A casino bonus is never simply free money. Almost every deposit match, free spins offer, and no deposit bonus comes with a wagering requirement, also called a playthrough or rollover requirement, which decides whether you can ever withdraw what the bonus produces. The headline figure on a promotion rarely tells you how demanding it really is. The way to find out is to do the arithmetic, and this guide walks through it with worked examples.
What a wagering requirement is
A wagering requirement is the total amount you must bet before bonus funds, or the winnings made with them, can be withdrawn as cash. It is written as a multiple, such as 30x or 35x, and applied to a base amount set in the terms. The base is the detail that matters most, because the same multiple produces very different totals depending on what it is applied to.
Example 1: wagering on the bonus only
You deposit $100 and receive a 100% match bonus of $100. The terms state a 35x wagering requirement on the bonus amount.
Required wagering = $100 × 35 = $3,500
That does not mean you need $3,500 in your account. It means the total value of all your bets must reach $3,500. Placing 3,500 spins at $1, or 1,750 spins at $2, would both clear it.
Example 2: wagering on deposit plus bonus
Same deposit, same bonus, same 35x, but this time the terms say the requirement applies to the deposit plus the bonus.
Required wagering = ($100 + $100) × 35 = $7,000
The multiple is identical, but the requirement has doubled. A 35x “D+B” offer is as demanding as a 70x offer on the bonus alone. Always check which base the terms use.
Example 3: what the requirement is likely to cost
Every bet carries a house edge, so meeting a wagering requirement has an expected cost. Multiply the total wagering by the house edge of the game you play.
Using Example 1 on a slot with a 96% return to player, which is a 4% house edge:
Expected loss while wagering = $3,500 × 4% = $140
The bonus was worth $100, and clearing it is expected to cost $140. On average, you would finish with less than you would have had by playing your own $100 without the bonus. This is not a certainty in any single session, since results vary widely, but it tells you the offer is poor value on average.
Compare a 10x requirement on the same bonus: $1,000 of wagering at a 4% edge has an expected cost of $40, leaving an expected $60 of value from a $100 bonus. The multiple is by far the biggest factor in whether a bonus is worth taking.
Example 4: game weighting
Most casinos count different games at different rates towards wagering. A common pattern is slots at 100%, and table games such as blackjack or roulette at 10% to 20%, with some games excluded entirely.
If blackjack counts at 10%, each $10 bet only counts as $1 of wagering. To clear the $3,500 from Example 1 on blackjack, you would need to bet:
$3,500 ÷ 10% = $35,000
Weighting is the reason low house edge games rarely help you clear a bonus. Check the contribution table before choosing where to play.
Example 5: free spins winnings
You receive 50 free spins worth $0.10 each and win $12 from them. The terms apply 40x wagering to free spin winnings.
Required wagering = $12 × 40 = $480
Many free spins offers also cap how much of the winnings can be withdrawn, for example $50 or $100. Anything above the cap is removed when you convert the balance to cash, however much you won.
The other terms that change the maths
- Maximum bet. Most bonuses cap your stake while wagering, commonly at around $5 per spin or round. Breaking the cap, even once, can void the bonus and any winnings.
- Time limit. Wagering usually has to be completed within a set number of days. Unfinished wagering means the bonus and its winnings are forfeited.
- Maximum cashout. Some bonuses, especially no deposit offers, limit how much you can withdraw regardless of winnings.
- Order of funds. Terms explain whether your cash or the bonus is played first, and whether withdrawing early cancels the bonus.
- Excluded games and payment methods. Some deposits, such as certain e-wallets, may not qualify for the bonus at all.
Regulation is changing the numbers
Regulators increasingly limit wagering requirements. In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission capped wagering requirements at ten times the bonus amount from January 2026, and banned promotions that require players to gamble on several different products to unlock a bonus. Other markets impose their own rules or restrict bonuses altogether, so an offer available in one country may not exist in another.
A quick checklist
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the multiple? | Lower is always better |
| Bonus only, or deposit plus bonus? | D+B can double the requirement |
| How do games contribute? | Low weighting multiplies the wagering needed |
| What is the maximum bet? | Breaking it can void everything |
| How long do you have? | Unfinished wagering is forfeited |
| Is there a maximum cashout? | It caps what you can withdraw |
The honest conclusion
Wagering requirements exist so that casinos recover the cost of their bonuses. Doing the sums lets you pick the rare offer that is worth taking and skip the rest, and it is perfectly reasonable to decline a bonus and play with your own money on simpler terms. No bonus guarantees a profit. Online gambling is for adults aged 18 and over, or the legal age where you live. Set a budget before you play, never deposit more to chase a wagering target, and if gambling stops being fun, contact a free support service such as GamCare, BeGambleAware or the National Council on Problem Gambling (1-800-GAMBLER).