The latest casino bonus rules in the UK took effect on 19 January 2026: wagering can be no more than ten times the bonus, and one promotion can’t require play on more than one gambling product. This page explains what each rule covers, how they grew out of earlier changes, the maths under the cap and how to check any offer yourself.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
The two bonus rules of January 2026, the ten times cap and the one-product rule, reshaped every welcome offer in Britain. Anything describing higher wagering or a mixed sports-and-casino offer was written before them.
UK casino bonus rules timeline: from 2018 to the 10x cap
The January 2026 changes were the latest step in a series of rules on how online casino bonuses are designed and marketed. Knowing the sequence helps you date any bonus page you read.
Dated UK changes to casino bonus rules
Date
Change
Effect on bonuses
1 February 2018
First CMA undertakings, from Ladbrokes, William Hill and PT Entertainment
Clearer bonus terms; players can withdraw their own money during bonus play
7 May 2019
Age and identity verification before any play
No bonus or free bet before checks are complete
31 October 2020
VIP and high-value customer rules
Checks on affordability of spend before VIP status
12 February 2023
Customer interaction rule on strong harm indicators
What the 10x wagering cap covers, and what it doesn’t
The cap sits in social responsibility code 5.1.1 (opens in a new tab) of the licence conditions. It says a wagering requirement may not require a customer to play through bonus funds more than ten times. The Commission’s own illustration shows the scale of the change: a £10 bonus with 50x wagering would previously have needed £500 of play before winnings could be withdrawn; at 10x it needs £100.
What the January 2026 rules change and what they leave in place
Term
Position since 19 January 2026
Wagering multiple
No more than 10x the bonus funds
Mixing products in one offer
Not allowed
Changing an incentive over time
Time-based changes to an incentive are not allowed
Maximum bet while a bonus is active
Still allowed, within the slot stake limits
Cap on bonus winnings
Still allowed if clearly stated
Expiry deadlines
Still allowed if clearly stated
Game restrictions and weighting
Still allowed if clearly stated
Wagering requirements altogether
A full ban was consulted on and not adopted
Terms must also be clear, transparent, fair and readily accessible. Current partner offers show the remaining terms in practice: Casumo’s 50% bonus has a £5 maximum bet while it is active, and 10bet’s 100% bonus caps bonus winnings at £1,000. Our guides to the max bet rule, game weighting and bonus expiry explain each one.
The code text speaks of playing through bonus funds. If an offer attaches wagering to your deposit as well as the bonus, read the terms closely and ask the casino to confirm how the requirement is calculated.
UK bonus rules before and after January 2026: typical terms compared
The Commission described its aim as making gambling promotions safer and simpler. The clearest way to see what that meant is to put a typical pre-2026 welcome bonus beside what is possible now. The ‘before’ column below describes the kind of terms that were common, not any particular casino.
A typical £50 casino bonus before and after the January 2026 rules
Term
Common before 19 January 2026
Allowed now
Wagering on a £50 bonus
35x, so £1,750 of stakes
10x at most, so £500 of stakes or less
Wagering on £50 of free spin winnings
Often 35x or more
10x at most, and many offers now have none
Unlocking the bonus
Sometimes a sports bet or bingo ticket
A qualifying action in the same product only
Rewards that grow the longer you play
Seen in some promotions
Time-based changes to an incentive not allowed
Maximum bet with bonus funds
Often £5, sometimes higher before stake limits
Within £5 (25 and over) or £2 (18–24)
Marketing of the offer
Opt-out in many cases
Opt-in per product and channel since 1 May 2025
Taken together, the changes cut the play needed to release a typical bonus by about 70% where a casino moves from 35x to 10x, and they stop one product being used as bait for another. They don’t remove the cost of play: the house edge still applies to every stake, and wagering at 10x on a large bonus is still a substantial amount of play. A bonus is best treated as extra playing time, judged on its terms, rather than as money to be won.
