Why Refuse a Casino Bonus (for both New and Existing Players in Canada)

Quintin van Wyk by Quintin van Wyk Published: March 1, 2024

A large variety of online casino bonuses and promotions are available for players from Canada. While it's often a good idea to take advantage of these, you can run into situations where it's actually better not to. Some elements of why are personal taste, but others are about the numbers involved and whether it's actually a good deal or not. While we recommend the absolute best sites out there today, how each player views specific bonus offers that they have available can vary based on the individual, so we want to give you the information you need to make your own decisions.

before claiming bonuses

Factors to Consider Before Claiming Bonuses at Canada Online Casinos

Before you jump into any type of promotional offer or bonus, you should take a few moments to think it over. To make this process easier, we have some key elements down below that you look at during this process. While some of this is about being familiar with the terms and conditions, a lot of it is about deciding if that deal is actually a good fit or not. As much as these sites try, there is simply no such thing as a one size fits all special because individual players can be so different from each other.

Is the Casino Safe and Reliable

Before playing anywhere for any reason, the very first thing to ask yourself is whether the casino can be trusted. To answer this, you need information about their licensing, safe play practices and reputation in the industry. In the case of newer brands, you can alternatively look at the reputation of the operating company or group. If they don't have a license from a reputable regulator and a history of taking care of their players, then it's not normally somewhere you would want to play.

Wagering Requirements

When it comes to evaluating the promotion itself, knowing and understanding the play-through requirements is critical. It's not enough to simply know it's 40x, for example. Instead, you should know if that's multiplied by the bonus, the deposit or the sum of both. Those requirements can also be adjusted for different types of play, which can make it take a lot longer to clear them. These are the types of things that you should know about before claiming an offer so that you know what you're getting into instead of just looking at the surface level terms and conditions.

Is There a Cashout Limit Applied to Winnings?

Another limiting factor can be how much you're allowed to cash out. Not only does this affect whether you'll take a deal in the first place, but it also affects your bet sizing and game selection plans if you were to claim the offer. For example, it wouldn't make sense to play a title that can give prizes that are 20 times higher than the maximum amount you're allowed to cash out in the first place. If you were to run into a situation like that or similar, then you have a pretty clear sign to pass on that particular offer.

Is the Bonus Available on all Games?

Perhaps the single most common reason that players will decide to skip a bonus offer is that they don't like the list of game restrictions. Many deals out there simply do not allow you to play specific titles and genres. While we understand why that is the case, the fact of the matter is that it's not something that many players are interested in compromising on. If you have your favorites, it's typically much better to find a promotion that allows you to play them instead of simply switching over to titles that you don't enjoy as much.

Should You Accept Offers at Real Money Casinos or Not?

Ultimately, your decision to accept a promotional offer or not comes down to a combination of factors. Some of those will apply to you in any given situation, and others may not. It can also come down to personal taste in some situations. To help you navigate all of these different points, we have a simple checklist in what follows for you to look over when making your decision with some of the most common reasons players might decline a bonus.

  • Sometimes the wagering requirements are simply too high for the player to comfortably clear.
  • If the process for getting payouts for bonus wins is too long and complicated, you may decide to simply skip over the offer completely.
  • For players who like specific titles and genres, not having those available due to game restrictions is a very common reason for not taking an offer.
  • Some players want to specifically play for larger wins, and limited max cash out terms can make offers unappealing along those lines.
types of bonuses available

Types of Bonuses Available to Real Money Players

When deciding on which offers to skip over and which to accept, it's helpful to have a good idea of the different types of deals available in the first place. This is so useful because it can make it easier to know what you're looking for so that you don't settle for something less than what you know is available. In the following, we offer and overview of the major types of deals to give you a basic understanding to make your decision easier in this way.

  • Welcome Bonus : This type of offer is only available for new players at a given casino, but it tends to have the best value and flexible game restrictions.
  • No Deposit Offers : You can get a free chip or free spins without making a deposit, but the terms are more strict.
  • Reload Offers : These percentage match deals are for players who are already established at a given site.
  • Cashback : You'll receive back a percentage of your previous deposit if you run it down below a certain threshold.
  • Loyalty Offers : Players who stick to one casino often get these types of deals available as a reward for loyalty.

No Deposit Bonus - Free Cash on Sign Up

A no deposit bonus is exactly what it sounds like. You can get free spins or a free chip to play certain games without having to make a deposit, which is appealing for obvious reasons.

Reasons To Claim

The main advantages of this type of deal have to do with convenience and the risk to reward factor. Here we'll break down the pros for you in a bit more detail to give you a thorough idea of why players love these offers so much.

  • Everything is free, so you have no risk of anything to lose.
  • The risk to reward ratio is the highest of almost any other offer out there.
  • You can land real money payouts and cash them out while playing for free.

