Wagering requirements are the single most important line in any casino bonus, and the one most players skip. They decide whether a bonus is real money or just a number you will never withdraw. Since January 2026 they are capped at 10x in the UK, which makes them far fairer than they used to be, but you still need to understand how they work to judge an offer. This guide explains what wagering requirements are, how the maths works under the new cap, how game weighting changes it, how long a bonus takes to clear, and how to do it step by step.
Key takeaways
- Wagering requirements are how many times you must bet a bonus before withdrawing winnings.
- UK requirements are capped at 10x from January 2026, down from the old 30x to 50x.
- Calculate the playthrough by multiplying the bonus by the wagering number.
- Game weighting changes how much each bet counts towards the requirement.
- Maximum bet rules, time limits and winnings caps still vary, so read them all.
What wagering requirements are
A wagering requirement, also called playthrough, is the amount you must bet before any winnings from a bonus can be withdrawn. It is written as a multiple, like “10x”. The multiple usually applies to the bonus amount, though some offers apply it to the deposit plus bonus, so always check which. Until you meet the requirement, bonus winnings are locked. Meet it, and they become withdrawable cash.
The whole point of a wagering requirement is to stop players claiming a bonus and instantly cashing out. The lower the multiple, the easier the bonus is to clear, which is exactly why the new cap matters.
How playthrough is calculated
The core sum is simple: multiply the bonus amount by the wagering multiple. That gives the total you must bet.
- £50 bonus at 10x: 50 x 10 = £500 to wager.
- £20 bonus at 10x: 20 x 10 = £200 to wager.
- £100 bonus at 10x (on deposit + bonus, with a £100 deposit): (100 + 100) x 10 = £2,000 to wager.
That last example shows why the basis matters. “10x the bonus” and “10x deposit plus bonus” produce very different numbers. The cap limits the multiple; it does not change what the multiple applies to, so read the wording.
The new 10x cap
Before January 2026, UK casinos routinely set wagering at 35x, 40x or higher. A £50 bonus at 40x meant £2,000 of betting, and most players ran out of bonus funds long before reaching it. The Gambling Commission’s reforms capped the multiple at 10x, so the maximum a UK-licensed casino can ask is ten times. The same £50 bonus now needs £500 at most. This is the change that turned many bonuses from decorative into genuinely cashable. Our guide to the 2026 bonus rules covers the full reform, including the ban on mixed-product promotions.
Game weighting
Here is the detail that catches people out. Not every game contributes equally to your wagering requirement. This is “game weighting”, and it is set by the casino:
| Game type | Typical contribution to wagering |
|---|---|
| Slots | 100% (usually) |
| Roulette | 10% to 50%, or excluded |
| Blackjack | 10%, or excluded |
| Live dealer games | Often 10% or excluded |
If slots count 100% and blackjack counts 10%, then £10 wagered on slots clears £10 of the requirement, but £10 on blackjack clears only £1. To clear a bonus efficiently you generally play the highest-weighted games, which are usually slots. The exact weightings vary by operator, so check the bonus terms before you start. Some casinos exclude certain high-RTP slots from bonus play entirely, so read the excluded-games list too.
Sticky versus non-sticky bonuses
Bonuses come in two structures, and the difference matters for what you can withdraw:
- Non-sticky (cashable) bonus: the bonus is added to your balance and, once wagering is met, both the bonus and any winnings can be withdrawn. The friendlier type.
- Sticky (non-cashable) bonus: the bonus itself is never withdrawable; it stays in your account purely to play with, and only the winnings you make from it can be cashed once wagering is cleared. The bonus amount is removed when you withdraw.
Read which kind you are claiming. A sticky bonus can still be worth taking, but you should treat the bonus as playing chips, not cash, and expect only your winnings to come out.
Bonus and cash balances
Most casinos keep your real-money deposit and your bonus funds as separate balances, and the order they are used matters. Some play down your cash first (so you can withdraw what is left before touching the bonus and its wagering), while others play the bonus first. Check which applies: if the bonus is used first, you are committed to the wagering requirement as soon as you start playing. Knowing the order helps you decide whether to claim a bonus at all, or play your deposit as straight cash.
