimed at new players. Frequent real cash players can also look forward to regular deposit bonuses
Deposit Bonus Advantages
- Any deposit bonus money that you receive can generally be used to play in the real money mode on almost any of the games, with just a few exceptions
- You can often double up your bankroll just by making a deposit thanks to the 100% match bonus. You can also get even more cash with the occasional 150% and 200% match bonuses
- There are very few restrictions when claiming a matching deposit bonus providing you are willing to complete the wagering requirements
No Deposit Bonus
How No Deposit Bonuses Work
A no deposit bonus is one of the best online casino bonuses that we can recommend keeping an eye out for and they are not always aimed at new players. A no deposit bonus can also be given to the more dedicated players who gamble regularly in the real money mode at the casino. Some online casinos might be offering all new players a free R150 no deposit bonus and all you need to do is sign up to the casino. You should then be able to use your no deposit bonus cash to play in the real money mode on any of the games at the casino. However, some online casino operators may only let you use your free no deposit bonus cash on selected games only.
The best thing to do when you receive a no deposit bonus would be to read through the bonus terms and conditions and if there’s something that you aren’t too clear about it would be a good idea to contact the player support at the casino so that they can offer a clear explanation about how the bonus works. R150 to R300 in free bonus cash may not sound like a great deal of money, but it’s free, so you can’t complain really. Wagering requirements are also generally attached to your no deposit bonus and you’ll need to complete your wagering requirements before you can start the withdrawal process.
We recommend heading to the promotions page at any of our featured South African online casinos as often as possible because many of them have weekly or monthly deposit bonuses for you to sink your teeth in to. You may need to enter a unique no deposit bonus code into the required field to claim your bonus and these bonus codes can either be found on the promotions page at the casino, in your email account (at the address that you supplied to the casino when you signed up) or by contacting the player support and asking them for the latest bonus codes. The player support should be able to point you in the right direction.
You may find that to claim a no deposit bonus you need to have already claimed your welcome bonus otherwise you won’t qualify, so to ensure that you don’t miss out make sure that you take full advantage of your welcome bonus as soon as possible so that other casino bonuses will become available to you. There are generally no strings attached to no deposit bonuses, especially at all of our most highly recommended SA online casinos, but make sure that you always read through the bonus T’s and C’s to avoid any disappointment. Unfortunately there aren’t too many no deposit bonuses out there today, but they do exist so make sure that you claim them as and when you find them. You can find some amazing no deposit bonuses right now at some of our top-rated South African online casinos, so happy hunting.
No Deposit Bonus Highlights
- You don’t need to make a deposit to claim a no deposit bonus. The money is just dropped in to your account and is ready to use immediately – no strings attached
- Even if you claim a no deposit bonus and lose, you are free to leave and you are not obliged to play at the casino
- The free bonus cash can be used to play in the real money mode to win even more money
No Deposit Bonus Advantages
- Absolutely no risk involved when claiming a no deposit bonus
- The winnings are yours as soon as the no deposit bonus wagering requirements have been completed (just stick to playing on the slots to complete them in a little time as possible)
- No deposit bonuses can really help get your new online casino account off to a flying start at no extra cost
Free Spins Bonus
How Free Spins bonuses Work
Free Spins are aimed at new players as part of the initial welcome bonus and also at existing members at occasional times throughout the year. For example you might receive free spins for selected online slot machines when a new game arrives. Online casino operators have also been known to award players with X amount of free spins on the player’s birthday or on the yearly anniversary of the day when the player first signed up to the casino.
If you’re a fan of online slot machines then the free spins bonus is one of the best online casino bonuses out there today and the great news is that you can claim free spins bonuses at many of our reviewed South African online casinos, either as a new player or as part of an ongoing promotional offer. Just like the matching deposit bonuses and the no deposit bonuses that were mentioned above, free spins bonuses also come with wagering requirements and the winnings are usually capped at a certain amount.
Let’s just say that one of our featured SA online casinos has rewarded you with 20 free spins to try out a brand new online slot machine that recently arrived at the casino. Your winnings may be capped at R1,500 and then these winnings might then have to be wagered at least 25x times before you can cash out. If the casino didn’t cap the winnings on the free spins or didn’t have wagering requirements then they could go out of business pretty quickly. This is the only reason why online casino bonuses have wagering requirements attached to them.
You also often have to complete your free spins wagering requirements within the allotted time otherwise your winnings will simply not be valid. Wagering requirements for your free spins also usually have to be completed either on the same slot that you received your free spins for, or on any of the other slots at the casino. Free spins are a great way to try out an online slot machine in the real money mode without risking any of your own hard-earned cash. The potential to win lots of free money is there providing lady luck is on your side.
You may find at some online casinos that you can claim 10 free spins to try out one or more of their slots, whereas other online casinos may offer anywhere from 50 to 100 free spins. The best thing to do would be to use your free spins all at once before they expire. To claim your free spins you may also be required to enter a unique online casino bonus code into the required field at the casino that’s offering them to you, but other online casinos may just require you to launch the selected slot to activate your free spins without the need for a bonus code. Two examples of South African online casinos that are currently offering free spins to new players are Casino.com and Yebo Casino.
