Canadians love to gamble and Canadian casinos have become big money. Presently the industry is valued at over C$30 billion a year. That’s a lot of loonies! But believe it or not, not every casino game is designed just to grab your hard-earned money. There are actually plenty of chances to play casino games online for free.
Bonus Ninja strives to be your one-stop shop for all the information you may want to know about online casinos. Here we’ll discuss all of the different ways that you can play casino games for free.
Why play casino games for free?
Here at Bonus Ninja we have done our best to find all the best casinos that offer the options to play for free. There are plenty of quality casinos that offer play for fun options, free spins and free bets. You might be curious… for what reasons would a player choose to play for free? There are several reasons:
No risk
When you play for free you remove the risk of losing money on the game. There are several ways to play for free. A few do allow you the opportunity to make some actual cash, while other methods only allow you to win fictional money. No matter the method, the idea of playing for free takes away the risk and makes room for plenty of fun.
Find the perfect game
There are countless casino games in the world, with hundreds of new games being released every month. Playing all the new games released is not only impossible but would end up being exorbitantly expensive (unless you win a jackpot, of course).
Having the opportunity to play games for free lets you try a game before you buy. It gives you the chance to find a new favourite. Not all games are exactly as they seem. Some slot games, for example, include loads of bonus games. You might not get to see these extras if you are only playing for a couple of spins. When you play for free it gives you the chance to try all the parts of the game before you spend a cent.
Protect your privacy
One of the reasons players sometimes hesitate before signing up for a casino is because they are worried about their personal information getting in the wrong hands. In order to protect themselves, players may choose to just play games for fun so that they don’t need to fill out any personal information online.
That being said, there are plenty of reputable casinos that go above and beyond to protect your data. We talk about them often at Bonus Ninja.
Perfect your strategy
So, you have saved yourself a little money by playing games for free, you’ve protected your privacy and you’ve found the perfect game for you. There may still be one more reason you want to play games for free.
If you are going to have any chance to win money in a casino you are going to need to perfect your strategy. This may not apply for games like slots, but it certainly applies to table games like blackjack and roulette.
If you have never played table games, you might want to play them for free so that you can learn the rules of the game. After that, you may want to try to understand the intricacies of the game and improve your strategy. You can do all of this on demo versions of a game without needing to spend a cent.
Play online games for fun
Playing free casinos games is simpler than you may think. There are plenty of places where you are free to play casino slot games for fun.
You may be wondering what sort of games are available to play for free at casinos. As a rule of thumb almost every casino game is available to play for free. There are a few exceptions though. Live Dealer is never available to play for fun, and most of the time Progressive Jackpots don’t have a free option.
Free Slots
Probably the most widely available game available for free play are slots. You can play free slots in a number of ways. Firstly, you can play the demo version of most slots. Some are available to play right on the home page of some casinos. At other casinos you might need to sign-up for a casino and log-in.
The next option is if you are rewarded free spins. These can come as a bonus from signing up for a casino, or perhaps as a special bonus from the casino.
Finally, you can be rewarded with in-game free spins. We’ll discuss all of these options in a little more detail below.
Progressive jackpots
It’s quite rare that you’ll be able to find a progressive jackpot to play for free. The reason for this is that progressive jackpots function on a network of players, spread across a number casinos.
All real money bets are added to the Progressive Jackpot. This jackpot can be randomly triggered at any time. This is the reason jackpots can reach the multi-million-dollar mark.
Using the complex network makes it much tricker to allow for free play. In the rare occasions you do find a casino that offers free games on a progressive jackpot, remember that if you were to hit a jackpot, it would be purely fictional. What a bummer!
Table games
It’s a great idea to try the demo version of table games when you are playing them for the first time, it gives you the opportunity to get a feel for the games and learn the rules. Games that you can play for free include Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and Craps.
Another option for playing these games for free is if you are given a bonus. These can be rewarded as part of a casino promotion. Promotions can run weekly, monthly or for special occasions such as Christmas. When you start climbing the VIP ladder in a casino you’ll also start to qualify for special bonuses.
We should note that although Live Dealer doesn’t strictly fall under table games, they are related, as the same games are included. Most notably Blackjack and Roulette. However, because of the cost implications involved you will never find a free game option for Live Casino. Slots, table games and video poker, all involve an initial cost for development, but after than they can be played by customers at no further cost to the developer. A Live Casino carries continuing costs including studio time, cameramen, croupiers, and casino equipment.
Video Poker
Video Poker offers a nice balance between slots and table games. Combining the speed of slots with the strategy of table games. You can try it for yourself for free by playing the demo version of Video Poker.
Occasionally casinos will also offer a special bonus for customers to use on Video Poker. Just like Blackjack and Roulette specific bonuses like these are rare. Want to know why? It’s because the Return to Player (RTP) on these games is fairly high, and so pose a higher risk to the casino.