Why You Shouldn't Use This Bonus

The downsides are tricky here because it's hard to complain about getting something for nothing. Nonetheless, there are some serious issues illustrated in the following that show why some players skip over these deals.

  • The play-through amounts are typically pretty high to compensate for the fact that no deposit was required.
  • Some players don't want to be put on a marketing email list just for taking a casino up on such an offer.
  • It's not uncommon to see fairly low maximum cash out restrictions that are unappealing for players chasing larger wins.

Get $88 with No Deposit at 888 Casino

If this type of offer appeals to you, then our recommendation is 888 Casino. They offer up a solid $88 free chip to new players. It has a 30x play-through requirement and a maximum cash out level of $100. With a great game selection and a strong history in the industry, they also know how to take care of their players, and they're a trustworthy site to play with.

free spins bonuses

Free Spins for Online Slots - Deposit and No Deposit

Since slots are the most popular genre of games in the casino world, it makes sense that free spins deals would be popular. Options that both require and do not require a deposit are available as well.

Reasons to Claim Free Spins

Some of the pros of taking this type of offer are obvious, but others aren't. We want to give you a complete understanding of what all you're getting with these types of deals in the following.

  • With no deposit style free spins, you're getting a chance to win real money payouts with no risk.
  • They're an excellent way to test out titles before you risk anything.
  • Players who are new to playing in online casinos can use these offers to get started and to learn what they like or dislike about different games.
  • Wagering requirements are frequently low, and in some cases, there are no play-through requirements at all.

Reasons to Decline

All of the above probably sounds great to most players. However, there are still some reasons to skip past these deals, which we'll detail below.

  • You may run into an offer that has a higher play-through requirement and decide to skip it for that reason.
  • Most free spins offers require you to stick to one title, which may not be a game you even enjoy.
  • Making it through the wagering requirements can prove difficult if you don't run up much in terms of winnings.
  • You could decide that you don't want the casino to use your email information to send you marketing materials and future offers.

Get 50 Free Spins with No Deposit at Jackpot City

One of the best free spins deals out there is with Jackpot City. With no deposit required, you can earn 50 free spins on their Boom Galaxy slot. With a 70x wagering requirement, you'll have plenty of opportunities to run up some serious payouts on this title. It's a good offer at a trusted site that's balanced and that plays into more of the pros and fewer of the cons we have noted above.

Get 40 Free Spins for a $1 Deposit at Casino Classic

Casino Classic offers a good deal for Canadian players who don't mind making a simple $1 deposit. This is a 40 free spin deal on a title that can make you an instant millionaire. Along with that, Classic Casino players can get three free spins with no deposit required along with a 100 percent match worth as much as $200 on your second deposit. It's a good mix of promotions to give you value in multiple ways at a site that we have rated very highly.

First Deposit Welcome Bonus

The biggest bonus offers in the industry usually come from welcome packages. These deals are the ones that frequently get the most attention from players, but there can be some good reasons to not take them.

Accept This Offer if it Meets These Requirements

We want to make it as clear as possible when we break down what makes these offers favorable. To this end, for most players most of the time, we strongly recommend accepting an offer at a casino you're interested in if they meet all of the following requirements. That's because doing so will put a deal among the best specials available in the entire industry.

  • If the play-through requirement is at the 35x level or lower, it's hard to find something better.
  • The game restrictions should be as limited as possible. This means no restrictions at all or at least no restrictions on the titles that you want to play.
  • No maximum cash outs are typically required in the best sign up bonus packages.
  • With a match rate of at least 100%, preferably higher, you're getting one of the largest values available.

When to Refuse a 1st Deposit Bonus

Many of the reasons someone would turn down welcome 1st deposit bonuses are because of personal taste. Sometimes, it can also be because of specific terms and conditions that are deal breakers as well, which we'll illustrate in the following.

  • If you don't want to deal with wagering requirements at all, you might skip these offers for that reason.
  • Players who want complete control over their winnings with no restrictions will likely avoid these deals.
  • In situations where the wagering requirement is too high, it's a good reason not to take the offer, which many players think comes in around the 35x level.
  • Sometimes a maximum cash out restriction is provided, which is a turn off for many players.
  • When titles are restricted that you want to play, it's easy to see why you wouldn't claim the offer.

Get 100% up to $475 at Captain Cooks

Captain Cooks has one tremendous welcome offer for new players. The core of it is a 100% match bonus worth a maximum of $475. However, they also add along a set of 100 free spins, and all you need is a deposit minimum of $5 to qualify. This casino has a huge offering with tons of titles from several of the top software providers and a great history of quick payouts.

Reload Bonuses

With reload bonuses, you're able to get more deposit bonus value from a site that you're already established with. As a result, these offers are a key source of getting paid for players who like to stick to a given casino.

