Whilst being able to play online is enough of a treat in itself, there’s also the wonders of casino bonuses to look out for. The latest casino bonus offers are a great way to supplement your gameplay and be rewarded simply for playing, just like you normally would anyway!
But these bonuses haven’t always looked like they do now. Join us as we take you on a trip back in time, and show you how far the casino bonus has really come.
From the beginning
Before we look at casino bonuses, let’s first explore the invention of the online casino itself. In the early stages, there were only two different sites to choose from, and very little competition between them. Because of this lack of rivalry, there wasn’t really a need for bonuses or offers to draw the customers in.
However, this soon was no longer the case. The concept of online casinos began to catch on and the industry grew at a great speed. And, because of this, a need for casino sites to be able to stand out and offer something different from their competitors – hence the online casino bonus being born.
The first bonus
The first ever casino bonus that hit the scene was the sign up – or welcome – bonus. This incentivised players to come and try out a new site, thanks to the promise of getting something for free, typically in exchange for a placing a certain deposit.
The original idea behind these bonuses was fairly simple – by crediting a certain amount into your casino account, you’ll then receive that bonus credit. More often than not, that bonus credit will then equal the exact amount that the player was required to deposit, although sometimes it could be even more!
The new age of the bonus
Terms and conditions are now unavoidable, due to a number of newfound factors, which include:
- An increase in competition
- The number of active online players
- Player’s abuse of bonuses
- Newer legislation and regulations
In particular, welcome bonuses have changed considerably over the past couple of decades. They began as the original bonus offer, and often required a player to place a certain number of bets or spend a specified amount, before they would be allowed to benefit from these offers. Conducting bonuses in this way actually allows the casino site to have more control over the benefits that players could receive.
However soon, the welcome bonuses almost became old news and online casinos started coming out with loyalty and VIP programmes. These programmes allowed sites to give players either credits on their accounts or other incentives, just for playing on their platform.
To sign up to these sites and bag the bonuses, you’ll need to enter your email address and create a username and password. By collecting your email address, an online casino site will usually fill your inbox with all of the latest offers, bonuses and promotions so you never miss out on the latest deals.