Why are most "free spins" not really free anymore?

Can someone please explain to me why most “free spins” aren’t free anymore?

When I started playing online casinos, about 5 years ago, I was offered freebies on a regular base. Depending on the casino, I’d get free spins on a weekly or at least monthly base.
“Back then”, free spins actually were free. I’d get an email telling me free spins were waiting in my account. To claim the free spins, all I had to do was login and open the specified slot. It was as simple as that and I liked it a lot, made me feel I was a valued player.

A while ago I started noticing the free spins offers were changing, offers were sent out a lot less frequent than before and all of a sudden, free spins weren’t free anymore. Suddenly you had to qualify, meet certain requirements, in order to claim free spins?! In that regard the term “Free spins” seems like a “contradictio in terminis”.

When you are required to deliver (deposit, wager a certain amount) in order to be rewarded (free spins), the reward (free spins) by definition isn’t free.

This type of marketing / advertising should IMO be forbidden because it’s misleading.

For example a few days ago reading the subject of a couple of offers I received, I got excited.


Subjects:
"[Name], today is Friday 13th - claim your lucky 13 freespins"
And
"You get 10 free spins and a lottery ticket today"


<:-P Yes! I'm getting some free spins!

So I quickly opened the offers to read the details. My initial excitement went down the drain at the speed of light and instead I felt misled, tricked even.


"Subject: [Name], today is Friday 13th - claim your lucky 13 freespins
[…]
Claim your lucky 13 free spins
Our biggest jackpot at the moment is in Hall Of Gods. So let’s turn the number 13 to your advantage. Play for €13 in real money on Hall Of Gods today, Friday 13th, and we will give you 13 Free Spins for Hall Of Gods, which you can play over the weekend. Each free spin is worth €0.20. Whatever you win from your free spins is yours to keep and will be credited to your account as cash.
[…] ”

And

"Subject: You get 10 free spins and a lottery ticket today
[…]
Lady Luck gives you 10 Free Spins on Starburst when you deposit as little as €20 or more and use the bonus code CRAB16. Like that is not enough, you also get a lottery ticket to participate in the raffle to win a Lenovo IdeaTab A1000L 7" 8 GB Android tablet.
[…] "

I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about it.

Because online gambling has gone viral! That's the number one thing! Early in the times, there were not so much people gambling online, now there are thousands and millionsso- Taxes, restrictions etc. etc. On the other hand, most of them are free spins- you deposit your money and get that spins on top, so you have 10 free spins for example and still have your 20 bucks :D
Of course, it gets annoying, when we look back in time, but casinos are there to make money, and with the taxes and regulations, they can't afford anymore the good old days, so.....

Bait. Lure. Fish.

I doubt they can't afford to give the real deal any longer.  I think they know they are being deceptive, and they are greedy.

WR on free spins wipes out most opportunities for cashing out.  Adding requirements is fine, but using deceptive wordplay to entice players is just shady.

64% + 15 Free Spins on Double Ya Luck
copy here Code: EDLS64CLOVER copy here
Wait, there's more!
Once you've redeemed the code 4 times you are then eligible for a $15 Free Chip! Email us via the link below to claim.
Claim your $15 Free Chip...
copy here Right here! copy here



Aladdins Gold casino  really-4 times for $15 free 

I got an email too.

But the thing I find most annoying, what makes me angry about the email? The subject:
"A Free Chip to summon you back..."
And then the email goes on:
"64% + 15 Free Spins on Double Ya Luck
copy here Code: EDLS64CLOVER copy here
Wait, there's more!
Once you've redeemed the code 4 times you are then eligible for a $15 Free Chip! Email us via the link below to claim.
Claim your $15 Free Chip..." 

Excuse me, what???  amp; >:D
I'm sorry but, in which universe is this a free chip offer???
When 4 deposits are needed to receive a $15 'free chip', that by definition is NOT FREE. It's a bonus!

I only receive offers containing deposit bonuses which I think is a pity but can also understand since my last deposit was a long time ago. That's logical, reasonable, something I can grasp. What get's under my skin is lying and twisting of words .

A FREE chip would be a bonuscode to be redeemed in the cashier, crediting $15 to my balance. When you only receive the bonus if you meet certain conditions, it's NOT FREE!! >:(

I´m sorry for rambling on and on but sometimes I just need to get it off my chest. 

Yes, there's not as many free spins as before. I often get deals offering me free spins after I make a deposit. And I think it's the worst when they ask for WR for those free spins, as well.

              All right, I 'gotta weigh in here too.  i think I agree with almost everything that's been said.  Kimmmmie,  thanks for starting a post that I think a lot of people were probably thinking about starting
themselves.    I've been doing the online gaming thing for years now and you're right---free ain't exactly
free like it was even a year ago it seems.  i used to get free offers all the time.  i used to look forward to getting the mail to see what freebie I might get --not just free spins but usually a free chip in the $25-50
range.    Now it seems the only thing I have been getting the last few months is Deposit Bonus offers!! 
It's been very disappointing lately,  My emails have (mostly) been deposit bonus offers with free spins.
I agree, Markotik,  the WR  seem almost out of reach on most dep. bonuses,  let alone the freebies.  I have to go, sorry guys,  don't mean to ramble.....

I

I get these offers all the time from this group. ive wrote them several times telling them how awful there promos are. Infact i havent even deposited with them since 2013 because of their  promos.

All is so true with these offers.

There are no perks any longer to be loyal to this group. I have been depositing for several years and have seen the changes. Addressing them with the casino rep here or directly with casino support doesn't make a difference. There is algorithm in place that calculate who is deserved of any perks. I think the thing that frustrates me the most is the lack of acknowledgement that there has been a change in how we are rewarded now as opposed to 5 years ago when we as customers to these venues have experienced the changes.

I do believe it is due to the access everyone has to these casinos from all devices, mobile phones, tablets etc. There is a endless customer base, no need to be loyal to the customers that have been around for many years.

I don't think that's entirely the case. I accidently received a few emails from them that was sent to the wrong person. In one of the emails. The person was complaining how he deposited 20k that month and they kept losing. They ask for a freebie and was denied. The player then asked for his stats which showed he actually did deposit over 20k and lost his butt off...

After reading my post and your reply Chocolateman I am wondering if I failed to convey that the casino's do not need to be loyal to long time players as there are an endless supply of potential customers in todays electronic world. I did not mean that there was no need for them to feel any loyalty to long term customers-depositors

OMG over 20k and not freebie, I hope that customer closed his account.!!!!!!!