Start by naming the money
An account can display more than one balance. Your deposit balance and bonus funds should be distinguishable. The Gambling Commission’s guidance says you should not have to satisfy wagering requirements to withdraw your deposit balance, subject to necessary regulatory checks.
A bonus requirement therefore needs a defined base. Ask which credit it applies to and how the account displays that credit. Do not multiply your whole balance by a headline number merely because a bonus appears elsewhere in the cashier.
The current GB cap is 10x
The Commission caps wagering requirements attached to bonus funds at 10 times. The change took effect on 19 January 2026. A single incentive also cannot combine more than one of the specified product types: betting, casino, bingo and lottery.
These are limits on incentive terms, not a live offer and not a recommendation to accept one. An old example from another country can illustrate different rules, but it cannot be used as evidence of the terms currently permitted for a GB incentive.
Read the conditions which change the calculation
A useful set of terms identifies the bonus base, multiplier, permitted games, contribution, expiry and any stake or withdrawal conditions. The role of each condition should be clear. A contribution rate describes how stake counts towards a requirement; it is not the game’s RTP.
| Term | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Bonus base | Which funds receive the requirement? |
| Multiplier | How large is the qualifying target? |
| Contribution | How much eligible stake counts? |
| Game eligibility | Which play is permitted to count? |
| Expiry | By when must the defined action be completed? |
Use arithmetic without inventing a result
The wagering calculator shows a nominal target from a bonus amount, multiplier and contribution. Its worked examples are hypothetical. They do not predict losses, future awards, time to completion or the money left at withdrawal.
RTP describes a different mathematical property, and volatility describes variability. Neither guarantees the cost of satisfying a condition. You can choose not to accept a bonus; a published maximum requirement is not an instruction to keep playing until it is completed.
Ask about the correct balance when withdrawing
If a withdrawal control seems unavailable, identify whether you are asking to withdraw deposit funds or bonus-derived money. Keep the visible balances and the exact condition with the support enquiry. Necessary account checks and an outstanding bonus requirement should not be treated as the same issue.
If an explanation appears inconsistent with the published terms, keep the wording and use the formal complaints route. Do not make another deposit or increase play simply to test how the control behaves.
A few clear answers
Is 10x a prediction of what I will lose?
No. A wagering multiplier defines a qualifying target, not the cost or result of play.
Does an active bonus require me to wager my deposit balance?
The Commission’s guidance distinguishes your deposit balance and says wagering requirements must not be imposed on withdrawing it, subject to necessary checks.
Sources behind this note
Public documentation checked on 10 November 2026. Account-specific conditions and game versions may differ. This is not a record of a test deposit or played round.
- Gambling Commission — Restrictions on withdrawing deposit and deposit winnings
- Gambling Commission — 5.1.1 - Rewards and bonuses – SR code
- Gambling Commission — Previous changes to the LCCP
- Gambling Commission — Socially responsible incentives: what operators need to know
- Gambling Commission — Proposal 1 - Ban or limit the use of wagering requirements
- Gambling Commission — Key terms relating to live RTP performance monitoring
- Gambling Commission — How to complain