What changed, and when
| Date | Rule | What it means for bonuses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2026 | Remote Gaming Duty rises from 21% to 40% | Higher operator tax; expect smaller or fewer offers, not looser terms |
| 19 Jan 2026 | Wagering requirements capped at 10x | Every UK bonus is now clearable in realistic play |
| 19 Jan 2026 | Mixed-product promotions banned | No casino spins for sports bets, or the reverse |
| 21 May 2025 | £2 slot stake limit for 18–24 year olds | Caps the size of any single win during bonus play |
| 9 Apr 2025 | £5 slot stake limit for adults 25+ | Same, for all other adults |
| 31 Oct 2021 | Slot design rules: no autoplay, no turbo, min 2.5s per spin | Wagering takes longer in real time |
| 14 Apr 2020 | Credit cards banned for gambling | Deposit with debit card, e-wallet or open banking |
Source: UK Gambling Commission announcements and licence conditions; HMRC for Remote Gaming Duty. Check the Commission's site for the current text before relying on any date.
The 10x wagering cap
Before 2026, 35x was a common UK wagering requirement, and 50x or more was not unusual. At 35x, a £50 bonus meant £1,750 of play, which at a 96% RTP costs £70 on average: more than the bonus itself. At 10x the same bonus costs about £20 to clear, leaving real value.
The cap applies to the bonus; check whether a casino counts deposit plus bonus. It does not limit how long you have to wager, which games count, or the max bet.
What the rules don't cover: max win
No UK rule limits a bonus max cashout. A casino can offer 10x wagering and still cap winnings at £100. That makes the max win term the most important line in a 2026 bonus, and the one we check first. See max win explained.
Slot stake limits and bonuses
The £5 (or £2) per-spin limit is a legal ceiling, and the bonus max bet can be lower. Whichever is lower applies. The stake limit also caps any single win: a 5,000x hit at £2 is £10,000, at £5 it is £25,000. A no max win bonus is what lets you keep all of it.
Protections every UK player has
- Age and identity verification before you can deposit or play.
- A prompt to set a deposit limit at sign-up; limits can be lowered instantly and raised only after a cooling-off period.
- Time-outs, reality checks and self-exclusion on every site, plus GAMSTOP across all of them.
- No bonus-buy features on slots, and no reversing a withdrawal once requested.
- A free complaints route: first the casino, then an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service named in its terms.