Definition
A wagering requirement, or playthrough, is the number of times a bonus (and sometimes the deposit that unlocked it, and any winnings from it) must be staked in real play before bonus funds and their winnings can be withdrawn. It is quoted as a multiple - "35x the bonus" means a 100 bonus must be wagered 3,500 before it can be cashed out.
Game weighting adjusts this: slots usually count 100% toward the requirement, while table games and live casino often count 10-20% or are excluded, so the effective requirement on those games is far higher.
The wagering requirement, together with the game weighting, the maximum bet allowed while a bonus is active, the maximum cashout and the expiry, determines whether a bonus is worth taking. A high multiple, low game weighting or tight cashout cap can make an advertised bonus low-value or negative.
In context
For affiliates, the wagering requirement is the single most important bonus term to present accurately, because "35x" is meaningless without the game weighting, the max bet, the cashout cap and the eligible games, and because the surprise that a bonus win cannot be withdrawn due to unmet wagering is the largest source of bonus-related player complaints. A review should state the multiple, what it applies to (bonus only, or bonus plus deposit), the game contribution table or at least a note that non-slots count little or nothing, the maximum bet while active, the cashout cap and the expiry, and calculate the real required turnover.
The honest framing is that a bonus with clearable wagering has a small positive or negative expected value depending on the terms and the game played, not free money, and that playing an excluded game with an active bonus can void it. Content should compare operators on effective wagering - the multiple adjusted for what the player actually intends to play - not the headline number, and should carry age-gating and responsible-gambling messaging, noting that a 35x requirement on a 100 bonus means staking 3,500, which is significant exposure.
For affiliate-facing content, the framing is that a wagering requirement is the number of times a bonus must be staked before withdrawal, that game weighting makes the effective requirement much higher on non-slots, that it works with the max bet, cashout cap and expiry to determine real value, and that reviews should report all of those and compare on effective wagering rather than the headline multiple.
Worked example
An affiliate's bonus review states the wagering is 35x the bonus, applies to the bonus only, with slots at 100%, table games at 10% and live casino excluded, a maximum bet of 5 while active, a cashout cap of 500 and a 7-day expiry. It calculates the real required turnover for a slots player (3,500) versus a roulette player (35,000) and concludes the bonus is not worth taking for the latter.
Responsible-gambling messaging is present.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Browse more iGaming terms in our glossary.
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