Casino gaming is not just for the Monte Carlo high flyers or the Las Vegas adventurers these days. The arrival of casino gaming in cyberspace has made it available to anyone and everyone, subject to local laws and regulations. We hear plenty about online betting in the USA, as one state after another implements legal reforms to keep up with changing attitudes and, you might argue, to keep tax dollars flowing.

But it is the same story elsewhere in the world, too. New Zealand is a case in point. The nation has a population of just 4.9 million – that’s roughly equal to the number of people who live in South Carolina. Yet the Kiwis spend more than $2 billion per year on gambling. 

New Zealand itself has just a handful of casino providers, but unsurprisingly, there are also plenty of offshore platforms that are actively seeking a slice of this lucrative market. As a result, there’s some serious competition, and that spells opportunity for New Zealand gamblers.

No deposit bonus codes

Casinos will use every strategy they can think of to tempt a player through their virtual doors and away from the competition. One of the most common methods, though, is through no deposit bonus codes. These allow gamers to play at what is essentially zero risk, by giving them some free money, or perhaps free spins on a slot game, to get them started. 

A quick look on the New Zealand Casino Club website shows how many no deposit bonus offers there are out there. For the beginner, or even the more seasoned player, it can be hard to know which one to choose. Here are some things you need to look at when making your choice. 

Wagering requirement

The biggest influencing factor on whether or not you can turn your free wagers or spins into real winnings is the wagering requirement. This stipulates how many times you must reinvest your winnings in order to cash them out. For example, a $20 no deposit bonus might have a 40x wagering requirement. This means you have to place 40x$20 = $800 in wagers before you can actually pocket any winnings. 

When you understand the principles of the wagering requirement, you start to see that there is more to choosing the best no deposit casino bonus code than simply going with the biggest number. One casino might offer a $10 no deposit bonus with a 20x wagering requirement, while a second offers $50 with a 60x wagering requirement. Realistically, you are more likely to end up with some real winnings in your pocket if you choose the first one. 

Restrictions

They might look like offers of free money, but many no deposit bonus codes have more strings attached than a parachute. Read the small print and be clear about what you can and cannot do with your bonus. Here are a few common restrictions:

• Games – most offers will be restricted to certain games. Free spins might be for a specific slot, while cash bonuses often exclude table games like blackjack and roulette. As a general rule, the more choice, the better.
• Caps – even if you work through the wagering requirement, there is sometimes a cap on how much can be withdrawn from free spins or no deposit bonus money. Try to avoid capped bonuses – after all, it might be an astronomically slim chance that you’ll hit a jackpot worth millions, but if you do, you want to be able to get your hands on the money. 
• Time limits – with some no deposit casino bonus codes, the clock starts ticking the moment you claim them, and you have a limited time to spin the reels or wager the money. 

Trust and reliability

These days, the online casino space is highly regulated and closely monitored. In fact, you are as safe playing in cyberspace as you are on the Las Vegas strip, and arguably more so, as there is no walking through crowds with a wad of cash in your pocket. However, in every industry, especially online, there are a few scammers, charlatans and outright crooks, just waiting to prey on the unwary. 

Some argue that checking the legitimacy of an online casino is less important when you are using a no deposit bonus, as you are not staking any of your own money. That’s true to a certain extent, but it is also short-sighted. The real benefit of a no deposit bonus is that it gives you a chance to try new games and new platforms for free, and then to develop the relationship by wagering real money. For this reason, it makes sense to check that the platform is properly licensed and to read some independent reviews. If it seems even slightly shady, it’s best to stay away from the outset. 

This is a paid guest post.