Wagering requirements in the UK: what do they mean?
Wagering requirements determine how many times you must bet bonus funds before you can withdraw any winnings. If a casino gives you a £10 bonus with a 10x wagering requirement, you must place £100 in total bets (10 × £10) before that bonus cash becomes real money you can withdraw.
Understanding how wagering requirements work and how recent regulation protects UK players helps you evaluate promotional offers safely and effectively.
Nikola is a full-stack developer, a top-rated Upwork freelancer for over five years, and a tech enthusiast who loves building and optimising platforms in the iGaming space. After working directly with the teams behind industry giants like Bonusfinder.com and Gambling.com, he walked away with a deep, firsthand understanding of what players like and dislike when navigating the gambling world. He decided to use the market knowledge he gained, his technical expertise, and a natural curiosity for AI tools to create the next generation of information products for gamblers. Now, his focus is on building a truly innovative AI-powered product that gives players the transparent, accurate, and real-time insights they need to play smarter.
Tago is an online casino and sports betting content expert with experience at some of the most popular casino comparison sites, BonusFinder.com and Gambling.com Group, where he worked alongside Nikola. As an SEO Specialist, he supported content creation across 14 markets, including the UK, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. He brings deep expertise and insider knowledge of how the gambling industry operates. Not just as a writer, but as a player who tests the games he covers. He also loves technology (one of the reasons he started Gamblexity) and spends his free time learning to code, currently exploring web3 technologies. His go-to slot is Starburst by NetEnt, which says plenty about his standards.
What is a wagering requirement?
A wagering requirement (also known as a playthrough or rollover requirement) is a multiplier that shows the total amount of money you need to stake to unlock bonus winnings.
- It is based on total bets placed, not your total account balance.
- Winning or losing individual bets does not reset the requirement; every valid bet you make counts toward the total cumulative amount.
Example: “10x wagering on a £10 bonus means: You have to play through £100 before you can withdraw.”
What does a 40x wagering requirement mean?
A 40x wagering requirement means you must place bets totaling 40 times the value of your bonus (or bonus plus deposit) before you are permitted to cash out any remaining winnings.
Historically common in the online casino industry, a 40x multiplier significantly increases the total volume of play required to clear bonus funds.
What does 40x wagering mean on a £10 bonus?
If you receive a £10 bonus with 40x wagering, you must calculate your playthrough target as follows:
£10 Bonus × 40 = £400 Total Playthrough Required
You must place £400 worth of cumulative stakes (for instance, 400 individual £1 slot spins) before any winnings transfer to your withdrawable balance.
What does 40x wagering mean on deposit vs. bonus?
The actual amount you need to bet depends heavily on whether the 40x multiplier applies to the bonus only or the deposit + bonus combined:
- Bonus Only (40x): A £10 deposit giving a £10 bonus requires £400 in total bets (£10 bonus × 40).
- Deposit + Bonus (40x): A £10 deposit giving a £10 bonus requires £800 in total bets (£20 combined total × 40).
The new 10x wagering cap introduced in January 2026
Under rules introduced by the UK Gambling Commission, wagering requirements for UK-licensed operators are now capped at a maximum of 10x.
This change was introduced to make promotional offers at UK online casinos simpler, fairer, and safer by preventing high playthrough targets that encourage excessive gambling.
How did the wagering requirements look in the past
| Feature | UK Standard (Current) | In the past |
| Maximum Wagering Cap | 10x | Often 35x, 40x, or 50x |
| Total Playthrough (£10 Bonus) | £100 total stakes | £350 – £500 total stakes |
| Player Harm Risk | Lower; faster to clear | High; encourages long play sessions |
| Transparency | High (Regulated by UKGC) | Complex fine print |
All casinos in the UK now must comply with the new 10x wagering rule, so if you find a casino that doesn’t match that… we suggest you skip it!
Nikola StaninFURTHER READING
- We’ve covered the new 10x wagering cap in more detail in our news section.
How to calculate wagering requirements?
Calculating how much you need to play before you can cash out is straightforward with this step-by-step guide we’ve created for you:
Examples:
- UK Standard Bonus (10x Cap):
- Bonus Received: £10
- Wagering Requirement: 10x
- Calculation: £10 × 10 = £100
- Result: You must place £100 worth of bets before withdrawing.
- Legacy / International Offer (40x Wagering):
- Bonus Received: £10
- Wagering Requirement: 40x
- Calculation: £10 × 40 = £400
- Result: You must place £400 worth of bets before withdrawing.
We suggest our chatbot feature to you, where you can easily type out your wagering requirement question and get an instant answer!
Calculate wagering requirementsKey terms to check in the fine print of the bonus
Even with the 10x limit on UK platforms, key terms impact how quickly you complete a playthrough target:
- Game Weighting: Not all games contribute 100% to wagering requirements. Online slots usually contribute 100% (a £1 bet counts as £1 toward the target), while table games like Blackjack or Roulette may only contribute 10% (a £1 bet only counts as £0.10).
- Expiry Limits: Bonuses usually have a time limit (e.g., 7 or 30 days) to complete the playthrough requirement before the bonus funds expire.
- Maximum Bet Limits: Operators often cap the maximum stake per spin or bet (e.g., £5) while playing with active bonus funds.
- Win Caps: Some promotions place an upper limit on the maximum amount of bonus winnings you can convert into cash once wagering is completed.
Make sure you stick to the games listed in the bonus terms! Playing non-qualifying games won’t count toward clearing your wagering requirement.
Nikola StaninYour checklist before claiming a bonus
- Check the multiplier: Ensure it does not exceed the new and mandatory 10x UK limit.
- Calculate the playthrough: Multiply the bonus by the wagering requirement so you know the total stake needed.
- Check game contributions: Verify that your preferred games count 100% toward completing the requirement.
- Gamble Responsibly: Always set strict personal budgets before playing and stick to safe gambling practices to keep play controlled and enjoyable. Never deposit more than you can afford to lose simply to complete a wagering requirement.
Recommended reading
If you found this guide useful, here is where to go next. These pages will help you find a safe casino, understand who runs it, and learn how we test every site we recommend.
- See exactly how we test every site before we list it on our how we review page.
- Browse every licensed gambling company in the UK.
- Find a safe, licensed online casino to play at.
- Discover other brands run by your favourite operator with our sister sites finder.
