A wagering requirement is the amount you have to bet before bonus money, or winnings from free spins, can be withdrawn. It is usually written as a multiple, such as "10x", and it is the single most important number in any casino bonus.
Since 19 January 2026, casinos licensed in Great Britain cannot set it above 10 times. This guide explains what the number means, how the cap changed UK offers, and how to read the terms on real bonuses, using offers we checked on UK casino sites in September 2026.
What a wagering requirement means
When a casino gives you a £20 bonus with 10x wagering, you need to place £200 of bets before that bonus, and anything won with it, can be withdrawn. The £200 is total bets, not losses. Every spin counts towards it, win or lose.
Free spins work the same way, except the requirement usually applies to what the spins win rather than to their face value. If 50 spins win you £8 and the terms say "10x free spin winnings", you need to bet £80 before the £8 is yours to take.
Some offers have no wagering at all. The winnings are paid as cash and can be withdrawn straight away.
The 10x cap from 19 January 2026
The Gambling Commission announced the cap on 26 March 2025, and it came into force on 19 January 2026. Its consultation response says that "any wagering requirements attached to incentives (such as bonuses) must not exceed 10 times the incentive amount".
Before the cap, the Commission noted that some licensed casinos applied "up to 60 times wagering requirements". The Commission's own example shows the size of the change: a £10 bonus at 50 times means £500 of play before any winnings can be withdrawn. At 10 times, the same bonus needs £100.
The same set of rules banned "mixed product" offers from the same date. A casino can no longer require you to use two types of gambling, such as betting on sport and playing slots, to unlock a bonus.
What the cap does not change
The cap sets a ceiling, not a standard. A casino can still set wagering anywhere from 0 to 10 times. It also does not limit the other terms that decide what a bonus is worth, such as a maximum bet, an expiry date or which games count.
The cap applies to casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission. Casinos without that licence are not bound by it, which is why offshore sites that accept UK players still advertise 40x or 50x.
The four ways UK casinos apply it
The words after the "10x" matter as much as the number. These are the four versions we found on UK casino sites in September 2026, each from a real offer.
| What the terms say | What you bet on a £25 bonus or £8 of spin winnings | Real example |
|---|---|---|
| 10x the bonus | £250 on a £25 bonus | CasinoCasino: 100% up to £25, 10x the bonus |
| 10x the free spin winnings | £80 on £8 of winnings | Spin Genie: free spins on Book of Dead, 10x spin winnings |
| 10x the bonus and the free spin winnings | £250 plus £80 | Slots Magic: up to £25 bonus and 50 spins, 10x on both |
| No wagering | Nothing | PlayOJO and Pub Casino: spin winnings paid as cash |
"10x the bonus" is easier to plan around because you know the number before you play. "10x the free spin winnings" depends on what the spins win, so you only find out the total after using them.
Worked example: a 100% bonus up to £25
Say you deposit £25 and get a £25 bonus, with 10x wagering on the bonus.
- Wagering needed: £25 x 10 = £250 of bets
- At £1 a spin, that is 250 spins
- On a slot that returns 96% on average, the expected cost of £250 of bets is £10 (4% of £250)
That last line is the part most bonus pages leave out. Over £250 of play on a 96% slot, you would expect to lose about £10 on average. So a £25 bonus at 10x is, on average, worth about £15 to a player who completes it.
The same bonus at 50x, which was allowed before 2026, would need £1,250 of bets, with an expected cost of £50. That is more than the bonus itself.
Averages are not guarantees. Slots vary a great deal from one session to the next, and most sessions end above or below the average. But the average tells you whether an offer is worth your time.
Game weighting: why roulette may count for little
Not every game counts fully towards wagering. The Commission's consultation gives its own example: a bonus might count slots at 100%, blackjack at 50% and roulette at 30%. With a 30% weighting, each £1 bet on roulette only clears 30p of the requirement.
Many UK casinos now go further and count slots only. The offers we checked for this guide said so directly:
- Spin Genie, Slots Magic, Lucky Niki, Lord Ping and Ice36: "only Slots count"
- L&L Europe brands such as Pub Casino and CasinoCasino: slots and Slingo count in full; video poker and table games count for nothing, and live casino cannot be played with an active bonus
If you prefer table games, a bonus that counts slots only is of little use to you.
