Wagering Requirements Explained: The Maths, With Examples

A wagering requirement (also called a playthrough or rollover) is the total amount you must bet before bonus money, and anything you win with it, can be withdrawn. A 35x requirement on a RM100 bonus means RM3,500 of bets, and on a slot with a 97.33% RTP that turnover costs you about RM93 on average, almost the whole bonus. Below: the formula, worked examples, game weighting, max bet rules, why winnings get voided, and what regulators now allow.

How the multiplier works

The number before the “x” is a multiplier. What it multiplies is the first thing to check, because the same “35x” can mean two very different amounts of play.

• Bonus only: turnover = bonus × multiplier. RM100 bonus × 35 = RM3,500.
• Deposit + bonus: turnover = (deposit + bonus) × multiplier. (RM100 + RM100) × 35 = RM7,000, double the play for the same headline.

Every bet counts at its full stake, win or lose. A RM1 spin adds RM1 to your progress, so RM3,500 of turnover is 3,500 spins at RM1, or 7,000 spins at RM0.50. Most of that money is recycled: you are betting the same balance over and over, and each pass through the game shaves off the house edge.

UK competition regulators drew a line here years ago. In its 2018 guidance to the industry, the Competition and Markets Authority said wagering requirements are “unlikely to be unfair when they only attach to the bonus”, and that players must be able to withdraw winnings made with their own funds “no matter how much or how little they have played”.

Takeaway: always find out whether the multiplier applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus, because the second doubles your required play.

The real price of a bonus: turnover × house edge

A quick way to see whether a bonus is worth anything is to estimate what the required turnover costs on average:

Expected cost ≈ required turnover × house edge, where house edge = 100% − RTP.

It is a long-run average, not a prediction. Real sessions swing far above and below it, and many players go bust before finishing the playthrough. But it tells you how much of the bonus the maths is likely to eat. Using real RTPs from our own game data (Pinata Ways at 97.33% and Golden Mahjong at 94.55%) and a RM100 bonus:

Read the table row by row. At 10x on the higher-RTP slot, the average cost (RM26.70) is a quarter of the bonus. At 35x on a 94.55% slot, the average cost (RM190.75) is nearly double the RM100 bonus, so on average you finish behind where you would be with no bonus at all. The RTP of the game you choose matters as much as the multiplier; our RTP vs volatility guide explains why two slots with similar themes can differ by several percentage points.

Takeaway: multiply the turnover by the house edge before you opt in; if the answer is close to or above the bonus, the bonus has little or no value.

Game weighting: why your baccarat bets “count” for less

Operators often let different games contribute different percentages toward the requirement. The CMA required firms that use this to disclose “that contributions to WR varies between games” and link clearly to the details. The logic is simple: a game with a lower house edge is a cheaper way to clear a bonus, so an operator may count it at a lower rate, or not at all.

Weighting changes the maths. Divide the requirement by the contribution rate to get the real turnover:

1. Requirement: RM3,500 (35x a RM100 bonus).
2. Suppose the terms say live baccarat contributes 10%.
3. Real turnover: RM3,500 ÷ 0.10 = RM35,000 of baccarat bets.
4. StakeGO lists a 1.06%–1.24% house edge for tables such as Classic Baccarat EU01. Even at the low end: RM35,000 × 1.06% = RM371 average cost.

That is a low-edge game turned into an expensive way to clear RM100. (Why banker, player and tie carry different edges is covered in our baccarat house edge explainer.) A 0% contribution is worse still: those bets never count, and some terms treat playing excluded games with bonus funds as a breach.

Takeaway: real turnover = requirement ÷ contribution rate; check the weighting table for the exact games you plan to play.

Max bet rules, time limits and why winnings get voided

Most bonus disputes are not about the multiplier at all. They are about “significant conditions”: the rules that decide whether you keep what you win. The UK advertising regulator lists “any deposit, wagering or withdrawal requirements” among the conditions that must be made clear to consumers, with full terms no more than one click away. The common traps:

• Maximum bet while a bonus is active. A rule such as “max RM5 per spin” applies until the requirement is met. One RM20 spin can be the reason a bonus and its winnings are removed. The CMA’s position: if there is a maximum stake limit, players “should not be able to exceed it”, and play restrictions should only apply to deposit money where software stops you breaching them.
• Time limits. Unfinished playthrough by the deadline can mean the bonus and any bonus winnings expire.
• Excluded games and “irregular play”. Playing a game on the excluded list, or a betting pattern the terms prohibit, can trigger a confiscation clause.
• Early withdrawal. Requesting a withdrawal before the requirement is complete can forfeit the bonus.
• Winnings caps. Some bonuses cap what can be cashed out from bonus play, whatever you win.

The CMA flagged “disproportionate sanctions, with consequences for both bonus and deposit funds” as a key concern. The UK undertakings limit penalties on players’ own deposit money; elsewhere, protection depends entirely on the operator’s licence and terms.

Takeaway: screenshot the bonus terms when you opt in, note the max bet and expiry, and set your stake below the limit before your first spin.

What regulators changed: a short timeline

1. October 2016: the CMA opens its online gambling investigation after Gambling Commission concerns, citing promotion requirements that may be hard to understand or unachievable.
2. February–March 2018: Ladbrokes, William Hill, PT Entertainment and BGO give undertakings on bonus promotions, including letting players withdraw their own money while playing a bonus.
3. February 2018: the ASA publishes guidance that significant conditions such as wagering requirements must be clear in ads.
4. April 2019: the CMA closes the case with a joint letter to the sector.
5. March 2025: the Gambling Commission announces a cap on wagering requirements of 10x and a ban on promotions mixing two or more types of gambling, such as betting and slots.
6. 19 January 2026: the rules take effect. Social responsibility code 5.1.1 now bars UK licensees from applying wagering requirements “over a maximum of 10 times”.

The Commission’s own example: a £10 bonus with a 50x requirement meant £500 of play before winnings could be withdrawn. Under the cap, the most it can be is £100. These rules bind UK-licensed operators only. Sites serving Southeast Asia are usually licensed elsewhere, which is why 35x to 60x offers are still common in the region and why the maths above matters.

Takeaway: 10x is now the regulated ceiling in Britain, a useful benchmark when you judge a 40x offer anywhere else.

Checklist before you claim any bonus

1. Find the multiplier and what it applies to (bonus only, or deposit + bonus).
2. Calculate turnover, then turnover × house edge of the game you will play.
3. Check the contribution table for your games, and divide by the contribution rate.
4. Note the max bet, the expiry date, the excluded games and any winnings cap.
5. Confirm you can withdraw your own deposit and its winnings without completing the bonus.
6. Check the operator’s licence first; our guide to spotting an unlicensed online casino shows how.
7. Decline the bonus if the expected cost is close to the bonus value. Playing without one is often the better deal.

FAQ

Is a lower wagering requirement always better?

Usually, but compare the full terms. A 20x requirement on deposit plus bonus (RM4,000 on a RM100 + RM100 offer) needs more play than 35x on the bonus alone (RM3,500).

Do free spins have wagering requirements?

They can: winnings from free spins may be credited as bonus money with their own multiplier, max bet and expiry. Read the free-spin terms separately from the deposit bonus terms.

Can a casino keep my deposit if I break a bonus rule?

The CMA treated sanctions that hit deposit funds as a key concern, and the UK undertakings protect players’ ability to withdraw their own money. Outside the UK it depends on the licence and terms, so keep screenshots and complain to the licensing regulator if needed.

What is the maximum wagering requirement allowed?

In Great Britain, 10x since 19 January 2026 for Gambling Commission licensees. Most other jurisdictions set no cap.

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