Last Updated: October 2, 2024
When it comes to online casinos, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything more enticing than free money welcome offers.
Requiring no deposit and giving players a chance to win real cash money, various no deposit bonuses are available at many US online casinos. They are hugely popular among players of all shapes and sizes, but can be especially great for casual players looking for a bit of fun.
For players starting out in the world of online casinos there can be questions about how no deposit bonus codes work, why they are lucrative and if you can win real money from the welcome bonus?
In this comprehensive guide to US casino no deposit welcome bonuses, we will try to answer these and many other questions. We will also give you a list of the best gambling sites in the US providing such bonuses. By the time you are done reading, you will know everything there is to know about no deposit casino bonuses and will have all the resources you need to choose the ones best for you and jump straight into the action.
BetMGM Casino offers one of the best welcome offers on the market when it comes to no deposit needed. Sign up and instantly get $25 to use at select tables in your account.
Casino | Michigan | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | West Virginia |
---|---|---|---|---|
BetMGM Casino | $25 free | $25 free | $25 free | $50 free + 50 free spins |
Borgata Casino | – | $20 free | $20 free | – |
PokerStars Casino | $150+ after wagering $1 | $50+ after wagering $1 | $150+ after wagering $1 | – |
Let us start at the top and answer the question that confuses most players out there — Why?
We all know that casinos are in the business of making money, not giving it away. So why would an online casino willingly throw free money at new players without requiring them to make a deposit?
The answer is quite simple — confidence and competition. There are many online casinos operating in the US, and they all battle for customers. Whether in Michigan, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, gambling sites compete for the same player pool, trying to convince the gamblers that their site is better than the rest.
And what better way to attract someone to give your casino a chance than giving them some free money to test the games and potentially even walk away with a nice win?
Furthermore, the operators believe so strongly in the quality of their product that they’re willing to give players a free test drive, and, in doing so, the players will be so impressed with their casino that they’ll want to stay on and keep playing once the free funds run out.
That answers the question of “why.” Of course, free money isn’t everything, as there are many other aspects that come into play when choosing a site to stick with, such as the game selection, customer support, and more, but a generous no deposit bonus is certainly a good hook to get players onto the site.
Even the more experienced gamblers can sometimes be leery about free money offers. Some casinos will use these as an advertising method but will tie the bonus to so many different terms and conditions that they make it impossible to cash out any winnings. This is commonly the case with many offshore casinos, which advertise to-good-to-be-true no deposit bonuses that are impossible to clear.
The good news is that no deposit bonuses at regulated US online casinos are never tied to such conditions. Because state bodies license the operators, they are on a fairly tight leash in terms of what they can and cannot do. So, if a casino wants to offer a free money bonus, they must be very clear and transparent about the terms.
Answering the most important question, it is possible to win real money using these bonuses, and most US operators do not have a maximum withdrawal cap, either. This means that, in theory, you could go on a lucky streak and turn a $25 bonus into a few hundred or even a few thousand.
That said, there are still some terms and conditions that you need to be aware of when claiming these offers to make the most out of them.
Now that we have covered some of the main aspects of free casino bonuses, let us look at the best offers available to US players. A fair number of fully licensed online casinos will give you a chance to get a no deposit bonus immediately after registration.
PokerStars Casino is also a popular no deposit casino option among US players, but as far as free money offers are concerned, the operator does not quite keep up with the rest. You can claim $150 in bonus funds and 50 Spin & Go tickets to get you started, but in order to do so, you will need to first wager $1.
This is not a particularly tall order, as you just need to wager $1 on any poker or casino game. You will immediately receive $150 as a mix of casino credits and tournament entries alongside 50 Spin & Go tickets..
However, the only way to have that $1, to begin with, is to make a real money deposit, which makes this offer a bit less appealing than the other ones we mentioned in this extensive US online casino free money guide.
It is also important to mention that the qualifying wager needs to be made within five days of registering your account. Once done, visit your casino account’s Challenges section and activate the $150 bonus.
The bonus is issued over the course of five days. Each day, you will get a new Chest containing the daily reward.
States Eligible for PokerStars Casino Instant Bonus
Michigan | PokerStars Casino MI | $50+ after wagering $1 |
New Jersey | PokerStars Casino NJ | $50+ after wagering $1 |
Pennsylvania | PokerStars Casino PA | $150+ after wagering $1 |
Create your PokerStars account or find out all about what this poker king has to offer casino players in our in-depth PokerStars Casino US Review.
When it comes to US casino free money offers, BetMGM Casino is at the very front of the pack. It is currently the best no deposit bonus available to the players, featuring $25 ($50 & 50 free spins in West Virginia) in free funds you can take straight to your favorite games.
