What a wagering requirement measures
A wagering requirement is a turnover condition attached to bonus funds. It describes the total qualifying stakes required before restricted funds become withdrawable. It does not describe how much you must deposit, how much you will lose, or what balance you will have at the end.
For licensed Great Britain offers, the Gambling Commission limits requirements to a maximum of ten times bonus funds. The change took effect on 19 January 2026. A smaller multiplier still leaves financial risk. A historical 35× example on an old comparison page should not be treated as a current GB offer.
Work through a concrete example
Suppose an illustrative offer credits a £20 bonus with a 10× requirement. Multiply £20 by 10: the qualifying turnover target is £200. At a 100% contribution rate, £1 staked contributes £1. If every eligible stake counted at 20%, £1 would contribute 20p, and the same target would require £1,000 of actual stakes.
These calculations assume a constant contribution rate and enough funds to keep placing eligible stakes. They cannot tell you whether the balance will last. Money can run out before any target is reached. There is no obligation to continue gambling to complete a bonus.
Read the balance rules separately
Identify the cash balance, the bonus balance and any bonus-derived winnings in the account display. A withdrawal or cancellation can affect bonus funds under an offer’s terms. Ask the operator to explain the effect on each balance before pressing a cancellation button.
Do not assume that a bigger deposit reduces a wagering condition. Compare the exact wording with the published GB rules. If a current offer appears to impose wagering above the cap, keep a dated copy and ask the operator for clarification rather than trying to finish it.
A decision before the arithmetic
First decide whether gambling is within your existing spending and time limits. Then check eligibility, included games, maximum stake, expiry and any cash-out cap. A neat turnover number cannot repair an unsuitable offer.
Use the calculator to inspect an example, not to create a plan to recover losses. It deliberately omits profit forecasts, completion probabilities and strategies because the inputs do not support those conclusions.
Sources & scope
Primary sources checked 9 November 2026. These explain the general framework. An individual offer or dispute depends on its own facts and current terms.
- Gambling Commission: Rewards and bonuses, SR Code 5.1.1 ↗
- Gambling Commission: Safer and simpler promotions ↗
Prepared with AI assistance from public sources; no hands-on casino testing is claimed. Read our editorial method.