Mixed-product promotions ban: examples of what is and isn’t allowed
The second January 2026 rule says an incentive must not include more than one type of gambling product. The Commission groups products as betting, casino, bingo and lottery. Slots, roulette and blackjack all count as casino, so a casino bonus can still be used across casino games.
Promotion examples tested against the mixed-product rule
Example promotion
Allowed?
Why
Bet £10 on football, get 50 casino free spins
No
Betting unlocks a casino reward
Play £10 on slots, get free spins on slots
Yes
One product: casino
Deposit bonus usable on slots and roulette
Yes
Both are casino games
Buy bingo tickets, get slot spins
No
Bingo unlocks a casino reward
Choose a sports or casino welcome offer at sign-up
Yes
Each offer covers one product
The last example is how combined brands now handle new customers. 10bet, for instance, asks you to choose the casino welcome bonus at sign-up. Our page on the mixed-product promotions ban and the comparison of casino vs sportsbook bonuses go further.
Bonus wagering under the 10x cap: worked pound examples
The cap tells you the most you can be asked to stake. What a bonus is likely to cost you in play depends on the games’ return to player (RTP). On a slot paying back 96% over the long run, the average loss is 4% of everything staked, though individual sessions vary widely.
Current partner offers worked through at full value
Offer (18+, terms apply)
Bonus or spins
Wagering needed
Average cost on a 96% slot
Casumo: deposit £200, 50% up to £100
£100 bonus
£1,000 within 7 days
About £40
10bet: deposit £25, 100% up to £25
£25 bonus
£250 on slots within 3 days
About £10
Coral: bet £10 on slots
100 spins at 10p (£10)
None
Not applicable
Ladbrokes: play £10 on slots
Up to 500 spins at 10p (£50)
None
Not applicable
PlayOJO: first deposit £10+
80 spins at 10p (£8) on Big Bass Bonanza
None
Not applicable
The average cost column is a long-run expectation, not a prediction. You might finish wagering with more than you started or lose the bonus entirely. Use our wagering calculator for other amounts and read how to calculate wagering for the method. Remember that gambling costs money over time; a bonus changes how long your stake lasts, not the house edge.
How bonus rules work with the £5 and £2 slot stake limits
Bonus terms sit on top of other rules. The online slot stake limits, £5 a spin for adults aged 25 and over since 9 April 2025 and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds since 21 May 2025, apply whether you are playing with cash or bonus funds. A bonus maximum bet can be lower than those limits, never higher in practice.
Worked example: £1,000 of wagering at two ages
A 30-year-old completing £1,000 of wagering on Casumo’s bonus at the £5 maximum bet needs at least 200 spins. A 22-year-old is limited to £2 a spin, so the same wagering needs at least 500 spins. Because every slot spin must take at least 2.5 seconds, 500 spins take at least 21 minutes of continuous play, and in reality much longer. That is a lot of play to fit inside a 7-day window, which is why it pays to read the expiry before you opt in.
Do the new bonus rules apply to existing customers and VIP offers?
Yes. The code text applies to any incentive, not only welcome offers, so reload bonuses, free spins for existing customers and loyalty rewards must also respect the 10x cap and the one-product rule. Several other rules also shape what existing customers are offered.
Marketing consent (since 1 May 2025): you must opt in to offers per product (casino, betting, bingo) and per channel (email, SMS, phone).
Harm indicators (since 12 February 2023): where there are strong signs of harm, marketing and new bonus take-up must stop.
VIP schemes (since 31 October 2020): operators must check spend is affordable and sustainable before treating anyone as a high-value customer.
Your own choices: deposit limits set before your first deposit, as required since 31 October 2025, still apply when you claim a bonus.
