The Changes to UK Wagering Requirements and How They Compare With the World

Every ardent bonus hunter is familiar with wagering requirements. They’re the catch waiting behind (almost) every eye-popping online casino promo. But in the UK market, wagering requirements are about to get a serious shakeup. Here, I explain what these changes are and give my verdict on how the impacts will play out. Plus I go international to get a sense of where this leaves UK players in the context of other gambling markets around the world.

If you aren’t already up to speed with wagering requirements, I’d recommend reading our wagering requirements guide before diving in here. 

Wagering Requirements by Country

Starting 19 January 2026, across all gambling promotions accessible in the UK, UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) slapped a strict 10x limit on any and all bonus wagering requirements. The stated aims here are about fairness and player safety, and the rationale certainly tracks. It’s a big change for sure – one bound to result in a major shakeup of how gambling operators approach their bonuses in this market. 

A fairer deal

As with almost anything in life, there are two ways of looking at it. On the one (and more immediate) hand, this is undoubtedly a fairer deal for us folks in the UK. It’s no secret that some casino platforms have taken the absolute proverbial with their wagering requirements recently. Bonus terms have been inching further adrift of what’s reasonable in the eyes of British gamblers. Most local welcome offers have been running with 35x to 45x as of late, with 50x and 60x requirements not exactly uncommon. A cap – and it is indeed a low one – totally changes the equation. 

Smaller and less varied

On the other hand, we can expect UK casino promos to get smaller and less… ‘spicy’. There’s much less space for competition between 0 and 10 than between 0 and whatever. And from the house’s perspective, there’s much less room for maneuver. There are now fewer levers to lean on to ensure a striking and hefty headline offer comes out in the wash. And by that, I mean ensure the house isn’t hemorrhaging money through its promotions.

In short: expect promos that are smaller in overall value and less varied in their format. But the terms will be much kinder (read: less of a pain in the ass) in return. It’s still early days, but I’m seeing a lot less ‘100% deposit match up to £150’ and a lot more ’25 free spins when you wager £10’. Smaller. Simpler. 

Goodbye mixed product promos

Wagering requirements aren’t the only thing that UKGC are going in on. Say goodbye to promos which incentivize you to pick up two different gambling products at once. For example, a welcome package which combines some bonus cash for use on the sportsbook with a bundle of free spins over at the casino. You’ll only ever find me at the latter, so it’s no biggie in my eyes. But I’m sure this’ll spark some debate among you bettors who like a bit of both. 

All this analysis had me wondering. Given the UKGC’s radical re-approach on wagering requirements – where do Brits now sit in the global picture? Are UK-based players getting a grand deal on their casino promos, or do these changes merely bring things into line? And who really has it rough with their bonus terms? 

It’d be pretty pointless to pose questions without answering them. So let’s take a dive into how other markets – and their regulators – are handling the matter of wagering requirements. 

Right now, the picture around wagering requirements in Ireland looks pretty similar to how the UK’s did pre-reform. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is the relatively new statutory body that oversees licensing and regulation in the country. The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 kicked off major reforms and clarified what is (or soon will be) required of gambling operators in the Irish market. But it didn’t get down to details on promos and bonus terms. The legislation doesn’t mention wagering requirements once. This is the start of a regulatory framework, rather than one that’s got all the specifics figured out. 

As the country’s regulatory framework matures, don’t be surprised to see it follow the path of UKGC in setting out rules. But for now, regulation around bonuses and wagering requirements in Ireland looks pretty lax. 

As things stand, a deposit welcome bonus in the Irish market usually comes with wagering requirements of between 30x and 50x. Though I have seen higher. Requirements on free spins promos average a little lower, with figures like 15x, 20x, and 30x applying on offers that cover free spins alone. Much like in other markets, cashback tends to work out more generously for players. I’ve seen requirements of between 1x and 10x apply to casino cashback arrangements in Ireland. Meanwhile, no wagering bonuses are rare but far from impossible to find. If you do spot any, they’ll almost certainly involve free spins and nothing else. 

Generally speaking, US casino wagering requirements would look friendly to most of us. 

Four states have gambling regulators (Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey) and they set the rules – including all things bonus terms. Between them, there’s no cap applied to wagering requirements in their respective markets. Theoretically, the sky could be the limit for wagering requirements on US casino bonuses. And yet they stay pretty low by global standards. Largely because competition between operators is fierce here.

On a typical deposit match welcome bonus, you’ll see wagering requirements of something like 15x or 20x. Promos focused solely on free spins may come in at the same level or lower still. And on cashback and/or lossback, you’ll only have to play through the bonus amount just once (so 1x). Across any sort of casino promo, you’ll almost never see a wagering requirement go above 30x in the US.

