Significant terms meaning: the key restrictions attached to a casino promotion, such as the deposit needed, wagering, time limits, eligible games and excluded payment methods. UK rules say they must be shown clearly next to the offer itself, not left in the full terms, because they change whether the offer is worth having.
Significant terms meaning and the official definition
The Gambling Commission’s glossary of terms (opens in a new tab) defines significant terms as “the key restrictions which apply to a promotion”. In advertising codes the same idea is called significant conditions. Either way, they are the handful of lines that decide whether a bonus suits you, picked out from the longer full terms. You will find related entries throughout our casino bonus glossary.
The concept came into sharp focus in 2018, when the Competition and Markets Authority secured commitments from operators to show restrictions up front; our pages on the CMA bonus principles and CMA undertakings of 2018 tell that story.
Which bonus terms count as significant
There is no fixed list, but regulators’ examples and rulings point to the same core set. Here is what each one does to the value of an offer:
The Commission’s transparency guidance (opens in a new tab) says significant conditions must be clear, timely, intelligible, unambiguous, transparent, prominent and not misleading. They belong in the advert and with the headline offer on every relevant landing and sign-up page. Putting them only in the website’s general terms isn’t enough, and extra terms mustn’t be hidden in a separate tab or window.
Before sign-up: the significant terms sit beside the headline, with full terms reachable.
Online ads with limited space: say that conditions apply, include as many as possible, and link to full terms no more than one click away (LCCP 5.1.9).
During play: full terms should be one click from the bonus tab.
For the whole promotion: the terms must stay available for as long as the offer runs.
The Advertising Standards Authority enforces the same idea through CAP Code rule 8.17. Two cases show how it is applied:
In 2016, an email for a £1,500 welcome bonus and 30 no-deposit spins put its 60x wagering only on the landing page. The ASA upheld the complaint and said the email should have stated that terms “apply”, not “may apply” (Apollo Entertainment ruling (opens in a new tab)).
In 2024, an excluded payment method shown only in small print within the full terms was judged not prominent enough.
Take a box that reads: “18+. New customers. Min deposit £20. 50% bonus up to £100. Wager bonus 10x within 7 days. Max £5 bet. Game, play and payment restrictions apply.” In plain numbers: deposit £20 and get £10; deposit £200 and get the full £100. At the cap, £100 × 10 = £1,000 must be staked within a week, at no more than £5 a spin. At a 4% house edge, that play costs about £40 on average, so the £100 bonus is worth roughly £60 in expected terms, before the risk of running out of time.
The significant terms of our partners’ spin offers
Here are the significant terms of the three closest partner offers, as their terms state them. Coral: 18+, new players, terms apply; deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins at 10p on selected games; accept within 48 hours, valid 7 days; no wagering on winnings; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don’t qualify. Ladbrokes: 18+, new customers, terms apply; spend £10 on slots for 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p; claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days; no wagering; prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers excluded.
PlayOJO: 18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland, terms apply; first deposit of at least £10 for 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p; no wagering, winnings paid in cash; not combinable with other offers and only through the designated offer link. The full terms are on each casino’s site; we summarise them on Coral bonus terms, Ladbrokes bonus terms and PlayOJO bonus terms.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What are significant terms in a casino bonus?
Significant terms are the key restrictions that decide whether a casino bonus is worth claiming, shown alongside the headline offer. They usually cover who can claim, the deposit or bet needed, wagering, deadlines, eligible games, payment exclusions and any bet or win limits. The Gambling Commission defines them as “the key restrictions which apply to a promotion”, and UK rules require them to be prominent rather than buried in full terms. The full terms still apply too. Our guide to casino bonus terms explained covers the remaining clauses.
Are significant terms the same as significant conditions?
Yes, they mean the same thing; the Commission tends to say significant terms and the advertising codes say significant conditions. Both describe the restrictions a consumer needs to know to understand an offer before taking it up. CAP Code rule 8.17 requires significant conditions to be stated clearly in the ad itself where leaving them out is likely to mislead, and LCCP 5.1.9 requires them at the point of sale. Our page on significant conditions in ads explains how the two sets of rules fit together.
Where should significant terms appear?
They should appear in the advert and next to the headline offer on every landing and sign-up page, before you register. The Commission says putting them only in general website terms is not enough and that extra conditions must not be tucked away in another tab. Where an online ad has little space, it must say conditions apply, include as many as possible, and link to full terms no more than one click away. Once you are playing, full terms should be one click from the bonus tab. See promotion terms accessibility.
What if a casino hid a significant term from me?
You can complain to the casino first and, if that fails, take the dispute to its alternative dispute resolution provider. Explain which condition was not shown up front and how it affected you, with screenshots of the offer if you have them. Terms that were not transparent may be unenforceable under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and misleading ads can be reported to the ASA. The Commission does not resolve individual complaints but uses reports in its oversight. Our guide on how to complain about a bonus lists each step.
Is wagering always a significant term?
Yes, where a bonus carries wagering it is one of the clearest significant terms, because it decides how much play is needed before winnings become cash. Regulators’ own examples of significant conditions name deposit and wagering requirements explicitly. Since 19 January 2026 wagering is capped at 10x the bonus in Great Britain, but the multiple and the deadline still need to be shown. Where an offer has no wagering, saying so is helpful too. Our wagering requirements explained guide shows how to turn a multiple into pounds.
Can a casino change significant terms after I opt in?
Generally no: Commission guidance says operators should not vary or withdraw a promotion for someone who has opted in, except where needed to stop fraud or similar unlawful behaviour. Material changes to general terms must be notified before they take effect, and must themselves be fair and transparent. If you are told a condition has changed mid-offer, ask which clause allows it and keep a copy of the terms you accepted. Our answer to can bonus terms change after I opt in? explains the limits.
Are significant terms legally binding?
They are part of your contract with the casino, so they generally bind both sides, provided they are fair and transparent. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, an unfair term is not binding on the consumer, and if a term could mean two things the meaning most favourable to you applies. Gambling licence conditions also require terms to be fair, transparent and easy to find. That gives you real protection if a condition was unclear. Our page on whether bonus terms are legally binding explains how these rules work together.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Visit GamCare.org.uk and GamCare, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
This site contains adverts. We may earn commission when you sign up through our links. Advertiser disclosure.
We use no tracking cookies. We store one item in your browser to remember this notice. Casino sites may set their own cookies after you follow an advert link. Cookie policy
