Is a bonus legal in the UK?

Is a bonus legal in the UK? The short answer

Yes. Nothing in British law stops a casino from offering a welcome bonus, free spins or cashback, and nothing stops an adult from accepting one. The law instead controls how bonuses are offered: who may offer them, what the terms may say, how they are advertised and who may receive them. The framework comes from the Gambling Act 2005, the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions, consumer law and the advertising codes.

This answer is part of our casino bonus questions series. If you want the regulator’s side in more depth, see who regulates casino bonuses and our plain-English guide to UK bonus rules.

Who can legally offer casino bonuses to UK players

Anyone providing remote gambling to consumers in Britain needs a Gambling Commission operating licence, wherever the company is based. A bonus offered by a licensee is legal so long as it complies with the licence conditions; a bonus offered by an unlicensed site targeting British players is not. The Commission’s public register of businesses (opens in a new tab) lets you check any operator.

Licence numbers should appear in a casino’s footer, but the register is the reliable source. The guide to checking a casino licence shows what to look for on each entry.

The UK rules a legal casino bonus must follow

A legal bonus isn’t just one from a licensed casino; it must also meet a set of dated rules. These are the ones that shape bonus terms most directly.

The wording of the cap and the product ban is in the Commission’s rewards and bonuses code (opens in a new tab). Our bonus rules timeline puts every change in order, and the 10x wagering cap and mixed-product ban pages explain each rule in full.

Is it legal for you to claim a casino bonus?

For adults in Great Britain, yes. You must be 18 or over, and a licensed casino has to verify your name, address and date of birth before you can deposit or play, including with free spins or bonus funds. If you are 18 to 24, online slot stakes are limited to £2 a spin; from 25 the limit is £5. Our pages on whether 18-year-olds can claim bonuses and bonuses for under-25s cover the details.

Any winnings you keep aren’t taxed: players don’t pay tax on gambling winnings in the UK, because duty is charged to operators instead. See can bonus winnings be taxed for the background.

How the law controls bonus adverts

Bonus adverts must follow the CAP Code’s gambling and promotional marketing sections, and Gambling Commission licences require operators to comply with those codes. Significant conditions such as deposit requirements, wagering and time limits must appear in the ad, and an offer can’t simply be called “free” if you have to risk your own money to get it without that commitment being made clear. The ASA’s guidance on free bets and bonuses (opens in a new tab) gives the detail.

The ASA enforces this. In a January 2016 ruling, it upheld a complaint against an email that promoted a welcome bonus and no-deposit spins while the 60x wagering appeared only on the landing page. How that principle applies today is covered in the word “free” in gambling ads.

When a bonus term isn’t legally binding

Bonus terms form part of a consumer contract, so the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies. Under section 62 of the Act (opens in a new tab), an unfair term isn’t binding on the consumer, and a term is unfair if, contrary to good faith, it causes a significant imbalance against the consumer. Where a term could mean two things, the meaning most favourable to the consumer prevails.

The Gambling Commission backs this up. Its guidance says operators must not reserve sole discretion to decide when play breaches the terms, and must not change a promotion for someone who has opted in except to prevent fraud or similar unlawful behaviour. The CMA’s online gambling case (opens in a new tab) produced the undertakings that set much of this standard. Worked examples are on unfair terms and the Consumer Rights Act.

Northern Ireland: a different legal picture

The Gambling Act 2005 and the Commission’s rules cover Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own law, the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, and has no full framework for online gambling. Players there shouldn’t assume they get the protections described on this page, and some offers exclude Northern Ireland entirely; PlayOJO’s welcome offer is one. See can you get a bonus in Northern Ireland for more.

Bonuses from unlicensed casinos

Sites without a Gambling Commission licence aren’t allowed to offer gambling to people in Britain, so their bonuses fall outside the legal framework altogether. The practical problems follow from that: no 10x cap, no requirement for fair terms, no access to an approved dispute service, no GAMSTOP and no duty to act on signs of harm. We never name or link to such sites. What is at stake is set out in our offshore casino bonus risks guide.

What can make using a bonus unlawful

Accepting a bonus is legal; some ways of obtaining one are not. Using another person’s identity or payment details, or opening accounts in false names, can amount to fraud. Under-18s are not allowed to gamble at all. Most other problems, such as betting above a bonus’s maximum stake, are breaches of contract rather than crimes, and the usual result is that bonus winnings are removed. Our answer to is bonus abuse illegal sets out where the line sits.

How to check that a bonus is legal before you claim it

1. Find the operator’s name and licence number in the site footer.
2. Search the Gambling Commission’s public register and confirm the licence is active.
3. Check the offer’s significant terms appear with the headline, including wagering, expiry and eligibility.
4. Confirm any wagering is no more than 10x the bonus.
5. Make sure the offer doesn’t mix products, such as a sports bet that releases casino spins.
6. Complete age and identity checks before you deposit.
7. If something looks wrong, complain to the casino first, then to its approved dispute resolution service.

If you need to take a complaint further, our complaints and ADR rules page explains the eight-week process and who decides disputes.

Legal UK bonuses from our partners

All five of our partners hold Gambling Commission licences, and their welcome offers follow the 10x cap. Coral gives new players 100 free spins at 10p after a £10 slots bet (certain deposit types excluded), with 48 hours to accept, 7 days to use and no wagering on winnings. Ladbrokes gives up to 500 free spins after £10 is played on slots, 50 a day for 10 days at 10p, claimed before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days, no wagering.

PlayOJO gives 80 free spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza with a £10 first deposit, winnings paid in cash, and excludes Northern Ireland. Casumo (50% up to £100, 10x within 7 days) and 10bet (100% up to £25, 10x within 3 days) offer match bonuses. All are 18+ and terms apply.

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.