You’ve probably noticed this. Maybe your friend told you about it. In this age of online gambling, you don’t need to be a high roller to win free spins. Qualifying for an online casino bonus is pretty straightforward.
Pay attention to any good casino, and there’s a chance it will reward you with a welcome bonus. Now, bonuses aren’t created equal. They vary in many ways. Shop around for great deals before you sign up to join any betting website.
In this guide, we’ll help you know how to the best casino bonuses based on where you live. Let’s get started.
The USA
The days when Nevada was the only state with legal casinos are long gone. If you live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, you can play slots and poker online through a casino licensed by your state.
State-licensed casinos are safe and reliable. They’re also legal, meaning you don’t need to worry about committing a crime while gambling online. Unfortunately, not every state licenses iGaming operators.
Take Texas as an example. It permits land-based gambling at tribal casinos. However, it’s yet to legalize online casinos and sports betting. If you want to play online slots in the Lone Star State, the only option is to use a reputable offshore, real money online casino Texas.
Texas has no problem with its citizens gambling at offshore casinos located in Curacao, Panama, or Costa Rica. As such, you can join a foreign betting site to claim welcome bonuses.
New York has a similar stance on online casinos. It’s yet to legalize online poker and blackjack. However, it allows New Yorkers to use offshore casinos. For clarity, the Empire State permits both online and in-person sports betting.
The UK
Gamblers based in the UK are a lucky bunch. First, they can earn bonuses from 200+ casinos licensed to operate in the country. Secondly, all forms of online gambling are legal in the country—sports betting, games of chance, bingo, and lotto.
Another reason why being a casino player in the UK is lovely is that you don’t pay taxes on your winnings. It doesn’t matter how much money you win. You could win $20 million for a slot site and the government won’t take a cut from your winnings.
The UK legalized online gambling in 2005. This means casinos in the country have had nearly two decades of perfecting their services. Indeed, the UK is home to some of the best gambling sites in the world.
Some of these companies have expanded so much that they now operate in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Canada
Canada hit headlines in 2021 after it permitted single-event betting. Interestingly, online casinos have been legal in the Great White North since 2005. That’s when British Columbia legalized games of chance—the first province to do so.
Nearly all 10 provinces legalize one or more forms of iGaming. Ontario has the most liberal online gambling laws. It has licensed over 40 gambling sites since 2021. Most other provinces are yet to commercialize the sector.
Against that backdrop, Canadians have two choices when finding bonuses. Gamblers in Ontario can join an Ontario-based casino with generous bonuses. On the other hand, players outside Ontario can use offshore casinos.
Canadians have been gambling through offshore casinos based in Malta for years. Most of these sites still accept Canadian players. Some of them have also acquired licenses in Ontario to operate legally in the country.
Europe
In Europe, online casino laws vary from one nation to another. In Finland and Norway, online gambling is monopolized by the government. However, citizens can also use foreign casinos.
Sweden and Germany have commercialized online casinos. You can play slots at a variety of licensed betting sites. If you want to claim bonuses, therefore, you don’t have to use a foreign website.
Hungary used to have incredibly strict anti-gambling laws. Thanks to intervention by the EU, Hungary no longer criminalizes foreign casinos from accepting its citizens. The Central European nation also features a local online casino. However, it provides games from two software providers only.
South America
South America hasn’t always supported iGaming. However, most continents on the continent also don’t prohibit the industry. In countries like Argentina and Brazil, you can play games of chance through an offshore casino stress-free.
Many of the top casinos in South America hold licenses from Costa Rica, Curacao, or Panama. They’re genuine and safe. To be safe, though, always read their terms and conditions.
Casinos set bonus terms. Some have fair terms. Others have harsh conditions that make it impossible to withdraw your winnings. Look out for wager requirements, withdrawal limits, and validity time—these are the most important terms.
The Middle East and Africa
Online gambling is generally illegal in the Middle East and North Africa. Countries in this region follow strict Sharia laws and do not allow their citizens to conduct any form of gambling.
Interestingly, some people in the Middle East still manage to access online casinos, albeit illegally. They use Virtual Private Networks to mask their IP addresses. As mentioned, though, countries that follow Muslim laws tend to prohibit betting.
In Africa, countries generally don’t have online gambling laws. That means you can find bonuses at foreign casinos without breaking local laws. Some African countries permit mobile sports betting—Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria—meaning you don’t need to find offshore sportsbooks in these places.
Asia and Oceania
If you’re looking for betting bonuses in Australia and New Zealand, you’ll have an easy time. Many casinos located in Europe accept players from these two countries.
In India, online casino laws vary from one province to another. But in the usual style, you can play blackjack and roulette at offshore sites with no issues. Malaysia, which follows Muslim laws, prohibits most forms of gambling.
Most countries on the continent lack mobile gaming laws. They might prohibit land-based casinos. But they have no laws that say you can’t claim bonuses at offshore casinos.
