The online casino industry is booming. There are now more casino sites available on the internet than ever before. And as competition hots up, so too must the rewards and incentives offered by online casinos – or else they risk losing valuable customers to any of their many rivals.

Whilst this greater level of competition makes things a bit tougher for the casinos, it means now’s a great time to become an online casino player. You’ll find so many generous rewards, bonuses and promotions out there just waiting to be snapped up. . .

But with so many different incentives being used to try and lure you in, it can be a little tricky to know which casino is actually offering the most generous player experience. Those just starting out in the online casino world often ask the same question: what should I be looking for – a casino that offers lots of regular promotional offers, or a casino with a great loyalty scheme?

To solve this question, you first need to understand the in-and-outs of both types of perks to be able to weigh up which could prove the most beneficial for you.

Loyalty schemes

The majority of casino loyalty schemes (or loyalty programmes, as they’re also known) work on a tiered reward basis. In other words, when you play across the casino’s range of games, you collect points or unlock new levels to gain access to new rewards. These rewards may include things like free spins and cash bonuses, or even extras like faster withdrawal speeds and lower withdrawal fees.

One of the great things about this structured reward system is that, unlike with random promotional offers, you know exactly when you can expect to get rewarded (i.e., you can see how many points you need to redeem the next reward you want, or you know how much more you need to play to unlock the next level of perks).

What’s more, it often allows you to choose the type of rewards you benefit from. From example, the loyalty points you collect by playing could be used as currency in some form of reward store, where you can take your pick from a range of goodies available. This is good if you’re selective about what you want to play with your free perks.

Promotional offers

As well as having a dedicated promotions page on site displaying all their big prize draws and competition giveaways, most online casinos will send you SMS messages and emails letting you know about limited-time deposit offers. These can be a great way to still cash in on some free spins or cash bonuses when you’re not due any new loyalty rewards.

There are a few things you need to bear in mind with these kinds of one-off deals though. The promotional period may be short (often the offer must be claimed on the day you’re sent it), so it’s easy to miss a promotion if you don’t regularly check your inbox messages. Always make sure you’ve opted in to receive communications from the site from the moment you sign up too, or else you will not be sent any offers at all.

Get the best of both

So what’s best? Well, when it comes to getting the most out of online casino gaming, it’s a good idea to pick a casino which provides an excellent loyalty scheme from the get go first, as you’re probably not going to know how regularly you’ll receive promotional offers, or how good they’ll be, until you’ve signed up and started playing. And if you do eventually feel you’re not getting enough one-off deals sent to you, don’t be afraid to hunt for a new casino to play at – there’s certainly no shortage to choose from!

And just as a final word of warning. . .

Whenever you accept any form of perk or bonus – whether it be a loyalty reward or a one-off promotional offer –, make sure you understand the terms attached to it. Some free spins and cash bonuses can have wagering requirements attached, making it hard to withdraw anything you win with them. Therefore, we’d recommend searching for a casino which promises no wagering requirements on any of their bonuses from the moment you sign up. Also, check if the casino charges you for withdrawals before you play, so you don’t have any nasty surprises later on.