How long does it take to clear?
A rough sense of the time involved helps you judge whether a bonus is worth it. Clearing £500 of wagering on slots at, say, £1 a spin means around 500 spins. At a comfortable pace of a few hundred spins an hour, that is a session or two, not weeks, which is exactly why the 10x cap matters: under the old 40x rules the same bonus meant thousands of spins. Bigger bonuses and lower stakes take longer, so match the bonus size and the time limit to how much you actually intend to play. A short time limit on a large requirement is the main thing that makes a bonus impractical.
A worked example: clearing a bonus
You claim a £40 bonus at 10x wagering, slots weighted 100%, with a maximum bet of £5 while wagering.
- Total to wager: £40 x 10 = £400.
- Choose a high-weighting game: slots at 100%, so every £1 bet counts as £1.
- Respect the max bet: stake no more than £5 a spin, or the casino can void the bonus.
- Track progress: most casinos show a wagering progress bar; keep playing until it reaches £400.
- Withdraw: once the requirement is met, the remaining bonus winnings convert to cash.
Picking a slot with a high return-to-player helps your balance last through the playthrough, which is why our RTP and volatility guide pairs naturally with bonus play.
The maximum bet rule
This is the term that voids more bonuses than any other. While clearing wagering, most casinos cap how much you can stake per spin or hand, often around £5. Exceed it, even once, and the casino can confiscate the bonus and any winnings from it. The rule exists to stop players betting big to clear the requirement in a few spins. The fix is simple: note the max bet before you start and stay under it for every bet until the wagering is complete.
Red flags to watch
The cap removes the worst abuse, but a few terms can still erode value:
- High wagering on deposit plus bonus, which doubles the effective playthrough versus bonus-only.
- Short time limits, such as a few days to clear the whole requirement.
- Low maximum bet caps that slow clearing, paired with the risk of voiding the bonus if you exceed them.
- Winnings caps that limit how much you can withdraw from a bonus, however well you do.
- Excluded games you assumed would count.
None of these are dealbreakers on their own, but read them together to judge the real value. The same care applies to free spins, which carry their own wagering and winnings caps.
Wagering requirements decide whether a bonus is worth claiming. With the 10x cap, the maths is friendlier than ever, but the detail still matters: check the basis, the weighting, the max bet and whether the bonus is sticky before you opt in. We list rule-compliant offers on our offers page, and our reviews assess each casino’s bonus terms. Keep stakes sensible, and if gambling stops being fun, our responsible gambling tools can help.
Frequently asked questions
What are wagering requirements?
Wagering requirements, or playthrough, are the number of times you must bet a bonus before you can withdraw winnings from it. They are shown as a multiple, such as 10x, applied to the bonus amount or sometimes the deposit plus bonus.
How do you calculate wagering requirements?
Multiply the bonus by the wagering multiple. A £50 bonus at 10x means £500 to wager. If the requirement applies to deposit plus bonus, add both first, so a £100 deposit and £100 bonus at 10x is £2,000.
What is game weighting?
Game weighting is how much each game contributes to your wagering requirement. Slots usually count 100%, while table games like blackjack and roulette often count 10% or are excluded. Playing high-weighted games clears a bonus faster.
What is a sticky bonus?
A sticky (non-cashable) bonus is one where the bonus amount itself can never be withdrawn; it only lets you play, and you can cash out only the winnings made from it once wagering is met. A non-sticky bonus lets you withdraw both the bonus and the winnings.
Why did my bonus get voided?
The most common reason is breaching the maximum bet rule while wagering, which is often around £5 a spin. Exceeding it even once can let the casino confiscate the bonus and its winnings. Playing excluded games or missing the time limit can also void a bonus.
Is a 10x wagering requirement good?
Yes. 10x is the maximum allowed in the UK from January 2026 and is far fairer than the old 35x to 50x requirements. It means a much higher share of the bonus can realistically be cleared and withdrawn.
