There’s no better way to start your casino journey than with free spins. Also known as cash spins, and wager-free spins these are free chances to play on the games with real value – without having to spend a penny. They’re a great way to learn the ropes in a new game, and they’re different from bonus spins since they don’t have wagering requirements… meaning you can often keep what you win.
On this page, we’ll go through all the ins and outs of free spins, including where to find online casinos that offer free spins as part of their welcome package. So if you’re ready to jump into your casino adventure with the best start possible, read on to learn more!
At JohnSlots, we’re always keeping our eyes peeled for the best free spins offers… because our readers are. All players love free spins since it’s one of the few casino bonuses that gives you genuinely free chances to win.
Back in the day, you’d hear the term ‘free spins’ thrown around a lot, but it wasn’t completely correct. Before strict regulations came into place, casinos would often refer to what we now know as ‘bonus spins’ as free spins – even though they weren’t really free at all.
Bonus spins, while they do offer free chances to win, come with wagering requirements tied to them. This means any prizes won from the spins will need to be played a certain amount of time before you can make a withdrawal. But thanks to UK compliance, casinos must now only call their offers ‘free spins’ if they are indeed free – so you’ll always know when it’s a good offer!
Here at JohnSlots, we strive to bring our readers the most accurate and relevant information on any bonuses we feature… and that includes free spins offers. When it comes to free spins, these are the main things we’re looking for:
Free spins only: No catch, no hidden conditions – we’re looking for genuine, wager-free spins offers that will actually give you free chances to win. Sometimes you’ll need to make a deposit to claim them, sometimes you’ll find no deposit free spins – and we’ve worked hard to bring all the best offers to you, all in one place.
Safe and trusted UK casinos: You wouldn’t take free sweets from a stranger, and you shouldn’t take free spins from just any casino. We check out each casino’s licences, security and player complaint histories to ensure each free spins offer we bring you is the real deal.
Another thing to consider is that casinos are constantly changing their offers, so the team at JohnSlots is constantly updating our information too. We’ll always bring you the latest information and remove outdated offers so you can avoid disappointment. Finally, if you’re looking for no deposit bonuses, make sure to head to our dedicated page to see all the offers of free spins no deposit to test out online casinos for free.
As we touched on above, the term ‘free spins’ hasn’t always been used completely accurately. It was only a few years ago that a player might receive a ‘free spins’ offer in their inbox, only to discover that the spins weren’t really free at all. They would have been bonus spins, which allow a player to play a slot for real money… but any prizes won from the spins would have had hefty wagering requirements attached.
Actual free spins, on the other hand, don’t have wagering requirements tied to them, so any wins you land are yours to keep (with the exception of winning caps, which we’ll go through further below). Due to UK gambling regulations, there are now strict laws in place to ensure casinos use the correct terms when offering either free spins or bonus spins. This is just one way that the new compliance laws have protected players, since false claims of free offers are now mostly a thing of the past.
To put it really simply, what we know as ‘free spins’ today are free chances to play a slot for real value, allowing you to win real money to keep. The free spins will often be played at the lowest bet possible, so around the £0.05 or £0.10 mark.
Types of free spins
Although there are these strict rules in place for what constitutes as a free spin, casinos still have a couple of different options when it comes to offering you the bonus. We’ll go through these now so you understand the difference.
Free spins no deposit
In our opinion, free spins no deposit is the best offer you can come across. Often this will be offered by a casino as part of the welcome bonus since it’s a great way for players to try the casino and one of their games to see if they like it. In these instances, generally, all you’ll need to do is sign up to a casino to claim your free spins, no deposit or card details needed.
The downside to free spins no deposit is that you often the amount will be small, like five or 10 free spins. The idea behind this offer is to give you a taste of the casino experience.
Free spins when you deposit
Alternatively, sometimes casinos may give you free spins when you deposit, whether that be a fixed amount or just a deposit in any form. The free spins still function exactly the same, but you won’t see the offer activate until you’ve made that deposit. With these offers, you’re more inclined to receive a bigger amount of free spins since the casino may feel a bit more generous now that you’re a real-money player.
These offers are more common than the former, and you may receive them as part of the welcome offer or throughout your casino journey. For example, when a new game launches, a casino may choose to offer you free spins on the slot when you deposit.
Free spins no deposit vs Free spins
Though both free spins offers give you free chances to win, there are pros and cons to both options, and it’s good to know these before claiming anything.
