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Bonus terms

How to read wagering before you opt in

8 min read

Quick answer

A welcome is a contract with three moving parts: the multiple you must play through, which games count toward that multiple, and how long you have. If spin winnings are paid as cash, that is a different product from a deposit match that locks both bonus and winnings until the multiple is met. None of this is a prediction of profit.

Start with the shape, not the headline

UK operators tend to use a handful of shapes. A deposit match credits extra bonus funds after a qualifying deposit. Free spins credit a set number of rounds on a named slot. A free bet or loss-back is usually a sports product, even when the same company also runs a casino tab. A cashback percentage on net slot losses is a different tool again, often weekly, often with its own cap.

On our current list, Happy Tiger publishes a deposit match with a bingo/slots wagering split. Casushi’s welcome page states free spins with no wagering on spin winnings. Hollywoodbets and QuinnBet ask you to pick a sports path or a casino path. Admiral’s usual shape is a free-spins package; the exact spin count belongs on their promotions page, not frozen here.

Terms sheet beside a reel panel — The wagering line is doing more work than the headline number.

The multiple

Wagering is multiplication. A 10× requirement on a £40 bonus is £400 of qualifying stakes. Some offers apply the multiple to bonus only; others apply it to deposit plus bonus, which doubles the homework if you were only looking at the bonus line. Maximum bet while wagering is often capped — a £5 cap is common — and exceeding it can void the bonus.

This

Spins paid as cash

Winnings from the spins land in withdrawable balance. You still have to finish the spins before they expire. There is no extra multiple on those winnings.

That

Bonus funds with playthrough

The credit is locked. Qualifying bets nibble the multiple. Live tables may barely count. Withdraw too early and the bonus, and sometimes related winnings, disappear.

Contribution and excluded games

Slots frequently contribute 100 percent. Blackjack, roulette and live game shows often contribute 10 percent, 5 percent or zero. A “progress” bar that barely moves after an hour at a live table is usually contribution, not a broken meter. Operators publish excluded-game lists; a jackpot slot or a branded title is a regular absentee.

Expiry, opt-in and sister brands

Free spins often expire in 24 to 72 hours after crediting. A deposit bonus may last 7, 30 or 90 days. Unused means gone.
Opt-in at registration is binary. Many desks will not apply the welcome retrospectively.
Groups such as Happytiger ApS treat one welcome as shared across brands on the same licence. Taking it on one site spends it on the others.
Payment method exclusions appear in the same paragraph as the headline. If a method is listed as ineligible, that deposit will not qualify, even if the cash arrives.

A checklist before you tick the box

Work through this

Is this a spin credit, a match, a free bet, or a cashback?
Does wagering attach to spins, to bonus funds, or to deposit plus bonus?
Which games contribute, and is live casino in or out?
What is the max bet while the bonus is active?
When do unused spins or unused bonus funds lapse?
Does a first sports stake lock you out of the casino welcome, or the reverse?
Have you already used a welcome on a sister brand under the same licence?

This page does not list live promotional amounts as if they were permanent. Operators change pages. The comparison on the homepage records the type we last read, with a date. Gambling remains a paid entertainment; a well-read bonus does not turn it into an income plan.

Last updated 18 August 2026