How to Read Casino Bonus Terms: Wagering Requirements, Game Restrictions & Expiry Rules Explained
What is a wagering requirement?
A wagering requirement (also called a playthrough requirement) specifies how many times you must bet a certain amount before you can withdraw winnings from a bonus. A 35x wagering requirement on a C$100 bonus means you need to place C$3,500 in total bets before any winnings become withdrawable.
What matters most is what the multiplier applies to. There are three common structures:
- Bonus only (35x): Only the bonus amount is multiplied. C$100 bonus = C$3,500 required wagering. Most player-friendly.
- Deposit + bonus (35x): Both amounts are multiplied. C$100 deposit + C$100 bonus = C$7,000 required wagering. Significantly harder to clear.
- Bonus + winnings (35x): The bonus and any winnings accumulated are multiplied. The least common and most punishing structure.
Find out which structure a bonus uses before you claim it. The gap between 35x on bonus-only and 35x on deposit+bonus is enormous in practice.
The maximum bet rule
This is the term players violate most often, and it's the reason casinos most frequently use to confiscate bonus winnings. A max bet rule limits how much you can stake per spin or per round while you have an active bonus balance.
The industry standard is C$5 per spin during bonus play. Some casinos set it as low as C$2. If you go over this limit, even once, the casino can void your bonus and any winnings attached to it.
The rule applies even if you're betting from your real money balance, as long as any bonus funds remain in your account. A lot of players get caught by this. Either wager the bonus down to zero, or explicitly forfeit it before increasing your bet size.
Game contribution percentages
Not all games contribute equally to bonus wagering. Here's what you'll typically see:
| Game Type | Typical Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Video Slots | 100% | Most slots qualify fully |
| Classic Slots | 50–100% | Varies by casino |
| Live Blackjack | 5–10% | Low contribution, inefficient for wagering |
| Live Roulette | 5–10% | Low contribution |
| Video Poker | 10–20% | Often excluded entirely |
| Excluded Games | 0% | Bets placed don't count at all |
If you mostly play blackjack or roulette, a slot-focused bonus is going to take you far longer to clear. Your bets only count for a small fraction of their value. Check the game restriction list before you assume your favourite game counts.
Bonus expiry dates
Every casino bonus expires. Miss the deadline, and the bonus plus any winnings from it disappear. Most casinos give you somewhere between 7 and 30 days.
30 days is reasonable. 7 days is aggressive, especially on bigger bonuses where you need to wager thousands. Do the maths before claiming: can you realistically finish the wagering in time?
Maximum cashout limits
Some bonuses, particularly free spin offers, include a maximum cashout limit. This caps what you can withdraw from bonus winnings regardless of how much you actually win. A common structure: 50 free spins, maximum withdrawal from winnings = C$50.
We weigh cashout limits heavily in our bonus scoring. A low cashout cap makes an otherwise generous-looking offer worth much less in practice.