Play Alberta Casino: The Only Legal Online Casino in the Province — And Why That’s Starting to Change
Play Alberta is the sole online casino and sportsbook operating under Alberta’s provincial gambling framework, managed by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Since its launch in October 2020, the platform has carved out a quiet niche for players who value legal protection over flashy bonuses. It’s not going to win any awards for game variety or promotional firepower, but it does something most offshore casinos don’t: it answers to a public regulator, processes Interac withdrawals within a couple of days, and won’t vanish overnight with your balance.
But the ground is shifting. Alberta’s government has been clear that private operators will eventually enter the market, likely through legislation in late 2026 with licences following in 2027. That move will reshape how online gambling works in the province, bringing in brands like BetMGM, DraftKings, and 888 Casino, and forcing Play Alberta to either evolve or lose its casual player base. This guide walks through what the platform offers right now, where it disappoints, and what the future holds for the only legal casino in Alberta.
The Legal Foundation: AGLC’s Monopoly and What It Means for Players
Play Alberta runs as the digital arm of the AGLC, which has controlled legal gambling in the province for decades. It accepts real-money wagers only from players physically located inside Alberta’s borders, using a combination of IP addresses and device geolocation to enforce that rule. Step over the border into Saskatchewan or British Columbia, and the app locks you out. That’s not a technical glitch; it’s a condition of the licence, and it’s the same model other provincial platforms use.
Legally, the platform sits in a strange middle ground. It’s not a government-run lottery site like PlayNow in British Columbia or Espacejeux in Quebec, though it shares some structural DNA. It’s also not a private operator like those that launched in Ontario after April 2022. Instead, it’s a public monopoly trying to compete with hundreds of offshore brands that accept Alberta players without any provincial oversight. That tension defines almost every complaint players have about the service.
Who can actually play at Play Alberta?
You must be 18 or older and physically inside Alberta’s provincial borders to place a real-money bet. The platform verifies your location at login and periodically during play. If you’re a resident of Alberta but travel to another province or country, you cannot wager until you return. This is stricter than most offshore casinos, which rarely enforce geographic boundaries beyond a simple IP check that VPN users can bypass. For Play Alberta, a VPN won’t help, because the system cross-references multiple data points, and attempting to spoof location is a direct terms-of-service violation.
Is Play Alberta legit for real money play?
Yes, and that statement carries more weight here than it does for a typical .com casino. Play Alberta is backed by the provincial government and audited by the AGLC. Withdrawals go through the same banking channels as other public services, and disputes can be escalated to a provincial ombudsman if the operator fails to resolve them. You don’t get that with a Curaçao-licensed site. However, legitimacy doesn’t equal generosity. The platform’s promotional calendar is thin, the game library is small, and you won’t find a single no deposit offer anywhere.
Registration, Login, and the Mobile Experience in 2026
Setting up an account takes about five minutes. You provide a valid email, create a password, confirm your identity with basic information, and choose a security question. Play Alberta may request a scan of a government ID during your first withdrawal, which is standard under Canadian AML law. The login process is quick, though the platform sometimes pushes a two-factor code to your phone or email, especially after a long period of inactivity.
The mobile apps for Android and iOS are stable and well-maintained. I’ve tested dozens of casino apps, and Play Alberta’s isn’t the prettiest, but it loads faster than many offshore clients bloated with tracking scripts. The sportsbook section loads noticeably quicker than the casino lobby, which suggests the casino backend may be under-resourced. That’s a small thing, but it hints at where the platform’s priorities sit.
How does Play Alberta handle geolocation?
Play Alberta uses a two-layer geolocation system: your device’s GPS or Wi-Fi positioning combined with your IP address. If the two signals disagree, the platform blocks access. You cannot log in from outside Alberta, even to browse your balance or withdraw funds. To withdraw, you also need to be inside provincial borders, which prevents players from cashing out while traveling. This is stricter than PlayNow in BC, which allows withdrawals from anywhere in Canada for some account functions.
Can I use a VPN to access Play Alberta from another province?
No, and attempting to do so is a violation of the terms of service. Play Alberta’s geolocation verification is designed to detect commercial VPNs, and the system will suspend accounts that repeatedly attempt to bypass it. If you’re a fan of privacy tools, you’ll need to disable them while playing. This is a significant departure from offshore casinos, where VPN use is common and rarely punished. For Play Alberta, the provincial licence is the entire product, so they protect it aggressively.
