In today's competitive market, an online casino has to work hard to attract players and probably even harder to keep them. That's where bonuses and promos come in. Most gambling sites offer newcomers a welcome bonus. This usually consists of either a deposit bonus, free spins, free play or a combination of the three.

The deposit bonus is very simple. The casino offers to match a new player's first deposit by a certain percentage. Let's say the welcome bonus is 100% on up to €200: This simply means that if you transfer any amount of money up to €200 into your real player account with the site, they'll add the same amount to your balance. This bonus is probably the most popular.

There's an obvious limitation involved: They won't let you carry away that money. So-called wagering requirements state that you must first bet the amount you received as a bonus a specific number of times before you can withdraw any payouts from your account. Make sure you have a close look at the site's terms and conditions.

Free spins are a very popular promotional deal. If you play casino online, you've seen this kind of offer many times over. Sites sometimes give away free spins for new games, or they're offered along with a package for newcomers. Again, there are rules, so it's always worth having a look at the small print as well.

Free play at an online casino usually means that you're given an amount of credit to wager in different games in a specified time. Let's say you've signed up, and the casino grants you €500 worth of credit for free play. You're taken to a casino window with a countdown showing in one of the corners. As soon as you hit Play, the countdown will start from, say, 60 minutes. You now have precisely an hour to wager as much of your free money as possible. You get to keep any winnings above €500.

Rules apply here, too. There's usually a minimum deposit required (sometimes as little as €1) to at least verify your data before you can go on playing after that first hour. Also, there's usually a limit in place on the winnings you can take with you. Have a closer look.