UK bonus terms must be clear

What "UK bonus terms must be clear" means

The phrase comes straight from the Gambling Commission's rules. Under social responsibility code 5.1.1 (opens in a new tab), a licensee offering an incentive must set out terms and conditions that are clear, transparent and fair, and make them readily accessible to customers and potential customers. That covers every bonus, from a welcome offer to a weekly reload.

Each word does a job. Clear means you can understand what you must do and what you get. Transparent means nothing important is buried. Fair means the balance of rights isn't tilted against you. Readily accessible means you can find the full terms without hunting. A bonus can be generous and still fail this test, or modest and pass it easily.

This page focuses on the terms document itself. How offers must be presented in adverts is covered on our page about significant conditions in ads, and the separate question of when an offer may be called free is on our page about "free" in gambling ads.

Where the clear bonus terms rule comes from

There isn't one single clause. Several overlapping rules, from the Commission's codes to general consumer law, all point the same way. The table lists the main ones.

Licence condition 7.1.1 (opens in a new tab) is the bridge between gambling regulation and consumer law. Because it makes Consumer Rights Act fairness part of the licence, a casino with unfair bonus terms is not just exposed in court; it is in breach of its licence. The page on unfair terms under the Consumer Rights Act goes deeper into the legal test.

Plain language: bonus terms you can actually follow

The Commission's transparency guidance (opens in a new tab) says consumers must be able to understand all the terms and that terms must not be unnecessarily complex. That rules out clauses that only make sense to someone who already knows the jargon, and long chains of cross-references that send you between documents.

Section 68 of the Consumer Rights Act sets the same bar in law: written terms must be transparent, meaning plain, intelligible and, in written form, legible. A term written in tiny grey text on a dark background may be technically present but still fail that test. The glossary entry on significant terms explains which clauses matter most.

Readily accessible: where full bonus terms should be

Accessibility is about time and place. The Commission's guidance says you should be able to see the full terms before signing up, and once play starts they should be within a single click from the bonus area of your account. Putting extra terms in a separate tab or window you'd never think to open doesn't meet the standard, and nor does relying only on the site's general terms and conditions.

The marketing code adds that each incentive's terms must stay available for the full life of the promotion. That matters if a dispute arises weeks later: the version of the terms you agreed to should still be findable. Our guide on how to keep records of bonuses suggests taking a dated screenshot when you opt in.

No "at our sole discretion" clauses

One of the clearest lines in the Commission's guidance concerns discretion. Its page on terms giving licensees undue discretion (opens in a new tab) says operators must not reserve sole discretion to decide when and what play breaches their terms. A term that lets the casino decide when and how it applies would be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act.

The guidance names wording to avoid: terms saying the operator "may" or "reserves the right to" void or withhold winnings where it suspects irregular play, multiple accounts or third-party funding. Customers are entitled to know what action will follow. A clear term says what is prohibited and what will happen; a vague one leaves the outcome to the casino's choice.

Explaining a rule clearly isn't the same as permitting a workaround. Breaking a clearly stated term, such as opening a second account, can still lead to winnings being voided. Our page on what happens if you break bonus terms covers the consequences.

Restricted play must be listed in advance

The Commission's guidance on promotional play restrictions requires terms to specify clearly every prohibited type or pattern of play. A casino must not ban a form of play that wasn't clearly set out beforehand. Where winnings are lost because of a breach, you should get a full explanation of which restriction was broken.

So a clause banning "irregular play" with no description isn't enough on its own. The terms should describe what that means for this offer. Our explainer on what counts as irregular play shows how operators usually define it.

When a bonus term could mean two things

Section 69 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (opens in a new tab) gives a simple tie-break: if a written term could reasonably have more than one meaning, the meaning most favourable to the consumer prevails. It is one of the most useful rules to know when a bonus dispute turns on wording.