The Game Library: From IGT Slots to Evolution Live Dealer
If you’re used to offshore casinos with 3,000 or more slots, Play Alberta’s catalogue will feel like a boutique shop. At last count, the casino side hosts roughly 150 titles, split between slots, table games, and live dealer tables. That’s barely five percent of what you’d find at Jackpot City or Spin Casino. But the games that are available are stable, tested, and come with published RTPs, which most offshore operators bury in help files or hide entirely.
The slot selection is dominated by IGT, Everi, and Konami. You’ll find classic three-reel games, some video slots, and a few progressive jackpots, including MegaJackpots titles that have paid out seven-figure sums. You won’t find Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, or NetEnt content here, because those providers haven’t signed agreements with the AGLC. That’s a real gap if you enjoy modern mechanics like cascading reels, bonus buys, or high volatility. Table game fans get the basics: blackjack with limits from $1 to $500, roulette, baccarat, and a few video poker variants.
Live dealer games stream from Evolution’s studios, which is the same provider used by LeoVegas, Unibet, and hundreds of other casinos worldwide. The stream quality is solid, but the betting limits are conservative. You can sit at a blackjack table with a $5 minimum, but don’t expect to wager $5,000 a hand. The AGLC keeps ceilings low to attract recreational players rather than professionals. That’s either a feature or a limitation, depending on your bankroll.
Which game providers are available at Play Alberta?
Currently, the main providers are IGT, Everi, Konami, and Evolution for live dealer games. That’s a short list compared to the industry giant portfolios. If Alberta opens to private operators, you can expect Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, NetEnt, Yggdrasil, and Hacksaw Gaming to enter within months. Ontario saw its legal casino library jump from a few hundred games to over 10,000 after market opening, and Alberta would likely follow a similar, if slightly slower, trajectory.
What are the most popular slots at Play Alberta right now?
IGT’s MegaJackpots titles like “Siberian Storm” and “Wheel of Fortune” draw the most players, mostly because of the progressive jackpot pools. Classic Everi games like “Black Diamond” and “Dynamite Pop” also have steady followings. But if you’re looking for the viral high-volatility slots that dominate Twitch streams — think “Gates of Olympus” or “Mental” — you won’t find them here. Until the market opens, the slot selection will remain the platform’s weakest point.
What are the table limits at Play Alberta?
Blackjack minimums start at $1, which is unusually low for an online casino. Maximums cap out at $500 per hand for most tables, though some live dealer games allow up to $1,000. Roulette limits are similar, with minimums around $0.25 for automated tables and $1 for live dealer. Baccarat tends to have higher minimums, starting at $5. These low ceilings frustrate high rollers but align with the AGLC’s harm-reduction mandate.
Payments: How Deposits and Withdrawals Actually Work
Play Alberta keeps its banking options simple, and that’s both good and bad. You can deposit via Interac, Visa, Mastercard, and prepaid cards, with a minimum transaction of $10. There are no fees on deposits. The absence of e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller is a known pain point, and crypto is entirely off the table. If you play at offshore casinos, you’re probably used to a dozen payment methods, including Bitcoin and Ethereum; here, you get four.
Withdrawals are where the platform earns its reputation. Interac e-Transfer requests are usually processed within 24 to 48 hours, which is faster than most offshore brands that advertise “instant withdrawals” but then hold your cash for verification. Bank transfers take three to five business days, and credit card withdrawals can drag on for up to ten days because card networks are slow. The minimum withdrawal is $10, and there’s no upward cap for most methods, though any withdrawal over a few thousand dollars may trigger additional source-of-funds checks. That’s standard under Canadian anti-money laundering rules, not a red flag.
What deposit methods are accepted at Play Alberta?
Play Alberta accepts Interac e-Transfer, Visa, Mastercard, and prepaid Visa or Mastercard products. The minimum deposit is $10. There are no deposit fees. Notably, PayPal and other e-wallets are not supported, and neither is cryptocurrency. If you want to fund your account with Bitcoin or Tether, you’ll need to look at an offshore casino, but remember that those platforms operate outside Alberta’s regulatory umbrella.
