Qualifying deposit meaning

Qualifying deposit meaning: the four tests

Bonus terms treat a deposit as "qualifying" only when it ticks every box the offer sets. In UK casino terms those boxes fall into four groups, and the table shows how each one appears in our partners' published welcome terms.

Some offers add a fifth step: a qualifying bet. Coral and Ladbrokes both ask you to deposit and then stake £10 or more on slots before spins are credited. The deposit opens the door, but the bet is what triggers the reward.

Why the payment method decides whether a deposit qualifies

Excluded methods are the commonest reason a deposit fails to qualify. Ladbrokes' welcome terms exclude prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers; Coral's exclude Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards. The full list is in each brand's terms and on Coral's deposit methods help page (opens in a new tab). Our pages on Coral bonus payment exclusions and why can't I use PayPal for the bonus go further.

A wider rule sits behind all of this. Gambling on credit cards has been banned in Great Britain since 14 April 2020, and the Commission's guide on gambling using a credit card (opens in a new tab) explains that this extends to e-wallets loaded by credit card. A credit-funded deposit is therefore not a valid deposit at all, let alone a qualifying one. See the credit card ban for the detail. A debit card is the method most offers accept.

Qualifying deposit examples in pounds

• Casumo, £15 deposit: below the £20 minimum, so it does not qualify. The £15 is still yours to play or withdraw, but no 50% bonus is added.
• Casumo, £60 deposit: qualifies, giving a £30 bonus that must be wagered 10x (£300) within 7 days at no more than £5 a bet.
• PlayOJO, £10 first deposit via the offer link: qualifies for 80 spins at 10p, worth £8 in total stakes, with winnings paid as cash.
• Coral, £10 by PayPal then £10 on slots: the bet is placed, but PayPal is excluded, so no spins.
• Coral, £10 by an eligible debit card then £10 on slots: qualifies for 100 spins at 10p (£10 of spins).

Qualifying deposits and the first-deposit limit prompt

Since 31 October 2025 casinos have had to prompt you to set a financial limit before your first deposit, with setting a limit as the default and opting out needing confirmation. That prompt appears just before the qualifying deposit on most welcome offers, and the Commission's post on changes to customer-led tools (opens in a new tab) sets out the detail. A limit does not stop a deposit qualifying as long as the amount fits inside it. Our deposit limit rules page and how to set deposit limits guide explain the options.

How to make sure a deposit qualifies

1. Open the offer's significant terms and note the minimum, accepted methods and deadline.
2. Opt in or select the offer first if the terms require it.
3. Set your deposit limit when prompted, at a level that suits your budget.
4. Deposit at least the minimum with an eligible method, in one transaction.
5. Place any qualifying bet the offer asks for, such as £10 on slots.
6. Confirm in the promotions area that the reward has been credited before playing on.

If something goes wrong, our first deposit checklist and the guide to casino deposit declined problems cover the usual fixes.

Related terms to qualifying deposit

• Opt-in: the step that attaches the offer before you deposit.
• Wagering requirement: what a match bonus asks after the deposit qualifies.
• Bonus expiry: the deadlines that start once the reward is credited.
• No wagering: offers such as PlayOJO's, where spin winnings are cash.

More definitions are on the glossary hub.

Offers with a £10 qualifying deposit

PlayOJO (18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland) gives 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza for a first deposit of £10 or more made through the designated offer link; winnings are paid in cash and the offer cannot be combined with others. Coral (18+, new players, 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027) gives 100 spins at 10p on selected slots after you deposit by an eligible method and bet £10 on slots; accept them within 48 hours and use them within 7 days, with no wagering on spin winnings. Terms apply. Only deposit what you can afford to lose.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.