How To Choose A No Deposit Casino

It can be hard to find the right casino for your unique requirements. We can't guess what you want from a casino, but we can help to guide you to the best casinos.

Using our 9 rules, you'll be able to tell apart the best casinos from the worst casinos.

Everything you need to know about online casino bonuses

Table Of Contents

No Deposit Casinos Explained
9 Things to Think About Before Picking an Online Casino
In Summary
FAQs

No Deposit Casinos Explained

Online casinos that give new players a bonus without them having to make a deposit are called “no deposit casinos.”

To get a no deposit bonus, all you have to do is create a new account. You will then be able to play at the casino for free.

New players can get one of two different kinds of no deposit bonus:

Bonus Credit

This is what most people call "bonus money," though it is better considered as site credit, as it can’t be withdrawn as real cash unless you fulfill the T&Cs.

Generally, with bonus credits you can play many different games, like slots and table games. You can also adjust the bet size.

Free Spins

This no deposit bonus is only for people who play slots.

You will get a certain quantity of free spins - such as 20 free spins. You will be able to use these on one slot, or a small variety of slots.

You cannot change the bet size as each free spins is equal to the minimum possible bet on the eligible slot game.

Real cash can be won with either no deposit bonus. However, you have to fulfill the terms and conditions before you can withdraw your winnings.

9 Things to Think About Before Picking an Online Casino

It’s vital you choose the best casino for a variety of reasons, the main being that your money is safe, the casino is fair, and the games are entertaining.

To ensure you find the casino best for you, simply follow the 9 rules below:

#1. Licensed & Regulated

When you play at a licensed and regulated casino, you have a guarantee the casino follows rules that protect customers.

Even in this regard, certain regulatory bodies are better than others. At NoDepositFriend, we prefer to feature casinos licensed in the UK (by the UKGC), or Malta (by the MGA).

#2. Games Portfolio

A key question to ask is: does the casino have a first-rate games portfolio?

You should think about both how many games there are and how good they are.

We like to recommend casinos with games made by big software developers like Microgaming and NetEnt.

Evolution Gaming is also a great option if you like to play at Live Casinos.

#3. Mobile Optimization

Even though it is now 2024, there are still a few online casinos that are not mobile-friendly.

When you sign up to a mobile-friendly casino, it means you can play all of the top casino games across a variety of different devices, including tablet and mobile.

Furthermore, you get the freedom to access the casino from wherever you want - providing you have mobile internet connectivity.

When looking for your next casino, you should think about how well it works on your phone. If content is easy to find and the site feels intuitive, you’re onto a winner.

#4. Safe & Secure

When you send real money to a company over the internet, it is very important that your financial information is not compromised and you receive the product or service you are paying for.

It is essential you only sign up to casinos that use the most up-to-date SSL Data Encryption technology to keep your financial information safe.

All of the world’s top banks use this software. It essentially jumbles your information so that cybercriminals can't decipher it.

#5. Deposits & Withdrawals

This point revolves around the access you get to your casino account.

We can be very direct and say that you need to:

Make sure the casino has deposit and withdrawal methods you have access to.
The casino does not impose disproportionate withdrawal processing times.

How quickly your withdrawal goes through bears a lot on how you pay. But even though the method of payment incurs a delay to process the payment, your casino may also impose a similar delay.

You need to therefore consider how long you are willing to wait upon requesting a withdrawal.

For the sake of clarity, we consider a processing time of 24 hours to be great, 48 hours to be fine, and any longer to be bad.

#6. Customer Service

Customer service isn't always considered vital by most players, but when you really need it, it quickly becomes the most important aspect of the casino.

Customer service has gotten better at most casinos, which is good news. Most of the time, there are several ways to get help, such as by phone, email, or live chat.

Since many casinos have similar ways to contact them, it can be hard to tell which one will give you the best customer service. In this case, we suggest you pay attention to the opening times.

Live chat is available 24/7 at many casinos. Though there are casinos that have live chat available from 6 a.m. to midnight.

#7. Great Welcome Bonuses

The bonuses your casino gives you should make it possible for you to win real cash.

Subsequently, the wagering ought to give you a genuine chance of winning, and the expiration date should be far enough away so you have enough time to fulfill the wagering requirements.

At NoDepositFriend we believe that the best bonuses have wagering requirements that are between 10x and 40x.

The lower the requirements, the better.

As for the expiry date, we expect no deposit bonuses to be valid for between 2 and 7 days.

We expect all of the T&Cs to be clearly stated so all players know exactly how to follow the rules of their bonus.

#8. Promotions For Existing Players

A crucial step is making sure the casino is as good for loyal players as it is for new players.

In this regard, you ought to see if the casino provides regular promotions to existing players.

The best online casinos release regular bonuses to ensure that loyal players are treated as well - if not better - than new players.

It may also be wise to prioritize casinos that have a VIP scheme or a loyalty rewards program, as these will provide you with rewards for betting/depositing regularly.

#9. Community Reputation

Checking out online casino forums is an accurate way to find out what other players think about the online casino.

These forums are run by third-parties, and allow players to lodge complaints, review casinos, and spread the word about a casino’s service.

In Summary

In case you are wondering: our rules do now follow an order of importance.

They are all important things to consider.

Yet if you don’t want to use them as a checklist, we still advise you to carry out the following:

Check the casino's license to gamble its encryption software, and its reputation online to make sure it is safe and secure.
Check the casino's banking options and the devices it works with to see if you can really play there.
Check to see if the casino will be fun by looking at its bonuses, games, and special offers.

If you do these things, you can be sure that - at the very least - the casino you sign up to is first-rate.

Although we agree that following this process every time you claim a no deposit bonus can be a tad tedious, we do encourage it.

There are fake casinos out there, and they are set up with the sole purpose of stealing your money.

If you want to save time, you can just sign up to any casino on our list of No Deposit Casinos. All of these have been rigorously evaluated by an industry professional.

FAQs

Which online casino is the best?

It's hard to say because it relies on what each person wants from a casino. At NDF, we only feature online casinos that we would happily play at ourselves.

Our testing is meant to make sure that players are safe, that payouts are quick, that bonuses are fair, and that games are good.

Yes, they are! Offering no deposit bonuses is a tried-and-tested marketing strategy. By offering a free trial, casinos are more likely to increase their player base, and, subsequently, their profits.

Yes, of course - as long as you play at an online casino that has been fully tested by a professional in the industry. All of the online casinos we list at NDF come with this promise.

Before putting a casino on our list, we evaluate it to make sure it is safe. Our lists put all of the best casinos in one place to make it easier than ever to find your next casino or bonus.