Let’s have a look at no-deposit free spins first:
FREE SPINS NO DEPOSIT
Pros
Cons
No deposit needed
Often smaller amounts
Great way to try a slot for free
May have a winning cap
Easy to claim
Don’t always get to choose the game
How about free spins when you deposit? These are the sort of free spins offers you are more likely to find regularly. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons below:
FREE SPINS ON DEPOSIT
Pros
Cons
Often larger amounts
Need to deposit first
Often in addition to your deposited money
Don’t always get to choose the game
Available both for new and existing players regularly
Not every casino offer free spins
More valuable free spins (Super spins, Mega spins…)
Sometimes casinos will get super generous and award offers of Super Spins or Mega Spins – and sometimes free spins with their own quirky name. These are basically free spins, but with a higher value bet, allowing you to win even more. Typically, casinos will offer free spins with the lowest bet possible in a slot, which is generally £0.05 or £0.10.
Super Spins or Mega Spins, on the other hand, will be worth much more than this. The bet might be £1 per spin, or even higher – it all depends on the casino. Whenever you receive an offer of Super Spins or Mega Spins or something of the like, the casino will generally specify their value. These aren’t the most common offers to receive, but they’re well worth taking advantage of.
Wagering requirements
The best thing about free spins? There are NO wagering requirements!
We’ve mentioned wagering requirements a couple of times now, and these are a standard condition of many online casino bonuses. If you receive an offer with wagering requirements tied to it, this means you’ll need to wager any winnings or amount a certain amount of times before you can make a withdrawal.
It used to be the case that players would receive what we know now to be bonus spins, they would get excited if they won… and then instantly disappointed when they realised the money wasn’t really theirs.
The good news is that due to UK compliance laws, this scenario no longer occurs since free spins and bonus spins offers are now clearly labelled to avoid confusion. Free spins do not carry any wagering requirements, so you’re free to take home your wins with no wager free spins.
How to get a free spins bonus
There are various ways to get free spins offers, and at JohnSlots we strive to bring you all the information and latest offers so you always know where to go. Here’s a look at some common scenarios that might award you free spins.
Free spins for new players
Since it’s a great way to offer a taste of the experience, casinos will often promote free spins for new players signing up. Particularly if it’s a no deposit bonus, the free spins offer will be minimal – maybe five or 10 spins in total – but that’s still free chances to win that you didn’t have before! Here are some new player free spins offers to look out for:
”Free spins on sign up” & “Free spins on registration” are really common, and simply mean that you’ll receive the free spins offer just for creating an account with your details.
A “Free spins on card registration” offer means you’ll still get the free spins without making a deposit, but you’ll need to register your card details before you can claim anything. The casino won’t charge your card without your consent though, so it can definitely be worth doing.
Free spins for existing players
Along with enticing new players, casinos are also always trying to keep their current clientele happy, hence will often give our free spins for existing players too. These offers might be promoted on site or through email, so it’s always good to subscribe to your casino’s emails to make sure you don’t miss out.
It’s quite common for casinos to give free spins on a new game release so you can try the game, but sometimes if a casino is running a themed campaign, they may offer free spins on older games too. When it comes to the number of free spins you can get, this can depend on how loyal you’ve been to the casino, how long you’ve played there and how much you’ve deposited.
If you’re part of a casino’s VIP programme, you may also get extra rewards of free spins since the casino will want to keep you happy and playing!
How many free spins can I get?
The amount of free spins you can score on any offer really depends on the casino and their offer. The great news for players is that casinos tend to get competitive and try to out-do each other when it comes to offers. And the even better news is that at JohnSlots we compare all of these offers so you don’t have to look very far to see all your options.
We’ll now go through some of the free spins offers you can claim, and where to find them.
10 free spins
An offer of 10 free spins is extremely generous if it’s 10 free spins no deposit, and just an okay offer if it’s 10 free spins on deposit. You’re more likely to receive 10 free spins on deposit offer since casinos won’t often want to give away too much for free without you adding to your funds.
20 free spins
20 free spins no deposit is a much more generous offer, but one you’re less likely to come across. It’s more common that you would receive 20 spins on deposit, and this would most likely be an offer made to retain existing players.
We don’t have any casinos offering 20 free spins no deposit.
30 free spins
Currently, Betfair is offering 30 free spins no deposit, which in our books is a super generous offer. You don’t need to deposit anything or give the casino your debit card details – simply sign up to claim your offer and spin away.
