Casino bonuses can be wonderful. Free spins, free money, free bets – there is a vast selection of casino bonuses out there and without much effort, you can receive hundreds of bucks in bonuses on your account.

However, not all that glitters is gold. Casino bonuses have a “dark side” which may make you think twice before opting for a bonus next time. Instead, you might find that playing for real money is actually in many ways much more useful. Here are some of the reasons why this might be true.

Rollover requirements are harsh

Rollover requirements are the casino gamer’s nightmare. Most bonuses have some sort of rollover requirement which means that the winnings (or the bonus amount itself) must be wagered for certain amount of times before it can be withdrawn. For example, a rollover requirement of 30x means the bonus amount must be wagered 30 times before you can receive the money.

Bonus expires too quickly

Bonuses don’t last forever. If you read the terms of the bonus offer, you might see a note saying “the bonus amount must be wagered 30x within 7 days of receiving the bonus”. This means there’s a limited time frame for fulfilling the rollover requirements. If the player fails to do so, the bonus will disappear. 7 to 14 days is the most common expiration time, but some offers may limit the time period even more.

Game selection is limited

Many bonuses are meant for specific games, e.g. free spins might be given to only certain slot machines. That means you might not get to explore the gambling site as you wished and can try only a handful of games before running out of the bonus money.

There are too many requirements to follow

Since bonuses are essentially “free money”, it’s clear that the offer isn’t handed out randomly and without any conditions. You might need to make a certain minimum deposit, some payment methods might not be applicable for the bonus, some casinos require identity identification, some ask for many personal details and other proof to avoid money laundering and keep away scammers.

For all these reasons, it might be easier to just stick to your own money – no questions, no requirements and only full satisfaction! Bonuses can be fun, but next time, think of these downsides and make sure you are okay with the requirements as to avoid disappointment later on.