Bonus conversion meaning

Bonus conversion meaning explained

UK casinos must show your own money and bonus money as separate balances. Bonus conversion is the step that moves money from the second to the first. Until it happens, bonus funds can be played on the games the offer allows but can't be withdrawn; after it happens, the converted amount behaves like any other cash in your account. See our bonus balance entry for how the two balances are displayed.

Operators word it in different ways: 'bonus released', 'bonus converted to cash', 'bonus funds become withdrawable'. The Gambling Commission's glossary of terms (opens in a new tab) defines wagering requirements as any requirement to make wagers of a set value for funds to become withdrawable, which is exactly the condition that conversion follows. It sits in our casino bonus glossary alongside playthrough, which means the same as wagering.

How bonus conversion works, step by step

1. You deposit and receive bonus funds, which sit in the bonus balance.
2. You play eligible games; each stake counts towards the wagering target (some games may count less or not at all).
3. Your wagering progress tracks how much of the target is done.
4. When the target is reached within the time limit, the remaining bonus balance converts to cash, up to any cap.
5. If the time limit passes first, the bonus and its winnings are usually removed under the terms.

Whether the bonus amount itself converts depends on the bonus type. With a non-sticky bonus, your cash is used first and the bonus only comes into play if the cash runs out. With a sticky bonus, the bonus amount is removed at conversion and only the winnings above it move across. Our sticky vs non-sticky guide shows both with numbers.

Bonus conversion with real partner figures

The maths below uses published offer terms and a 4% house edge as a round figure for slots (a 96% RTP). It shows long-run averages, not what any one session will do.

Two cautions. First, these averages hide a wide spread: many attempts end with the bonus balance at zero and nothing to convert, and a few end well above average. Second, the time limit matters. 10bet's 3 days for £250 of wagering means about £83 of stakes a day; anyone unlikely to play that much shouldn't count on converting. Our wagering calculator and guide to calculating wagering requirements run the numbers for other amounts.

Conversion caps and max winnings

Some bonuses limit how much can convert, often written as 'maximum bonus winnings', 'max conversion' or max cashout. 10bet's welcome bonus caps bonus winnings at £1,000; anything above that when wagering finishes would not convert. A cap is a significant term, so it should appear with the offer, not only in the full terms.

A cap applies to bonus winnings, not to your own deposit. Commission guidance on withdrawing your deposit and deposit winnings (opens in a new tab) says you can withdraw the deposit balance at any time, even while a bonus is active, and that wagering requirements must not apply to it. Withdrawing your deposit early may cancel the bonus, though, so read the terms first; our answer on whether you can withdraw your deposit with a bonus active has the detail.

Bonus conversion meaning under UK rules

Since 19 January 2026, the Commission's social responsibility code 5.1.1 has capped wagering at 10 times the bonus, which sets the ceiling on how much play conversion can require. Before that, 35x or 50x was common: a £10 bonus at 50x would have needed £500 of play, against £100 now. Our 10x wagering cap page and the Commission's code text for SR code 5.1.1 (opens in a new tab) give the full wording.

Terms must also be clear and available for the whole promotion, and the offer can't be changed against you once you have opted in. If a conversion doesn't happen when the terms say it should, raise it with support and then use the complaints route in our how to complain about a bonus guide.

Related terms

• Locked funds: money held in the bonus balance until conversion.
• Bonus forfeiture: losing the bonus before it converts, for example on expiry.
• Pending bonus: a bonus waiting to be credited, before any conversion is possible.
• Free spins winnings: may be cash at once or bonus funds needing conversion.

For the practical version, read how do I turn a bonus into cash?.

Bonus conversion at our partner casinos

Two of our partners offer deposit-match bonuses that need converting. 10bet (18+, new UK customers): choose the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days for a 100% match up to £25; wager the bonus 10x on slots within 3 days, with bonus winnings capped at £1,000; Skrill and Neteller deposits are excluded. Casumo (18+, new customers, opt-in required): 50% bonus up to £100 on a first deposit of at least £20, wagered 10x within 7 days, max £5 per bet with an active bonus; game, play and payment restrictions apply. See the 10bet bonus funds and Casumo wagering pages.

If you would rather skip conversion entirely, Coral's spins (18+, new players, 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027) carry no wagering: deposit and bet £10 on slots for 100 free spins at 10p, accepted within 48 hours and valid 7 days; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify. 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.