Scratch and win bonus

What a scratch and win bonus is

This kind of offer borrows the look of a scratchcard to deliver a promotion. You drag a finger or cursor across a silver panel and a prize appears underneath: "20 free spins", "£5 bonus" or "50% on your next deposit". The card might be in a marketing email, a pop-up when you log in, or a tile on the promotions page.

Nothing is staked on the card itself. It's a reveal mechanism for a prize that is normally decided before you scratch, sometimes the same for everyone who receives that card, sometimes drawn from a small set. It's one of several reveal-style reward games, and you'll find the rest in our guide to types of casino bonus.

Directly: no welcome offer from Coral, Ladbrokes, PlayOJO, Casumo or 10bet is a scratch and win bonus, and none appears in the partner terms we checked on 5 October 2026.

Scratch and win bonus vs real-money scratchcards

The two get confused because they look alike, but they work in opposite ways. A real-money online scratchcard is a casino game: you pay a stake, and the outcome comes from the game's own odds and return-to-player figure. The promotional version is the reverse: no stake, and the prize is a bonus with terms.

If you plan to use a bonus on scratchcard games, check the game weighting first: many bonuses count scratchcards at a reduced rate or exclude them.

How to claim a scratch and win bonus

1. Open the card from a source you trust: your account, the casino's app, or an email from an address you recognise.
2. Log in through the casino's own site or app, not through an unfamiliar link, before entering any details.
3. Scratch the card and note exactly what's revealed, including any deposit you must make.
4. Open the full terms, which should be one click from the offer, before accepting.
5. Opt in or accept the prize, then check it shows in your bonus area with its expiry date.
6. Use the prize on the eligible games, or decline it if it's not for you.

What a scratch and win prize is worth: worked examples

The revealed prize is the start of the sum, not the end. For spins, the average value is spins × stake × RTP. For bonus funds, it's the bonus minus the average cost of the wagering. Here are typical reveals, valued at 96% RTP and a 4% house edge.

Averages hide the swings: 20 spins can return nothing or several pounds. And the last row is different in kind, because it asks for a £50 deposit that is itself played at the house edge. The bonus doesn't change the long-run cost of play; it only adds value if the deposit was already part of your plan. Our free spins maths guide covers spin values in depth.

When the scratch reveal is really a deposit offer

Many scratch cards don't reveal a standalone prize at all. They reveal a deposit match, such as "100% up to £20 today", or spins that only arrive after you deposit and play. The scratch makes it feel like you've already won something, which can make the deposit feel like collecting a prize rather than spending money.

Advertising rules are alert to this. CAP's guidance on free bets and bonuses (opens in a new tab) says an offer shouldn't be described as free if you have to risk your own money to qualify, and that significant conditions such as deposit requirements must be stated clearly. In a 2016 ruling on a bonus email (opens in a new tab), the ASA upheld a complaint because the 60x wagering appeared only on the landing page, not in the email itself. Our page on free in gambling ads explains the standard.

The fix is simple: treat any reveal that needs a deposit as a reload bonus and judge it the same way, on its wagering, cap and expiry.

Scratch and win emails, texts and your consent

Scratch cards often arrive by email or text. Since 1 May 2025, the Commission's code on direct marketing preferences (opens in a new tab) requires operators to get your opt-in for each product, such as casino, betting or bingo, and each channel, such as email, text or phone. You can say yes to casino emails and no to texts, and change your mind at any time.

• To stop scratch emails, change your marketing preferences in your account or use the unsubscribe link. Our guide on how to stop bonus emails covers both.
• If you've set a time-out or self-excluded, marketing should stop for that period.
• Operators must stop marketing and new bonuses to customers showing strong signs of harm, so a sudden end to offers can be part of that duty.

The wider consent rules are summarised on our marketing consent rules page.

Scratch and win bonus terms to check

• Who it's for: a card sent to you may be personal to your account and not transferable.
• What you must do: any deposit, minimum amount and qualifying payment methods.
• Prize details: slot, spin value, number of spins, or bonus amount.
• Wagering: no more than 10x on bonus funds at a UK-licensed casino; check whether spin winnings are cash.
• Expiry: the card itself, the claim window and the prize once activated. See claim window.
• Max bet and cap on winnings if bonus funds are involved.

If anything is missing, ask support before you accept. Bonus terms you can't find aren't terms you can rely on.

UK rules behind scratch and win promotions

A revealed prize is an incentive, so the Gambling Commission's rules apply. Since 19 January 2026, wagering on bonus funds can't exceed 10x and an incentive can't mix gambling products: a casino scratch card can't reveal a sports free bet bundled with casino spins. Terms must be clear and readily available, and players must opt in rather than be enrolled automatically. See our 10x wagering cap and mixed-product promotion ban pages.

Scratch and win bonuses and our partner casinos

None of our partners lists a scratch and win reveal among its welcome offers. For existing customers, the app store listings describe other in-account extras: Coral's mentions free-to-play games with real-money prizes and promotions called Smart Rewards, Rewards Grabber and Coral Coins, and Ladbrokes' mentions free-to-play games including Instant Spins and a daily prize wheel. Whether either currently uses a scratch format isn't in our checked data.

PlayOJO's help page describes OJO Levels, daily Kickers and OJOplus money back on every game. Casumo's store listing mentions Reel Races and its Adventure trophy collection. For offers after sign-up, see our free spins for existing customers page.

Stated prizes from our partners instead of a scratch reveal

If you want to know the prize before you commit, these partner welcome offers do just that. Each is for new customers aged 18+, terms apply, and each pays spin winnings with no wagering.

Coral: deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots to receive 100 free spins at 10p, so £10 of spins, on selected games. Accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days. The offer excludes Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards. Available from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027.

Ladbrokes: after a deposit and £10 or more spent on slots, claim 50 free spins a day for the first 10 days, up to 500 at 10p (up to £50 of spins) on selected games. Claim each day by 23:59; spins are valid for 7 days. Prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits won't qualify. Our Ladbrokes casino bonus review has the full terms.

PlayOJO: new UK customers outside Northern Ireland get 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p, £8 of spins, with a first deposit of £10 or more. Winnings are paid in cash; the offer is only through the designated link and can't be combined. Compare the three on our no wagering bonus page.

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.