Common beliefs about UK bonus rules, checked against the current position
Myth
Fact
The 10x cap means every bonus is good value
The cap limits wagering only; spin value, expiry, eligible games and max bet still decide value
No-wagering offers are banned
No-wagering offers are allowed and common; a full ban on wagering itself was rejected
Casinos can no longer give sports and casino offers
They can, but as separate promotions, each covering one product
Only welcome bonuses are capped
Any incentive is covered, including offers for existing customers
You must accept a bonus with your deposit
Most UK offers need you to opt in or choose the offer; you can decline it
The cap applies to winnings, so you can only win 10x
The cap is on wagering; a separate maximum win, if any, must be stated in the terms
Declining a bonus is often sensible if you want to withdraw quickly, because cash balances carry no wagering at all. If you do take an offer, set a deposit limit first and decide in advance how much of your own money you are prepared to lose; that figure should not change because a bonus is available.
How to check a casino bonus follows the latest UK rules
Confirm the casino’s domain is on an active Gambling Commission licence before reading the offer.
Find the wagering multiple in the full terms and check it is no more than 10x the bonus.
Check the offer only involves one product; a sports bet that unlocks casino spins is not allowed.
Note the maximum bet, expiry, eligible games, payment exclusions and any cap on winnings.
Work out the total stakes needed and decide whether it fits your budget and the time limit.
Keep a screenshot of the terms on the day you opt in, in case they change later.
Search for the new bonus rules, wagering requirement changes, the wagering cap or UK bonus regulations 2026 and this is the subject: the January 2026 limits on how casino bonuses can be structured.
Everything here is dated. Offers and facts were last checked on 5 October 2026; this is not a live feed. Casino details come from each casino's published terms and help pages and the Gambling Commission's public register. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum wagering in the UK?
The maximum wagering on a UK casino bonus is ten times the bonus amount. The cap is set by social responsibility code 5.1.1 of the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions and applies to every UK-licensed casino. A £30 bonus can therefore require no more than £300 of stakes before bonus winnings can be withdrawn. Terms such as a maximum bet, an expiry date and game restrictions can still apply alongside the cap if they are clearly stated. Our page on the 10x wagering cap explains the rule in full.
When did it start?
The cap started on 19 January 2026. The Commission announced it on 26 March 2025 with an original start date of 19 December 2025, then moved the date to 19 January 2026 in July 2025. The mixed-product promotions ban began on the same day. Any casino bonus offered to British players from that date must meet both rules, including offers for existing customers. Bonus pages written before then may still quote older terms, so check the date on anything you read. The Commission’s announcement (opens in a new tab) has the background.
Can I claim casino and sports offers together?
Not from one promotion. Since 19 January 2026 an incentive can’t include more than one type of gambling product, so a single offer can’t require a sports bet to unlock casino spins or vice versa. Brands with both a sportsbook and a casino now offer separate welcome deals; 10bet, for example, asks new customers to choose the casino welcome bonus at sign-up. Whether you can claim a separate sports offer as well depends on that casino’s terms, so read them before you register. See the mixed-product promotions ban.
Which offers have no wagering?
Coral’s, Ladbrokes’ and PlayOJO’s welcome offers have no wagering on free spin winnings, as checked on 5 October 2026. Coral gives 100 free spins at 10p when you bet £10 on slots; Ladbrokes gives up to 500 free spins at 10p, as 50 a day for 10 days, when you play £10 on slots; PlayOJO gives 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p with a first deposit of £10 or more. All are for new customers aged 18+, with payment exclusions and other terms. See latest no wagering offers.
What is GAMSTOP?
GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme that blocks you from every gambling website and app licensed in Great Britain. You choose a period between six months and five years, and it can’t be cancelled early; when it ends, the exclusion stays in place until you ask for it to be removed. Every online operator has had to take part since 31 March 2020, and operators must also remove you from marketing. You can register on the GAMSTOP website (opens in a new tab). Our guide to using GAMSTOP covers each step.
Where can I get help with gambling?
