Casino bonus checklist

The casino bonus checklist: 15 questions

Work down this casino bonus checklist with the offer's terms open in another tab. Every "no" or "not sure" is a reason to stop and read the clause again, or to skip the offer.

1. Is the casino licensed by the Gambling Commission, and can you find its account on the public register?
2. Are you eligible: 18 or over, living in Great Britain (not Northern Ireland, if the terms exclude it), and new to this casino and its sister brands?
3. Does your deposit method qualify for the offer?
4. What is the minimum deposit, and do you need to opt in or choose the bonus at sign-up?
5. Is there a qualifying bet, and on which games?
6. How much is the offer worth in pounds?
7. Is there wagering, and is it 10x or lower?
8. How large can each bet be while the bonus is active?
9. Which games can you play, and how much does each count?
10. How long do you have to claim, use and clear it?
11. Is there a cap on what you can win or withdraw?
12. Can you withdraw your own deposit while the bonus is live?
13. Is your account verified, or what will verification need?
14. Can it be combined with other offers?
15. Does it fit a budget and limit you have already set?

The sections below explain what a good answer looks like for each check, and the table near the end applies all 15 to the five offers we list. For the vocabulary used in terms, keep our casino bonus terms guide handy.

Checks 1–2: licence and eligibility

Start the casino bonus checklist with who runs the site. A UK-licensed casino names its licence holder and account number in the footer, and the Gambling Commission's register confirms it. Our walkthrough on how to check a casino licence shows where to look. For our partners: Coral and Ladbrokes are run by LC International Limited (account 54743), PlayOJO by Skill On Net Limited (39326), Casumo by Recro Limited (61549) and 10bet by Blue Star Planet Limited (43173).

Eligibility comes next. Welcome offers are for new customers aged 18+, and the definition of "new" can reach across brands run by the same company. Because Coral and Ladbrokes share an operator, one person may not be able to take both welcome offers; our answer on whether Coral and Ladbrokes share accounts explains what to check. PlayOJO's offer excludes Northern Ireland, and the Gambling Act 2005 and Commission rules cover Great Britain only.

Never try to qualify by opening a second account, using another person's details or using a VPN. Terms ban it, winnings can be voided, and accounts can be closed.

Check 3: will your payment method qualify?

On any casino bonus checklist, this is the check that is easiest to miss, and an excluded method means the welcome offer won't be credited. Many casinos exclude e-wallets and prepaid cards from welcome bonuses. The ASA has upheld a complaint where an excluded payment method sat in small print rather than prominently, as its free bets and bonuses guidance (opens in a new tab) notes, so the exclusion should be easy to spot; check it anyway.

Credit cards are out entirely: gambling on a credit card has been banned in Great Britain since 14 April 2020, including through an e-wallet funded by one, as our credit card ban page explains. For a wider look at why methods are excluded, read how payment exclusions work.

Checks 4–5: deposit, opt-in and qualifying bet

A qualifying deposit is the payment that triggers the offer, and a qualifying bet is the play you must complete before the reward arrives. The two can differ: Coral and Ladbrokes ask you to bet or spend £10 on slots; PlayOJO asks for a first deposit of at least £10; Casumo needs at least £20 and an opt-in; 10bet asks you to pick the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days.

Ask three questions here. Does the deposit itself count, or only the stake? Do the qualifying bets have to be on slots? Is there an opt-in box or a choice at registration? Missing an opt-in is permanent for most offers. None of our partners needs a promo code, as our page on whether casino bonuses need a code confirms.

Check 6: turn the casino bonus into pounds

The value check is where a casino bonus checklist earns its keep. Headline numbers like "500 spins" or "50%" can't be compared until you convert them. For spins: number × stake per spin. For a deposit match: deposit × match percentage, up to the cap. Then, for offers with wagering, subtract the average cost of the playthrough (wagering × house edge).

Spin returns at RTP are long-run averages; 100 spins can return far more or far less. The expected value of a casino bonus guide explains the method, and the qualifying bet itself also carries the house edge.

Checks 7–9: wagering, max bet and games

Since 19 January 2026, the Commission's rules cap bonus wagering at 10 times the bonus, so anything higher on a current UK offer should make you stop and recheck the casino's licence. Our wagering requirements guide covers how the multiple is applied. No-wagering offers skip this check, but read whether "no wagering" covers the winnings, as it does for Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO.

Next, the max bet while a bonus is active. Casumo's terms set £5 per bet. That sits alongside the legal online slot stake limits of £5 per spin for players aged 25+ and £2 for 18–24s. Breaking a bonus max-bet rule is one of the main reasons winnings are removed.

