Casino Wagering Requirements Explained

What is a wagering requirement?

When a casino gives you a bonus, it doesn't want you to withdraw it straight away. So it attaches a playthrough rule: bet the bonus a certain number of times first. If you've typed "what is wagering requirement" into a search bar, that's the answer: the number of times the bonus must be played. It's often written as "40x" or "wager 60 times". Until you've met it, the bonus and anything you win with it stay locked in your account.

It's the single most important figure on any no deposit bonus, more important than the headline amount. A A$10 chip with 40x wagering is easier to clear than a A$15 chip at 60x, even though it looks smaller. Once you know how wagering works, you'll read every bonus card differently.

How wagering works, step by step

Here's the basic sum. Multiply the bonus by the wagering multiple, and you have the total amount you must bet. Every bet you place on an eligible game counts towards that total, whether the bet wins or loses.

Example: a free chip

Royal Reels lists an A$10 free chip at 40x. Ten times forty is A$400. If you bet A$1 a spin, you need 400 spins. If you bet A$0.50, you need 800. When you've bet A$400 in total, whatever remains in the bonus balance becomes withdrawable, up to the A$200 cap.

Example: free spins

With free spins, wagering applies to what the spins win. BitStarz lists 30 spins at 40x. If the spins return A$5, you need to bet A$200 (A$5 × 40). If they return A$0, there's nothing to wager and the offer is over.

Example: deposit plus bonus

Some welcome offers apply wagering to your deposit and the bonus together. Ozwin and Ripper both list 30x on deposit plus bonus. Deposit A$20, receive a A$40 bonus, and you need to bet 30 × A$60 = A$1,800. That's why the "applies to" detail matters as much as the multiple.

Wagering requirements compared

These figures come from our casino database. The total to bet assumes the full bonus amount.

SunnySpins is the outlier: a large A$55 chip, but A$2,750 of betting inside 48 hours. At A$5 a spin, its listed max bet, that's 550 spins in two days. Possible, but not relaxing. The free chip page lists every chip with its total, and the free spins page does the same for spin offers.

Work it out with the calculator

Enter the bonus, wagering and your typical bet to see the total you need to stake and roughly how many spins that is. Change the game contribution to see why table games make wagering much slower.

Three things that change the real cost

Most guides with casino wagering requirements explained stop at the multiple. Three other rules decide how long the playthrough really takes.

Game contribution

Not every game counts fully. Pokies usually count 100%, while table games may count a fraction or nothing. If blackjack counts 10%, A$100 bet on it clears only A$10 of wagering. Our guide to game weightings explains the usual set-ups.

Max bet

While a bonus is active, most casinos cap your stake. Ripper and SunnySpins list A$5; Lincoln Casino lists A$10 a spin. Bigger bets don't speed things up if they break the rule, they void the bonus.

Time limit

A deadline turns a reasonable requirement into a rushed one. BitStarz gives 7 days to wager its spins; HellSpin's welcome offer also lists 7 days. Check the clock before you start.

Is a lower multiple always better?

With casino wagering requirements explained in sums, the next question is which number to prefer.

Mostly, yes, but check what it's applied to and how big the cap is. A 30x requirement on deposit plus bonus can mean more betting than 40x on the bonus alone. And a low multiple with a tiny cap may not be worth the effort. The best no deposit bonus has a clear multiple, a reasonable deadline and a cap that leaves room for a decent result.

A useful shortcut is to divide the cap by the total you must bet. Royal Reels: A$200 ÷ A$400 = 0.5. Lincoln Casino: A$75 ÷ A$600 = 0.125. The higher the figure, the more each dollar of wagering can turn into withdrawable money. It's a rough guide, not a promise, but it quickly shows which offers are friendlier.

Wagering mistakes that cost players their winnings

Most no deposit bonus winnings that disappear do so because of a misunderstanding, not bad luck. Knowing what is wagering requirement fine print hiding can save you a lot of frustration. These are the common ones.

• Withdrawing too early. Requesting a payout before wagering is complete usually cancels the bonus and its winnings at many casinos. Check your progress first.
• Assuming wins count, not bets. Wagering is about the amount you bet, not the amount you win. A big win doesn't reduce the requirement; it just gives you more balance to keep betting with.
• Mixing cash and bonus. If you deposit while a no deposit bonus is active, some casinos lock the deposit under the same rules. Finish or forfeit the free bonus before depositing.
• Ignoring the cap. Clearing wagering with A$300 in the balance doesn't mean A$300 is paid. Lincoln Casino's cap of A$75 would apply, and the rest is removed. Our page on win limits explains how caps are applied.

Wagering on no deposit bonuses vs deposit bonuses

No deposit bonus wagering is usually higher than on deposit bonuses: 40x to 60x is common, against 30x to 40x for many welcome matches. That's because the casino takes all the risk on a free offer. The upside is that your own money isn't involved, so if the balance runs out, you've lost nothing but time.

For more on the no deposit side, see our guide to Australian no deposit bonuses, which lists current chips and spins with their wagering and caps in one place.

About this guide

Written by our editorial team, with casino wagering requirements explained from the published terms in our casino database. Figures may change; the casino's own terms decide.

Wagering FAQ