The National Gambling Helpline is free and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133. It is run by GamCare, which also offers live chat and WhatsApp support. In Wales, the NHS Wales Helpline is on 0808 2819 265. NHS gambling clinics in England accept self-referrals, and Gamblers Anonymous runs peer support meetings. You can also block gambling with GAMSTOP, your bank’s gambling block or blocking software. Our page on free gambling support in the UK lists every service with contact details.
Have you tested these casinos with real money?
No. The site is desk-based and says so. We have not opened real-money accounts, deposited, played or claimed bonuses at the casinos we cover. Offer terms are read from each casino’s published promotional terms on the date shown, licence details come from the Gambling Commission register, and rule details come from official sources. Where a casino doesn’t publish something, we tell you to check the cashier or help centre rather than estimating. Our how we check page explains the process step by step.
Does commission change what you report?
No. We may earn commission when readers join a partner casino through our links, and those links are labelled as adverts. Commission doesn’t change how a bonus rule is explained, which offers are described as compliant, a casino’s score or the order offers appear in. Every offer is shown with its key terms and 18+, and the worked examples on this page use the same maths for every casino. Our advertiser disclosure explains the commercial arrangements in full.
How do I know an offer page is out of date?
An offer page is out of date if it shows wagering above ten times the bonus, or a sports bet unlocking casino spins, because both have been banned since 19 January 2026. Other signs include credit card deposits (banned since 14 April 2020), autoplay or turbo spins (removed from slots since 31 October 2021) and maximum bets above the £5 slot stake limit. A page with no check date is also a warning. Compare it with the casino’s own terms. Our guide to spotting an outdated offer lists every dated sign.
Does the 10x wagering cap apply to free spins?
Yes, where free spin winnings are paid as bonus funds with a wagering requirement, the cap means you can’t be asked to play them through more than ten times. Many UK free spins offers now carry no wagering at all, so winnings are paid as cash. All three free spins welcome offers we list, from Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO, have no wagering on winnings (18+, new customers, 10p spins, terms apply). Check the spin value, eligible games and expiry, which still vary. Our guide to free spins winnings explains the difference.
Does the 10x cap apply to existing customers?
Yes. The licence condition applies to any incentive, so reload bonuses, cashback paid as bonus funds, loyalty rewards and free spins for existing customers must all respect the 10x cap and the one-product rule. Separate rules mean you only receive bonus offers by email, text or phone if you opted in for that product and channel, as required since 1 May 2025, and operators must stop new bonus take-up where there are strong signs of harm. See our guide to reload bonuses for how existing-customer offers work.
Can a casino still set a max bet or max win on a bonus?
Yes. The January 2026 rules cap the wagering multiple and ban mixed-product offers, but they don’t ban other conditions, provided terms are clear, fair and easy to find. Casumo’s current bonus, for example, has a £5 maximum bet while it is active, and 10bet caps bonus winnings at £1,000. Any maximum bet also has to sit within the slot stake limits of £5 for adults aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds. Our explainers on max win and the max bet rule cover both.
Was a complete ban on wagering requirements considered?
Yes. The Gambling Commission consulted on banning wagering requirements altogether before deciding on a cap of ten times the bonus instead. The 2023 gambling white paper had promised fair limits on wagering, and the consultation that opened on 29 November 2023 tested options including an outright ban. The final decision, announced on 26 March 2025, kept wagering but limited it to 10x and banned mixed-product promotions. Casinos can still offer no-wagering deals, and three of our five partners do. See no wagering vs low wagering for the trade-offs.
Why did some sites say the cap started in December 2025?
Because the original start date was 19 December 2025. When the Commission announced the cap and the mixed-product ban on 26 March 2025, it named December 2025; in July 2025 the start was moved to 19 January 2026. Pages written between those dates, or not updated afterwards, may still show the earlier date. The rules have applied to every UK-licensed casino since 19 January 2026, and there was no period in which a December start took effect. Our 2025 timeline shows the sequence.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Get free support from GamCare or NHS gambling support, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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