Then eligible games. Free spins are tied to listed slots: PlayOJO's to Big Bass Bonanza; Coral's and Ladbrokes' to the selected games on their promotion pages. Deposit-match wagering often counts slots in full and other games partly or not at all, so look for the contribution table in the terms. 10bet's terms require the wagering on slots.

Check 10: claim, use and clearing deadlines

Every casino bonus checklist needs a dates line, so write down each deadline before depositing. Coral gives 48 hours to accept the spins and 7 days to use them. Ladbrokes releases 50 spins a day for 10 days, each claimed by 23:59 and valid for 7 days. Casumo allows 7 days to wager its bonus 10x; 10bet allows 7 days to make the first deposit and 3 days to wager. Our guide to bonus expiry shows what disappears when a clock runs out.

Checks 11–12: caps on winnings and your own deposit

A max win or maximum conversion cap limits what bonus play can turn into cash. 10bet caps bonus winnings at £1,000. The no-wagering spin offers pay winnings as cash; check the terms for any per-offer limit.

Check 12 is a legal right rather than a term to hope for. Commission guidance on withdrawing deposits during bonus play (opens in a new tab) says you must be able to withdraw your deposit balance at any time, even with a bonus active, without meeting wagering first, and that deposit and bonus balances must be shown separately. Withdrawing may cancel the bonus itself. Our guide on whether you can withdraw a casino bonus covers the detail.

Checks 13–14: verification and combining offers

UK casinos must verify your age and identity before you deposit or gamble, including with a bonus; the Commission's age and ID verification guide (opens in a new tab) explains what can be asked. Getting this done at sign-up avoids a pause between triggering an offer and using it. PlayOJO's help page says it aims to verify within 12 hours, accepting passport, driving licence, ID card or utility bill through its upload tool. See do you have to verify before a bonus? for the wider picture.

Finally on the terms: can the offer be combined? PlayOJO's 80 spins can't be combined with other offers and are only available via the designated link. Since 19 January 2026, a single incentive can't mix gambling products, so a sports bet can't release casino spins.

Check 15: the personal part of the casino bonus checklist

The last check isn't in any terms. Before claiming, decide the most you are prepared to spend on this offer, including the qualifying bet and any further play, and set that as a deposit limit. Since 31 October 2025, UK casinos must prompt you to set a financial limit before your first deposit, so the tool is in front of you at the right moment.

• Would you make the qualifying deposit if there were no bonus? If not, the bonus is costing you the deposit.
• Is the offer the reason you would play longer or more often?
• Are you trying to win back an earlier loss?
• Would you be comfortable if the whole outlay were gone?

A yes to either of the middle two is a reason to stop. Help is free: the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, and NHS gambling support (opens in a new tab) including self-referral clinics. Our guide on when to say no to a bonus covers this in more depth.

Casino bonus checklist applied to five UK offers

Here is our casino bonus checklist run against each partner's published terms, last checked on 5 October 2026. All offers are 18+ and for new customers; full terms apply.

Once an offer has passed every line of the casino bonus checklist, our how to claim guide picks up where this list ends.

Red flags the checklist should catch

Some answers mean walk away, whatever the headline says. The Commission's transparency guidance (opens in a new tab) expects significant terms to be shown with the offer, clear and no more than a click away; if they aren't, treat that as a warning in itself.

• Wagering above 10x on a UK offer.
• No Gambling Commission licence number, or one that doesn't match the register.
• Terms saying the casino "may" void winnings at its discretion, without defining the play it bans.
• Any rule stopping you withdrawing your own deposit until wagering is finished.
• A no-deposit offer that needs card details for unexplained reasons, or a site that isn't UK-licensed.
• Pressure to deposit quickly before an offer "disappears".

Our guide on how to spot unfair bonus terms goes further, and any red flag on your casino bonus checklist is reason enough to choose a different offer.

Which offers pass the casino bonus checklist

All five partner offers come from Gambling Commission licensees and keep wagering within the 10x cap; three carry no wagering at all. The boxes below show the three spin offers, which are the simplest to check.

Coral: 18+, new players. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots to get 100 free spins at 10p, on the selected games listed on the promotion page; 48 hours to accept, valid 7 days, no wagering on winnings. Runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Ladbrokes: 18+, new customers. Spend £10 on slots to get 50 free spins a day for 10 days (up to 500 at 10p), claimed by 23:59 each day, each batch valid 7 days, no wagering. PlayOJO: 18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p on a first deposit of £10 or more, winnings paid as cash with no wagering. Payment exclusions apply to each; see the table above.

For the deposit-match side, see the Casumo vs 10bet bonus comparison. More practical explainers are on the casino bonus guides hub.

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.