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THE PROS AND CONS OF CAPPING WAGERING REQUIREMENTS
Martyn Hannah, co-founder of online casino comparison site Comparasino, assesses the impact of the Gambling Commission’ s decision to limit wagering requirements to 10x the stake.
T he Gambling Commission’ s decision in March to impose a max 10x wagering requirement on all online casino bonuses is a significant moment and one that has left the industry divided. It’ s something I’ ve been calling for the regulator to do for some time, as I believe it’ s one of the most effective ways of preventing players from gambling beyond their means. Wagering requirements literally encourage players to bet more.
It’ s also going to mean a much better experience for the player, especially for more casual customers who often don’ t understand what wagering requirements are or how they work. All they know is the casino doesn’ t let them withdraw their bonus winnings and this makes them distrust the brand.
However, while there are plenty of upsides to the decision, there will absolutely be some drawbacks, too. The value of bonuses will likely diminish further and it’ s not unreasonable to expect some smaller brands to seriously question the viability of the UK market.
In this article, I’ ll dig into the pros and cons of capping wagering requirements in more detail. But first of all let’ s just remind ourselves of the requirements the Gambling Commission will impose and when they will come into force.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE NEW RULES
The Gambling Commission’ s new rules on wagering requirements are part of a wider package of changes to bonusing that will become binding in December
iGB L! VE 2025 • ISSUE 138 • 55