Free spins expiry

What free spins expiry means

Every spin offer has a shelf life. When the time runs out, any spins you haven't used are removed, and if winnings are held as bonus funds with wagering still to do, those can go too. Expiry exists so that promotions have a defined cost and end date for the operator; our answer to why do bonuses expire? covers the reasons in more depth.

The catch is that 'expiry' is rarely one date. Most offers stack two or three separate deadlines, and missing any of them can cost you the spins. The next section breaks them apart. For a wider look at time limits across all bonus types, see our bonus expiry guide; for spin offers in general, start at the free spins hub.

The three free spins expiry clocks

The claim window and the validity period are the two that catch people out most. A wagering deadline only applies when winnings are paid as bonus funds; no-wagering spins skip it entirely, because winnings are cash from the start.

Free spins expiry at our partner casinos

These are the time limits in our partners' offer terms, checked on 5 October 2026. All are 18+ and subject to full terms.

PlayOJO's key terms don't state a claim window or a validity period for its spins, so check the full terms on the offer page before depositing. Partner-by-partner detail is on our pages for Coral bonus expiry, Ladbrokes bonus expiry and PlayOJO bonus expiry.

Daily free spins expiry: a Ladbrokes-style timeline

Daily spin offers are the hardest to track because each batch has its own deadline. Ladbrokes pays 50 spins a day for the first 10 days after you qualify; each day's batch must be claimed before 23:59 and then lasts 7 days. Here is how that could play out if you qualify on a Monday and claim every batch on the day it arrives. The terms say when each 7-day clock starts, so check them for the exact rule.

Miss a day's claim and that £5 of spins is gone; the next day's batch is unaffected. So the value of a daily offer depends partly on how often you choose to log in, which is a reason to decide in advance how many days you actually want rather than logging in just to avoid losing spins. Our comparison of daily free spins vs one-off free spins weighs the two formats, and daily free spins has more on this type of offer.

What happens when free spins expire

• Unused spins are removed from your account and normally can't be reinstated.
• Cash winnings already credited from no-wagering spins stay in your cash balance. Expiry doesn't take them back.
• Bonus funds with wagering outstanding are usually removed at the wagering deadline, along with anything won from them.
• Your own deposit remains yours. Under Gambling Commission guidance you can withdraw your deposit balance at any time, even with a bonus active.
• A spin round in progress when a deadline passes is handled under the game's interrupted-play rules; our answer to what happens if I close the game during free spins? explains this.

If spins disappear before the stated time, or never arrive, contact support with the offer name and the time you qualified. Our answers to why are my free spins not showing? and can I get my free spins back? cover the common causes.

UK rules on free spins time limits

No rule sets a minimum length for a claim window or validity period, but several rules control how time limits are shown and changed.

• Time limits are significant conditions. CAP's guidance, summarised in the ASA's advice on free bets and bonuses (opens in a new tab), lists time limits to claim or use an offer among the conditions that must be stated clearly. In a July 2024 ruling, the ASA found that a free bet advert omitting a text-message deadline had left out a significant condition.
• Terms must last as long as the promotion. Under LCCP code 5.1.9 (opens in a new tab), each incentive's terms must be available for its full duration.
• No changes after opt-in. The Commission's guidance on the right to vary a promotion (opens in a new tab) says operators must not change or withdraw a promotion for someone who has opted in, except to prevent fraud or similar unlawful behaviour. So a validity period can't be cut short once you have accepted.
• No bonus for qualifying early. A casino can't alter or increase an incentive because you hit the qualifying spend sooner than the full offer period. A fixed expiry date is different: it ends the offer, it doesn't change what you get. See our page on time-based incentive rules.

The 10x wagering cap, in force from the same date, also limits how much play a wagering deadline can demand.

Free spins expiry and the pressure to play

A ticking clock can make spins feel urgent. It helps to remember what is really at stake: on a 10p offer, a missed day of 50 spins is £5 of spins with an average return of under £5, and the spins can't be turned into money any other way. Letting spins expire costs you nothing beyond what you have already deposited.

UK-licensed online slots must show how long your session has lasted, and the Commission's RTS 13 standard on time requirements and reality checks (opens in a new tab) covers those time displays and reality checks. Setting a deposit limit and a reality-check reminder before you claim a multi-day offer keeps the deadlines working for you, not the other way round. If deadlines start to feel stressful, you can opt out of bonuses, and our safer gambling page lists free support.

How to keep track of free spins expiry

1. Before depositing, read the offer's significant terms and note every deadline: promotion end, claim window, validity period and any wagering deadline.
2. Check whether each clock starts when you qualify, when spins are offered or when you accept them.
3. Note your qualifying time; it starts the first clock.
4. Accept or claim the spins in your account's bonus or promotions area and check they show as credited.
5. Decide in advance how many daily batches, if any, you actually want to use.
6. If something looks wrong, contact support before the deadline passes and keep a record.

How long should free spins last?

There is no standard, but from the offers we describe, 7 days to play spins after crediting is common, with a shorter window of a day or two to accept them. Matched bonuses tend to set wagering deadlines instead: 7 days at Casumo, 3 days at 10bet. Shorter limits aren't automatically unfair, but they leave less room to play at your own pace. The answer to how long should a bonus last? discusses what is reasonable, and our page on Casumo bonus expiry shows a 7-day wagering deadline in practice.

Partner spin offers and their time limits

All three partner spin offers pay 10p spins with no wagering, so there is no wagering deadline to beat once spins are played. Coral (18+, new players): runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027; deposit and bet £10 on slots, then accept 100 spins on selected games within 48 hours and use them within 7 days, £10 of spins; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify. Ladbrokes (18+, new customers): deposit and spend £10 on slots for 50 spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 spins or £50, each batch claimed before 23:59 and valid 7 days; prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers don't qualify. PlayOJO (18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland): first deposit of £10 or more for 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza, £8 of spins, winnings paid in cash; check the full terms for its time limits.

Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited, so check the terms if you hold an account at either. Terms apply to all three.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: set a budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.