A new type of bonus is doing the rounds of Microgaming online casinos. It is called free play bonus because it is offered to the player upfront and totally free. To avail of the free play bonus the player is not required to make any deposit to the online casino. For this reason the bonus is sometimes referred to as no deposit bonus and the casino as no deposit casino.

The procedure for utilizing the free play bonus is as follows. The player has to first download the software and to complete the registration formalities at the no deposit casino. Immediately a miniature casino will appear on the screen with $500 no deposit bonus standing to the player’s credit. Some no deposit casinos may offer different amounts as free play bonus. The player has click on the required button and the timer starts. The first important thing to note is that only one hour is allowed for the free play bonus. The player has to select the game he wants and start playing. The second important thing to note is that the player has to place 100 bets to get the winnings from the no deposit bonus. Some no deposit casinos allow only one game for the free play bonus, while others give the player a wider selection. The latter is advantageous because the player can change games if he is unlucky, but the time lost in changing games counts in the given one hour.

At the end of the hour the miniature casino shuts down. Whatever the player wins over and above $500 gets transferred to his casino account and he can use it for wagering. If the player ends up with less than $500 then the free play bonus has not earned him anything. As compensation the no deposit casino allows the player to take up the regular sign in bonus.