No deposit vs deposit required free spins - Which should I choose?

When you are considering taking up an introductory casino offer and if you are a keen slots player, free spins will certainly be something you are looking for. There are many different free spins offers out there, but not all free spins offers are the same.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the no deposit required free spins offers compared to free spins allocated when the user makes a cash deposit with the casino. Are there any benefits to taking one introductory deal over another? Which deal makes the most sense for different types of gamer and finally, does one offer better long or short term value than the other?

In order to investigate each of these points in more detail, we need to first be clear as to what we mean by a 'no deposit' free spins offer and a 'deposit' free spins offer.

No deposit free spins - These are the type of offers where a casino offers a player the chance to play a stated number of spins on a stated slot machine, simply for signing up with the site. The player has to register with the site with all their details (including credit card details) in order to access the free spins, but does not need to make a deposit in order to use them.

Deposit free spins - Are offers where the casino in question does not give the player any free spins in their account until they have made a minimum deposit (the actual amount of this deposit varies from casino to casino, but in most cases it can be around $25 or equivalent in your chosen currency). Once the player makes this minimum deposit (usually within a set time of them opening the account) they will then be given their bonus which they can use on site without running down their cash balance.

So, essentially, one bonus you receive without depositing cash, the other you receive after you have deposited cash. There is a fundamental difference here in that with one offer, there is no compelling reason to stay playing at the casino if you don't want to, whereas with the deposit bonus, you would need to play through your deposit at least once, in order to not lose your money.

Therefore, while the casino has no guarantee of earning cash from you in the no deposit offers, they are guaranteed to see a little of your money in the second offer and although that difference is very small, in terms of the quality of the offer, it is important.

What are the general differences between no deposit and deposit free spins offers?

The subtle difference between the two types of offer means that the casino can alter its offers depending on whether depositing is central to receiving the offer.

This leads to differences between deposit and no deposit offers and while there is considerable overlap between the two types of offers, and accepting that not every offer will fall within these general guidelines, there does tend to be the following differences between each offer:

Deposit free spins offers tend to have more free spins included in the offer than no deposit offers. In some cases the amount of free spins that the person receives can be considerably more than you would get with a no deposit free spin offer. One casino is offering 500 free spins as a deposit free spin offer, which is considerably more than the 10 to 30 free spins offered as standard in most no deposit offers.
Deposit free spins offers tend to be worth more in monetary value than no deposit offers. It stands to reason that if you receive more free spins with your deposit, then this offer is worth more in cash terms than a no deposit offer with fewer free spins on the same game.
With a deposit free spin offer you are committed to spending your deposit. If you join a site and take the free spins on offer with your deposit, you cannot then withdraw your deposit. Therefore, you are making a commitment to spend at least your initial deposit with that casino, regardless of how much or how little you win with your free spins. Furthermore, in order to lift any wagering requirement for your bonus cash account, you may need to deposit additional funds to do so. With no deposit free spin offers, you do not have to spend any money at all even if you join the site. You can sign up, use your spins and if you lose, walk away having risked nothing.
There may be more choice with deposit free spins than no deposit free spins. Most no deposit free spins offers tend to be centered around a particular slot game. However, a significant number of deposit free spins offers are centered on the casino, with the player allowed to select from a number of different slots which game they want to play, which gives the player more freedom of choice.

By the same token, it is also important to note that for all of these four differences, there are plenty of examples of offers which don't quite conform to the rules. There are plenty of deposit free spin offers that offer fewer spins than no deposit deals, for example. It is very much still an evolving industry and the variety and amount of offers that are available are changing frequently as casinos vie for online custom.

So which is the best type of free spins offer for me?

Having understood the differences between the two types of free spins offers and the pros and cons of each deal for the end user, the question has to be asked, which is the best type of deal?

In truth, the answer to that is that it very much depends what type of casino user you are and the types of games you play and the amount of money you spend.

If you are a confirmed slot enthusiast that has a budget to spend on their hobby every month and who knows that these are the games you want to play, or a specific slot that you want to play and which you can access from a deposit deal to get the extra free spins, then it makes sense to deposit your cash with this casino and take the extra spins available through the deposit deal.

If on the other hand you are a player who isn't sure if they want to play the slots long term, or just wants to try out a slot for free before deciding whether to play it, or even play at the stated casino, then the no deposit free spins offer are more suited to you.

And if you fall somewhere in the middle, then the good news is no matter which offer you pick, you are not likely to be disappointed!

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