Wagering Requirements and the Playthrough Sum

What the Multiplier Applies To

A playthrough, also called a wagering requirement, is the total amount of qualifying stakes required under a bonus condition. The multiplier is applied to a stated base: either the bonus alone or the deposit and bonus added together. The offer terms must identify which base is used, because the same multiplier can produce different required stake totals. From 19 December 2025, Gambling Commission LCCP rules cap wagering on promotional offers at 10 times. A figure above 10 times in an older review is not a lawful promotional requirement for a Great Britain offer after that date.

Bonus only

With a bonus-only base, the multiplier applies to the bonus amount, not to the deposit used to receive it. The required stake total is calculated as: bonus amount × multiplier = required stakes. For example, a £20 bonus at 10× gives £20 × 10 = £200 in required stakes. The £200 is the sum of stakes that must be placed under the offer’s terms; it is not a second bonus or an amount added to the original £20.

Check the wording to confirm that the stated base is the bonus alone. A multiplier such as 10× does not, by itself, tell you whether the deposit is included, so the terms must say which base applies. If they specify a bonus-only calculation, using the deposit in the multiplication would overstate the required stake total. This distinction is central to a clear wagering requirement calculation: the multiplier stays the same, while the amount it acts on determines the result.

Deposit plus bonus

With a deposit-plus-bonus base, the deposit and bonus are added before the multiplier is applied. The formula is: (deposit + bonus) × multiplier = required stakes. For example, with a £20 deposit and a £20 bonus at 10×, the base is £20 + £20 = £40, and the required stake total is £40 × 10 = £400.

Compared with applying 10× to the £20 bonus alone, including the deposit doubles the stake total, from £200 to £400. The change comes from doubling the base to £40, not from changing the multiplier. The offer terms must identify the deposit-plus-bonus base; a reader should not infer it from the multiplier or the bonus amount. When comparing stated playthrough sums, use the full deposit and bonus figures only where the terms make clear that both form the calculation base.

Why the base changes the sum

The multiplier describes how many times the calculation base is counted, while the base determines the amount being multiplied. Holding the multiplier at 10× makes the difference between the two bases visible: a bonus-only calculation uses £20, whereas a deposit-plus-bonus calculation uses £40.

Required stakes at 10× using the two possible bases
Base	Arithmetic	Required stakes
Bonus only	£20 bonus × 10	£200
Bonus only illustration	£20 bonus at 10× = £200	£200
Deposit plus bonus	(£20 deposit + £20 bonus) × 10	£400
Deposit plus bonus illustration	£20 deposit + £20 bonus at 10× = £400	£400

The bonus-only example requires £200 in stakes; the deposit-plus-bonus example requires £400. Including the deposit adds £200 to the required stake total, even though the bonus and multiplier remain unchanged. That difference matters when assessing the cash needed to fund play: the required stakes are a turnover target, not a statement that the same amount will be lost. The terms must show which base applies, since the multiplier alone cannot resolve the difference.

A Wagering Calculator in Practice

A wagering calculation converts a stated requirement into the amount of qualifying stake needed to meet it. The result depends on how much each bet contributes, so the same cash stake can produce different qualifying totals on different games. Work from the contribution rate shown in the operator’s terms and keep qualifying stake separate from cash wagered. The examples below show the arithmetic and the terms that affect the calculation.

The basic sum

Qualifying stake is the amount staked multiplied by the game’s contribution rate. The formula is: qualifying stake = amount staked × contribution rate. To find how much must be wagered, rearrange it: amount that must be staked = requirement ÷ contribution rate. Write the rate as a decimal for the calculation: 100% is 1.00, while 20% is 0.20.

For a simple example, if a requirement is £500 and a game contributes 100%, divide £500 by 1.00. The required stake is £500, because every pound wagered adds one pound to the qualifying total. If the contribution rate is 50%, divide the same £500 requirement by 0.50; the required stake becomes £1,000.

Use these steps for a Wagering Requirements calculation:

Identify the qualifying requirement stated in the terms.
Find the contribution rate for the game being played.
Convert the percentage to a decimal, such as 40% to 0.40.
Divide the requirement by that decimal to calculate the stake needed.

