To make sense of "wagering requirements not met", start with how the offer is built. A welcome offer is rarely one bonus. It is usually a package spread across several deposits, each with its own match percentage, ceiling and conditions, and sometimes with free spins attached. The headline adds the parts together, which makes the whole look larger than any one step. Taking the package apart shows what each deposit actually earns and what it asks in exchange.
No deposit bonuses give a small amount of credit or a few spins for registering, with no payment at all. The conditions are the tightest of any offer: high wagering, a low cap on what can be withdrawn and a short deadline. Identity checks usually come before any withdrawal, and one such offer is allowed per person or household. Treated as a free look at a casino, a no deposit bonus is useful; treated as a way to earn, it seldom is.
Reload offers return after the welcome package, often weekly, with smaller matches and the same kind of wagering. Whether any bonus is sticky or cashable matters as much as its size. A sticky bonus can be played with but is removed at withdrawal, so only the winnings above it can be cashed. A cashable bonus becomes part of the balance once the requirement is met. The terms name the type, sometimes under a different label.
Common doubts
When does a bonus code need to be entered?
Some offers need a code at the cashier or at sign up before paying, and a deposit made without it rarely earns the bonus afterwards.
How are the tiers of a welcome package released?
Each tier unlocks only after the previous one is claimed, often within a set number of days from registration, and later tiers usually match smaller percentages.
What are reload offers?
Bonuses that return after the welcome package, often weekly, with smaller matches and the same kind of wagering attached.
Why do no deposit bonuses have tight conditions?
No deposit offers give credit or spins for simply registering, so casinos pair them with high wagering, a low withdrawal cap, a short deadline and one claim per household.
Is there a minimum deposit for a welcome bonus?
Every offer names a qualifying deposit, and a payment below that minimum earns no bonus at all.