Since January 2026, a UK licensed operator cannot ask you to play through a bonus more than ten times. Most of Europe still runs at 30x or higher.
Since 19 January 2026, operators licensed by the Gambling Commission cannot require bonus funds to be played through more than ten times before the customer can withdraw. It sits in social responsibility code provision 5.1.1 in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which also stops operators from including more than one type of gambling product within a single incentive.
Ten times is low by European standards. Our own tracking of operator terms puts the median across the markets we cover at 30 times.
A 100 pound bonus at a UK licensed operator means at most 1,000 pounds of turnover before you can withdraw. The same bonus at a Malta licensed operator advertising 35 times wagering means 3,500 pounds.
That is not a small difference. Our bonus survival simulator, run on a typical 35 times offer at one pound stakes, finds that a substantial share of players lose the balance before ever completing the requirement. Cutting the requirement to ten times changes that outcome dramatically, because far less turnover means far fewer chances for the house edge to grind the balance down.
The cap does not make a bonus free money. It makes the terms survivable.
It applies to operators licensed by the Gambling Commission, for customers in Great Britain. An operator licensed elsewhere, serving a different market, is not bound by it.
It caps the multiplier. It does not remove maximum bet limits, game weighting, maximum cashout caps or expiry periods, all of which still shape what an offer is actually worth.
And it does not stop an operator from voiding a bonus for breaching the terms. The max bet rule is untouched by this change.
Read four numbers, not one. The wagering multiplier. What it applies to, bonus only or bonus plus deposit. The maximum bet allowed while wagering. The maximum you can withdraw from bonus winnings.
An offer with a low multiplier and a low cashout cap can be worth less than one with a higher multiplier and no cap. The headline number is the one operators advertise because it is the one people compare.
| Market | Typical requirement | Turnover on a 100 unit bonus | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 10 times maximum | 1,000 | Capped by licence condition since 19 January 2026 |
| Malta | Around 35 times | 3,500 | Median of tracked operator terms |
| Sweden | Around 35 times | 3,500 | Median of tracked operator terms |
| Denmark, Spain, Germany | Around 30 times | 3,000 | Median of tracked operator terms |
Non-UK figures are medians from our own tracking of published operator terms and are not regulatory limits.
No. It applies to operators licensed by the Gambling Commission. An operator licensed in another market can and usually does set a higher requirement.
Not on its own. Maximum bet limits, game weighting, maximum cashout and expiry all affect what an offer is worth. A low multiplier with a tight cashout cap can be worth less than a higher multiplier without one.
Yes. The cap limits the multiplier. It does not remove the rules on maximum bet size, restricted games or expiry.
Verified against 3 primary sources. Last reviewed September 10, 2026.