Usually when a casino does offer these bonuses to customers it is to their VIP as the risk becomes more negligible.
Other games
There are a few more games that are available to play for free. These can be played either in the demo version or can be rewarded as a bonus by the casino. Examples of these games are Keno and Bingo.
No Deposit Bonuses
No Deposit Bonuses have become an increasingly popular incentive offered by Canadian casinos. The most common version of the ‘no deposit bonus’ is the one offered to players to encourage them to sign-up to a casino.
Usually you’ll need to sign up to the casino by clicking on the “sign-up” or “join now” button. From there you’ll need to enter a few personal details.
As a reward, some casinos offer a set of Free Spins on one of their popular games. Keep in mind that these Free Spins usually come attached with wagering requirements. This means that you won’t just be able to withdraw your winnings, but you’ll need to play through your winnings a set amount of times. This means it’s somewhat unlikely that you’ll get to keep any winnings from your free spins, but it will give you an opportunity to get a feel for the casino you just joined.
Free Spins Bonus
As we have already mentioned there are a number of ways to play free online slot games. One of the most popular are FreeSpins offers. These can be offered directly to a customer, or as part of a casino promotions. Many casinos offer a set of Free Spins once or twice a week.
The great thing with Free Spins is it gives you the opportunity to actually win some real money. Again, these come connected with wagering requirements. But since you are already a customer, the wagering requirements might be fairer giving you a better chance of actually withdrawing your winnings.
In Game Free Spins
While playing any slot for real money you can get some free slot play. A number of video slots offer Free Spins within the game. These in-game Free Spins in the game not only allow you to play a number of rounds for free but often these in-game Free Spins come attached with a multiplier, meaning that you can end your bonus round with a good chunk of change.
Bonuses
Casinos understand that although some people really enjoy playing slots, it’s not for everyone. So, they need to offer something special for the rest of their casino players. These are usually offered in the form of a Casino Bonus or Free Bet.
Free Bet
When a Free Bet is offered in the casino it is often on table games such as Roulette or Blackjack. You can literally play a hand, free of charge. If you lose, no damage done. If you win, the winnings are yours.
Casino Bonus
A Casino Bonus is usually linked to a deposit (in which case it can also be known as a Reload Bonus or Deposit Bonus). So, although not free as such, it does give you extra money to play with. Say for example, you are given a 100% Reload Bonus up to CA$50. This would mean that on top of your CA$50 deposit, you will be given an extra CA$50 on top of that.
Usually bonuses are linked to wagering requirements but sometimes you’ll get lucky.
Free Slots Casinos
Improvement of technology have led to players being able to play casino games pretty much everywhere. This means that casinos have become an everyday part of players’ lives. This generally involves a fair amount of cost until you get lucky. Or you can try any of the free games we’ve mentioned above for free.
And there is no game more popular than free online slots. The next question you might ask is… How to find the right casino to play slots for free?
There are a few tips in general that you can follow for finding a great casino:
Read our reviews
All of us at Bonus Ninja strive to write fair and detailed reviews of both new casinos and old casinos. You’ll find plenty of reviews right here to help you choose the best casino for you. In each review we’ll include details on whether or not a casino offers games for free in some format or another.
Regulation
If you want to ensure not only the safety and security of your private and financial information, but also the fairness of games, you’ll want to find a regulated casino. Casino licences are only given to casinos that meet certain criteria. Regulated casinos also need to be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure all their games are truly random.
Promotional offering
It’s a great idea to support a casino that actually offers something special to both their new and loyal customers. Just keep in mind that bonuses are not always what they seem. Some bonuses come with heavy wagering requirements. Check our reviews to find the casinos offering the best customer rewards.
Game selection
Different casinos offer different types of games. Some casinos decide to focus their energies on one type of game. For example, a casino might have a speciality in slots. Chances are at this sort of casino you’ll also be given the opportunity to play free slots.
Ideally you want to look for casinos that offer your favourite type of game. For example, if you are really into Live Casino games you might want to look for a casino that offers games from Evolution Gaming. Just keep in mind, these games aren’t usually offered for free.
Speaking of game developers, this is another way to choose the right casino for you. Different casinos, partner with different game studios. The more you play, the more you may realise that a few of your favourite games might all come from the same developer. For example, you might have a liking for games by NetEnt, Elk Studio or Yggdrasil.
Best free slots games
At this point you may be asking yourself. So, what are the best free online slots? The answer is probably the same as your usual favourite slot. Almost every classic and video slot has a demo version.
That also means that you don’t have any rush to find your favourite slots. Playing free slot games gives you the opportunity to try out as many slots as you want before spending or depositing a cent.
With thousands of available slots, it may be a bit tricky to choose you favourite. So, how do you pick? Here are our suggestions to get you started.