For mixed play, calculate each game’s qualifying stake separately, then add those amounts. For instance, £100 staked at 100% contributes £100, while £100 staked at 50% contributes £50, for £150 qualifying stake in total. This arithmetic shows how the multiplier is cleared; it does not predict whether play will produce a win or loss.

Game contribution

A game contribution rate determines how much of each stake counts towards the qualifying total. At 100%, a £1 stake adds £1; at 20%, the same £1 stake adds £0.20. As the rate falls, more cash must be wagered to accumulate the same qualifying amount.

Arithmetic example, not an offer: a £200 requirement at a 20% contribution rate requires £1,000 staked. The calculation is £200 ÷ 0.20 = £1,000. This is a Playthrough Sum example based solely on the stated requirement and rate; it does not represent the terms of a particular promotion.

Rates depend on the operator’s terms, not assumptions about a game category. Slots are not always counted at 100%, and table games are not always excluded. Check the contribution specified for each game before using it in a calculation; a category label alone cannot establish the applicable rate.

For a fair comparison of Playthrough Sum details, reviewers should record the following information for every relevant game or category:

The exact game name or clearly defined category, so readers can match the listed rate to the game they intend to play.
The stated contribution percentage for that game, including whether the terms give a separate rate for individual games within one category.
Any difference between the contribution rates for slots, table games, live games, or other named categories.
Whether the contribution rate applies to every qualifying stake or whether particular game modes or bet types are treated differently.
The terms version or date checked, where available, so a rate can be distinguished from later changes to the operator’s rules.

These recorded rates allow the required cash stake to be calculated consistently for each game. The operator’s terms determine the figures; they should not be inferred from common practice or substituted with a reviewer’s estimate.

Maximum stake and excluded play

A maximum-stake rule sets a limit on an individual bet while a bonus is active. If a single bet exceeds that limit, the operator may void the bonus under its terms. The cap figure must be taken from the operator’s terms; it should not be assumed or replaced with a general industry figure.

Clear terms identify the limit and explain which play counts towards the requirement. Reviewers should record these points:

The maximum stake per single bet, stated as a precise cash amount and checked against the applicable terms.
When the limit applies, such as during bonus play or while a wagering requirement remains incomplete.
The consequence stated for exceeding the limit, including whether the bonus or associated winnings may be voided.
The games, modes, or bet types excluded from qualifying play, named specifically enough to identify what does not count.
Any stated treatment of interrupted, cancelled, or otherwise non-settled bets, so excluded activity is not mistaken for completed qualifying play.

Keep the maximum-stake rule distinct from contribution rates: one concerns the size of a single bet, while the other determines how much of a stake qualifies. Both details need to be read in the operator’s terms before the calculation can reflect eligible play.

Questions About Wagering Requirements

A wagering requirement expresses a promotional target as a qualifying stake total, with contribution rates and the Great Britain 10-times cap affecting how that target is treated.

What is a wagering requirement?

Wagering requirement = base × multiplier: the base is the amount the offer terms subject to wagering, and the multiplier is the stated number of times it must be staked. The result is the qualifying stake total, not a target balance or a guaranteed cash return. For example, a multiplier of 5 means qualifying stakes must add up to five times the stated base before the requirement is met.

How do I calculate a playthrough requirement?

To calculate a playthrough requirement, identify the stated qualifying total, then divide it by the game’s contribution rate expressed as a decimal: required cash stake = requirement ÷ contribution rate. A game contributing 100% uses 1.00; one contributing 20% uses 0.20. Apply the relevant rate to eligible stakes rather than treating every cash wager as fully qualifying. This converts the qualifying total into the estimated cash stake for that game.

Does a lower game contribution make wagering harder?

Yes: below 100% contribution, each stake earns less wagering credit, increasing the cash needed for the same qualifying total. Direction: contribution rate down → required cash stake up. For instance, a game contributing 50% requires twice the cash staking of one contributing 100% for the same target, assuming all stakes qualify under the offer terms.

What does a 10-times cap change?