No wagering bonuses are rare, however. Where they are offered, they’re usually for existing players, are one-offs, and are strictly time limited. You’re far less likely to see a no wagering welcome bonus compared with markets like the UK and Ireland. 

There’s only one real catch here. And that’s that some platforms apply the requirement to the total sum of the deposit made and bonus funds gained, rather than just the value of bonus funds. This trick of the trade crops up everywhere but does seem more common in the US. So it’s vital that American players check the fine print. Thankfully, the state regulators enforce a demand that clear bonus terms be provided. 

I should also mention sweepstakes or ‘social’ casinos, which are especially popular and more widely available in the US market. They don’t involve any direct real-money wagering. Instead, the specific way these platforms work means an effective wagering requirement of just 1x applies to bonuses at social casinos. 

Much like its southern neighbor, wagering requirements in Canada look low to many of us outsiders. Although it really does depend what part of the market you’re moving in. 

Ontario is the only province with a proper and legal online casino market. There’s no cap on wagering requirements here, but most brands bring their terms in around 10x to 25x on the bonus amount. Very occasionally, the requirement will apply to the deposit plus the bonus amount. Otherwise, most platforms in Ontario put out welcome offers that come in around 15x or thereabouts. Regulations around transparency and disclosure of material conditions are watertight here. But rules around advertising gambling promotions are just as strict. So the information about what you're getting into will always be readily available in Ontario. But operators and sites like ours can't push bonuses and their terms at you.

Ontario won't be alone for much longer, however. Alberta is soon to join its ranks as a province with its own, fully-regulated online casino space. We don't yet have all the details, but what we do know points to a regulatory environment very similar to Ontario's. Perhaps even a touch stricter. There's no word on wagering requirements specifically, but fairness and transparency will be key.

Outside of these regulated Ontario (and soon to be Alberta) online casinos, the picture gets more mixed. There are provincial government-owned platforms in provinces such as British Columbia and Quebec. Here you tend to see more standardized, policy-driven promo terms. At the time of writing, their welcome bonus wagering requirements range from 10x to 30x. There is no cap, but given their state-owned status, you’re unlikely to see terms any harsher than that. 

There are also gray market operators in Canada, which are licensed outside of the country. And right as you’d expect – laxer regulation means a murkier picture on bonus terms and transparency. Step into this space and you’ll find noticeably higher wagering requirements than in Ontario or on the provincial platforms. At a glance, figures like 40x, 50x, and 60x crop up often. But they really can go sky-high – it’s something of a Wild West out here. And that’s before you factor in other stings in the tail like game exclusions, max bet limits, and super short expiry windows.

A few other trends I’ve noticed. No wagering bonuses are virtually unheard of in Ontario or on the provincial sites. Though they may crop up in the gray market. Highest requirements come on deposit matches, with requirements generally lower on free spins and these only applying to any winnings. Cashback offers tend to come in lower still – sub 10x is refreshingly easy to find. 

New Zealand will be an interesting example to track. It’s a market where big changes are afoot.

Right now, the vast majority of casino sites available to NZ players are based offshore. These are not subject to local regulations and are mostly licensed from jurisdictions where rules are on the laxer side. Basically, we’re back in that Wild West zone when it comes to wagering requirements. 

That being said, the averages in the NZ market aren’t exactly unusual. Sure, there’s no cap on wagering requirements at these offshore casinos. But they’re still competing for players’ attention. In my experience, welcome bonuses in NZ usually land with wagering requirements between 20x and 40x. But given the lack of regulation in the space currently, there are a fair few rogue operators who push things far beyond that. There are similarities with other markets, too. For example, you’re more likely to get a sub-20x requirement on a free spins promo. And no wagering bonuses are rare – but not impossible – to find. 

This is all set to change. The country’s Online Casino Gambling Bill, soon to kick in, will see a homegrown licensing and regulatory regime established during 2026. NZ-based licenses are to be handed out, via a bidding process, to a select number of operators. Specific conditions they’ll be subject to aren’t fully fleshed out yet, and there’s no word on wagering requirements so far. But the intent feels obvious – NZ will want a tightly-regulated market with fair and transparent terms for players. We’ll have to wait and see what (if anything) this means for wagering requirements. Who knows, they just may follow UKGC’s lead!

In the UK and have a hot take about the new wagering rules? Or got some thoughts about regulation (or lack thereof) in your market? Let's get some conversation started below.