Are withdrawals taxed in Alberta?
In Alberta, gambling winnings are generally not taxed as income unless you’re a professional gambler whose primary source of income comes from betting. Casual players do not need to report winnings to the CRA. This is different from the United States, where all casino winnings are taxable. If you hit a large jackpot at Play Alberta, you keep the full amount. Offshore casinos may also not deduct tax, but you’re responsible for reporting if you cross the professional threshold.
Why doesn’t Play Alberta support PayPal or Skrill?
The AGLC has been slow to adopt e-wallet providers for regulatory and compliance reasons. E-wallets add an extra layer of intermediary between the player and the operator, which complicates anti-money laundering audits. Private operators entering Alberta might bring PayPal support, as they already do in Ontario, but for now Play Alberta sticks to bank-linked methods. It’s a conservative choice that frustrates players who prefer digital wallets.
Bonuses and Promotions: Why Play Alberta Doesn’t Do No Deposit Free Spins
This is where most players raised on offshore casinos feel the culture shock. Play Alberta offers no no deposit bonus, no free spins on sign-up, and no $200 free chips. The AGLC has historically viewed aggressive bonuses as a trigger for problem gambling, so it restricts promotional incentives to modest weekly offers like a $10 deposit match on specific slots or a small sportsbook free bet. You won’t see a $1,000 welcome package here, and you won’t see a wagering requirement that traps your balance for months.
That’s a deliberate policy choice, not an oversight. The province believes that if you want to gamble, you should do it with your own money at stake, not a casino’s promotional credit. Whether that philosophy survives market opening is an open question. Ontario’s private operators launched with no deposit bonuses and free spins, though the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has since tightened rules on how those offers can be marketed. Alberta’s regulator may follow a stricter path.
Does Play Alberta have a promo code for 2026?
No public promo codes exist for Play Alberta, and the platform rarely issues them. When it does, they’re sent by email to existing players and tied to a specific sports event or casino game. There is no promo code section on the website, no bonus code field at registration, and no social media codes. This is a fundamental difference from offshore casinos like Betty Casino or Lucky Days, where promo code pages are a core acquisition channel.
Will private operators bring bigger bonuses to Alberta?
Probably, but with lower values than what offshore sites currently advertise. Ontario’s licensed operators typically offer no deposit bonuses of $5 to $20 or 20 to 50 free spins, not the $200 no deposit or $1,000 match you see at grey-market casinos. Alberta’s government has a more conservative streak, so expect caps on bonus amounts and stricter rules on how free spins can be promoted. A $200 no deposit bonus is unlikely to be approved by the AGLC in any form.
Sports Betting at Play Alberta: A Separate Product with Real Potential
Sports betting is where Play Alberta has grown most aggressively, and it’s no accident. Single-event sports betting became legal in Canada in August 2021, and Alberta was one of the first provinces to launch a full sportsbook. The platform now offers hockey, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, MMA, and a range of niche markets. It also pushes same-game parlays and player props hard, which makes sense: those bet types carry the highest house edge and generate the most revenue.
But the sportsbook still feels like a public utility. You can build a parlay, but the interface is clunkier than Bet365 or Unibet. The odds are competitive but rarely the best available, and the live betting interface lacks the depth of international platforms. If you’re a serious sports bettor, you’ll probably keep an offshore account for the sharper lines and faster settlement. If you’re a casual NHL fan, Play Alberta is perfectly serviceable.
How does the Play Alberta sportsbook compare to international brands?
Play Alberta’s sportsbook covers the main North American leagues plus European soccer, but it lacks the depth of markets that Bet365 or Betway offer. Player props are limited, live streaming is non-existent, and the parlay builder feels outdated. On the positive side, settlement is fast, and you don’t have to worry about a Sportsbook refusing to pay a winning ticket. For someone who bets $20 on the Oilers every weekend, that’s enough. For a volume bettor, it’s not.
Can I bet on NHL and CFL at Play Alberta?
Yes, both the NHL and CFL are available, along with major leagues like the NBA, NFL, MLB, and top European soccer leagues. Alberta doesn’t restrict betting on local teams, unlike some US states. The platform offers standard moneyline, spread, and totals bets, plus a growing selection of props and futures. Live in-game betting is available for most sports, though the menu is thinner than at a dedicated sportsbook like Unibet.