Claiming the free bonus at BetMGM Casino is easy. You just need to sign up for a new account and verify your player details, and the money will be immediately available for you to use. Of course, you can claim this bonus only once when signing up, and you are not allowed to make additional accounts just to get free cash.
The FREEPLAY bonus is issued immediately after successful verification and is valid for three days. You need to use the funds within this period, and you are allowed to play any games you want except progressive jackpot slots. It is also important to mention that free casino funds cannot be used to place bets on BetMGM Sportsbook.
The wagering requirement for the FREEPLAY bonus is just 1x — the lowest possible requirement. You will only need to wager the funds once, after which you will be able to cash out the bonus and any winnings you may have achieved.
All play on casino games counts towards the wagering, with slots, scratch cards, and virtual games contributing in full ($1 played contributes $1 towards wagering). Table games like roulette only count for 20%, while blackjack only contributes 10% (for $10 wagered, only $1 is counted towards wagering requirements).
As far as free real money US casino no deposit bonuses go, the one available at BetMGM Casino is very generous and quite player-friendly. The offer is easy to claim, comes with the lowest possible wagering requirements, and there are very few restrictions in terms of how you can use the funds.
States Eligible for BetMGM Casino Free Money
Michigan | BetMGM Casino MI | $25 |
New Jersey | BetMGM Casino NJ | $25 |
Pennsylvania | BetMGM Casino PA | $25 |
West Virginia | BetMGM Casino WV | $50 + 50 Free Spins |
Sign up now and claim your free casino cash or head to our in-depth BetMGM Casino Review to learn why this is our top-ranked online casino in the US!
DraftKings Casino is one of the best igaming platforms in the US. You do need to make a deposit, but what it does offer is so good as a welcome offer we have included it in this list.
Just sign up and wager with $5 and get $50 in instant casino credits added to your account! It is as simple as that and is one of the most lucrative deals in the market right now. The instant casino credits arrive in your account instantly and can be used at an array of titles and games.
The welcome offer is available for any new player in Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
DraftKings offers a huge range of slots, live dealer games, and for players in Michigan, DraftKings Casino now offers real money online poker called, Electric Poker.
The operator runs frequent entertaining and rewarding promotions and competitions, not to mention the highly-acclaimed DraftKings Dynasty Rewards program, which all registered players get access to. The credits cannot used at live dealer games in PA or Electric Poker tables in MI.
States Eligible for DraftKings Casino Instant Casino Credits
Connecticut | DraftKings Casino MI | $Wager $5, get $50 in instant credits |
Michigan | DraftKings Casino MI | $Wager $5, get $50 in instant credits |
New Jersey | DraftKings Casino NJ | $Wager $5, get $50 in instant credits |
Pennsylvania | DraftKings Casino PA | $Wager $5, get $50 in instant credits |
West Virginia | DraftKings Casino WV $5, get $50 in instant credits |
Sign up for DraftKings Casino or check out our DraftKings Casino Review.
DraftKings Casino US: Key Facts | |
---|---|
🇺🇸 States Available | Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia |
🤑 Freeplay bonus | $50 after wagering just $5 |
🫸 Deposit match bonus | N/A |
🤖Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
🔦 Main highlight | Real money online poker for players in Michigan |
Borgata Casino is another great option for US players looking to get some free money. The operator has a similar offer to BetMGM (which is not a surprise, given they are both owned by the same company), but the total amount of free play on offer is a bit lower.
New players can claim $20 in FREEPLAY when signing up, and all you need to do is create and verify your account after joining. The bonus is added immediately after, and you can use it on various casino games, excluding progressive slots.
The associated wagering requirement is also just 1x, so as soon as you wager a total of $20, the funds will move to your real money account, and you will be able to withdraw them.
This quality no deposit casino offer works well for casual players and more serious gamblers. It will allow you to explore the casino, test what they offer, and potentially even win some money.
States Eligible for Borgata Casino Free Money
New Jersey | Borgata Casino NJ | $20 |
Pennsylvania | Borgata Casino PA | $20 |
Sign up and start playing for free or find out all about what this casino has to offer in our in-depth Borgata Casino Review.
As you can see, getting some free money at US online casinos is not all that hard. Several operators across a few states will happily give you some free casino dollars to get you started and even let you cash out your winnings with very few restrictions.
However, getting the bonus is just the first step. You might be wondering how you can give yourself the best chance to actually make something out of it, and there are some strategies to get the best bang for your (free) buck.
All gambling is down to luck at the end of the day. No matter what casino-housed game you pick, you will be the underdog as the house always retains an edge, which can be anything from 0.5% (like in blackjack) up to 4%-5% or more on slots.
