What are Free Online Slots?
Be it a land-based or an online casino, slots are the engine that drives every successful online gambling establishment. But unlike most brick-and-mortar casinos, online casinos allow customers to play free casino games. Except, perhaps, for some (but not all) live online casino games, all other casino titles usually have a ‘Demo’ or ‘Fun’ mode. These are what we refer to as free online slot games.
The demo version allows you to play free slot machines without depositing money or even creating a casino account. However, the term ‘free slot’ can be a bit ambiguous. It may also refer to playing slots with free spins bonuses. In this case, you can play specific online slots free, as in with free spins you’ve received as part of a bonus, which requires a verified and active player account and making a real money deposit.
Now that we are all on the same page, let’s dive right into this comprehensive casino guide on free online slots.
Advantage of Playing Online Slot For Free
When you play free slot games, the benefits are manifold. Free slots are most suitable for inexperienced players, but they can also benefit seasoned punters. Then there’s the risk-free gameplay where (most often) there’s no real money involved. Some of the main benefits of free-play slots include:
- Allow for casual play
- You can actually win real money
- Beneficial to both newcomers and seasoned punters
Below we will elaborate further on the different ways players can benefit from playing free slot machines online.
Free Slots Allow for Casual Play
Real money slot machines can be hugely entertaining, but you can often get carried away and lose track of time and of how much money you spend. This will ultimately lead to financial losses and an urge to play more to compensate for losses. This, in turn, can lead to compulsive gambling, which is a step away from gambling addiction.
In most cases, free casino slots are played without money, or with a fake balance. Either way, demo slots make for the ideal respite after a high-tension gaming session and allow you to enjoy the game for the game’s sake.
You Can Actually Win Real Money
As we said, the term ‘free slots’ can be understood differently. One interpretation is that you can play free video slots for free using a casino free spins bonus. Free spins are typically offered as a complementary reward in a larger welcome bonus, for which you must make a deposit. By making the deposit, the slot is technically no longer free.
Yet some casino sites offer no-deposit free spins on selected slot machines. Using the deposit-less spins, the player can win cash money, albeit a limited amount.
Beneficial to Every Player
Free online slot machines can benefit players of all skills. There are thousands of online slot machine types, each different in some respect from the next. And despite the vast volume of slots, new ones keep getting released every month. Even if you are a seasoned slots player you’d need several lifetimes to go through every slot game. Yet free slots allow you to try as many as you possibly can in a short period, without any risk.
The benefits of playing free online casino games for new players are well-recorded. Those who know little about playing slots can further hone their skills and see all the benefits (and potential risks) before they start playing real money games.
How to Play Free Online Slots
Both real money and free casino slot games are absurdly easy to learn as they require minimal effort on your part as a player. Practiced players might find this guide laughable, but those with zero knowledge about playing free slots games will find it an illuminating read. Below we give all eager new players the 101 on how to play online slots…. for free!
1. Choose an Online Slot Site – Rule No.1 when gambling online, even when you play free games, is to choose a reliable operator. You should preferably go for a casino that provides demo slots to unregistered players. Some slot sites may require a basic registration (without verification) before you can play games in demo mode.
2. Pick Your favourite Game – Once you’ve picked your operator, go to the casino lobby, find the slots section and do some exploring. If you want to play a specific title, type the game’s name into the search bar. Some casinos have advanced options where you can choose your slots based on aspects such as game format (3-reel, 5-reel, Megaways, etc.), the number of pay lines, or bonus features.
3. Select the Demo Mode – When you find a game, open the demo mode. The button to access the demo version should be displayed on the game’s icon.
4. Check the Paytable – Every online slot has a menu that shows the game’s paytable. The paytable includes cascades of useful information that will be of benefit to the player. This includes details about the slot’s winning combinations and pay lines, progressive jackpots, how to unlock bonus rounds, specifics about scatters, wilds, and other symbols, among other particulars.
5. Start Playing – After you’re done studying the game’s paytable and rules, you can start playing. Open the game, set your bet limit, and start spinning the reels.
