Blog · 3 Oct 2026
The 10x Wagering Cap and Other New UK Bonus Rules Explained
The rules for UK gambling bonuses changed on 19 January 2026. Wagering is now capped at ten times the bonus, and offers that tie one product to another are banned. Here is what changed and what it means when you compare offers.
What changed in January 2026
Two new UK Gambling Commission rules came into force on 19 January 2026, and they apply to every operator licensed in Great Britain:
- Wagering requirements are capped at 10 times the bonus.
- Promotions that require play across different products are banned.
Both changes came out of the government's review of gambling laws and a Gambling Commission consultation on making bonuses fairer and easier to understand. Neither rule affects the odds or the games themselves. They change how bonuses are built.
The 10x wagering cap
A wagering requirement is the amount you have to bet before winnings from a bonus can be withdrawn. It's written as a multiple of the bonus, so a £20 bonus with 10x wagering means £200 of bets.
Before the cap, requirements of 35x or more were common, and some applied to your deposit and the bonus combined, which doubled the amount of play. Here's how the same £20 bonus compares:
| Wagering | Total you need to bet | Expected cost at 96% RTP |
|---|---|---|
| 35x the bonus | £700 | £28 |
| 10x the bonus | £200 | £8 |
| 1x the bonus | £20 | £0.80 |
The expected cost is the house edge, 4% at 96% RTP, multiplied by the total you need to bet. It's an average: real sessions can finish well above or below it. But it shows why the cap matters. Lower wagering means less play is needed, so less of the bonus is used up along the way.
The cap is a maximum, not a target. Some offers carry far less. At our featured casinos, bonus spin winnings at BetFusion and PlayWins carry 1x wagering, while the 25% match bonus at SaviBet, LuckCity and BetBlink carries 10x.
The ban on mixed-product promotions
Mixed-product promotions asked you to play one product to unlock a reward on another, for example "bet £10 on football and get 50 free spins", or "play bingo to unlock a casino bonus". These are now banned.
Rewards still exist, but they have to stay on the same product:
- a sports bet can earn a free bet;
- casino play can earn free spins or a casino bonus;
- bingo play can earn bingo tickets or a bingo bonus.
That's why you'll see separate sports and casino welcome offers for the same brand on our pages. Each offer covers one product only.
What it means when you compare offers
With wagering now 10x or less across the market, the headline amount and the wagering multiple tell you less than they used to. These terms make the bigger difference:
- Game contribution. Slots usually count 100% towards wagering, but table and live games may count much less, or nothing.
- Maximum conversion. Some offers cap how much bonus winnings you can turn into cash.
- Expiry. Check how long you have to use the bonus, the spins and the wagering.
- Payment methods. Deposits with some e-wallets may not qualify.
- Minimum deposit and stake limits. These affect how much you have to put in and how you can play.
Our guides to wagering requirements and casino bonuses explain each term with worked examples, and the wagering calculator does the maths for any offer. You can compare current deals on our casino bonuses page.
A bonus with fairer terms is still a way to play, not a way to win money. Only claim one if you'd be happy to deposit and play anyway.
Keep it fun
Set a budget before you play, never chase losses and take regular breaks. Gambling should never be a way to make money. Free, confidential help is available from GamCare or the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
