This is a common question with a fairly practical answer.
Recently, I was on Quora and a user requested my answer to this online casino-related question:
“How much money or do you even need money for an online casino?”
After replying, it got me thinking that maybe it would be fun or even useful to others if I shared my thoughts on the how much money do you need to play at an online casino subject in an actual blog post. And, here we are! 🤣
So…
Do you have to deposit a lot to play?
The simple answer is no, you don’t have to make a large online casino deposit in order to play games for real money. This applies to your very first deposit, as well.
That said, this doesn’t mean that an online casino will let you deposit any amount you want. Most online casinos have a minimum deposit requirement. The most common minimum amount I’ve seen for an online casino dollar deposit is $10. However, I have also heard that some casinos have $5 deposit and even $1 dollar deposit minimums. Moreover, sometimes casino deposit minimums – just like withdrawals – may also differ depending on the payment method you use and if transaction fees apply.
| For instance, I use Paysafecard and there is a 5.0% fee applied to using it for making a deposit. As such, if I deposit $10, the transaction fee is $0.50. This means that, even though only $10 will be deposited into my online casino account, what I’ve actually spent to make this deposit is $10.50. Therefore, I factor any associated transaction fees into my budget of how much I’ll need to play at the casino, as well. |
Thus, in terms of online casino deposit minimum requirements (and fees), it all depends on where you play. Just remember that this requirement (and potential transaction fee) is your jumping off point in terms of how much money you need to deposit to play for a chance at real money wins.
But how much money do you need to enjoy your online casino experience?
Beyond knowing what the minimum deposit amount is at the iGaming destination where you choose to play, how much money you need to play at an online casino depends on multiple factors. Every one of these factors has to do with personal choice.
They include:
- The game(s) you want to play
- The average amount you bet per game
- How frequently you intend to play
- If you plan to claim casino bonuses
- How much you can afford to spend on gambling
More specifically, here’s what to think about (and what I thought about) when creating an online casino budget…
What casino game(s) do I want to play?
Are you interested in online slots? Online roulette? Online blackjack? Online Poker? Each game has different bet ranges.
| For instance, on average, online slots can cost as little as 10 cents or less per spin or hundreds of dollars per spin. While Card and table games can cost as little as $1 per game or hundreds of dollars per game, on average. |
Knowing the lowest and highest possible bet size available for the game(s) you intend to play can help to give you an idea of the size of budget you might need per playing session.
What is the average size of the bet I want to make per game?
As mentioned above, games have a wide range of bet sizes. Giving some thought to how much you’d like to generally bet per game will provide you with an idea of how much you’ll need for your intended playing session(s).
| For instance, if you deposit $50, and you bet $10 per game, your starting $50 bankroll isn’t likely to take you far unless you get lucky really quickly (something you shouldn’t depend on). However, if you’re intention is to only play a few games with large bets, then a $50 bankroll might do just fine (as long as you can afford it, of course). |
The smaller your budget and the bigger your bets, the faster your bankroll is likely to run out. Budget based on the type of playing experience you’d like to enjoy.
How often do I intend to gamble?
Think about how often you intend to play. Is your intention to play daily? A couple of times a week? Once a week? A couple of times a month? Once a month? It’s easier to create a budget when you know how often you intend to play.
| For instance, I give myself a monthly budget of $100. I typically gamble once a week. Sometimes I’ll deposit the full $100 at the start of the month. Other times, I’ll split the total budget over the four weeks ($25 each week). Usually, if I’m splitting my online casino bankroll budget, I’m doing so because I intend to claim casino offers. However, no matter how much I decide to deposit and when, if/once I lose my $100 depositing budget (regardless of when this might occur in the month) I stop gambling and will not deposit again until the following month. This personal responsible gaming rule is one of the ways I stay in control of my gambling. |
I highly recommend you create maximum deposit limits and similar budgeting rules, such as setting a total monthly budget, as part of your responsible gambling strategy.
Do I want to claim casino bonus offers?
If you would like to claim an online casino promotion, more often than not, you’ll need to make a minimum deposit (usually a minimum of $10 – which may include a transaction fee) to qualify. Since this is the case, you’ll want to factor this into your deposit strategy without going over your budget.
| For instance, sometimes – like I mentioned above – I don’t deposit my total monthly budget all at once. I save some of it in case I want to claim a promotion, ensuring I’ve saved enough to meet the minimum qualifying deposit bonus amount. |
Additionally, remember to investigate the terms and conditions that apply to casino deposit bonuses and any other casino promotion you claim. Some might have wagering requirements which could lead to you needing to deposit even more in order to meet these requirements and withdraw any bonus winnings.
How much can I truly afford to spend on gambling?
Creating a budget based on how much you need to play at an online casino isn’t only about how much you want to spend on gambling, but how much you can actually afford to spend on it per playing session, per week, per month, etc.
| For instance, I budget for gambling in the same way that I do for all other types of entertainment I enjoy and treat myself to, like a meal at a restaurant, the movies, the arcade, a live show, buying a video game, etc. Just as the case with all these other forms of entertainment, money for gambling is money I’m spending on something for amusement/pleasure. It’s not an investment I’m expecting to get back or make money on. Winning is a fun perk of gambling (and it’s why we play obviously), but it’s never a guarantee, and it can be quite shocking how fast you can lose your entire bankroll in one short playing session if luck isn’t on your side. I’ve been there recently and lost $80 in less than 7 minutes making $2.00 bets on the Lobster Bob’s Crazy Crab Shack slot because I wasn’t lucky enough to trigger a bonus feature during my session…but, that’s the way gambling goes. |
It’s easy to slip into the mindset of thinking that the money you deposit for gambling is money you’ll win back or that you’ll win more than your deposit and have even more to play with. However, this is a dangerous way of thinking because you can lose everything as quickly as you can hit a win, and the risk of losing far surpasses that of winning. It’s why creating a budget, setting deposit limits, and sticking to them is so important. The more rigid you are with your budget and are a stickler for your gambling rules, the safer your play will be.
How much money you need to play at an online casino is up to you.
Take the time to give your bankroll some careful thought. The last thing you want is to make the mistake of spending beyond your means and for your gambling to have a negative impact on your life and/or someone else’s.
Bottom line, how much you will require boils down to how much you want and can afford to spend on gambling. This might be $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 or more. Minimum online casino deposit requirements aside, no budget is too small, and only you know what you can afford based on your lifestyle.
Until next time, good luck and have fun!
Mia 👩💻
*All links and images in this post are for information purposes only.
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