Hi everyone,
I want to raise an issue that I believe needs more scrutiny.
We’re seeing casinos advertised as offering “no deposit bonuses.” The clear implication is simple: you sign up, receive bonus funds, and can play and potentially withdraw winnings without ever depositing your own money.
However, in practice, more and more of these casinos operate differently.
Here’s the issue:
You claim a “no deposit” bonus.
You win with the bonus funds.
When you attempt to wager the bonus winnings (or move toward withdrawal), you are told you must make a deposit first before you can do wagering or cash out.
At that point, it is no longer a true no-deposit bonus. If a deposit is required at any stage to unlock wagering of winnings or withdrawal eligibility, then the promotion is effectively a conditional deposit bonus disguised as a no-deposit offer.
This creates a few problems:
The marketing punchline: no deposit.
The operational reality says: deposit required to access winnings
The key restriction is often buried deep in the bonus terms
Many players only discover the requirement after winning
IMO. That’s not transparency, that’s technical compliance paired with misleading presentation.
A genuine no-deposit bonus should mean:
No deposit required to claim
No deposit required to complete wagering requirements
No deposit required to request a withdrawal (aside from standard KYC)
If a deposit is required at any stage to unlock bonus winnings, it should be clearly labeled in different category altogether.
Anything else creates a disconnect between advertising and actual mechanics.
I’d like to hear from:
Other players who have experienced this
AskGamblers moderators/staff is this considered acceptable industry practice in your opinion?
Casinos willing to explain the rationale behind this structure
Because if a deposit is mandatory to access winnings, calling it “no deposit” is, at best, incomplete and at worst, misleading.
Looking forward for discussion on the topic!