The Review RoomUK casino bonus rules after the 10x wagering cap
Since 19 January 2026, no casino licensed in Great Britain may attach a wagering requirement of more than 10 times to a promotion, and offers that make you use two kinds of gambling to qualify, such as betting on sport to unlock slot spins, are banned.[1] Any UK bonus advertised with 20x, 35x or 50x wagering is either out of date or not from a GB-licensed operator.
What changed on 19 January 2026
The Gambling Commission announced the two changes in March 2025, after consulting on caps of 1, 5 or 10 times. It chose 10. The start date was moved from 19 December 2025 to 19 January 2026.[1]
| Rule | Before 19 Jan 2026 | From 19 Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum wagering requirement | No cap set by the regulator | 10 times |
| Offers mixing products (for example betting plus slots) | Allowed | Banned |
What a wagering requirement costs you, in pounds
A wagering requirement is how much you must stake before bonus money, or winnings from it, can be withdrawn. The cost is not the stake itself, since much of it comes back as wins, but the house edge you pay on every pound wagered. The example below uses a £20 bonus and assumes a slot that returns 96% of stakes over the long run, so on average you lose 4p of every £1 staked. Real games vary, and short sessions swing far from the average.
| Wagering on a £20 bonus | Total you must stake | Average loss at a 96% return | What is left of the £20, on average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x (today's maximum) | £200 | £8 | £12 |
| 35x (allowed before 2026) | £700 | £28 | Nothing: the average loss is larger than the bonus |
This is the practical effect of the cap. At 35x, the average player would expect to lose the whole bonus and some of their own money while trying to clear it. At 10x, the same bonus is, on average, worth something. It is still an average: any single session can lose the lot.
What the mixed-product ban means
An operator can still give you a casino offer for playing casino games, or a betting offer for betting. What it cannot do is require "two or more types of gambling", in the Commission's words, to qualify for a single offer.[1] So "stake £10 on slots, get 20 free spins" stays legal, while "bet £10 on football, get 20 free spins" does not. This matters most at operators whose one licence covers several products. LeoVegas Gaming PLC's, for example, covers casino, bingo and betting, as our LeoVegas casino review sets out.[2]
Questions to ask before taking any UK casino bonus
- What is the wagering multiple, and on what amount? Ten times the bonus and ten times the bonus plus your deposit are very different sums. The full terms must say which.
- Which games count, and by how much? Many offers count slots in full and table games at a reduced rate or not at all.
- Is there a maximum stake while the bonus is active? Online slots are already capped at £5 a spin, or £2 if you are 18 to 24, but a bonus may set a lower limit of its own.[3]
- Is there a cap on what you can win or withdraw?
- How long do you have? An expiry date short enough to push you into playing faster than you planned is a reason to say no.
Always open and read the full terms and conditions before you opt in. A legitimate GB-licensed operator links them from the offer itself, and an offer you cannot read the terms for is one to skip.
Spotting a bonus from an unlicensed site
Because the cap is compulsory, a bonus advertised above 10x to UK players is a strong sign the site does not hold a GB licence. So is a welcome offer that bundles sports bets with casino spins. Our guide to checking a casino licence on the register takes two minutes and settles the question either way. Unlicensed sites also sit outside GAMSTOP and the other protections, as our safer gambling tools guide explains.
Questions people ask
What is the maximum wagering requirement on a UK casino bonus?
Ten times. The Gambling Commission's cap has applied to every GB-licensed operator since 19 January 2026.[1]
Can a UK casino give me free spins for betting on sport?
No. Since 19 January 2026, promotions that require two or more types of gambling, such as betting and slots, are banned.[1]
Is a 10x wagering bonus worth taking?
It is far less costly than the 35x offers that were common before 2026, but you should still expect to lose some of the bonus to the house edge while clearing it, and any session can lose everything. Only take a bonus for games you meant to play anyway.