The Regulatory Horizon: What 2026 and 2027 Mean for Alberta’s Online Casino Market
How far will Alberta’s government go, and how fast? That’s the question every industry observer is asking. The province has spent the past two years studying Ontario’s model, and in 2025 the government confirmed that private operators will be allowed to launch online casinos under AGLC oversight. The target for enabling legislation is late 2026, with the first private licences expected in 2027. That means Play Alberta will face direct competition for the first time in its short history.
Ontario’s market opening on April 4, 2022, offers a useful preview. Within a year, the province had issued dozens of licences to operators and game suppliers, and the online gambling sector generated hundreds of millions in revenue. But Ontario also faced criticism for allowing aggressive advertising and bonus marketing. Alberta’s government, which leans more conservative, is likely to impose stricter limits on how private operators can promote themselves. That could mean lower bonus values, fewer TV ads, and tighter responsible gambling requirements than Ontario imposed.
What can Alberta learn from Ontario’s market opening?
Ontario’s experience shows that a regulated private market can grow quickly without collapsing player protection standards, but it also revealed the downside of rapid commercialization: operators spent heavily on advertising and bonuses to capture market share, which some critics argue increased problem gambling. Alberta’s government has signalled it will take a more measured approach, possibly capping bonus values and restricting ad placements. That doesn’t mean private operators won’t be competitive; it just means the promotional arms race may be less extreme than in Ontario.
Will Play Alberta survive private competition?
That depends on how the government structures the market. If Play Alberta remains a government-run brand, it will need to improve its game library, mobile features, and promotional calendar to retain players. If it’s sold to a private operator, the future becomes even less certain. Some analysts expect Play Alberta to become the default responsible gambling platform, with private operators targeting higher-volume players. Either way, the platform you see in 2027 will likely look very different from the one running today.
What restrictions might the AGLC impose on private operators?
Expect tighter rules than Ontario. The AGLC may cap first-deposit bonuses at a few hundred dollars, limit free spins offers, and require operators to contribute to a problem gambling fund. It may also restrict how casinos can advertise on social media and television. These measures would reduce the aggressive bonus culture seen in Ontario but wouldn’t eliminate it entirely. Players used to offshore welcome packages may find the regulated offers underwhelming, which could keep grey-market traffic alive.
Play Alberta vs. Offshore Casinos: A Fair Comparison
Albertans have access to hundreds of offshore casinos, including well-known brands like Jackpot City, Spin Palace, Luxury Casino, Royal Vegas, and newer crypto-focused platforms like BitStarz and 7Bit. These sites operate under licences from Malta, Curaçao, Kahnawake, or other jurisdictions, none of which have legal authority inside Alberta. They aren’t illegal for individual players, but they exist outside the province’s consumer protection framework. If a dispute arises, you have no provincial recourse.
The table below breaks down the core trade-offs in practical terms.
| Legal status in Alberta | Fully licensed by AGLC, provincial oversight | No Alberta licence; operates under Curaçao, Malta, or Kahnawake |
| Game selection | ~150 games, IGT/Everi/Konami/Evolution only | 2,000–5,000+ slots, all major providers incl. Pragmatic, NetEnt |
| Sign-up bonus | None or minimal deposit match | $100–$2,000 match + free spins, often with high wagering |
| Withdrawal speed | Interac 24–48 hrs; bank 3–5 days | 1–10 days, sometimes longer; crypto faster |
| Player protection | AGLC complaint process, provincial ombudsman | Licence issuer only, often slow, no local recourse |
| Payment methods | Interac, Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer | Everything incl. crypto, e-wallets, prepaid, PayPal |
| Live dealer | Evolution, low limits ($1–$500) | Multiple studios, higher limits, more variants |
| Responsible gambling tools | Provincial self-exclusion, daily/weekly/monthly deposit caps | Site-specific tools, usually weaker, no cross-brand exclusion |
The trade-off is not a mystery. You either accept a smaller catalogue and no welcome bonus in exchange for regulatory certainty, or you chase bigger bonuses and game variety while accepting that your only recourse if something goes wrong is an email to a licensing office in another time zone. Neither choice is irrational; the problem is that most players don’t make the choice consciously. They just sign up wherever Google takes them.
