Bonuses

Playing first-class pokies, indulging in challenging games of blackjack, or even trying out new table games is the exciting part of any online casino experience. But with hundreds of real money online casinos to choose from, it can be complicated for kiwi players to decide on the perfect one that suits their every need. Thankfully, some top payout casinos offer enticing bonuses and lucrative promotions that a player just cannot say no to. Some of these bonuses include No Deposit bonuses, Refer a Friend Bonus, Welcome Bonuses, Cashback Bonuses, Reload Bonuses, VIP programs, First Deposit Bonuses, and Free Spins. Most online casino operators in New Zealand offer a welcome bonus on sign up before you deposit, while others offer a bonus only after making a first minimum deposit.

Looking for a different type of bonus? Find your perfect casino bonus right here

Whatever it is you have in mind, we’ll find the perfect match. Click on any of the below categories to discover the bonuse(s) that’s right for you: 

Types of Bonuses for Kiwis

Online casinos give you the opportunity to receive different bonuses and promotions you play with real money. If you are new to the online casino world, you may find it difficult to understand how casino bonuses work. Nevertheless, grasping this mechanic will help you learn how to take advantage and profit from it. For kiwi players, there are many types of bonuses to enjoy:

Welcome Bonus — Most newly registered players can benefit from a lucrative welcome bonus after making a first minimum deposit.
Deposit Bonus — Players can claim this bonus after making a deposit.
No Deposit Bonus — This bonus allows players to receive a bonus from the casino without making an initial deposit.
Free Spins — Players can claim this reward and try out new games generally for as low as a $1 deposit.
Refer a friend Bonus — Some casinos operate on this bonus which entitles you to receive rewards when friends sign up at the same casino.
VIP Programs — Exclusive promotions for loyal players with constant rewards.
Cashback Bonus — Certain percentage is awarded to players to compensate for the losses sustained.

Welcome Bonus

A welcome bonus, also known as a sign-up bonus will be the first sweet deal you’ll encounter at any online casino.

The most common sign up bonus is known as a match bonus. Often the first 3 or 4 deposits you make would be matched at several levels, i.e.; 100% on your first deposit, 25% for your second deposit and a 50% match for your third deposit, etc. This would give you a bonus of $1200 overall.

There are generally time limits applied, curtailing the time you have to claim the bonus in full. Also, wagering requirements regulate when you’re able to start withdrawing money from your account. If you open a real money account at any of our recommended casinos, you’ll be offered a staged match bonus.

Wagering Requirements

One of the first concepts you need to understand is a wagering requirement (or playthrough requirement) to work out whether or not a bonus is good.

The key features of wagering conditions are their size (generally a multiple like 30x), whether the requirement applies to only your deposit amount or to the deposit + bonus. Another factor worth keeping an eye on is the contribution different games make towards these requirements.

If a casino offers a Sign-up Bonus with a 30x wagering requirement, this means before you can cash out any of the bonus amount, you have to wager 30 times the sum you deposited. Or you have to wager 30x your deposit + the bonus amount before you can cash out any winnings you made when playing with the bonus.

Example: A casino offers you 100% match on the first deposit with a playthrough requirement of 30x. You open your account with a $300 first deposit (thus giving you a $600 bankroll). In one scenario you’d have to wager $9000 before withdrawing any of the welcome bonus funds. Another scenario in scenario would see you having to bet $18000 before you could cash out your bonus funds.

However, this is far from a raw deal. Bear in mind, these are wagering requirements; so you would have to wager this amount, not spend or lose this amount. Remember that the payout percentage of most online pokies is about 95%. Even if you had a bad run, without hitting any jackpots or bonus rounds or, the losses you’d incur betting $9000 would probably be around $450, which most welcome bonuses more than cover.

Deposit Bonus

Online casinos are taking over the world by storm. Trying out new casinos can be exciting and rewarding when choosing which bonuses to benefit from. Understanding the different types of bonuses and which you should advantage can come as a challenge, especially if there is a big variety to choose from. Moreover, the different types of deposit bonuses can provide players with extra credits. This means that players will have more money to play within the long run, which can increase potential winning chances and provide higher payouts. We always advise that players read the Bonus Terms and Conditions beforehand, for a better understanding of how to fulfil a certain bonus requirement.