The Great Britain cap is 10 times from 19 December 2025 for promotional wagering requirements. From that date, any higher figure in an older review no longer applies to GB promotional offers. The cap concerns the promotional wagering multiplier; it does not change how a qualifying stake is counted at a particular game’s contribution rate.

What a Review Must Show

A useful review makes the promotion’s wagering conditions checkable against the operator’s terms, rather than relying on a headline multiplier. It should identify the calculation base and show how the stated multiplier produces the required qualifying turnover. It should also report game contribution rates and restrictions that can change which bets count. For offers available in Great Britain, the review should assess the resulting requirement against the applicable 10-times limit.

The wagering base and multiplier

A review should show the actual arithmetic behind a promotion, not just repeat a multiplier such as 5x. The terms establish whether the base is the bonus alone or the deposit plus bonus.

Identify the base: state whether the multiplier applies to bonus funds alone or to the combined deposit and bonus, using the terms’ exact definition.
Record the amounts: show the deposit and bonus values used in the example, such as a £100 deposit and a £100 bonus.
Write the calculation: for a £100 bonus at 5x on bonus funds, display £100 × 5 = £500 in required qualifying turnover.
Show a combined-base result where relevant: with a £100 deposit and £100 bonus at 5x, display £200 × 5 = £1,000.
State the final stake requirement: label the result as qualifying turnover or required stake, rather than implying it is a guaranteed loss or payout.
Keep units clear: show currency and multiplier together, and distinguish the required total turnover from the amount deposited or awarded as a bonus.
Assess the Great Britain cap: compare the calculated requirement with ten times the bonus funds and say whether the offer complies.

The comparison must use the resulting turnover, not the multiplier in isolation. In the combined-base example, £1,000 equals ten times the £100 bonus; a higher resulting requirement would exceed that limit for a Great Britain offer subject to the rule.

Where the terms do not clearly define the base or give enough figures to reproduce the calculation, the review should identify that specific gap instead of presenting an assumed total. This lets readers compare like with like across promotions that advertise the same multiplier but use different bases.

Game contribution rates

A reviewer should report the contribution rate for each relevant game or clearly named game category, using the operator’s terms as the authority. A rate of 100% means that £1 of qualifying stake adds £1 to turnover; a rate of 10% adds 10 pence. Rates vary by operator and promotion, so examples such as slots at 100% or roulette at 10% must not be presented as universal rules.

Explain how the rate changes the qualifying amount credited, rather than treating the cash wager as the amount cleared. For example, if the requirement is £1,000 and roulette contributes 10%, a £50 roulette stake credits £5 towards it. At that rate, £10,000 of roulette stakes would be needed to generate £1,000 of qualifying turnover, assuming every bet is eligible and no other restriction applies.

A review can reference the calculator outcome where it shows the same rate and assumptions, but it should still name the rates used and the resulting credited amount. If slots contribute 100% in the same illustrative terms, a £50 eligible slot stake credits £50. Reporting both figures makes the difference between games visible without implying that one contribution schedule applies across platforms.

When the terms give rates by individual title, list those title-specific rates or make clear that the published category rate has exceptions. A broad label such as “casino games” is not enough if table games, live dealer games, or selected titles receive different credit.

Maximum stake and excluded play

Reviews should record the maximum single bet allowed while bonus funds are active, including its amount and the point at which the restriction applies. If terms set a hypothetical £5 limit, the review should say whether that means each spin, hand, or individual wager; the terms may define the unit differently. Report the rule as written rather than assuming that a stake below the limit is always eligible.

State which games or bet types are excluded from wagering, using the operator’s named categories or titles where available. For example, if the terms exclude roulette, bets on that game should not be counted as qualifying turnover even if the game appears in the casino lobby. Restrictions can also apply to particular features or markets, so the review should identify those separately when the terms do.

Finally, report the stated consequence of exceeding the maximum stake. Some terms allow the operator to void the bonus and associated winnings; a review must say whether that consequence is specified, rather than implying every operator applies the same remedy. Distinguish voiding the bonus from any separate treatment of deposited funds if the terms explain it.