That’s why the next 18 months matter so much. When Alberta opens its market, the gap between these two columns will narrow. Private operators will bring the game libraries and bonus budgets offshore players are used to, but they’ll do it under AGLC rules that offer at least some of the same consumer protections Play Alberta already provides. The result won’t be perfect, but it will be better than the current split between one limited legal option and a chaotic offshore market.
Common Mistakes Alberta Players Make with Online Casinos
Most of the complaints I hear from Alberta players don’t come from fraud or unfair games. They come from simple, avoidable errors that would have been caught by reading the terms or thinking for five extra seconds. Here are the recurring ones, along with how to avoid them.
First, assuming that accepting Canadian dollars makes a casino legal. That’s like assuming a restaurant is health-inspected because it has a menu in English. Currency is just a payment setting, not a licence. Second, ignoring withdrawal caps. Some offshore casinos limit you to $5,000 a week, which turns a $50,000 jackpot into a two-month waiting period. Third, chasing bonus offers without reading the playthrough. A $1,000 bonus with a 45x wagering requirement means you have to place $45,000 in bets before cashing out anything. That’s not a gift; it’s a loan with terrible terms. Fourth, using a casino that only offers slow withdrawal methods like wire transfer and then being surprised when the money takes ten business days.
You could argue that the fifth mistake is more fundamental: not setting deposit limits before you start. Play Alberta makes this easy, but offshore casinos often bury the responsible gambling tools three menus deep. Ontario has shown that even regulated markets struggle with this; the AGCO has had to issue multiple reminders to licensed operators about making deposit limits visible. Alberta’s regulator is watching that closely, which is why the private market here will likely come with stricter RNG and RG requirements from day one.
Responsible Gambling and the AGLC’s Approach
Does a public operator that refuses sign-up free spins but pushes same-game parlays in its sportsbook really have players’ well-being as its top priority? That’s the uncomfortable question the AGLC has never fully answered. The official line is that bonuses encourage reckless play, so Play Alberta keeps them minimal. But the platform’s marketing for its sportsbook has become noticeably more aggressive since single-event betting launched in 2021. You can’t have it both ways for long.
Still, the responsible gambling infrastructure at Play Alberta is genuinely stronger than what you’ll find at most offshore brands. You can set daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits, and changes to lower limits take effect immediately. You can self-exclude from all provincial gambling with one request, and that exclusion covers not just Play Alberta but physical casinos and VLTs across the province. No offshore casino can offer that kind of cross-channel exclusion. Ontario’s self-exclusion program has been criticized for gaps, but Alberta’s integrated system is a real advantage.
What happens if I self-exclude from Play Alberta?
You can request self-exclusion through your account settings or by contacting AGLC support. The exclusion covers all provincially regulated gambling platforms, including Play Alberta, and remains in place until you apply to have it removed, which takes at least 30 days. Self-excluding at an offshore casino does not carry over to AGLC platforms, and vice versa. That means a player with serious gambling problems could self-exclude from Play Alberta and still play at 20 offshore sites the same day. That’s a structural weakness no provincial regulator has solved.
Does Play Alberta display responsible gambling reminders?
Yes, but they’re subtle. The platform shows session timers and betting statements in your account history, and customer support will flag unusual deposit patterns. However, you won’t see the aggressive pop-up interventions that some private operators use. That’s partly because the AGLC believes players should opt in to help, not be interrupted every ten minutes. It’s a less intrusive approach, which some players appreciate and others view as too passive.
Play Alberta vs. Specific Offshore Brands
If you live in Alberta and want a legal option, Play Alberta is the only game in town. But the offshore brands aren’t going anywhere. Some of them have better products, faster crypto payouts, and bonus offers that make Play Alberta look almost indifferent. Let’s be direct about a few of the most common ones players ask about.
Jackpot City and Spin Palace, both part of the Casino Rewards group, have been taking Canadian players for over two decades. Their welcome packages can include up to $1,600 in match bonuses, but the wagering is steep, and their withdrawal speed depends heavily on your verification status. Luxury Casino and Royal Vegas are in the same family. They’re not scams, but they’re not regulated in Alberta, and a dispute over a bonus term will go to a Kahnawake or Malta adjudicator, not an Alberta ombudsman.