This isn’t the most common offer you’ll see, so we definitely recommend taking advantage of it. Alternatively, Novibet also offers 30 free spins as part of their welcome package, but you’ll need to make a deposit to claim this.
50 free spins
The higher the free spins amount, the less likely it will be a no deposit offer – and 50 free spins no deposit is perhaps a bit too much to ask for. However, casinos like PlayOJO offer 50 free spins on your first deposit, and you can’t really knock back 50 free chances to win real cash prizes.
100 free spins
Similarly to the above, 100 free spins no deposit is not an offer you’ll commonly come across since casinos will be more inclined to ask for a deposit first.
How to pick the best free spins offer
It’s always fun to receive free spins, but there are definitely a few things to think about before claiming an offer. We’ve played with some of the best free spins offers in our day, and we now have a set of criteria to make sure we’re always bringing you the best of free spins.
Here are some of the things to think about to ensure you’re getting the best free spins bonus possible.
The value of each spin
Unless you’re receiving specifically Super Spins or Mega Spins, free spins will typically be valued at the lowest bet possible on the slot. This can vary of course, but casinos will want to make sure they’re not giving too much away for free.
A free spins no deposit offer, for example, will often be played on a slot with a low minimum bet like £0.05. This may sometimes vary to a bet of £0.10 per spin, but it’s never much more than this.
Ultimately, the higher the value of the spin, the more you can potentially win.
Maximum win
Some free spins offers may come with a winning cap, meaning that there’s a maximum amount of money you can win from the spin. This cap can differ casino to casino, and sometimes doesn’t apply at all, so it’s important to check the terms and conditions before you play.
The maximum win could be as low as £100 or as high as in the thousands, and basically, if you reach the specified amount from your free spins, that’s the most you can take home from that particular offer.
Time limits
The whole idea behind free spins is to get you logged in to the casino and playing, and for this reason, a casino will often set a time limit to your free spins offer.
This often ranges between 24 hours and seven days – and it’s very rare that it will extend much past that. Ideally, you should play with your free spins as soon as possible.
Other terms and conditions
In addition to winning caps, values and time limits, another condition to look out for is that the free spins will often need to be played on a certain game or selection of games. It’s rare that you would get to choose the slot yourself.
We always recommend reading the terms and conditions of any offer (no matter how boring that may seem) to make sure you haven’t missed anything that may become an important factor.
Best casinos with free spins
With so many online casinos with free spins out there, it’s hard to know where to start. So at JohnSlots, we’ve gone through all the free spins UK offers to make sure we bring you only the best casinos with free spins and the greatest offers out there. You’ll find all of these offers on our UK casinos page, but here are our top free spins casinos to check out:
PlayOJO: Another great free spins casino UK, PlayOJO offers 50 free spins on your first deposit
Best slots with free spins
You won’t always get to choose the slots you play your free spins in, and casinos tend to have a few favourites of their own that they’ll use. Here’s a look at the top five free spins slots that you might get to play.
Starburst
A classic of online slots, free spins have long been offered in Starburst since it’s a simple game that everyone loves and it offers low-value spins from £0.05.
Book of Dead
Rising to fame in 2016, Book of Dead has since been one of the most popular free spins slot games due to its similarity to the popular land-based slot, Book of Ra. Book of Dead also offers low minimum bets from £0.01, making it a popular choice for casinos.
Gonzo’s Quest
Another NetEnt classic slot, Gonzo’s Quest follows the quirky adventures of a Spanish conquistador, and it’s a great game to get started with.
Dead or Alive
This slot was so popular that NetEnt even released a sequel to it – but the original Dead or Alive slot is still used by many casinos as a free spins slot.
Twin Spin
It may be a simple slot, but it’s a hit with many players, and for that reason, many casinos give out free spins offers on Twin Spin to keep everyone happy.
Free Spins Bonus vs Free Spins Feature
When a casino gives free spins to players as a bonus, these are normal spins on the game. These are given out at the discretion of the casino, on any slot game they choose. The casino chooses the slot (usually, or they give you the option to choose from a small selection of slots). The casinos also determine the value of each spin (5p or 10p per spin, for instance). There’s no guarantee that you will win with a free spins bonus, and you will only get payouts if you’re lucky with your spins!