Reasons to Use Reloads at Online Casinos

Some players always skip from place to place to take advantage of welcome and sign-up packages without ever taking advantage to reloads and other ongoing deals. If that describes you, then we want to give you some ideas of why you may want to rethink that strategy with the key advantages to these types of offers.

  • Wagering requirements are typically much lower than what you see with welcome offers.
  • They're perfect for simply adding a boost to your bankroll balance.
  • These deals are an important source of value if you play pretty regularly over time instead of being an "on again, off again" type of player.
  • It's extremely rare to see maximum cash out restrictions on these types of deals.

Reasons Not To Use

No type of deal is perfect for every type of player, and that goes for these reload promotions as well. There are certain disadvantages to these types of offers, which we'll look at below, and they could mean that you want to skip offer these.

  • If you want more control over your money instead of having it tied up due to play-through requirements, then these aren't for you.
  • Players who don't like wagering requirements in general will not enjoy these offers.
  • Having a play-through active typically means that you aren't allowed to cash out.

Get 100% up to $150 with your Second Deposit at Yukon Gold

With Yukon Gold, they have a lot of reload opportunities. It starts on your second deposit, which can give you 100% up to a maximum of $150. Additionally, your initial deposit can be for as little as $10 for a set of 150 free spins on the Mega Money Wheel title. This game features the ability to become an instant millionaire on any given spin. They are also known for other reload deals that happen on a regular basis.

Cashback Bonus

Another way to get paid without jumping around to different sites is with cashback bonus offers. However, these are atypical because they pay you after you've played for a while instead of before.

Why Accept

Like many other types of promotions, there are a wide range of ways that cashback specials can be credited to players. With that said, most of the variations of this promotion are pretty favorable to almost every type of player, which you can see with the following reasons to accept the offer.

  • In many cases, cashback is presented as free money as a thank you from the casino.
  • No deposit is required to take advantage of this type of offer.
  • The wagering requirement are typically very low if there are any requirements at all.
  • This is a free chance to play titles that you enjoy on a regular basis.

Why Decline

While all of the above sounds great, there are some exceptions to the rule. Here we'll show you the things to look for that may have you wanting to decline this type of cashback reward.

  • Occasionally, you'll find very high wagering requirements (50x or more) that most players prefer to avoid.
  • Cashback rewards can sometimes come with maximum cash out restrictions as well.

Get the Highest Cashback at Zodiac

The cashback rewards program given at Zodiac Casino is a standard part of their loyalty program. This gives you a second chance to win without having to deposit on a regular basis. Additionally, you can earn 100% up to $200 along with another set of deals worth up to $480 across your following four deposits. This is on top of a $1 offer for 80 free spins that can turn you into an instant millionaire.

How to Get a Casino Bonus in Canada if You Want to Use One

For players who are sure they want to take advantage of a bonus offer, we want to make sure that you know exactly how to do it. In what follows, we'll walk you through the entire process, step by step, to make it as clear as possible.

  1. Start by picking out a site that looks appealing to you from our list of fully reviewed and rated casinos for Canadian players.
  2. After registering for your account, decide on the bonus that you want to take advantage of from that particular location.
  3. Make your real money deposit in the cashier section (if applicable) while claiming the bonus or promotion that you have your sights set on.
  4. Once you've cleared any relevant wagering requirements, you can cash out your winnings when you're ready by revisiting the cashier tab.

How to Refuse Promotional Offers When Signing Up at Canada Casinos Online

The process for refusing a bonus offer is pretty straightforward, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing. To make this process easier and more intuitive, we have straightforward steps in what follows that will help to get you playing faster and without any unwanted promotions attached to your account.

  1. Before you start the process, make sure to contact the support team of the site you want to play with and ask them if they have any other steps they would like you to follow to avoid claiming a bonus outside of what we list below.
  2. With that out of the way, you can pick your casino from our list of ratings for the top names for Canadian players and register normally.
  3. From there, make a deposit of the amount that you would like to add to your account as usual, but do not select any particular promotion.
  4. If one is added to your account automatically, then contact support to have it removed before you start any real money play.

The Final Choice is Yours

Remember that the choice is always yours and that you're fully in control when it comes to which promotions and offers you take advantage of. You're never required to claim any particular offer despite the misconceptions that some players have otherwise. If you follow the steps that our expert Online Casinos Canada team has laid out up above, you can figure out for yourself which offers are a good fit for you and which are not to make sure that you have the best experience possible.

About the Author
 Quintin van Wyk
Quintin van Wyk - Lead Editor

Quintin is a strategic wordsmith and avid gambling enthusiast who has been editing and writing content for the iGaming industry for over 10 years. With the gaming industry constantly expanding and evolving, he is ready to guide both newcomers and experienced players with comprehensive news articles, unbiased casino reviews and informative how-to guides you can trust.

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