Guide
Wagering requirements explained: how play-through works in 2026
How play-through works, how to calculate it, what the 10x cap changed and why a no wagering offer still has limits.
Wagering requirements are the condition that turns bonus money into cash you can withdraw: you must stake a set total, usually a multiple of the bonus, before any winnings from it are yours. If a £10 bonus carries 10x wagering, you need to place £100 of qualifying bets first. Since 19 January 2026 casinos licensed in Great Britain cannot ask you to play bonus funds through more than 10 times.
18+ only. A bonus is still gambling with a cost attached, so read the responsible gambling tools before you accept one.
What a wagering requirement actually asks of you
The Gambling Commission defines a wagering requirement as a condition that the customer wagers a set total value before funds become withdrawable. In practice the casino holds the bonus, and anything it wins, in a separate balance. Each qualifying bet you place reduces the amount still to play. When the counter reaches zero, the balance converts to cash, often up to a stated maximum. If the bonus expires first, or you withdraw early where the terms say that forfeits it, the bonus and its winnings are removed.
Three numbers decide how hard that is: the multiple (10x, 5x, 1x), what the multiple applies to, and the time you have. Each operator's terms state all three. Whether the multiple applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus is something to read in each offer, not to assume.
How to calculate the total you must stake
The arithmetic is simple once you know the base. These are worked examples with round numbers, not any casino's live offer:
| Offer as written | Base | Multiple | Total to stake |
|---|---|---|---|
| £20 bonus, 10x the bonus | £20 | 10 | £200 |
| £50 bonus, 5x the bonus | £50 | 5 | £250 |
| £4 won from bonus spins, 10x the winnings | £4 | 10 | £40 |
| £3 won from spins, 1x the winnings | £3 | 1 | £3 |
Staking £200 does not mean losing £200. Your bets win and lose along the way, and what you are left with depends on the games' return to player. A lower multiple means fewer spins exposed to the house edge, which is why the multiple matters more than the headline bonus size. Our guide to RTP shows how the return figure works over many bets.
The 10x cap: what the rule says and what it leaves open
The Commission announced the change on 26 March 2025, and it took effect on 19 January 2026 after being moved from 19 December 2025. The rule says licensees must not require a customer to play through bonus funds more than 10 times. It applies to offers for new and existing customers alike.
Before the cap, higher multiples were allowed. As an illustration, a £50 bonus at 35x would mean £1,750 of stakes; at 10x it is £500. What the rule does not settle for every case is the base, how winnings from spins are treated or how individual games are weighted, so the operator's own wording still decides those points.
What counts towards wagering, and what does not
Terms usually set out the following, and each one can change how quickly the requirement falls:
- Game contribution. Many offers count slots in full and some table or live games at a lower rate or not at all. Some offers name a single eligible slot.
- Which money is used. Some casinos count only bets placed with bonus funds; others take your cash balance first.
- Maximum bet while wagering. A cap per spin or a cap on how much each bet contributes. Betting above it can void the bonus. Online slots also have a legal maximum of £5 per spin, or £2 if you are 18 to 24, whatever the bonus says - see slot stake limits.
- Expiry. Days to claim, days to use spins and days to finish wagering can all differ.
- Conversion cap. A ceiling on how much bonus money can become cash once wagering is complete.
Wagering on current offers, side by side
Two offers show how far apart terms can be even under the same cap. Magical Vegas: 100 bonus spins after a £10 deposit and £10 stake
Min deposit £10 and £10 stake; Paysafecard excluded; 10x wagering; max win £200; spins on The Goonies Quest for Treasure Jackpot King
LuckyMate: 50 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash when you bet £10 on slots
£10 min deposit; £10 in slot bets; 50 spins at £0.10 (£5 total); x1 wagering, £1 max bet contribution; £100 max cashout from winnings; 7-day expiry; selected payment methods only
Read both blocks for the multiple, the per-bet contribution limit and the maximum you can withdraw: the second offer has a far lower multiple but a smaller spin value and a cashout ceiling.