On the other hand, some slots have a free spins feature built into the game, such as in Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt. A free spins feature is an in-game bonus, built by the slot developer (as opposed to a free spins bonus offered by a casino). These free spins offer you the chance to win big, or even win a jackpot! They are usually triggered by bonus symbols or scatter symbols. Throughout the free spins feature, your spins won’t cost you anything and you will see the wins rolling in (if you get lucky, of course). They normally have some sort of special bonus feature included (that’s not included in the regular spins), such as:
Expanding symbols
Sticky wilds
Win multipliers
Transforming wilds
A casino can’t give the slot free spins feature as this is built into the game and won at random by lucky players who spin the right symbols. Of course, if you trigger a free spins feature with one of your bonus free spins, you will be laughing all the way to the bank! At JohnSlots, we discover and review all of the top slots with free spins features. Using our slot navigator, you can filter our slot reviews to show you all of the slots that have free spins.
Stay up to date with new free spins at JohnSlots
It might seem like a mammoth task to keep on top of all these new free spins offers – and it is. But that’s our job to do, and all you need to sit back, read our updates and access new offers and new slots with free spins with one click!
We’re always updating our information and adding new casinos, new slots and new free spins offers whenever they pop up. So if you’re keen to stay ahead of the gaming crowd, make sure to come back to JohnSlots regularly to take advantage of the best free spins UK offers on the market!
Did you know this about free spins
We’re here to bring you the best casino experience possible, which is only made greater with free spins offers. For that reason, we’ve conveniently listed the answers to frequently asked questions about free spins – have a read and learn all you need to know, all in one place.
What are Free Spins?
These are a type of casino bonus that an online casino will offer to give you free chances to play a game for real money. You can either receive them as a no deposit bonus or as an offer when you make a deposit, but the one value they share is that they come with no wagering requirements. Any free spins offer that is tied to wagering requirements is actually named incorrectly and is, in fact, a bonus spins offer.
Why casinos offer no deposit free spins?
There are a few reasons a casino would offer no deposit free spins, but the main one is to encourage new players to sign up and play. A casino may also offer no deposit free spins to keep existing customers happy, or to entice lapsed players to come back.
I claimed free spins but want to cancel them. Can I?
For sure you can, and there’s usually an opt-out option easily found in the free spins slot or in your account. If you have any trouble, just make sure to speak to the casino’s customer support team. Don’t forget, if you won any money from the free spins before you opt out, this will be lost if you cancel the offer.
Why can’t I withdraw my winnings from free spins?
It’s most likely because you haven’t fulfilled the terms and conditions. It could be that there’s a winning cap that you’ve already hit and you need to contact customer support, it could be that there’s a minimum to withdraw, or it could be a completely different failure on your account.
Read the terms and conditions first to make sure you’ve met them all, then contact customer support for further help.
How do I know the terms and conditions for free spins?
UK law stipulates that all terms and conditions for a bonus are clearly listed below the offer, or on a clickable link with the offer. If you’re struggling to find the terms and conditions, someone hasn’t done their job right and you should contact customer support to complain.
Is there a limit for how much I can win from no deposit spins?
A casino may impose a winning cap on your free spins, but this isn’t always the case. Check the terms and conditions of the offer to see if a limit applies since it should be clearly specified.
My friend got free spins but I didn’t. Why?
Your friend might be a more loyal player or VIP at the casino, so they might receive better offers than you. It could also be that you haven’t completed your KYC process properly, or you’ve failed to opt in to bonuses – make sure you’ve checked everything in your account before contacting customer support.
How do I claim no deposit free spins?
Generally claiming no deposit free spins is as simple as registering for a new account at an online casino. You might sometimes need to opt-in to offers, and in rare cases, you may also need to provide your payment details (even though you’re not making a deposit).
Whatever the casino’s process, they’ll also explain it clearly what you need to do to claim the offer.
Do I need to use a bonus code to claim free spins?
Not always – sometimes the free spins offers are instant once you’ve completed an action like signing up or making a deposit. If there is a bonus code involved however, the casino will generally tell you this in the instructions when they give you the offer.
Can I use my free spins on all games?
Probably not – most casinos will specify which slot or selection of slots the free spins can be used in. if you do get to choose, this will most likely be promoted since it’s definitely a benefit.
Can I win from no deposit spins for real?
You absolutely can, however sometimes there might be a winning cap on the free spins, so you’ll only be able to win up to a certain amount. If there’s no winning cap, however, you’ll get to take home everything you win. Make sure to check out the terms and conditions for more information.
Can I get free spins on mobile?
For sure you can – and sometimes casinos will even offer mobile-only free spins offers. Generally, if free spins are only available on mobile or only available on desktop, the casino will specify this in their offer.
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