Bonus Codes, also known as coupon codes, are not unique to online casinos. In fact every retail or mercantile space from food markets to Uber drivers have used discount codes and vouchers to incentivise first time customers to become repeat customers.

In the retail space these codes are even give to customers to share with their friends and loved as a way to throw the net wide and bring in new customers.

The incentive for sharing the vouchers with your network? More often than not more vouchers. In this way Bonus Codes act as both new customer acquisition tools, a customer retention tool and a revenue generator.

The online casino industry adopted the use of Bonus Codes to offer new and existing players the opportunity to grow their bankroll or even play new online slots and casino games without having to spend any cash. It was also a clever way to work with and around some the early technology limitations experienced by casino marketing teams.

What Are the Benefits of Using Bonus Codes?

In the online and mobile casino space most of the functionality that spawned the initial use of Bonus Codes can be handled by short codes and other forms of tracking yet they are still used with great effectiveness today!

Here are 4 ways in which Bonus Codes are still effective in the marketplace:

1. You’re Special! The ability to customise bonus codes to match a particular set of customers speaks to the need of each of us to feel special, which in turn encourages loyalty and participation.

2. They’re Shareable! Bonus codes can foster a sense of community. With a link and a code you can share your lucky find or special code with those who you know enjoy the same online gambling entertainment that you do. They might even get to attribute their good fortune to you one day!

3. Limited Time Offers! Bonus codes while incredibly shareable can also come with expiry dates to create an air of urgency. Nothing drives action more than a code for a hot bonus that expires within 24 hours!

4. Multiple Offers on Hand! With the ease of which they’re created it is possible to have a series of Bonus Codes pre-created for various events and dates and give them out ahead of time to ensure customer interest!

With an inquisitive mind, a marketing goal and access to Bonus Codes it is clearly possible to create an interesting, if not tempting, series of campaigns both online and offline!

Bonus Code Limitations and Challenges

While Bonus Codes are clearly popular and have some interesting applications for inventive marketing campaigns and for ensuring you have access to multiple bonus options at any given time there are some limitations and challenges to them as well:

• They can be locked to a specific region or currency
• Finding old codes online can lead to disappoint if they’ve been expired by the casino
• Free Spins codes are often linked to a specific game
• Multiple codes can conflict with existing bonuses

If you’re looking for most current and active online casino bonus codes we recommend taking a look at our listed casino partners. Those with the GamblersPick Select Badge have our stamp of approval and are deemed worth your consideration.

To top it all off our GamblersPick Community reviews will tell you all you need to know about the experiences of your fellow gamblers at the casino you’re considering joining!

What Bonuses Can Be Shared?

Given the nature of online casinos and how bonus codes are entered into a webpage or directly into a form in the casino itself it is possible give a player any of the following bonuses:

• Deposit Match Bonus - a player can be given a bonus code which allow them to receive a unique percentage match bonus on their next deposit
• No Deposit Bonus - a player can be credited with any number of credits without the need to make a deposit to receive them
• Free Spins - a player can be credited with any number of free spins without the need to make a deposit to receive them
• Reload Bonuses - Once a customer has used their Welcome Bonus it is possible to send them a reload bonus code to incentivise them to make additional deposits

While two of the above bonuses do not require a deposit to be made in order to claim the bonuses on offer, they will still need to meet any play through requirements specified by the casino to cashout. They will also be subject to the casinos minimum deposit requirements for making a withdrawal on from a free bonus.

How to Use Your Bonus Code

In order to ensure promotions are easy to claim online casinos ensure that several pieces of key content are always clearly printed:

1. The casino offering the Welcome Bonus or promotional offer

2. The bonus code you can claim – usually something like: 50FREE

3. Either a link to a claim page or a link to the casino registration page

Claiming your Bonus Code as a new or existing customer:

• Welcome Bonus Claim: As a new customer you will need to register a real money account at the casino offering the Welcome Bonus. As a part of the registration process you will be given the opportunity to enter the Bonus Code to take advantage of the bespoke offer.
• Loyalty Bonus Claim: As an existing customer who received a reload or loyalty bonus code you will be given a link to the promotional claim page where you will follow the same procedure – simply enter the Bonus Code on the claim page (usually after accessing your real money account) to receive your new bonus.

Like with any other bonus it is important to check the Terms and Conditions thoroughly to make sure you know the games you can play, the wagering requirements and if there will be any deposits required to claim or withdraw your winnings.

Going Hog-wild with Bonus Codes

Always looking for an advantage players often try to claim a bonus code multiple times. Casinos are also in the business of looking for a House-edge and so make sure you cannot claim a single bonus code multiple times.

While it’s possible to share with multiple people when you enter a specific Bonus Code into your real money casino account it applies a promotional campaign in the casino backend to your account. This promotional campaign will contain rules relating to how often a single user may claim a specified bonus. Unless otherwise stated the default is once!

“Tempting Fate… While you may catch a casino slipping once in a blue moon you won’t be able to take advantage of it as their Risk team will pick up the error and this can lead to your winnings being voided. If you gain a reputation for trying to abuse their bonus system it possible lose bonus privileges or even be permanently banned from the casino.”

How Did They Come Into Use?

Bonus Codes were found by online casinos to be a very effective tool in both distributing promotions and bonus offers to players, while simultaneously managing who is responsible for which campaign!

Offering Multiple Bonuses:

In the early days of online casinos the technology behind tracking and bonus delivery was fairly rudimentary.  Most online casinos had a standard Welcome Bonus available through their website and everyone who downloaded and installed the casino received the same bonus.

However as your customer base grows, and marketing partners try to differentiate themselves from the pack, the need for new (if not exclusive) bonuses becomes apparent.

Creating unique Bonus Codes for different affiliated networks, email campaigns and offline marketing campaigns was an easy and efficient method to offer their users a non-standard bonuses while also allowing the casino to track the take up and ultimately the profitability of their various networks and campaigns.

Tracking Offline Advertising:

Bonus Codes became an important part of offering effective online casino advertising through offline activities such as magazine advertising, flyer drops and even in approaching VIP players at land based casinos (through waitrons, croupiers and even the concierge).

With a campaign specific bonus code printed on a card or flyer containing the casino website address, any players joining the casino and claiming the advertisers unique Bonus Code could be linked back to their source.

This became especially useful when online casinos tested marketing campaigns with massive events like horse racing or advertising at fight nights events. The marketing material for those events contained event specific Bonus Codes and was a clear indication of the success or failure of the event.

They Are Brand Specific:

With an online casino bonus code only being applicable to one casino it is a great opportunity for brand building. The same is true for when the code is shared, it will drive new customers to the dedicated casino site.