Free spins vs bonus cash in apps

Free spins vs bonus cash in apps: the short answer

If you mainly play slots, want to know exactly what you’re getting, and dislike tracking wagering, no-wagering free spins are the easier choice. If you want to choose your own games and stake sizes, deposit more, and don’t mind meeting a playthrough target within a deadline, bonus cash gives more room. Neither type makes gambling profitable: both are ways to get more play from a deposit, and the house edge applies to every spin.

The detail matters more than the label, so this guide breaks down how each one works in an app, puts real numbers on current UK offers, and shows the terms that change the picture. If you’re after a side-by-side of specific apps rather than the concepts, our free spins vs matched bonus apps comparison does that.

How free spins work in a casino app

Free spins in a welcome offer are pre-paid spins on one or more named slots. You don’t choose the stake: each spin has a fixed value, typically 10p. In an app, they usually appear as a counter on the eligible game’s tile, a message in the in-app inbox, or a pop-up the first time you open the slot. Opening the game starts the spins at the set value, and the stake buttons are locked until they’re used.

What happens to the winnings is the key difference between spin offers. With no-wagering spins, winnings land in your cash balance and can be withdrawn. With wagered spins, they become bonus funds with a playthrough target. All three spin offers we list are the first kind. Where spins come from a ‘bet £10’ offer, the stake on slots is the condition; they aren’t given away without spending.

• Fixed value: you can’t raise or lower the stake on bonus spins.
• Named games: spins only work on the slots listed in the terms.
• Deadlines: a window to accept them and another to use them.
• Claiming: sometimes automatic, sometimes from the inbox or promotions page; see how to claim free spins in a casino app.

How bonus cash works in a casino app

Bonus cash usually comes as a matched deposit: the casino adds a percentage of your deposit, up to a cap. In the app it shows as a separate bonus balance, often under your main balance or in a Bonuses or My Promotions section, with a progress bar for wagering.

You choose the games and the stake, within the rules: a maximum bet while the bonus is active, a list of games that count towards wagering (often slots only or slots at 100%), and a deadline. Once you’ve wagered the required amount, the remaining bonus converts to withdrawable cash. Withdraw before then and the bonus is usually forfeited. Whether your own deposit is used first depends on whether the bonus is sticky or non-sticky, so check the terms.

Free spins and bonus cash compared side by side

Putting numbers on free spins and bonus cash

Two calculations help. For spins, multiply the number of spins by the spin value to get the face value, then remember the average return is lower because of the slot’s RTP. For bonus cash, multiply the bonus by the wagering requirement to get the total you must stake, then multiply that by the house edge for a rough idea of the average cost of clearing it. These are long-run averages; any single session can land far above or below them.

Example: 80 spins on Big Bass Bonanza

Big Bass Bonanza has a published RTP of 96.71% at its default setting, though casinos can run lower versions. On average, £8 of spins at that rate would return about £7.74. Because the game is high volatility, most sets of 80 spins will return less than that, and a few will return much more. With no wagering, whatever you win is cash.

Example: £100 of bonus cash at 10x

Clearing a £100 bonus at 10x means staking £1,000. On slots averaging around 96% RTP, the average cost of that much play is roughly 4% of £1,000, about £40, which would leave about £60 of the bonus on average. In reality the spread is wide: you could finish with nothing, or with much more. And it takes time: at £1 a spin that’s 1,000 spins in seven days, and with UK slots taking at least 2.5 seconds a spin, that’s over 40 minutes of pure spinning before any pauses.

These sums show the cost built into each offer, not a way to profit. The house edge applies to every spin, so over time players lose more than they win.

Which suits you: free spins or bonus cash?

Our page on no wagering vs wagered bonuses explores the wagering side in more depth.

UK rules that affect both types of offer

• Wagering cap: since 19 January 2026, no bonus can require more than 10x wagering.
• No mixed products: offers that require a sports bet to unlock casino spins are banned from the same date.
• Stake limits: £5 a spin on slots for players aged 25+, £2 for 18–24s; a bonus’s own max bet may be lower.
• No bonus buy: feature buys aren’t offered in Great Britain, so you can’t use bonus cash to buy a slot’s bonus round.
• Spin speed: slots must take at least 2.5 seconds a spin with no autoplay or turbo, which affects how long wagering takes.

These are summarised on our UK casino app rules page.

Claiming each type in an app, step by step

Free spins (Ladbrokes as the example)

1. Install the Ladbrokes Casino app from the App Store or Google Play and register as a new customer.
2. Deposit with a qualifying method (not prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill or Moneybookers).
3. Spend £10 or more on slots.
4. Open the in-app inbox each day and claim that day’s 50 spins before 23:59.
5. Open an eligible game; the spins run at 10p each and must be used within 7 days.

Bonus cash (Casumo as the example)

1. Install the Casumo app and register as a new customer.
2. Opt in to the welcome bonus when prompted, before depositing.
3. Deposit at least £20; the bonus is 50% of the deposit up to £100.
4. Play eligible games at £5 a bet or less, and watch the wagering progress in the app.
5. Complete 10x the bonus within 7 days for it to become withdrawable.

If spins or a bonus don’t appear, our page on casino app free spins not showing lists the usual causes.

Free spins and bonus cash offers from licensed apps

The offers below cover both sides: Ladbrokes’ up to 500 spins and PlayOJO’s 80 spins with no wagering on winnings, and Casumo’s 50% match with 10x wagering. All are for new customers aged 18+, need a qualifying deposit or stake, and full terms apply. See no wagering free spins apps and matched deposit bonus apps for more detail on each type.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.