As you can see, slots have a pretty big casino advantage, so these games always contribute to bonus wagering requirements. But this is not necessarily something you need to worry about when playing with free casino bonuses. Slots’ RTP is calculated over millions of spins. It is an average number that guarantees the profit for the operator, but you will not play anywhere near that number of spins when you take a no deposit bonus.
There are basically two approaches you can take, and both are equally as good, depending on what you want to achieve:
Given that you are not using any of your own money, the first approach is probably slightly more advantageous and definitely more exciting. When using a free US casino bonus, you can give yourself a chance to try and hit big. If it does not happen, you will only “lose” a bit of your time, but you will have a lot of fun in the process.
With the second approach, you can expect to almost always end up with some cash from your $20 or $25 free bonus. Sometimes it will be a bit lower than what you started with, sometimes a bit higher, but if you stick to low volatility slots on lower bets, you are unlikely to end up with more than $50 in withdrawable funds.
It ultimately boils down to what works better for you as a player. The most important thing here is that you are playing with house credits, so you can fully relax and enjoy your gaming experience the way you like it, without any unnecessary pressure.
In today’s world, very few things are truly free, so it is natural for players to be skeptical about free money offers at US online casinos. Plus, some of the more experienced players might have not-so-good experiences with international gambling sites from years ago, where “free” offers turned into a proper nightmare when the time came to cash out.
The good news is that there are no hidden tricks with licensed casinos in the United States. State regulators would never stand for such practices, so you will find that all terms and conditions are very straightforward and concise.
There is no reason to avoid free casino offers, whether you’re a casual player or a high-roller. They will not get in the way of your gaming experience and will not become an obstacle to cashing out at any later point. If you take a no deposit bonus and lose, that is all there is to it. On your next deposit, there will be no hidden restrictions.
We suggest not mixing free casino credits with real money funds to keep things simple. This will not get you in trouble, but keeping track of the wagering is much easier when only the no deposit bonus is active.
While casinos are happy to treat new players to some free funds, they want to ensure those funds are used for playing and not withdrawn immediately. The only way to do this is by setting up wagering requirements.
In the simplest of terms, wagering requirements represent the number of times you need to play the bonus through before you are allowed to withdraw it. US casino no deposit bonuses are quite player-friendly in this regard, but you will still have to deal with some wagering.
To explain it in a simple example, if you receive $20 in free casino cash and the wagering is set at 20x (20 times), you will need to place a total of $400 worth of wagers before a withdrawal is possible.
There might be some other restrictions regarding what games are eligible and what the maximum bet per game is allowed, so you should always read all the terms and conditions and ensure you stick to them.
This is very important when playing with bonus funds in general. Breaking bonus terms, even at US casinos, can cause you to lose the bonus money and any related winnings, so staying within the rules is important.
While not part of the T&C’s, it is worth noting that most US casinos will require you to make a minimum deposit before you can request a cashout. This is so they can connect and verify your payment method before transferring funds out of the casino.
Yes, you can claim a no deposit bonus at many licensed online casinos in the US, including BetMGM Casino, Borgata Casino, and PokerStars Casino. Operators use this type of promotion to attract new players. They will give you some free credits to try their games and see what they offer.
Yes, you can win real money using a free casino bonus. Although you do not have to deposit, these bonuses act like real cash, meaning that any winnings are completely legitimate. You can start with a completely free bonus and end up with a handsome cashout.
You will not be able to withdraw your free bonus immediately. Before you can cash out, you will need to fulfill the wagering requirements. This is the total number of times you need to stake the full value of the bonus before a withdrawal is possible. Most US casino free money offers have very low and player-friendly wagering requirements, where you can cash out as soon as you wager the bonus one time.
The list of eligible games varies from one casino to another. For the most part, you will be able to play all slots (except for progressive jackpots), and these are your best choice, as they count in full towards wagering. Some casinos will also let you play electronic table games like roulette and blackjack, but with lower wagering contributions.
Yes, since no deposit bonuses are treated like real money, you will need to register for an account with the operator before you can claim these offers. In fact, you will probably need to verify your account as well before you can access free casino money.
Most US online casinos will require you to make the minimum deposit before you can initiate the withdrawal of your free funds, even after you complete the wagering requirements. By making a deposit, you will connect your banking method to the casino, so this is usually a mandatory step in the process. On the bright side, the minimum deposit will usually suffice for this purpose.
The top two US casinos offering free money bonuses are definitely BetMGM Casino and Borgata Casino, giving you $25 and $20 in free casino funds, respectively. These bonuses also come with wagering requirements of just 1x, so you will have no problems clearing the requirement and cashing out some winnings.