Take a made-up example. A term says: "Free spins winnings are capped at £100." You win £60 from the spins, then turn it into £180 while wagering. The casino says the £100 cap applies to everything you then win; you read it as applying only to the £60 from the spins, which is under the cap. If both readings are reasonable, the one more favourable to you should be used. A clearer term would have said exactly which balance the cap applies to.

Unclear and clear bonus terms side by side

The examples below are invented for illustration and don't come from any real operator. They show how the same condition can be written in a way that meets the standard or falls short.

In each clear version you could work out the cost and the consequence in pounds before opting in. That is the practical test: if you can't turn a term into a number or a yes-or-no rule, it probably isn't clear enough. More examples sit in how to spot unfair bonus terms.

How to check whether bonus terms are clear

1. Find the full terms before you register or deposit, and note how many clicks it took.
2. Write down the qualifying deposit or bet, the reward and its value in pounds.
3. Check that wagering, max bet, expiry, eligible games and excluded payment methods are each stated as a number, date or list.
4. Look for discretion words such as "may", "reserves the right" or "at our sole discretion" next to penalties.
5. Check that prohibited play is described, not just named.
6. If anything is still unclear, ask customer support in writing before opting in and keep the reply.

This is the same approach used in our bonus terms guide, which walks through each clause of a typical UK offer.

Changing bonus terms after you opt in

Clarity also covers change. Licence condition 7.1.1 says changes to terms must meet the same fairness and transparency standards, and customers must be told about material changes before they take effect. Commission guidance adds that operators must not use terms letting them vary or withdraw a promotion for someone who has already opted in, except where needed to prevent fraud or similar unlawful behaviour.

These protections grew out of the Competition and Markets Authority's work on gambling promotions in 2018, which is covered on our page about CMA bonus principles. For practical examples, see whether bonus terms can change after you opt in.

What happens when bonus terms aren't clear

There are two routes. Under section 62 of the Consumer Rights Act, an unfair term is simply not binding on you, though you can still rely on it if it helps you. And because fairness is a licence condition, the Commission can act against the operator.

In July 2025 the Commission fined Taichi Tech Limited £170,000 (opens in a new tab), partly for a term allowing it to close accounts or forfeit winnings at its discretion, alongside other failings. For your own dispute, the route is the casino's complaints process, then a free alternative dispute resolution service if it isn't resolved within 8 weeks. See how to escalate a bonus complaint to IBAS.

What the clear terms rules don't promise

• Clear terms don't make a bonus good value. A plainly written 10x requirement still costs money to complete; our guide to whether a casino bonus is worth it does that maths.
• They don't set the size of wagering or expiry; the 10x wagering cap is a separate rule.
• They don't protect you on unlicensed sites, which sit outside UK regulation.
• They apply to operators licensed for Great Britain; Northern Ireland has separate gambling law.

Reading terms takes a few minutes and can save a lot of frustration. If you notice you are gambling more to clear a bonus than you meant to, stop and step away. The National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, and our safer gambling page lists GAMSTOP and other support.

Clear terms in our partner casinos' offers

Our three partner free spins offers state their key numbers plainly in their published terms. All are for adults aged 18 or over, need a deposit, and full terms apply.

• Coral: deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots to get 100 free spins at 10p each, worth £10, on selected games. Accept them within 48 hours and use them within 7 days; spin winnings carry no wagering. The offer runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify, so check the full list of excluded cards before you deposit.
• Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10 or more on slots to get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 spins at 10p, on selected games with no wagering. Claim each day before 23:59 and use the spins within 7 days. The terms list prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers as excluded deposit methods.
• PlayOJO: a first deposit of at least £10 brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, worth £8, with winnings paid in cash and no wagering. New UK customers only, excluding Northern Ireland; the offer can't be combined with others and only applies through the designated offer link.

Where a phrase like "selected games" or "certain debit cards" appears, the full terms on the promotion page list the detail. More offers are compared on our casino bonuses page, and the rest of our UK casino bonus rules explain the other protections.

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.