If there’s one thing that unites all online casino enthusiasts, it’s their dissatisfaction at unfair and unjust wagering requirements. There’s truly nothing more frustrating than discovering a great welcome offer full of free spins, only to realise that any potential winnings are locked behind unachievable wagering requirements.

The fact of the matter is that players are well aware of the opportunities afforded to them by generous casinos, and as a result they won’t just blindly accept any old offer without first conducting thorough research into the terms and conditions.

Players are quick to recognise any sly caveats such as high wagering requirements, max win limitations and game weightings that might well trip them up further down the line… Especially when it comes to making a withdrawal.

This heightened player power has led to operators smartening up, lowering their wagering requirements in order to attract new players. These low wagering requirements are great for those of us who just want to make the most of these fair and honest bonuses with little fuss.

Wagering requirements – How far is too far?

As you may be aware, wagering requirements dictate how much a player needs to bet in order to withdraw any winnings earned from their casino welcome bonus.

On average most casinos require that players play through their winnings 30 to 40 times before any withdrawals are possible, meaning that over a £1000 will need to be won and wagered in order to make any bonus worth £25 or more at all worthwhile.

If that seemed excessive to you then you’ll be disappointed to hear that many casinos go take their wagering requirements significantly further than the current industry standard of 30x to 40x wagering.

Sadly, It’s not at all uncommon for operators to set wagering requirements anywhere between 50x and 100x wagering with the latter causing a real headache for players, more often than not you’ll find these huge wagering requirements alongside some very attractive offers.

When you see an unbelievable bonus offering hundreds of free spins or thousands of pounds worth of bonus cash then nine times out of ten there’s a catch… Wagering requirements.

Be warned, if an offer seems too good to be true than it normally is. Realistically if you’re going to chase an offer with high wagering requirements you’re likely to lose your money long before you even get close to withdrawing a single penny.

What can be considered a fair low wagering casino bonus

In our opinion anything between 1x wagering and 25x wagering is more than acceptable as a fair low wagering casino bonus, and is well worth pursuing. The lower the wagering requirements the better the chance the player has of being able to work through them without too much stress.

A £20 welcome bonus with 25x wagering requirements attached would require the player to make £500 worth of bets before they could withdraw any winnings. This seems quite daunting at first glance, however, when compared to 50x wagering or 100x wagering, it really isn’t so bad as these would require £1000 and £2000 worth of bets respectively.

It’s vital that players remember that low wagering casino bonuses will be quite modest in their offering. You shouldn’t expect to receive a huge number of free spins or a massive bonus.

So whilst you might not initially be blown away by the offers itself, you need to remember that low wagering casinos sacrifice hugely attractive free spins and big bonuses in favour of offering players a fair, honest and fun experience from the outset.

Ask yourself, what would you prefer, a casino that’s out to stitch you up for your initial deposit, or a casino that’s going to give you the best value for money and allow you to enjoy your time spent online? It’s a no brainer.

Why not just go for a no wagering bonus?

Addressing one very large elephant in the room, why don’t players just opt for a no wagering casino bonus instead of choosing a low wagering casino bonus?

Speaking frankly, casinos are slowly beginning to move away from hugely generous wager-free offers in favour of a low wagering alternative. Take for example bgo casino, the casino mega brand was well documented as being a pioneer of the no wagering revolution, however in recent times they’ve scaled back on their wager-free spins.

It’s hard to tell why this is, there could be a number of reasons behind the move. Realistically, though it could well be because new players have shown a willingness to accept a low wagering offer in favour of a bigger bonus. A little work in playing through the requirements is a fair trade for being treated well and compensated for their loyalty in the long run.

We’re by no means suggesting that you should avoid no wagering casino bonuses in favour of a low wagering one, because ultimately they’re incredibly worthwhile and offer players great value. However low wagering casino bonuses are becoming more prominent and are most certainly here to stay.

Why should players opt for a low wagering casino?

If you value honesty, transparency and fairness then you should seriously consider opting for a low wagering casino, because it’s these three core values that are at the heart of what they’re about as responsible operators.

Most low wagering casinos require players to play online slot games in order to be eligible for their bonuses, whilst live casino games, table games and scratchcards are excluded from the offer. This isn’t at all a bad thing as online slot games offer players the opportunity to hit a big win courtesy of a bonus feature, quickly working through the requirements in one fell swoop.

If the low wagering welcome offer comes as a matched bonus rather than free spins then it’s likely you’ll also find you have the freedom to choose whichever slot you want, as opposed to being tied to a particular game. When compared with no wagering offers which almost exclusively offer free spins tied to a specific game, this is a pretty good perk!

Ultimately, If you’re looking for a fair welcome offer that requires significantly less wagering than the average bonus, whilst still providing value than we’d recommend searching for a trusted low wagering casino.