Wagering Requirements Explained: The Complete Guide

You see a casino advertising a €500 welcome bonus and think you've found a great deal. Then you read the small print: 40x wagering requirement. Suddenly that €500 isn't quite what it seemed.

Wagering requirements are the most important — and most misunderstood — part of any casino bonus. This guide explains exactly how they work, how to calculate real bonus value, and how to find offers that are genuinely worth your time.

A wagering requirement (also called a playthrough requirement) is the number of times you must bet your bonus amount before you can withdraw any winnings derived from it.

Example:

• You claim a €100 bonus with a 30x wagering requirement
• You must place €3,000 in total bets before withdrawing
• Only then can you cash out any remaining balance

The requirement is designed to prevent players from simply depositing, claiming a bonus, and immediately withdrawing. Casinos need you to actually play.

Not all bonuses are equal. A €200 bonus at 20x wagering is worth far more than a €500 bonus at 60x.

The formula:

For a simpler calculation, use this rule of thumb: every 10x of wagering on slots (with a typical 4% house edge) costs you roughly 40% of the bonus amount.

This is why we always say: a lower wagering requirement beats a bigger headline number.

Here's something many players miss: not all games count equally towards clearing your wagering requirement.

Typical contribution rates:

• Slots: 100% (most efficient)
• Live casino: 10–20%
• Blackjack: 5–10%
• Roulette: 5–10%
• Video poker: 0–10%

If you prefer table games, a bonus with 35x wagering effectively becomes 350x for your preferred game. Always check the contribution table before claiming.

Some casinos apply wagering to the bonus amount only. Others apply it to bonus + deposit combined.

Bonus only (better for you):

• €100 deposit + €100 bonus, 30x on bonus = €3,000 to wager

Bonus + deposit (worse for you):

• €100 deposit + €100 bonus, 30x on both = €6,000 to wager

Always check which applies. The difference is enormous.

Most bonuses expire within 7–30 days. If you don't complete the wagering requirement in time, the bonus and any associated winnings are forfeited.

Be realistic about how much you play. A €500 bonus with 40x wagering requires €20,000 in bets. At €5 per spin, that's 4,000 spins. If you play an hour a day at 400 spins per hour, you need 10 days minimum — and that's before accounting for variance.

Based on our testing across hundreds of casinos:

• Excellent: Under 25x
• Good: 25x–35x
• Average: 35x–45x
• Poor: Over 45x
• Avoid: Over 60x, or bonuses with no maximum cashout

Beyond the wagering multiplier, watch out for:

Maximum cashout caps — Some bonuses limit winnings to 3x or 5x the bonus amount regardless of how much you win. A €100 bonus with a €300 max cashout means your upside is capped at €200 profit.

Game restrictions — Certain slots (often the most popular ones) may be excluded from bonus play entirely.

Minimum bet requirements — Some casinos require a minimum bet per spin to count towards wagering, which can drain your balance faster.

Withdrawal restrictions — A few casinos require you to wager your deposit as well as your bonus before any withdrawal is permitted, even if you never touched the bonus.

The easiest way is to use our Bonus Finder tool — set your maximum wagering requirement and it will filter out anything above your threshold.

Alternatively, check our casino reviews where we list the exact wagering terms for every offer we've tested. We score bonus value as one of our six rating criteria, so casinos with poor terms are penalised in their overall score.

Wagering requirements aren't inherently bad — they're just a cost of doing business with casino bonuses. The key is understanding that cost before you commit.

A 20x wagering requirement on a €100 bonus is a reasonable deal. A 60x requirement on a €500 bonus is almost certainly not worth your time unless you're a very high-volume slots player.

Always read the full terms before claiming any bonus. If a casino makes those terms hard to find, that tells you something about how they operate.