How wagering works in casino apps

How wagering works in casino apps, in one minute

The Gambling Commission defines a wagering requirement as any requirement to make bets totalling a set value before funds become withdrawable. In an app, that usually means bonus money sits in a separate balance until your eligible bets reach the target.

The target is the bonus multiplied by the wagering multiple. A £20 bonus with 10x wagering needs £200 of eligible bets; the same bonus at 5x needs £100. Every eligible stake counts towards the total, win or lose, as with any welcome bonus or deposit match, so £200 of wagering could be 400 spins at 50p or 200 spins at £1.

Wagering isn’t a fee you pay, but it does have a cost, because every bet carries the game’s house edge. The rest of this guide puts numbers on that. For the bigger picture of bonus types, start at our casino app guides hub.

The 10x wagering cap in UK casino apps

Since 19 January 2026, the Commission’s social responsibility code 5.1.1 on rewards and bonuses (opens in a new tab) has said a bonus can’t require you to play through bonus funds more than 10 times. The same change banned promotions that mix gambling products, such as a bonus that needs both a sports bet and casino play. An outright ban on wagering was consulted on but not adopted.

The Commission illustrated the problem with a £10 bonus at 50x, which needed £500 of play before any winnings could be withdrawn. Under the cap, the same £10 bonus needs no more than £100. The Commission’s announcement of the change (opens in a new tab) and our page on the 10x wagering cap give the full background, and the mixed-product bonus ban explains the second rule.

Casino app wagering worked out in pounds

The useful number is the expected cost of clearing a bonus: wagering target × house edge. A slot with a 96% RTP has a 4% edge, so each £100 wagered costs £4 on average. Check the actual RTP on the game’s help screen, as versions differ; our guide to finding a game’s RTP in an app shows where. Here are real partner terms worked through on that 96% assumption. 18+ and full terms apply.

On average, then, the £25 10bet bonus would leave about £15 of value after wagering and Casumo’s £100 bonus about £60, before any cap on winnings. Averages hide wide swings: on a high-volatility slot you may lose the whole bonus well before the target, or finish with more. 10bet also caps bonus winnings at £1,000.

These figures are averages from standard game maths, not predictions. Over time the house edge means losses are the likely result, so only stake what you’ve budgeted for fun.

How a casino app counts your wagering, step by step

1. You opt in and make the qualifying deposit; the bonus lands in a bonus balance shown separately from your cash.
2. You play eligible games; each stake is added to your wagering progress, whatever the result.
3. Bets on games that don’t count, or above the maximum bet, may not count or may break the terms.
4. Once your eligible stakes reach the target inside the time limit, remaining bonus funds become withdrawable cash.
5. If the deadline passes first, the remaining bonus and any winnings from it are usually forfeited; your deposit balance is not.

Apps usually show progress in the bonus or rewards area of your account. If you can’t find it, ask live chat for the remaining amount; it’s quicker than guessing. Our guide on how to claim a bonus in a casino app covers the opt-in stage.

Deposit balance vs bonus balance

The Commission’s guidance on withdrawing deposits while a bonus is active (opens in a new tab) is clear on three points. You must be able to withdraw your deposit balance at any time, you can’t be made to meet wagering requirements on your own money, and the two balances must be shown separately rather than as one pot.

What the guidance doesn’t fix is the order in which the two balances are used. Some terms spend your cash first, others the bonus. The Commission calls a bet drawn from both a “mixed wager”. Read the terms before your first spin, because withdrawing your deposit usually ends the bonus. How to withdraw from a casino app explains the cash-out side.

Which casino app games count towards wagering

Slots are the standard game for clearing a bonus. 10bet’s welcome bonus, for example, must be wagered on slots. Blackjack, roulette and live casino games are often excluded or count for less, so check the game list in the terms before you play them.

Contribution matters because it changes the real target. If a game counted at 10%, every £10 bet would add only £1 to your progress. Lower-edge games such as blackjack, explained in our house edge by game guide, are the ones most often limited this way.

Maximum bets, time limits and win caps

Three other terms decide whether wagering is realistic on a phone. The first is a maximum bet: Casumo allows up to £5 a bet while its bonus is active, which matches the £5 online slot stake limit for players aged 25 and over (players aged 18 to 24 are capped at £2 a spin anyway).

The second is the time limit. At 10bet you have 3 days to wager £250 on a £25 bonus, which is 1,000 spins at 25p. With slots limited to one spin every 2.5 seconds, that is at least 42 minutes of continuous spinning, and far longer in practice. The third is a cap on winnings, such as 10bet’s £1,000 maximum from bonus play.

No-wagering offers: when wagering doesn’t apply

A no-wagering offer pays winnings as cash with no play-through. All three welcome offers at the end of this page work that way: Coral’s 100 spins carry no wagering on winnings, Ladbrokes’ daily spins have no wagering, and PlayOJO pays spin winnings in cash.

The spins are smaller in headline value, but there is nothing to clear. Our guides to free spins in casino apps and no wagering casino apps compare them in detail.

Wagering mistakes to avoid in casino apps

• Thinking a betting system clears wagering cheaply. Doubling up or changing stake size doesn’t change the house edge; it only changes how fast the balance swings.
• Playing excluded games. Bets on games outside the list may not count, and some terms treat them as a breach.
• Exceeding the maximum bet. One spin above the limit can be enough to lose the bonus and its winnings.
• Chasing the target. Topping up to finish wagering turns a bonus into extra spending.
• Missing the deadline. Three days passes quickly; check the date before you opt in.

If wagering ever feels like a reason to keep playing, use a time-out in the app or call the free National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

No-wagering casino app offers to compare

If you’d rather skip wagering altogether, the three offers below pay spin winnings with no play-through. 18+ and terms apply.

• Coral Casino: new players. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slots for 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each; accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on free spin winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don’t qualify.
• Ladbrokes Casino: new customers. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day over your first 10 days (up to 500) at 10p each on selected games; claim before 23:59 daily, each batch lasts 7 days, no wagering.
• PlayOJO: new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland. First deposit of £10+ for 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p, no wagering, winnings paid in cash; designated offer link only.

For a matched bonus instead, the Casumo app review and 10bet app review cover those offers’ full terms.

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.