Deposit Bonus is a distinct type of bonus that you are rewarded with when you make a real money deposit at any casino. Generally, you must top up your account in the cashier section to unlock the bonus offer. These bonuses come in different forms, but newly registered players can take advantage of lucrative Welcome Bonuses when trying out a new casino. Welcome Bonuses are probably one of the most common and distinct bonuses that casinos can provide. Other deposit bonus types can include reload bonuses and high roller bonuses.

What is a casino sign up bonus

Nowadays, NZ casinos compete between themselves on who can offer the best bonuses and attract more players. A casino Sign-up bonus, also known as a Welcome Bonus, is provided by almost every online casino as a way of enticing players to sign up at their website. These lucrative bonuses come in many forms, but the most common is to reward players with a deposit bonus with a bundle of free spins included to sweeten the deal. For instance, if a player decides to deposit $100, the casino can double the deposit by 100%. The player will then have $200 plus the additional free spins to enjoy thrilling games. Kiwis should take advantage of these welcome offers whenever possible since they increase winning chances and boost the gaming experience. It is also imperative that players understand how to sign up bonuses work. Not all offers are created with honest intentions, and some are much more player-friendly than others. The biggest is not always best in this case, and sometimes a tiny bonus can actually be a much better value than a large one.

Nevertheless, it is also essential to see if the bonus has any requirements attached beforehand. This can be found in small print in the Bonus Terms and Conditions. It is always vital to read this information before accepting any bonus offer.

Types of Deposit Bonuses

Players tend to make their first deposit when opting to receive extra bonuses and rewards. These bonuses can maximize a player’s gameplay and increase the chance to win big. There are quite a few deposit bonuses in the online casino world and some of these include:

Welcome Bonuses — Welcome Bonuses tend to offer a ‘match bonus’ because the casino matches the quantity you have deposited or at least a percentage of it. Sometimes the welcome bonus can be spread out into various deposits, meaning that players receive generous rewards on their second, third, and fourth deposits.
Reload Bonuses — Reload bonuses can also be matched up to a certain percentage, but this bonus is a great incentive to keep players engaged in the casino.
Highroller Bonuses — Highroller bonus is aimed at players who tend to spend more, meaning that the minimum deposit amount tends to be higher than the regular averaged amount.
Free Spins — Occasionally casinos offer free spins upon deposit for the first time. This means that once players have successfully deposited money into their casino account, they can enjoy free spins on selected games.
Cashback Bonuses — When you opt-in for a Cashback Bonus, the casino will refund a small percentage of your net losses over a period of time.

We recommend that players read the Bonus Terms and Conditions associated with each bonus.

First Deposit Bonus

Online casinos have various incentives to attract new players to sign up and register new accounts. Most of these incentives come in the form of deposit bonuses, meaning that players will need to make a first deposit in order to receive a lucrative bonus. The amount players can receive, or the bonus match percentage can vary depending on how generous the casino wants to be.

It is important for players to understand that there can be restrictions linked to the bonus and requirements that players will need to fulfil prior to withdrawing any funds. Players have the option to opt in to receive lucrative Welcome Bonuses when signing up at new casinos that generally require first deposits. So, when players make their first minimum deposit, they can receive all the rewards that the casino offers. Players can decide after whether to deposit additional funds if the bonus requires second or third deposits. On the other hand, there are casinos that can be big-hearted and offer No Deposit bonuses, but this is rare and often carries strict wagering requirements.

First deposit bonuses usually have a time limit when claiming them. Time limits and wagering requirements are even more important for minimum deposit casinos. So, players should read and follow all the requirements stated in the Bonus Terms and Conditions.

No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit casino bonus is pretty self-explanatory—A casino will give you a number of free bets when you open an account without making a deposit. Usually, this is around 1500. You’ll be given a set time to use these free bets. Generally, any winnings you make with these bets are yours to use after you’ve deposited money in your account. A free spins bonus is similar to a no deposit bonus, but these free spins are usually offered to already existing customers.

Free Spins Bonuses

More and more online casinos are making Free Spins part of their Welcome Bonus. Many casinos who offer free spins as part of their sign up bonus let you play at least some of these spins before you’re required to deposit funds into your account.

These Free Spins enable you to try out the latest games, usually pokies games, within a set amount of time. If you win on these free spins, you can usually continue playing with your winnings. If you were offered free spins as part of a no deposit bonus, you’d usually be required to make the first deposit before playing with these winnings.

Free Spins are also offered to existing customers, usually to very loyal players or to promote the latest games. Free Spins are great value and a fantastic way to try out new products, gain more play time and brush up on your skills.