What to Consider When Choosing to Play Free Slots No Download
It goes without saying, the first thing you should see is whether you’re playing at a licensed and regulated casino. A casino with an active license from the UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao eGaming, and the Government of Gibraltar
If you play online slots to relax, then there’s not much to consider. Simply pick a casino site that provides free casino slots games and start playing for fun. Still, if you want to learn more about the games you play, it wouldn’t hurt to learn more about them.
This takes us back to the paytable and the basic game features. See the slot’s menu and the paytable to learn the main winning combinations, how to unlock bonus games, and which symbol(s) represent the scatters, which the wilds. Also, check important details like the coin size, the bet limits, the game’s volatility (variance), and its payout rate (RTP).
One last thing: before you start playing with actual money, make sure the game is available on mobile. Chances are you will eventually play the slot on your phone, and the best way to see if mobile gaming is up to standard is to try it for free on your smartphone.
Best Slot Games to Play for Free in 2023
Getting started with free slots is a piece of cake, at least from a technical point of view.
You find your casino, open the slots menu, pick a slot, and start playing. But how do you know which is the best slot? Well, there’s not one, or two, or a hundred slots that are considered ‘the best.’ Yes, some are more popular than others, but which is the best for you depends on the type of player you are.
The Slot Buzz has come up with a mixed list of different types of online slot machines from top developers, at least one of which we believe will be to your liking.
- Big Boom Riches – Microgaming
- Green Lantern – Playtech
- Thor’s Lightning – Red Tiger Gaming
- 9 Happy Pharaohs – Playson
- Temple Tumble Megaways – Relax Gaming
The above list includes slots that differ in everything from game design and the number of pay lines, to bonus features and game format. Some are 5 reel slots, others have 6×6 format, while Thor’s Lightning features a 7×7 grid with cascading spins and cluster symbols.
Best Software Providers to Play Free Online Slots
The above list gives you a glimpse at a few of the industry’s best-known, highest-quality slots developers. Yet some key names are missing from the list. This includes undisputed operators like NetEnt, Quickspin, Big Time Gaming, IGT, Betsoft, Yggdrasil, to name a few.
At The Slot Buzz, we believe the following are the ten best software providers to play online free slot games.
Each of the listed developers offers some of the best free slots games on the market. But note that while many of their slots have a demo version, it largely depends on the casino whether or not the games from specific providers can be played for free. Regardless, you can still download some slots from these providers to your desktop or mobile device or play their demo versions on various blogs or casino review sites, like ours.
Free Mobile Slots
Today, you can play your favourite free slots both on your desktop device and on your smartphone. All new online video slots, as well as many classic slots from major providers, are compatible with most modern mobile devices.
You can play all the best mobile slots for free in several ways. The first is through a mobile app. Check to see if the casino has a native Android or iOS application and download the relevant app. Before you install the app, you might need to do a few adjustments to your phone’s security settings to be able to install the client.
Some casinos may only provide an app for Android devices, others only for iOS, though more rarely. If you see that there’s no Android or iOS-specific app to download, open the casino through a mobile browser and start playing demo slots, no download of software is required.
When to Move onto Real Money Slots
That’s the question, isn’t it?
We can advise you to first practice the slot in demo mode and read about its paytables, symbols, and game rules, and avoid playing for real until you really feel ready. But at the end of the day, it is up to the player to determine when they are ready to start betting with actual money.
If you’re an apt learner, it would take you no more than a few sessions practicing the game to move on to the real money version.
For first-timers, perhaps a day or two playing a specific free slot would suffice to progress to the
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Play Free Slots With Real Money?
Actually, yes! Although it’s somewhat of a paradox – to play free slot games with actual money – it is possible if you receive no deposit free spins as a bonus after you sign up.
Do I Need to Sign Up To Play Free Slots?
Not necessarily. Most sites will allow you to play free slot games without creating an account. At other casino operators, the slots’ demo version is available only after you’ve signed up.
Which Online Casinos Offer Free Slot Machine Games?
Free slots are available at almost every online casino. Poke around our page and you’ll be able to find dozens of online casinos that offer demo slots.
Can I Play Free Slots on Mobile?
Yes. To play slot machines online on your mobile device, download the mobile casino app (if one is offered), or open the casino through a mobile web browser and find the slots category.