Game type
Slot games come in all shapes and sizes. With the exceptions of Progressive Jackpots, almost every game type is available to play for free.
What are the differences?
- 3×3 reel classic slots: Often known as classic or Vegas style slots. These are the traditional fruit slots. Simple and easy to play. Symbols usually include a variety of fruit icons, bars, a cash symbol and such.
- 5×3 reel video slots: With added reels, video slots have better graphics and varied symbols. Sometimes video slots include Free Spins rounds, bonus games and fun story lines.
- Megaways slots: These are one of the newer versions of slots. Megaways offer a bigger playing board, giving you multiple more ways to win.
- Progressive slots: These aren’t usually offered to play for free. If you do play Progressive Slots every dollar bet will end up in the pot for the jackpot. The same applies to all other players playing the same slot. This jackpot is shared over multiple networks and casinos. Often Progressive Jackpots can reach the multi-million-dollar range.
- Slingos: Another innovative slot. Slingos combine slots and bingo. Instead of just playing one spin you get a bingo card and then have multiple spins to get to bingo. Just like Video Slots, recent Slingos also offer bonus games and Free Spins.
Favourite developers
In the past you may have realised that a few of your games all come from the same game studio. Most developers tend to keep the same feel to their slots. If a developer designs a game that becomes popular, chances are they will keep a lot of the popular elements in a few new games that they develop.
Popular games are also often used as inspirations to make several sequels. For example, Yggdrasil extending their popular Vikings series to include Vikings Go Wild, Vikings Go Berzerk and Vikings Go to Hell. Each one with new added features.
Slot Volatility
Some players prefer slots with high volatility while others prefer medium to low. This is pretty personal and related to the frequency and size of a specific slot’s wins. High volatility (or variance) means that wins are much less frequent but tend to be bigger. With low volatility slots, although wins are small, they happen more frequently.
Playing games for free gives you the opportunity to try out a few games and get a feel for which you prefer. Once you open a game finding the volatility is quite simple. It’s either stated right there when you start playing, or you’ll find it by clicking on the “i” button.
Playing games for real money
Although playing free slots online can be fun, you might miss out on the thrill of the gamble. After you’ve tried all the free ways to play you might want to play for real money.
If you do decide to play for real there are a few things you may want to look out for. First and foremost it is always a good idea to check that a casino is properly regulated and legal to play in Canada.
After that, it’s just about finding the right casino for yourself. We’ve discussed several ways you can do this above. It’s definitely worth while checking our Casino Reviews to see what the best and worst is out there.
Next up, sign-up for the casino, make a deposit and get playing. What you choose to play is completely up to you.
One of the favourite games to play by Canadians are slots. And although completely random, there are a few things you can do to give you self a slight leg up when spinning the reels.
Tips for playing slots
One of the first things you can do is read up on the game. Starting with reviews right here at Bonus Ninja. You can also find more information about the slot by clicking on the “i” icon within the slot game. This will give you all sorts of information on the game including pay tables, volatility and how much each symbol pays. You’ll also find details about in-game Free Spins and bonus games.
Our biggest tip for playing slots is to play the first few rounds for free. This will give you a feel for game, give you an idea of the frequency of wins and give you the chance to try out any bonus games.
When you do decide to play for money, it’s best to raise your bet step-by-step. Betting all your allocated money on the first bet is not a good strategy. Start small and gradually raise your bet.
Lastly and most importantly, always stay within your budget. If you decide on a set amount, stick to it. Remembering gambling should be used as a fun pastime, not as a way to solve your financial problems. No strategy is guaranteed.
Most frequently asked questions
That all depends on what sort of free game you are playing. If you play games you fun, the money listed in the slot isn’t real. There is no way to win money on this form of the game. However, if you play free using a no deposit bonus or Free Spins the winnings are technically yours to keep. There is a catch though, as it might be linked to wagering requirements.
Yes, they are. Online slots use random number generators to ensure a fair outcome. Slots are also regularly audited by regulating bodies to ensure that this is true.
A no deposit bonus is a special offer given by a casino to encourage players to sign up for a casino account. The most common no deposit bonus is a set of Free Spins.
Theoretically yes. However, you won’t be winning real money. That being said it is also quite rare to find a progressive jackpot game that offers a play for fun version of the game.
No, not usually. Although Live Casinos are a great feature to any casino. Keep in mind that it also comes at a much larger financial cost for a casino. For one thing dealers and cameramen need to be paid. Studio time also doesn’t come cheap. It isn’t in the developer of the Live Dealer’s games’ interest to offer any of their games for free.
Summary
Players might decide to play casino games for free for a number of reasons. Just for fun, to improve their strategy or to get the feel for a game or casino. Whatever your reasons, Bonus Ninja will look into all the casinos and games out there that afford you this opportunity. We look at their game offering, play for fun games and no deposit bonuses. We do the research, so that all you need to do is enjoy playing!