If you’re new to online casinos, you might come across promotions offering things like bonus funds, or free spins. These can sound appealing, especially if you’re exploring casino sites for the first time. However, many of these offers come with specific conditions known as wagering requirements.
One of the most common types you’ll see is a “50x wagering requirement”. But what does that actually mean in practice, and how might it affect your ability to withdraw any money from a bonus?
This guide breaks down what wagering requirements are, how they work, and why reading the terms and conditions of each offer is essential. Whether you’ve never played at an online casino before, or are just starting to learn how bonuses work, this explanation is designed to help you make more informed decisions.
What Does Wagering Requirements Mean?
A wagering requirement is a condition attached to many casino promotions. It means you need to place a certain amount of bets before any bonus money—or any potential winnings from a bonus—can be withdrawn.
For example, let’s say you receive a £10 bonus and the terms state that it has a 50x wagering requirement. This means you would need to bet a total of £500 (£10 multiplied by 50) before you’re eligible to withdraw any possible winnings connected to that bonus.
It’s important to understand that this doesn’t mean you need to lose £500. You might win or lose during that play. However, you do need to place enough bets to meet the £500 total in stakes, regardless of the outcome of each one.
Some bonuses are linked to free spins rather than cash. In those cases, the wagering requirement usually applies to any money won from the free spins. So, if you win £8 from free spins with a 50x requirement, you’d need to bet £400 before that £8 could be withdrawn.
Why Do Casinos Have Wagering Requirements?
Casinos include wagering requirements as a way to manage promotions fairly and sustainably. These conditions make sure that players use the bonus as intended—for playing games—rather than immediately trying to withdraw the funds.
Without these conditions in place, it would be easier for people to exploit offers by signing up, claiming bonuses, and then cashing out without any real engagement with the casino. This would lead to increased costs for the casino, which could impact the quality and fairness of services provided to other players.
Wagering requirements also help reduce fraudulent activity, like bonus abuse or the creation of multiple accounts to try and claim the same offer more than once. They also encourage players to explore different games, though the way these games contribute to wagering can vary.
How Do Wagering Requirements Work?
Think of wagering requirements as a multiplier that determines how much you need to bet before a bonus is eligible for withdrawal. The exact total depends on the offer, how it’s structured, and the terms attached to it.
Let’s say you accept a £20 bonus with a 50x wagering requirement. In this case, you’d need to place a total of £1,000 in bets (£20 x 50) before any potential bonus funds could be withdrawn.
It’s worth noting that not all games contribute the same percentage towards fulfilling this requirement. Many casinos in the UK allow slot games to contribute 100%. So, if you bet £1 on slots, that full £1 counts towards the target. But if you’re playing a table game such as blackjack, it might only contribute 10%—meaning you’d need to bet £10 for just £1 to count towards the requirement.
In addition to game contribution rates, there are other conditions to be aware of. Some promotions limit how much you can bet while the bonus is active, often capping individual bets at £5. Placing higher bets might result in the bonus being cancelled or any potential winnings voided.
50x Wagering Requirements Example
Let’s imagine a new player signs up and receives a £15 bonus as part of a welcome offer. This bonus comes with a 50x wagering requirement. To work this out: £15 multiplied by 50 means you would need to place a total of £750 in bets before any potential winnings linked to the bonus could be cashed out.
If you play slot games that contribute 100% to wagering, every £1 you bet counts fully towards that £750. However, if you choose a game like roulette that only contributes 20%, you’d need to bet £5 for every £1 that counts, meaning you’d need to place £3,750 in bets to meet the same requirement.
You might also be limited by a timeframe. Some casinos give you 7, 14 or 30 days to meet the requirement. If the wagering isn’t completed within the set time, the bonus and any possible winnings may be removed from your account.
Reading the terms attached to each bonus is key. These include the contribution rates, time limits, eligible games, and any caps on winnings or bet sizes.
What Happens If You Don’t Meet 50x Wagering Requirements?
If you don’t meet the full wagering requirement within the time limit set by the casino, you may lose both the bonus and any winnings linked to it. That means the money you earned using the bonus, along with any leftover bonus funds, will usually be removed from your account once the promotion expires.
The exact rules will vary from one casino to another. Some may remove just the bonus funds, while others will remove both the bonus and any potential winnings earned from it. This is one reason why it’s worth reading through the promotion’s terms and conditions before accepting.
It may also be useful to check whether the offer allows for partial withdrawals of winnings unrelated to the bonus, and whether the casino allows you to cancel a bonus if you change your mind. In some cases, cancelling a bonus early can help you withdraw your own money sooner—though any bonus-linked winnings will usually be lost as a result.
As with all forms of gambling, there’s no guaranteed way to win. Even if you meet the wagering requirement, you may not have any winnings to withdraw. Games of chance, such as slots or roulette, are designed with built-in house edges, which means the outcome is random and the odds favour the casino over time. Please gamble responsibly.
