Stake contribution meaning: the part of each bet that counts towards a bonus's wagering requirement. If slots contribute 100% and roulette 10%, a £1 spin adds £1 to your progress and a £1 roulette bet adds 10p. The phrase is also used for how a single bet is split between your cash and bonus balances, and for the slice of a stake that feeds a jackpot.
Stake contribution is how much of a bet is credited to your wagering total.
Lower contribution means more total stakes, and a higher expected cost, to clear the same bonus.
A bet can draw on cash and bonus money at once; UK guidance calls this a mixed wager.
No contribution rate changes a game's odds or the house edge.
Also called
Contribution percentage, game weighting
Formula
Stake × contribution % = wagering credited
Slots, typically
100%
UK wagering cap
10x the bonus since 19 January 2026
Online slot stake limits
£5 (25+), £2 (18–24)
Stake contribution meaning: three uses of one phrase
You will meet "stake contribution" in three settings, and it helps to know which one a set of terms means.
Wagering contribution. The most common use: the share of each stake that counts towards a bonus's wagering requirement. Our entry on contribution percentage covers the same idea from the percentage side.
Balance contribution. How much of one bet comes from your cash balance and how much from your bonus balance. The Gambling Commission's glossary of terms (opens in a new tab) calls a bet drawn from both a "mixed wager".
Jackpot contribution. On progressive jackpot slots, a small part of each stake goes into the growing prize. That is set by the game, not by any bonus.
The rest of this page focuses on the first meaning, with a section on the second. Related definitions sit in the glossary.
How stake contribution works towards wagering
Wagering is a target for total stakes. Each bet you place is multiplied by its contribution rate, and the result is added to your wagering progress. The formula is: stake × contribution % = amount credited. A rate of 100% means every pound counts in full; 0% means the bet does not count at all.
Slots usually contribute 100% where they are allowed. Table and live games, where offered with a bonus at all, often contribute far less or nothing. The rates are set by each casino in its terms, so treat any figures you see as examples, not rules. Our game weighting guide explains how operators set them.
Stake contribution worked example at 10x wagering
Take a £20 bonus with 10x wagering: £200 must be credited to your progress. The table shows the stakes needed at different contribution rates and the average cost of those stakes, using a 4% house edge for slots and 2.7% for single-zero roulette.
Stakes needed to credit £200 of wagering
Contribution rate
Example game type
Total stakes needed
House edge used
Average cost of stakes
100%
Slot
£200
4%
About £8
50%
Example rate
£400
4%
About £16
10%
Roulette (if allowed)
£2,000
2.7%
About £54
0%
Excluded game
Never completes
n/a
No progress
The pattern is clear: when contribution drops, the total you must stake rises sharply, and so does the average cost. At 10% the expected cost of clearing a £20 bonus is more than the bonus itself. These are long-run averages; any one session can land well above or below them.
Cash and bonus: how a mixed stake is split
When you hold both a cash balance and a bonus balance, a single bet may draw on one or both. UK rules do not set the order in which deposit and bonus funds are used, so each casino's terms say whether cash goes first, bonus goes first, or both are used together. What the rules do say is that the two balances must be shown separately, that you can withdraw your deposit balance at any time, and that wagering must not apply while you play with your own money, as the Commission's guidance on withdrawing deposits during a bonus (opens in a new tab) sets out.
For example, with £30 of cash and a £15 bonus, a casino that uses cash first will take your first £30 of stakes from cash. Only after that do bets start drawing on bonus money. Our guide to how bonus funds and cash are used goes through the common orders, and can I withdraw my deposit with a bonus active covers your rights.
Stake limits that sit alongside contribution rules
Contribution decides how much a bet counts; stake limits decide how big it can be. Online slots in Great Britain are capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for those aged 18 to 24, under the Commission's stake limit rules (opens in a new tab). A bonus may set a lower cap: Casumo, for instance, allows a maximum of £5 per bet while a bonus is active. See our online slot stake limits page and casino bonus max bet explainer.
