You do not have to accept a casino bonus when you start playing in an online casino. You can choose not to get a bonus and hence not be bound by the bonuses terms and conditions.
Most individuals who sign up for an online casino is attracted by the bonus. They think that the bonus is a great way to get more money to play for and might even choose the casino that gives them the largest bonus. While I do not recommend doing this I understand why a large casino bonus can be very alluring and why some people want a big bonus. The fact is that a big bonus can be a great thing. It gives you more money to gamble for. But it is not a good thing for everyone. There are a number of reasons why you might not want to accept a bonus.
Whenever you accept a casino bonus you also accept the terms and conditions that are associated with the bonus. The terms and conditions set a number of rules and regulation that you have to adhere to until you have met the bonus requirements set out in the term and conditions. If you violate the terms and condition you might lose your account and all money in that account.
The only type of bonus you can accept without worrying about the terms and conditions is the no deposit bonus. A no deposit bonus is safe to accept as long as you do not deposit money afterwards. If you want to deposit money (or withdraw money you won using your no deposit bonus) then you need to reed the terms and conditions first.
Common rules included in the terms and conditions include:
Wager requirements
Almost all casino bonuses are tied to a wager requirement. A minimum amount of money that you need to bet before you have fulfilled the requirements for the bonus. You can usually not withdraw any money from your account before you fulfilled the requirement. You can read more about wager requirements on our bonus page.
The gamble requirement can force you to gamble more than you would want.
Which games you can play
You are usually allowed to play any game you want from the second you register in a casino. The terms and conditions can, however, include rules that exclude some games from counting towards the wagering requirement. It does not matter how much you play these games. You can never meet the requirement. These rules can force you to play games you do not want to play to be able to meet the wagering requirement and withdraw your money.
Bet size
Many casinos include rules for how much money you allowed to bet on a single hand/spin until you have met the wagering requirement. You are not allowed to bet more than a certain percentage of your deposit on any single round. If you bet more than that percentage they might close your account and seize your money. This is true even if you only made one single spin with a larger than allowed bet. Reputable casinos will usually understand that mistakes can happen but less honest casinos can use this as an excuse to keep your money.
Time limits
There might be a time limit on how quickly you need to fulfil the wagering requirement. This rules can force you to gamble more than you would like.
Conclusions
Accepting a bonus can restrict your freedom and put you in a position when you can not stop playing if you want to be able to withdraw your money. It can also restrict what games you can play and how much you can bet. All of this can have a negative effect on your experience. This is especially true in cases where you are forced to gamble more and for longer than you would want. This can increase the risk of gambling addiction.
If you want to register in a casino to play for fun and expect to lose all your money then it can be a good idea to accept a bonus. It gives you more fun for your money. If you accept a bonus you should never deposit more money than you feel that you can lose as a part of your entertainment budget. Do not deposit extra money into your account to get a large bonus thinking you will withdraw it later. Odds are that you will lose it before you met the wagering requirements.
If you are uncertain if you like casino gambling or if you want to play games that are often excluded from the bonus wager requirement (blackjack and roulette) then you should never accept a bonus. The same is true if you want to be able to withdraw the money whenever you want.
Accepting a bonus give less reputable casinos a long row of reasons to close your account and keep your money. By not accepting a bonus you make this a lot harder.