Betty Casino gets a lot of attention because it advertises no deposit free spins and fast e-transfer payouts. It’s built a decent reputation among Canadian players, but its licence is from Curaçao or Kahnawake depending on the brand version. That means you have no provincial recourse if the casino decides to hold your withdrawal. The same logic applies to Lucky Days, PlayOjo, and the dozens of other offshore brands that target Alberta through affiliate sites. They’re not illegal for you to use, but they fall outside Alberta’s consumer protection framework. That’s not a moral judgment; it’s a structural fact.
Crypto casinos like BitStarz and 7Bit offer instant withdrawals in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, plus thousands of games from Pragmatic and Hacksaw. They’re attractive if you value speed and anonymity, but they also operate without any Canadian licence, and their “no KYC” policies often conflict with Canadian anti-money laundering expectations. When Alberta opens its market, expect some of these brands to apply for local licences, but the no-KYC model won’t survive AGLC scrutiny.
FAQ: Direct Answers for Alberta Players
Is Play Alberta legal for Alberta residents?
Yes. Play Alberta is the only online casino and sportsbook legal for players physically located in Alberta. It operates under the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. No other online casino holds a valid Alberta licence as of 2026. This status will change when the province issues its first private operator licences, expected in 2027.
Can I get a no deposit bonus at Play Alberta?
No. Play Alberta does not offer no deposit bonuses or free spins on registration. The AGLC restricts promotional sign-up incentives to reduce problem gambling risk. Offshore casinos do offer such bonuses, but they are not licensed in Alberta and your money has no provincial protection if a dispute arises.
What is the minimum deposit at Play Alberta?
The minimum deposit is $10 using Interac, Visa, or Mastercard. There is no fee for deposits. The minimum withdrawal is also $10, processed through Interac or bank transfer. No e-wallet or cryptocurrency option is available, which is a significant limitation compared to offshore casinos.
How fast are Play Alberta withdrawals?
Interac withdrawals are processed within 24 to 48 hours. Bank transfers take three to five business days. Card withdrawals may take up to ten days. Overall, it is faster than most offshore casinos but slower than crypto-only sites like BitStarz, which often settle in under an hour.
Does Play Alberta have a mobile app?
Yes. Play Alberta has apps for Android and iOS available through official stores. The app supports casino games, live dealer, and sports betting. Desktop play is also available through any modern browser. The mobile casino lobby loads a bit slower than the sportsbook, but both remain stable in 2026.
Will Alberta get more online casinos in the future?
Yes, the province is expected to open its market to private operators by late 2026 or early 2027. This will bring more game providers, bigger bonuses, and competitive sportsbooks, but likely with tighter rules than offshore sites face today. The AGLC will remain the regulator for all licensed operators.
Is it safe to play at offshore casinos if I live in Alberta?
It’s not illegal for individual players, but you have no Alberta consumer protection if something goes wrong. Withdrawal disputes, account closures, and bonus term disagreements must be handled through the casino’s foreign licensing authority. Some offshore casinos are reputable, but they operate outside the province’s regulatory reach. The risk is entirely yours to accept.
Final Take: Does Play Alberta Deserve Your Time in 2026?
If you want a legal, no-surprises place to play slots or bet on hockey, Play Alberta is the only option that gives you full provincial protection. You sacrifice game variety, bonuses, and payment flexibility, but you gain a direct line to a public regulator and a withdrawal process that never holds your winnings hostage. For a casual player who deposits $50 a month and doesn’t chase promotions, that’s a perfectly rational choice.
If you’re a high-volume player who wants thousands of slots, crypto deposits, and aggressive sign-up offers, you won’t be satisfied here. You can either wait for the provincial market to open or keep an offshore account and accept the risks. The smartest move is to open a Play Alberta account now, use it for regulated play, and watch how the 2026 legislation unfolds. When private operators arrive, you’ll be able to compare them from a position of experience rather than marketing noise. That’s the kind of edge most players never bother to develop.
The next 18 months will be the most interesting period in Alberta online gambling history. Whether you end up playing at Play Alberta, a future private operator, or both, the fundamental rule doesn’t change: read the terms, set your limits before you deposit, and never assume that a flashy welcome bonus is a favour. It’s always a calculated acquisition cost, and somebody has to pay for it.