Scratchcard: what the term means

Scratchcard meaning: lottery cards and casino cards

The paper version is familiar: buy a card in a shop, scratch off the coating and check for matching symbols. Online versions copy that idea on a screen, and they come from two quite different places.

This entry focuses on the casino kind, because that's what you'll find in the apps we cover. Studios that list scratchcards among their products include Hacksaw Gaming, which holds a Gambling Commission licence and makes slots, scratchcards and other instant-win games.

How an online scratchcard works

The steps are much the same in any app, though the look and the prize rules differ from game to game:

1. Open the game and read the help screen for the prize table and RTP.
2. Choose your stake, which is the price of one card.
3. Buy the card. The outcome is decided at this point by the game's random number generator.
4. Reveal the panels by swiping or by tapping the reveal button.
5. Any prize is added to your balance, and you decide whether to buy another card.

Scratching slowly or quickly makes no difference. The result exists before the first panel is revealed, and no pattern in earlier cards changes the next one. Our RNG entry explains how outcomes are produced.

Scratchcard RTP and what it costs

Casino scratchcards publish their RTP like any other online casino game, and UK rules say the RTP or likelihood of winning, the rules and the prize table must be available before you play. There's no standard figure across games, so check the help screen of the version in your app. The usual location is explained in finding a game's RTP in an app.

Speed is what makes scratchcards add up. Using a 95% RTP purely as an illustration, the expected cost is 5% of everything you stake:

Most cards in any session won't pay, and the bigger prizes are rare. The house edge entry explains how to work out this cost for any game.

UK rules for scratchcards and instant wins

• Age 18 for lottery games. The government decided in December 2020 to raise the minimum age for all National Lottery games, including scratchcards and online instant win games, from 16 to 18, as set out in its consultation response on the National Lottery minimum age (opens in a new tab). It planned to stop online sales to 16 and 17-year-olds in April 2021.
• Age and identity checks first. In casino apps, your age and identity must be verified before you can deposit or play, and free-to-play versions also need age verification. See age verification rules for casino apps.
• No autoplay. Each game must be started individually; autoplay has been banned on all online gambling products since 17 January 2025.
• Separate promotions. Since 19 January 2026, one incentive can't mix product types such as casino and lottery, under the mixed-product bonus ban.

The £5 and £2 stake limits are written for online slots, which the Commission defines as casino games using a reel format. Most scratchcards don't use reels, so check the card prices shown in the game rather than assuming the slot cap applies.

How many people play scratchcards

Scratchcards remain one of the most widely played forms of gambling in Britain. The government's 2023 gambling white paper (opens in a new tab) reported that in the year to December 2022, 7.7% of adults had bought scratchcards in the previous four weeks, compared with 5.0% who had played online slot-style games or instant wins.

Because they feel small and quick, scratchcards are easy to underestimate. Keeping an eye on your net spend matters here as much as anywhere. UK casino apps must show your net position and time played, and our guide to checking your net deposits in an app explains where to look.

Finding scratchcards in a casino app

Casino scratchcards usually sit in an instant-win or arcade section of the lobby. Our partners' published app details don't list scratchcards by name, so check the app's game lobby. Don't confuse these with free daily games: Coral's app listing mentions free-to-play games with real-money prizes, and Ladbrokes lists free-to-play games such as Instant Spins and a daily prize wheel, which are promotions rather than paid scratchcards.

How they play on a phone is covered in scratchcards on mobile, and the best scratchcard apps compares apps on their range. Related instant games include the crash game and Slingo, and the rest of the vocabulary is in the casino app glossary.

Partner apps and how their offers relate to scratchcards

Our partners' welcome offers give spins on slots, so they can't be used on scratchcards. 18+, new customers only; terms apply.

• Coral Casino: deposit (some methods excluded) and bet £10+ on slots to receive 100 free spins on selected games, each worth 10p. Accept them within 48 hours and play them within 7 days; spin winnings have no wagering. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify, and the offer ends 1 February 2027.
• Ladbrokes Casino: after depositing, spend £10+ on slots and collect 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p each on selected games. Claim before 23:59 each day; each batch lasts 7 days; no wagering. Deposits by prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill or Moneybookers are excluded.
• PlayOJO: make a first deposit of at least £10 for 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, with cash winnings and no wagering. New UK customers only, not Northern Ireland; claim through the designated offer link; not combinable with other offers.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.