Wagering Requirements Explained: How to Read Bonus Terms
A wagering requirement is the amount you must bet before bonus funds, or winnings from them, can be withdrawn. It is usually written as a multiple such as 30x. Because the house edge applies to every bet you place along the way, a bonus with a high multiple is expected to cost more in play than it gives you. Read this guide knowing one thing up front: online casino services are prohibited from being offered to people in Australia, so no Australian regulator stands behind these terms.
What does a wagering requirement mean?
A wagering requirement means a set value of bets must be placed before funds become withdrawable. The UK Gambling Commission glossary defines it as a requirement that a consumer make wagers totalling a particular value for funds to become withdrawable, set either as a flat sum or as a multiple of a deposit or bonus.
What does 30x mean on a bonus?
A 30x requirement means you must bet 30 times the stated amount, and the stated amount might be the bonus alone or the deposit plus the bonus. The table below is an illustration only, shown per $10 of bonus credit so you can scale it. It is not an offer from any casino.
| Terms (illustrative) | Calculation | Total bets required |
|---|---|---|
| 30x bonus only, $10 bonus | $10 × 30 | $300 |
| 30x deposit plus bonus, $10 deposit and $10 bonus | $20 × 30 | $600 |
| 30x bonus only, game counts 10% | $300 ÷ 10% | $3,000 |
How much does a wagering requirement cost in expected loss?
Expected loss on a wagering requirement equals total bets multiplied by the house edge. Taking a game with a 96% RTP, the house edge is 4%, so the same three cases look like this.
| Total bets required | House edge | Expected loss | Compared with $10 bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | 4% | $12 | $2 more than the bonus |
| $600 | 4% | $24 | $14 more than the bonus |
| $3,000 | 4% | $120 | $110 more than the bonus |
On those numbers, a player working through a 30x requirement is expected to lose the whole bonus and more before the requirement is met. Some players will finish ahead, as with any gambling, but that is variance and not value. A quick test is to divide 1 by the house edge: at 4% the answer is 25, so any multiple on the bonus above 25x has an expected cost larger than the bonus itself.
Our guide to RTP and the house edge explains where these figures come from.
Which bonus terms should you read first?
The terms to read first are the multiple, what it applies to, game contribution, stake limit, expiry and any cap on withdrawals. Each one can change what an offer is worth, and any of them may be buried well below the headline.
| Term | What it controls | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering multiple | Total bets needed (x) | Whether it is applied to bonus or deposit plus bonus |
| Game contribution | Share of each bet that counts (%) | Which games count less, or not at all |
| Maximum stake | Largest bet allowed while the bonus is active ($) | What happens if you exceed it, even once |
| Expiry | Time allowed to finish wagering (days) | When the clock starts, and what is lost at the end |
| Withdrawal cap | Most you can take out from bonus winnings ($) | Whether anything above the cap is forfeited |
| Excluded payment methods | Which deposits qualify | Any method that voids the offer |
How does game contribution affect wagering?
Game contribution sets how much of each bet counts toward the requirement. The UK Gambling Commission gives an example of roulette at a 30% weighting, where each £1 wagered contributes 30 pence. Lower weightings multiply the total betting needed, as the third row of the first table shows.
Why do maximum stake rules matter on a bonus?
Maximum stake rules matter because exceeding the limit can give a casino grounds to void the bonus and any winnings from it. Find the limit before playing and check how it applies to bonus rounds and any buy features.
How high are wagering requirements allowed to be?
Great Britain caps them, and we found no comparable Australian cap for online casino bonuses. In its published position, the UK Gambling Commission limits wagering requirements on incentives to 10 times the bonus, and it gave its reasons: high multiples can confuse consumers and lead them to gamble longer and faster than usual. A multiple well above 10x would not be accepted from a British-licensed operator under that rule.
Are online casino bonuses protected by Australian law?
No, online casino bonuses offered to people in Australia have no Australian consumer backstop in practice. Online casino games are prohibited interactive gambling services when offered to people in Australia, and NSW government guidance states that offshore operators are not regulated in Australia and provide no consumer protection. The risks it lists include being unable to withdraw winnings and sites closing with funds lost. A bonus term written by an offshore operator can be applied however that operator chooses, and you may have nowhere to take a dispute. Read our explainer on the Interactive Gambling Act before relying on any offer you find online.
When should you walk away from a bonus?
Walk away from a bonus if it would lead you to bet more, or for longer, than you planned. A bonus is a marketing tool that exists to increase play. It is never a reason to deposit money you can't afford to lose, or a way to recover losses. If that pull feels familiar, Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support on 1800 858 858, and our responsible gambling page lists other services.
Written by the Australian Online Pokies Hub Editorial Team.