Terms that ban particular betting patterns while a bonus is active must be spelled out in advance. Trying to clear wagering with bets designed to cancel each other out is usually treated as low-risk betting and can void winnings.
How to work out your own stake contribution
Find the wagering multiple and bonus amount: £20 × 10 = £200.
Find the contribution rate for the game in the terms.
Divide the wagering by the rate: £200 ÷ 0.5 = £400 at 50%.
Multiply total stakes by the house edge (100% minus RTP) for the average cost.
Compare that cost with the bonus to judge whether it is worth taking.
Stake contribution and our partners' no wagering spins
Stake contribution only matters when there is wagering to clear, and the three welcome offers we list first have none on their spin winnings. Coral gives new players (18+) 100 free spins at 10p after a deposit and a £10+ bet on slots; the spins must be accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days. Ladbrokes gives new customers up to 500 spins at 10p, 50 a day for 10 days after £10 of slots play. PlayOJO gives new UK customers, excluding Northern Ireland, 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza with a first deposit of £10 or more.
Terms apply to each, including payment exclusions at Coral and Ladbrokes such as PayPal and Skrill. For deposit match bonuses where contribution does apply, see our Casumo wagering and 10bet wagering pages.
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 does stake contribution mean?
It means the share of each bet that counts towards a bonus's wagering requirement. If a game contributes 100%, a £1 bet adds £1 to your progress; at 20%, the same bet adds 20p. Casinos set these rates in the promotion terms, usually with slots at 100% and other games lower or excluded. The term is also used for how a bet is split between cash and bonus money. See what counts towards wagering for a fuller explanation.
Is stake contribution the same as game weighting?
Yes, for practical purposes. Game weighting, contribution percentage and stake contribution all describe how much of a bet counts towards wagering. Different casinos simply use different labels in their terms. The calculation is the same in every case: stake multiplied by the rate equals the amount credited. Our contribution percentage entry lists the phrases you are likely to see and where they usually appear in the terms.
Why do slots usually have 100% stake contribution?
Because slots are the games casinos build bonuses around, and their house edge is generally higher than games like blackjack, so the operator is comfortable counting every pound. Lower-edge games often get a reduced rate or are excluded, because counting them in full would make bonuses cheaper to clear. This is a commercial choice set in each casino's terms, not a legal rule. Our slots bonus page explains how slot-focused offers are built.
Does stake contribution affect my chances of winning?
No. Contribution only changes how your bets are counted towards wagering; it does not change the game's odds, RTP or house edge. A slot with 96% RTP returns about 96p per £1 staked over the long run whether you use cash or bonus money. What contribution does change is how much you need to stake in total, and so the average cost of clearing a bonus. Our house edge entry explains the maths.
What is a mixed wager?
A mixed wager is a single bet drawn partly from your cash balance and partly from your bonus balance. The Gambling Commission's glossary uses the term, and UK guidance requires casinos to show the two balances separately. Which balance is used first depends on the casino's terms, because the rules do not set an order. You can still withdraw your deposit balance at any time. Our guide to sticky vs non-sticky bonuses shows how the order affects you.
How do I check my wagering progress?
Most casinos show it in the bonus or promotions area of your account, often as a bar or a figure such as "£120 of £200 wagered". If progress does not move after a bet, the game may have a low or zero contribution rate, or the bet may have come from cash before the bonus was used. Contact support if the figure looks wrong. Our page on checking wagering progress explains what to look for.
Do free spins winnings have stake contribution rules?
Only if the winnings carry wagering. With no wagering spins, such as the welcome spins at Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO, winnings are paid as cash, so there is nothing to clear and contribution rates do not apply. Where spin winnings are paid as bonus money with wagering, the usual contribution rules govern how you clear them. Our free spins wagering page explains both cases with examples.
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.
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