We have heaps more information on Free Play in our Free Spins resource.

Bonuses for Table Games

Without a doubt, the most lucrative online casino games tend to be the pokies. They include way more offers and bonuses and a higher RTP (return to player). But if you’re a fan of good old-fashioned table games you can still find significant bonuses if you know what you’re looking for. We explain the playthrough requirements of table games bonuses and how to win big on your favourite casino games in our games guides.

Bonus for Referring a Friend

A neat little bonus, is the ever-popular refer a friend bonus. Basically, you’re rewarded when a person you recommend to the casino opens a real money account with them. You’ll get a cash amount in your account. Or you might receive a bonus every time your friend deposits. Some of our top recommended casinos run Refer a Friend Bonuses.

VIP Bonuses or High Roller Bonuses

Real Life casinos have always treated those who spend the most money in their establishments the best. Online casinos are no different, it’s very easy to get people to sign up to a casino, but it’s the mark of a good site if they can keep you on their books.

If you become a regular player at any reputable online casino, they’ll reward you with awesome prizes and promotions.

A typical basic loyalty scheme could look a little like this: you receive bonus or reward points for every dollar you spend. When you accumulate a certain number of these reward points you can exchange them for casino credits.

There tend to be different levels or tiers you can progress to in a casinos loyalty program depending on how regular a player you are. Obviously, you’ll accrue more rewards the more you play. Holidays, special events and luxury goods are all on the table when you’re a big enough spender.

The ultimate VIPS will be entitled to dedicated casino account managers who look after their every whim, give them special access to secret tournaments, events, 24/7 customer-tailored support and much better deals on their wagering. Being a VIP player is the ultimate, authentic casino experience.

Cashback Bonus

Of all the casino bonuses on offer, Cashback Bonuses are among the most sought after. Let’s face it, losing money while playing pokies or Blackjack, Poker and Roulette can sting. As no one enjoys losing their bankroll, online casinos give the player back a percentage of their losses, which will help get back on budget and recoup some losses. How much you’ve lost is calculated as the difference between your total bets placed and your total losses, so to sweeten your online gaming, casinos will deposit between 5% to 25% back into your account. Typically, at our listed top paying online casino NZ, there are no Wagering Requirements to fulfil, but every casino is different, so please be sure to read the T&C’s carefully.

Kiwis love Cashback Bonuses because any amount of free cash given back to us by the casino, even the smallest amount, means more gaming time and more opportunities to land great wins. When you participate in a Cashback Bonus and opt-in, let’s say you deposit NZ$200. The casino offers you a 20% cashback should you lose. This means that the casino will deposit NZ$40 into your casino account at the end of your gaming session. Online gaming is about chance, and even if you lose the NZ$200, the extra NZ$40 could be the reason your luck turns, and you land up winning.

Terms and Conditions of Bonuses

Online casinos can be incredibly fun and rewarding to play at since they offer new players exciting bonuses and lucrative promotions to get them started with a boost. Most bonuses contribute to extending a deposit, meanwhile, other bonuses can enable longer gameplay with the help of additional free spins, cashback, or even consistent daily rewards. The most important aspect to consider when accepting a bonus is the play through terms, also referred to as the wagering requirements. It is important for players to read the Bonus Terms and Conditions and discover all the rules attached to the bonus. So, if we sit here and ask ourselves what exactly is a wagering requirement? In short, players need to play through the bonus balance a specific number of times, before being allowed to withdraw any funds.

If players violate the Bonus Terms and Conditions, they can potentially forfeit the bonus or any gained winnings, or even more drastic measures like not being allowed to play at the casino any more. The terms can vary from casino to casino, each detailing specific requirements that need to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, it is imperative that players read the Terms and Conditions associated with the Bonus before redeeming any of the rewards.

Conclusion

With so many bonuses on offer, it’s easy for Kiwi casino players to feel confused. We hope we’ve broken down the bonuses for you and showed you how to get the best from your bonuses.

📋 What are the Pros and Cons of Casino Bonuses?

Pros

• ✅Match bonuses increase bonus funds
• ✅Free Spins allow players to win some extra cash and try out new games
• ✅Welcome Bonuses Packages let players benefit from more than one bonus offer

Cons

• ❌Casino bonuses generally come attached with Wagering Requirements

NZ online Casino Bonuses News and Guides

Catch all our guides on making the most and finding good online casino bonuses.