The online gambling industry is like any industry in a free market environment.  They are in business to earn profit.  They can only earn profit if they attract customers.  Without customers, the online casinos go out of business. 

The scramble for potential customers has led many casino holding companies and independent casino operators to develop marketing strategies that entice players to gamble on their sites.  These lures are typically in the form of bonuses.

Actually, these marketing concepts are no different than those that are used in other industries throughout the world.  Financial institutions offer interest earning savings programs in order to attract investors to deposit money with them.  The customer will then decide which offer better suits his or her needs – usually determined by the best rate of return on the investment.

The same philosophy can be found in the online gaming industry.  Online casinos offer a variety of bonuses in order to attract patrons to play on their sites.  It is important for gambling patrons to understand the meaning and variance of these offerings.

Variety of Bonus Offerings

• Sign-up Bonus - is an offer for new subscribers to the online casino site.  Also known as welcome bonuses, the percentage varies with the amount of your deposit.  For example, some sites give you a 100% bonus on an original investment of $1,500.  In these cases, when you make your original deposit, the online casino adds a corresponding amount into your account.
• Loyalty Bonus - is an offer for repeat subscribers to an online casino website.  Also known as the second time bonus, many sites offer 25% on your second and subsequent deposits.  If your second deposit is $1,000, the online casino will add an additional $250 to your account.
• Comp Points Bonus - is a matching offer based on the amount of your wager.  As an incentive for your play, online casinos will issue comp points to you for every dollar wagered.  These comp points earn you cash back and prizes.
• Method of Payment Bonus - is an offer of a percentage added to your account based on the method through which you make your deposit.  On some sites, the bonus is as high as 15% for utilizing specified methods of payment.
• Invite-a-Friend Bonus - is a bonus for patrons who refer other players to the site.  Also known as Refer-a Friend, many sites offer $50-$75 for a referral, and $25 for the new subscriber.
• And many more, including Bad Beat Hand and other variations.

Gamblers must evaluate the variety of bonuses that are available and make their decisions based on their preferences and on the individual merits of the bonuses.