The maximum bet rule
Most bonuses cap how much you can bet per spin while the bonus is active. Break it and the casino can remove the bonus and anything it won.
The SkillOnNet brands we checked all use the same rule: the maximum bet is 10% of the bonus or spin winnings, with a minimum of 10p and a maximum of £5, whichever is lowest. On a £25 bonus, that means £2.50 a spin at most. CasinoCasino sets a flat £2.
The general slot stake limit also applies to every UK casino: £5 a spin, or £2 a spin if you are aged 18 to 24.
Other terms that change what a bonus is worth
Wagering is the headline, but a few other terms decide whether a bonus is worth claiming.
| Term | What to check | Example we saw |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry | How long you have to use the spins or finish the wagering | Pub Casino's Cash Spins expire after 48 hours |
| Opt in | Whether you must tick a box or claim before depositing | L&L Europe brands require opt-in before the deposit |
| Excluded payment methods | Deposits that do not qualify | Skrill deposits are excluded at L&L Europe brands |
| Bonus cancellation | Whether you can drop the bonus and keep your deposit | Slots Magic lets you request cancellation |
| Order of play | Whether bonus spins must be used before your own cash | SkillOnNet brands use spins and bonus first |
| Once per group | Whether a sister site counts as the same customer | Lucky Niki: one welcome bonus every 72 hours across all its casinos |
What unlicensed casinos still ask for
Casinos without a Gambling Commission licence often advertise large bonuses to UK players. The terms tell a different story.
We read the bonus terms at Bon Rush, a casino that accepts UK players but has no Commission licence, on 29 September 2026. Its welcome package is worth up to £4,500, and it carries wagering of 50 times the bonus, including free spin winnings. On a £500 bonus, that is £25,000 of bets, and asking for a withdrawal before finishing cancels the bonus. We cover it in detail on our Bon Rush page.
At a casino licensed in Great Britain, the same £500 bonus could not carry more than £5,000 of wagering.
How to check a bonus in one minute
- Find the full terms, not the banner. The figure you need is usually in a line starting "WR" or "Wagering".
- Check what the multiple applies to: the bonus, the spin winnings, or both.
- Multiply it out. A £20 bonus at 10x is £200 of bets.
- Check which games count. If only slots count, plan on playing slots.
- Note the maximum bet and the expiry.
- Check the licence. If the casino is not on the Gambling Commission public register, the 10x cap does not protect you.
If the sum at step 3 is more than you would normally spend, the bonus is not a saving. It is a reason to play for longer.
Frequently asked questions
What does 10x wagering mean?
You must place bets worth 10 times the bonus, or 10 times the free spin winnings, before that money can be withdrawn. A £10 bonus at 10x means £100 of bets.
What is the maximum wagering requirement in the UK?
10 times the bonus, for casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission. The cap has applied since 19 January 2026.
Do wagering requirements apply to my deposit?
Not in any of the UK-licensed offers we checked for this guide. They all set wagering on the bonus or the spin winnings. Some older or offshore offers apply it to the deposit and bonus together, which doubles the amount you have to bet, so check the wording.
What are no wagering free spins?
Free spins whose winnings are paid as cash, with nothing to play through. You can withdraw them straight away, subject to the casino's normal checks.
Does roulette count towards wagering?
Often not. Many UK casinos count slots only. Where roulette does count, it is usually at a reduced rate, such as 30p for every £1 bet.
Can I withdraw before finishing the wagering?
It depends on the casino. Slots Magic's terms say a bonus does not stop you withdrawing your deposit balance, and let you ask to cancel the bonus. At many casinos, withdrawing early means losing the bonus and anything won with it.
Do offshore casinos follow the 10x cap?
No. The cap only applies to casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission. Unlicensed sites that accept UK players commonly ask for 40 to 50 times.
What is a mixed product bonus?
An offer that requires you to use two kinds of gambling, such as sports betting and slots, to unlock it. These have been banned at UK-licensed casinos since 19 January 2026.