No wagering offers: deposit £10, get spins, keep the winnings
A no wagering offer pays the winnings from its spins as cash. Searches such as "deposit £10 get 200 free spins no wagering requirements" or "deposit £5 get 100 free spins" describe this format, but at GB-licensed casinos these spins normally follow a deposit and a qualifying stake, so they are bonus spins rather than free ones. Pub Casino is one example: 50 cash spins on Octobeer Fortunes after depositing and wagering £10
Deposit and wager £10; activate before depositing; spins £0.20 each, winnings paid as cash, no max cash out; Skrill deposits excluded; spins expire in 48 hours
No wagering removes the play-through, not the other limits. Spin value, eligible game, expiry and sometimes a maximum win still apply. Genuinely free offers with no deposit and no wagering are rare and small; the no wagering casinos page lists the current ones, and the same reading applies to bingo sites with no wagering requirements on their games bonuses.
Is the lowest wagering always the better deal?
Not on its own. Compare what you can realistically withdraw: a 10x offer with no cash cap can be worth more than a 1x offer capped at a small amount, and a no wagering offer on 10p spins may pay less than a larger 10x bonus. Work out the total stake, check the cap and the expiry, then decide whether you would have played that much anyway. Turning a bonus down is always an option.
UK-licensed casinos, ranked by our score
Order = score out of 10. Every operator holds a Gambling Commission licence.
| # | Casino | Score | Welcome offer and significant terms | Payments | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place 1 |  Magical VegasRank Interactive (Gibraltar) Limited | Score: 8.1 out of 10, very good | 100 bonus spins after a £10 deposit and £10 stake Significant terms Min deposit £10 and £10 stake; Paysafecard excluded; 10x wagering; max win £200; spins on The Goonies Quest for Treasure Jackpot King |
| Visit Magical Vegas (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Magical Vegas |
| Place 2 |  Mecca GamesRank Interactive (Gibraltar) Limited | Score: 7.8 out of 10, good | £20 bonus and 50 bonus spins after a £10 deposit Significant terms Min deposit £10, Paysafecard excluded; £20 bonus 10x wagering on selected games, max win £50; 50 bonus spins on Kong 3 Even Bigger Bonus, 10x wagering, max win £50 |
| Visit Mecca Games (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Mecca Games |
| Place 3 |  Pub CasinoL & L Europe Limited | Score: 7.4 out of 10, good | 50 cash spins on Octobeer Fortunes after depositing and wagering £10 Significant terms Deposit and wager £10; activate before depositing; spins £0.20 each, winnings paid as cash, no max cash out; Skrill deposits excluded; spins expire in 48 hours |
| Visit Pub Casino (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Pub Casino |
| Place 4 |  LuckyMateAnakatech Interactive Limited | Score: 7.4 out of 10, good | 50 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash when you bet £10 on slots Code MATE50 Significant terms £10 min deposit; £10 in slot bets; 50 spins at £0.10 (£5 total); x1 wagering, £1 max bet contribution; £100 max cashout from winnings; 7-day expiry; selected payment methods only | Not listed | Visit LuckyMate (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: LuckyMate |
| Place 5 |  LottomartMaple International Ventures Limited | Score: 7.1 out of 10, good | New customer prize wheel: win up to 500 bonus spins Significant terms New players, opt-in; min £10 cash stakes on slots; wheel used and spins claimed within 4 days; spins played within 24 hours; free spin winnings paid as cash (no wagering); max 1 claim | Not listed | Visit Lottomart (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Lottomart |
| Place 6 |  Wink SlotsBroadway Gaming Ireland DF Limited | Score: 6.8 out of 10, good | 50% games bonus up to £100 on a £10 first deposit Significant terms Min deposit £10; 50% bonus up to £100; 10x bonus wagering; 5-day expiry |
| Visit Wink Slots (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Wink Slots |
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Questions readers ask
What does 10x wagering mean?
You must place bets worth ten times the amount the requirement is based on before that money becomes withdrawable. A £10 bonus at 10x needs £100 of qualifying bets.
Can a UK casino set wagering above 10x?
Gambling Commission rules in Great Britain cap wagering on bonus funds at 10x from 19 January 2026. Each operator's terms state its own multiple, which must fall within that cap.
Do all games count towards wagering?
Not always. Terms often count slots in full and give table or live games a lower contribution or none, and some offers restrict play to one named slot.
What happens if I withdraw before finishing wagering?
It depends on the terms. Some offers forfeit the remaining bonus and its winnings when you withdraw, so check that line before requesting a payout.
Are no wagering spins completely without conditions?
No. The winnings are paid as cash, but spin value, eligible games, expiry and sometimes a maximum win still apply.