UKGC bonus rules: fair terms and the 2026 changes

Quick answer: a UK casino bonus can still have conditions, but a Gambling Commission licensee must make its incentive terms clear, transparent, fair and readily accessible. Since 19 January 2026, the Commission’s rewards and bonuses code also prohibits wagering requirements above 10 times the bonus funds and incentives that combine different gambling product types in the ways described below. Neither rule makes every promotion wager-free or guarantees that a player will receive a reward.

This guide explains the rules for gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain. It is not an approval of a particular casino or offer. We checked the current Gambling Commission code, its worked examples for operators, the Commission’s consumer guidance and the ASA/CAP advice on advertising free bets and bonuses on 4 October 2026.

The rules at a glance

Are the terms clear?

The rule: the operator must set out incentive terms that are clear, transparent, fair and readily accessible. Check: eligibility, qualifying action, reward value, eligible games, expiry, caps and withdrawal rules.

Can bonus funds carry wagering?

The rule: yes, but a requirement to play through bonus funds must not exceed 10 times under code 5.1.1. Check: which funds carry the multiplier and how the operator calculates it. A 10x maximum is not a 0x promise.

Can one incentive mix sports, casino, bingo or lottery?

The rule: the code prohibits including more than one gambling product type in an incentive. The Commission gives examples and a narrow explanation of unrestricted customer choice. Check: whether the qualifying activity and reward belong to the same product category; do not infer a decision about a specific campaign from its headline.

Can finishing sooner change the reward?

The rule: the current rewards and bonuses code also bars altering or increasing the receipt, value or amount of an incentive because the qualifying activity or spend is completed in less than the full offer period. This restriction was carried forward when the code was redrafted; it was not one of the two new 2026 mechanics. Check: whether doing the same qualifying activity faster changes what you receive. Do not rush gambling to chase a larger reward.

Must an advert show every condition?

The rule: ASA/CAP says significant conditions must be clear and prominent when their omission could mislead. Check: a required deposit, wagering, eligibility and time limits should not be hidden behind an attractive spin count.

What does the 10x wagering cap mean?

A wagering requirement is the amount of play required before specified bonus funds become withdrawable. Under Social Responsibility Code 5.1.1, a licensee must not impose a requirement to play through bonus funds over a maximum of ten times. In a hypothetical offer with £20 of bonus funds and a 10x requirement on those funds, the stated play-through would be £200. That is the amount staked over time, not an extra £200 deposit or a guaranteed loss. The result of play is uncertain.

Check the exact wagering base instead of multiplying a headline figure automatically. Your own deposited money, bonus funds and winnings from free spins can have different treatment. The Commission also has separate guidance on withdrawing deposits and deposit winnings. A bonus term should not be assumed to remove those rights. Our wagering requirements guide works through the calculation and explains what a 0x claim can and cannot mean.

What counts as a mixed-product promotion?

The Commission distinguishes betting, casino, bingo and lottery as product types. Its worked examples describe an incentive requiring casino play to earn casino spins as compliant with the product-mixing rule, while an incentive requiring a sports bet to earn casino spins is not. This is about the design of one incentive; it is not a ban on offering more than one slot game within the casino category.

There is an important nuance: the Commission says an incentive may give customers genuinely unrestricted choice of which available product category to use bonus credits on. Restrictions on particular games can still exist, but they must be clear. That distinction is why a short headline is not enough to pronounce a complicated offer compliant or non-compliant. For a disputed live promotion, ask the operator and consult the Commission’s detailed examples.

Can a casino give more spins for finishing the qualifying play early?

The current code 5.1.1 says an operator must not alter or increase the receipt, value or amount of an incentive when the qualifying activity or spend is reached within a shorter time than the whole period over which the benefit is offered. For example, imagine a seven-day offer of 20 spins after a qualifying £10 casino stake, with 30 spins instead if the same stake is completed on day one. That hypothetical raises the exact early-completion issue in the code; it is not a ruling on any live promotion.

The Commission’s consultation response shows this restriction existed before the 2026 redraft. The new 10x cap and mixed-product ban should not be confused with it. Nor is a published claim deadline automatically the same thing as increasing a reward for faster qualifying play. If an offer seems to change the reward according to how quickly you stake, save the dated wording and ask the operator to explain it before playing.

What should a free-spins advert tell you up front?

The ASA/CAP guidance treats deposit or wagering requirements, eligibility and time limits as examples of significant conditions. It warns against calling a promotion “free” if a customer must risk their own money to qualify, or “risk-free” when they can lose it. Our site therefore separates no-deposit spins from wager-free winnings: the first describes qualification, the second a possible post-reward play-through condition.

Check excluded payment methods before depositing. The ASA/CAP gambling-bonus guidance describes a 2024 case in which a payment-method exclusion appeared only in small print; the ASA considered it a significant condition that was not prominent enough. A casino’s Apple Pay deposit listing or another payment badge on our site does not establish that the same method qualifies for a particular free-spins offer. Read that offer’s own payment exclusions and qualifying-deposit wording, not just the cashier’s available methods.

Before acting on a promotion, locate the complete terms on the operator’s own site and record the version shown to your account. Check whether the advertised spins arrive at once or in stages; a later stage might require a deposit or qualifying play even when an earlier stage does not. Confirm the stake per spin, eligible game, expiry and any winnings cap. A larger headline count alone does not establish better value.

A five-step reading checklist

1. Eligibility: confirm age, country, new/existing-customer status and whether opting in is necessary.
2. Qualifying action: separate registration, depositing and wagering. If a deposit is required, check whether its payment method is excluded from the offer.
3. Reward: identify whether you receive cash, bonus funds or spins; for spins note their per-spin stake, game and delivery schedule.
4. Conditions on winnings: identify the balance affected by any wagering requirement, eligible games and contribution rates, permitted stakes, expiry and cash-out cap.
5. Withdrawal: read the operator’s identity and payment process separately. A 0x label does not waive verification or all withdrawal conditions.

If the conditions are unclear, do not deposit merely to find out how they work. Ask the operator to explain them in writing first. Our deposit versus no-deposit comparison applies this checklist to two common free-spin formats.

What if the offer and its terms conflict?

Keep the dated advert, full terms and any account-specific message. The Gambling Commission’s complaints guide says to raise the issue with the gambling business first. If it remains unresolved, the business has up to eight weeks to resolve the complaint; an independent alternative dispute resolution provider may then be available, or earlier if the operator issues a deadlock letter. This is a route for a dispute, not a promise that a particular claim will succeed.

Common questions

Does the 10x cap mean all UK free spins have 10x wagering?

No. It is a maximum for a requirement to play through bonus funds where the code applies, not a requirement to impose wagering. An offer can state 0x on specified winnings. Always check which balance and reward stage the statement covers.

Can a casino still require a deposit to unlock free spins?

Yes, a deposit-linked promotion and a no-deposit promotion are different formats. The required payment and any qualifying play must be disclosed clearly. Neither format tells you by itself whether later winnings carry wagering.

Does the Gambling Commission approve every individual promotion?

No. Its operator guidance says it cannot give prior approval for each incentive. A casino’s responsibility to follow the rules does not make a comparison-site listing an endorsement by the regulator.

Editorial note: this page explains general GB requirements; it does not certify a current offer or replace its full terms. We are independent of the Gambling Commission. 18+ only. Gambling can cause financial harm. If you need support, contact GamCare or consider GAMSTOP self-exclusion.