UK social responsibility code 5

What UK social responsibility code 5 means

The Gambling Commission's Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice number their code provisions by section. Section 5 of the codes is marketing, and it holds twelve provisions, from rewards and bonuses to direct marketing preferences. When people search for social responsibility code 5, they almost always mean the first of these: SR code 5.1.1, rewards and bonuses (opens in a new tab), the provision that governs every casino bonus offered in Great Britain.

The 'SR' label matters. A social responsibility code isn't a suggestion: compliance is a condition of the licence. If an operator breaks it, the Commission can review the licence with a view to suspension, revocation or a financial penalty, and the breach may expose the operator to prosecution. Ordinary codes, by contrast, describe good practice and can't on their own lead to a fine.

This page goes through 5.1.1 clause by clause, then covers the other section 5 provisions that affect how bonuses reach you. For the plain-English versions of individual rules, follow the links to our UK casino bonus rules pages.

Every provision in section 5 of the codes, mapped

The Commission's marketing section index (opens in a new tab) lists the twelve provisions below. We've marked the status where we've confirmed it from the provision's own page.

SR code 5.1.1 clause by clause

Here is what each part of the code requires, in plain English, as it reads after the rewrite that took effect on 19 January 2026.

Clause 3(a): the 10x wagering cap in pounds

The cap is measured against the bonus, not the deposit plus bonus. Our partners' deposit offers sit right at the line, which makes them good examples. All figures below assume slots with a 4% house edge; they are averages, and any one session can go very differently.

• Casumo, 50% up to £100. A £20 deposit (the minimum) earns a £10 bonus, so £100 of wagering, averaging about £4 in cost. A £200 deposit earns the full £100 bonus and needs £1,000 of play within 7 days, with an average cost near £40.
• 10bet, 100% up to £25. A £25 deposit earns £25, wagered 10x (£250) on slots within 3 days; average cost about £10. Bonus winnings are capped at £1,000.
• Old-style 40x on £100. £4,000 of play and roughly £160 average cost, more than the bonus itself. Since 19 January 2026 this can't be offered.

Our 10x wagering cap page and the wagering calculator go deeper. One gap to know: the code text talks about playing through bonus funds, and the Commission's separate guidance says you must not be made to wager your own deposit before withdrawing it.

Clause 3(b): one product per offer

Before 2026, operators with both a sportsbook and a casino often used one to recruit for the other. Clause 3(b) stops that. A single incentive can now include only one of betting, casino, bingo or lottery. A casino offer must be earned by casino play and paid in casino rewards.

Both Coral and Ladbrokes run sportsbooks, but their welcome spins are triggered by a £10 slots bet, which keeps them within the rule. Read more on the mixed-product promotion ban page and in our comparison of a casino bonus vs a free bet.

Clause 3(c) and the time-based incentive myth

This is the most misunderstood part of the code. The wording forbids an operator to alter or increase the receipt, value or amount of an incentive if the qualifying activity or spend is reached within a shorter time than the whole period the benefit is offered over. It isn't new: it carries over a clause from the old version.

What did change in 2026 is that the old clause saying a benefit must not depend on the customer gambling for a pre-determined length of time or with a pre-determined frequency was deleted, and the Commission dropped a proposed replacement. Its consultation page on the restructured code (opens in a new tab) explains the restructure. So there is no new ban on time-based offers.

Our page on time-based incentive rules has more examples, and daily vs one-off free spins compares the two offer shapes.

Clauses 4 and 5: high-value and VIP customers

Incentives aimed at customers labelled high value or VIP must be consistent with the licensing objectives, and operators must take account of the Commission's high-value customer guidance (opens in a new tab). Since 31 October 2020, that guidance has meant confirming spend is affordable and sustainable, checking for signs of harm, holding up-to-date identity and source-of-funds evidence, and having a senior licensed manager oversee each scheme.

For most readers this stays in the background. If you're invited to a VIP programme, though, these checks are the reason you may be asked about income. Our VIP scheme rules and how VIP schemes work pages cover it.

The other social responsibility codes in section 5

5.1.6: advertising codes

All gambling marketing must be carried out in a socially responsible way, and licensees must follow the CAP and BCAP advertising codes. That's how ASA rules on words like 'free' and on showing significant conditions become licence obligations. See advertising codes CAP 16 and free in gambling ads.

5.1.11 and 5.1.12: consent and marketing preferences

Code 5.1.11 says no direct electronic marketing without informed, specific consent, a chance to withdraw it every time you're contacted, and a prompt stop if you do. Since 1 May 2025, direct marketing preferences under 5.1.12 (opens in a new tab) mean online operators must let you opt in separately for betting, casino and bingo, and for each channel (email, SMS, phone), with everything off by default. Bonus emails therefore only arrive if you've chosen them; how to stop bonus emails explains the settings.

5.1.10: no offers on safer-gambling pages

An ordinary code says marketing shouldn't appear on a primary page or screen that gives responsible gambling information. It's good practice rather than a fineable rule, but it's why safer-gambling pages, including ours, carry no offers.

How to check an offer against SR code 5.1.1

1. Find the wagering multiple and confirm it's no more than 10x the bonus amount.
2. Check the offer is earned and paid within one product: casino play for casino rewards.
3. Read how the reward is calculated; if it grows because you reach the target sooner, that's a clause 3(c) problem.
4. Make sure the terms are clear and easy to open before you opt in.
5. Note the casino's own conditions (expiry, maximum bet, excluded payments, eligible games), which the code allows but which must be shown clearly.
6. If something looks wrong, raise it with the casino first, then through its complaints and ADR process.

What social responsibility code 5 doesn't set

SR code 5.1.1 sets limits, but much of a bonus remains the operator's choice. It doesn't fix a maximum bet (the legal £5 and £2 slot stake limits come from separate licence conditions), an expiry period, which games count, a cap on winnings, or which payment methods qualify. It doesn't stop a casino from offering no bonus at all. And it doesn't override the separate rule that marketing and new bonus take-up must stop for customers showing strong signs of harm, set out in customer interaction code 3.4.3; see bonuses and harm indicators.

Social responsibility code 5.1.1 timeline

The Commission's announcement, gambling promotions to be safer and simpler (opens in a new tab), explains its reasoning. An outright ban on wagering was considered and rejected.

SR code 5.1.1 and our partner offers

Every partner offer we list sits inside SR code 5.1.1. Coral's is the closest fit for this page because it avoids wagering altogether: 18+, new players, deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots to get 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and valid for 7 days, with no wagering on winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.

Ladbrokes shows clause 3(c) working as intended: new customers aged 18+ who deposit and spend £10 on slots get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p each, with no wagering; claim each batch by 23:59 and use it within 7 days. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify. PlayOJO gives new UK customers, not Northern Ireland, 80 spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each after a first deposit of £10 or more, with cash winnings. Terms apply; a bonus never changes a game's odds. Compare all five on our casino bonuses 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.