Have you ever claimed a bonus from a sports betting site or online casino and enjoyed a few wins… only to find out that extreme wagering requirements mean that you will never likely get your hands on the cash?
Gambling firms in the UK are able to charge their customers with these wagering terms in their bonuses, hiding the details away in the T&Cs of the promotion.
It can mean that, in some cases, punters have to wager up to 50x the bonus amount just to get their hands on their winnings – so, if your initial bonus was worth £10, you’d have to bet through a staggering £500 before you could cash out.
If this sounds unfair and a possible cause of problem gambling behaviour, with punters depositing more and more to clear the wagering requirements, you’re not alone. Thankfully, the UK Gambling Commission has taken note…
If the Cap Fits
Previously, operators were able to set wagering requirements at whatever level they wanted; offers with 50x terms attached were not uncommon, although the industry norm was generally around the 20x mark.
Well, that is now a thing of the past as the UK Gambling Commission has decided to implement a maximum cap on these wagering requirements.
And so, as of December 2025, online bookmakers and casinos will only be allowed to charge up to 10x wagering requirements on their bonuses.
The regulator believes that mammoth wagering requirements can ‘confuse consumers and lead them to gamble for longer, and faster, than they are used to,’ with the maximum limit of 10x likely to decrease the potential for gambling harm while enhancing the transparency of the bonuses and promotions that are available.
Tim Miller, who works as the Commission’s executive director for research and policy, said of the new rules:
“These changes will better protect consumers from gambling harm and give consumers much better clarity on, and certainty of, offers before they decide to sign up.”
Punters should note, however, that the changes won’t come into force by law until December 19, 2025. Betting sites can voluntarily cap their wagering requirements before then, but be warned that any bonuses you claim in the meantime could still have astronomical wagering terms of up to 50x or higher attached. So be sure to read the T&Cs before claiming.
Mixed Product Promotions Prohibited
Another new rule is to be introduced by the Gambling Commission in a bid to ‘reduce harm and boost fairness and openness.’
Betting sites will no longer be allowed to offer bonuses and promotions that drive their customers into playing more than one type of product, e.g. a bonus that requires the individual to bet on sports and play online slots.
The regulator has compiled evidence which suggests that such offers can increase the risk of gambling harm, while potentially confusing customers with terms and conditions that are difficult to understand across more than one product type.
And so, as of December 2025, these so-called ‘mixed product promotions’ will be outlawed, with operators only allowed to offer bonuses that relate solely to sports betting or casino gaming or poker, bingo etc.
All of the rule changes detailed above have come about following a consultation into the industry White Paper devised by the previous Conservative government, which aims to reimagine the Gambling Act legislation and bring it into the digital age.
The current Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) Social Responsibility (SR) regulations stipulate that a bonus cannot be offered where it is ‘dependent on the customer gambling for a pre-determined length of time or with a pre-determined frequency’, or where the qualifying bets must be placed within a shorter timeframe than the period for which the entire promotion is available.
It confirms that the regulator’s clampdown on bonuses and promotions in the sector will continue. They have already worked alongside government ministers to put the squeeze on VIP customer schemes, which had been described variously as ‘irresponsible’ and ‘immoral’.
These programmes often see individuals treated to exclusive bonuses and perks, alongside access to a personal account manager. However, the Gambling Commission and government ministers agree that such schemes can encourage problem gambling and ‘incentivised spending’ which may be beyond the player’s level of comfort.
After releasing a raft of new guidelines governing VIP programmes, the regulator’s Neil McArthur warned:
“Our enforcement work has identified too many cases of misconduct in the management of VIP schemes and this is the last chance for operators to show they can operate such schemes appropriately.”