Free Spins Bonus Highlights
- The free spins bonus is often regarded by players one of the best online casino bonuses
- You generally don’t need to make a deposit to get your hands on any free spins that the casino is offering you
- Win real cash prizes from free spins and withdraw your winnings after you have completed the wagering requirements stated in the t’s & c’s
Free Spins Bonus Advantages
- There’s absolutely no risk involved when claiming a free spins bonus at any of our reviewed SA online casinos
- You get to keep all of the profits from your free spins winnings – no strings attached
- You can use your free spins try out some of today’s best online slot machines
- Free spins bonuses can range from as few as 10 free spins up to in some cases 100 free spins and a bonus code is not always required
High Roller Bonus
How High Roller Bonuses Work
High roller bonuses are so-called because they are often out of reach of low rollers and they are only offered to players who are willing to deposit vast sums of cash at the casino and then wager equal amounts. A high roller is also often referred to as a big-spender or whale and there are some amazing high roller bonuses just waiting to be claimed at many of our featured South African online casinos. High roller bonuses can include massive no deposit bonuses and huge matching deposit bonuses and this could be as part of the welcome bonus or as part of an ongoing promotional offer.
As a high roller you can also look forward to even bigger and better rewards from the VIP loyalty program. For example you could be given invitations to exclusive events and you’ll also receive a higher comp point conversion rate for every R10 that you wager in the casino. All of the South African online casinos that we have reviewed for you right here on this website cater to high rollers in a number of different ways and if you consider yourself to be a high roller, the best thing to do when you sign up to any of our featured online casinos would be to contact the player support and let them know that you’re a big-spender just to speed things up a little.
High rollers can also look forward to more frequent matching deposit bonuses and there are lots more perks and benefits to look forward to such as having access to a personal VIP accounts manager 365 days per year, tailored promotional offers, cashback bonus offers, higher deposit & withdrawal limits, bigger birthday bonuses and anniversary bonuses and so much more. Your entry into the highest levels of the VIP program is often accessible via invite only, but if you’re a high roller who plays regularly in the casino then you have nothing to worry about. The casino’s very own pit boss will spot that you’re a high roller early on and your play will not go unnoticed. You basically get fast-tracked through to the higher levels.
High rollers are treated like VIP’s with more than just the occasional deposit bonus or no deposit bonus offer. You’ll get the best treatment around and you should also have access to new online casino games before any non-high rollers get to play on them. High rollers can basically look forward to the red carpet treatment and can also count on one or two other things such as faster withdrawal times. High roller payments generally take priority over all other payments, so as you can see there are lots of benefits of being a VIP high roller. Every online casino VIP program is different and all high roller casino bonuses are different.
The best thing to do would be to visit each of our individual South African online casinos to find out what each casino has to offer in terms of high roller bonuses, high roller promotions, perks & benefits. The one thing that is for sure is that you won’t be disappointed.
High Roller Bonus Highlights
- High roller bonuses are the biggest and most rewarding online casino bonuses that you can look forward to
- Get huge high roller bonuses from the moment you sign up to the casino
- High roller bonuses generally come in the form of matching deposit bonuses, free spins bonuses, no deposit bonuses and so much more.
High Roller Bonus Advantages
- When you’re a high roller you’ll have access to exclusive games before they’re properly released, you can count on tailored promotions and you’ll be fast-tacked to the highest levels on the vip loyalty program
- High rollers have much higher deposit & withdrawal limits and prioritised transactions which means you can count on faster withdrawal times
- As a high roller you can also look forward to invites to major events, music concerts and sporting events and also invites to exclusive online casino tournaments, as well as access to a dedicated VIP manager
Casino Bonus FAQ
Here in this section below you can find the most relevant answers to some of the most frequently asked questions that directly pertain to bonuses at online casinos. Some of you may have be wondering about the drawbacks of claiming casino bonuses or about the drawbacks of claiming any other online casino bonuses while others may be asking what you should be looking for in a good casino bonus offering, or things such as how long it takes to get your bonus after you’ve deposited. All this and more is answered here in this section that some of you will hopefully find useful.
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Should I claim casino bonuses if I have the option?
You don’t have to claim a casino bonus, which is exactly why casino gives you a choice. Just make sure that you’re fully aware of the bonus terms and conditions prior to accepting a bonus. The reason why most players tend not to accept a bonus is because they can’t be bothered to complete the wagering requirements, perhaps because they are too steep (possibly as high as 60x times the deposit amount).
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Are there any drawbacks to taking casino bonuses?
The only real drawbacks to taking casino bonuses are the wagering requirements because you generally only have a certain amount of time to complete them in (could be one month or one week). If you don’t spend too much time at the computer then it’s very unlikely that you will complete the wagering requirements within the allotted time and therefore you will lose any winnings that you made from your bonus.
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What should I look for in a good casino bonus offering?
Always look for the no deposit bonuses or for bonuses that have relatively low wagering requirements (preferably anywhere from 10x to 20x times the bonus amount). Better still, try to find the bonuses with zero wagering requirements, but these ones are extremely hard to find.
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Does it matter which deposit method I use when it comes to bonuses?
It never used to matter which deposit method you used when it comes to bonuses, but for some reason in 2019 it does matter. You will now find that depositing with methods such as NETELLER or Skrill e-wallets will usually NOT be included in the bonus offer. In other words, to ensure that you don’t miss out on your bonus use something other than these two deposit methods such as Visa or MasterCard where possible when claiming a bonus.
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How long does it take for me to get my bonus after I deposit?
The great thing about online casino bonuses today is that they are usually credited to your account as soon as you have made your deposit. There’s generally never any waiting around.
Where to play?
| Brand Name | Highlights | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Casino.com | As our recommended Top Pick this gambling brand Casino .com seems to prevail time and time again both among our experts and the industry alike as a top online casino brand. This not only applies to players from South Africa but across the globe. | |
| Yebo Casino | Another one of our personal favourites! Yebo Casino is a long time operator in the South Afircan market. This Realtime Gaming powered online casino features an exciting array of slots, blackjack, video poker and other game variations that will surely satisfy the most discerning player. | |
| Punt Casino | One of the longest operating online gambling brands Punt Casino focuses exclusively on servicing the South African market. Players from SA will find the most convenient banking options dedicated to South Africans along with great games and friendly support. |