A bonus offer is only as good as the terms attached to it, written by the operator’s legal team, not the player’s convenience. This isn’t a scam warning — it’s an explanation of the mechanics, so a headline offer can be judged on real value, not marketing.
Why the Terms Matter More Than the Headline Number
Every bonus is a set of conditions wrapped around free-sounding money that determine whether it’s ever withdrawable. Two identical-looking offers can carry very different real value depending on the wagering requirement, which games count, the max bet allowed, and how long you have to clear it. Read the terms before opting in.
Wagering Requirements Explained
A wagering requirement (playthrough requirement) is the multiple of the bonus — sometimes deposit plus bonus combined — that must be wagered before winnings can be withdrawn. Terms specify whether it applies to the bonus alone or bonus-plus-deposit, changing the real playthrough substantially. Since every wager carries the house edge, a larger requirement erodes more value the longer it takes to clear.
It’s also worth checking whether the requirement applies to bonus funds only or to winnings from them too — some structures apply the same multiplier to winnings, resetting the clock.
Game Weighting: Not All Bets Count the Same
Wagering requirements aren’t satisfied at the same rate across every game — operators assign a contribution percentage (weighting) to each category, based on its house edge and volatility.
- Slots typically contribute the most, often at or near 100%.
- Table games like blackjack and baccarat are usually weighted much lower — sometimes 10% or less, often excluded entirely.
- Live dealer games often carry their own separate, typically low, weighting.
Playing blackjack toward a 10%-weighted requirement means only a small fraction of each wager counts, taking far longer to clear than the raw multiplier suggests. Check a bonus’s weighting table first.
Max Bet Rules and How They Trip People Up
Most bonus terms cap the size of any single bet while active — commonly a fixed amount per spin or hand — to stop players clearing a requirement with a few large bets. The cap is easy to miss switching between titles with different stakes. Breaching it, even once, is one of the most common reasons operators void a bonus and its winnings.
Expiry Windows, Sticky vs. Cashable Bonuses
Bonus funds don’t sit available indefinitely — an expiry window (commonly a week to a month, set by the operator) defines how long a player has to meet the wagering requirement before unused funds, and sometimes winnings, are forfeited.
- Cashable bonuses become fully withdrawable, alongside the deposit, once wagering requirements are met.
- Sticky bonuses (sometimes “non-cash”) can never be withdrawn themselves — only winnings generated from them become withdrawable once requirements clear.
The terms for any offer state which structure applies, materially changing what “clearing” it gets you.
Seeing All Five Rules in One Example
Here’s a realistic (illustrative, not any real operator’s) bonus-terms excerpt with the five clauses above at work together. Click any underlined phrase for the plain-English version.
Ontario’s Rules Around Bonus Advertising
In Ontario, iGaming Ontario and the AGCO restrict how licensed operators advertise deposit bonuses, including how clearly terms must be disclosed — a reasonable signal everywhere: operators who disclose terms clearly are generally more trustworthy. See how RTP and house edge factor into game selection, and the casino guide for licensing basics.
Whatever the offer, the terms are the actual product — read them before opting in, and treat any bonus that changes how much or fast you’re playing as a signal to step back. The tools on our responsible gambling page are there if needed.